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20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight

20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight

I love to check out all the Facebook Pages that talk about cheap meals and dinner ideas. Because like you, I always have trouble finding the right thing to cook for dinner each night!

Yep. With a website with hundreds of recipes that I’ve written myself, even I get stuck!

So I thought today, I’m sharing the ideas I like the most for this time of year….  It’s getting cold so slow cooking is the go!

1. Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie with its soft potatoey top and its succulent meaty middle is TO DIE FOR. Tastes great on its own, but to add a bit of flare to your meal you can add a colourful salad on the side.

20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight | Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


2. Slow Cooker Lasagna

Yes, you heard that right! Even the traditional Lasagna can be done in the Slow Cooker! Each bite provides a forkful of comfort and flavour. 20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight | Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


3. Cheesy Beef and Macaroni Bake

Cheesy Beef and Macaroni Bake is a recipe the whole family will enjoy and it costs under $10! A good way to fill up hungry tummies!  Plus it puts a bit of a different spin on spaghetti bolognaise!

Get the recipe here!


4. Easy Beef Chow Mein

This is my tight-wad version of Beef Chow Mein. Have a go at this delicious recipe! I like it because it uses mince, which is super cheap, rice noodles and then any veggies that I need to use up in the fridge!  It is very adaptable to whatever you have in the fridge and pantry!20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight | Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


5. Porcupine Mince Balls

These balls are like bulked up Spaghetti Bolognaise recipe and a firm family favourite! It involves rolling meatballs in rice, and letting the rice cook in the juices Just remember to have enough liquid so your rice isn’t crunchy.

20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight | Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


6. Leftover Pasta Bake

A great recipe to make the night before a food shop. Get rid of all the leftovers and bits and pieces out of the fridge and throw them into a pasta bake.Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


7. Chicken Pot Pie

This Chicken Pot Pie recipe is a firm staple meal in my house. It is so tasty and delicious”¦perfect for those cold winter nights.

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


8. Chicken and Cauliflower Bake

When I hear cauliflower and cheese sauce a little part of me dances. But to put those key ingredients together to make a whole meal that is frugal and delicious?  Yeah, winner winner chicken dinner!

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


9. Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

I love Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken it bubbles away all day making you so hungry.  I love it served with mashed potato, but then you can have it on anything really.

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


10. Chicken Casserole with Cheesy Damper Top

Chicken Casserole with Cheesy Damper Top is a creamy, delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy! Good all year round, serve with steamed vegetables in winter and a fresh salad and crusty bread in the hotter months.Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


11. Family-Sized Taco Salad

Taco night in our family is hugely popular! So we try and mix it up every now and then! Another great way to use up all the leftovers in the fridge!

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


12. Quick Fish Coconut Curry

I’ve always found fish a bit tricky to cook – so usually shy away from it a bit.  But fish curry is probably the best comfort food in the entire world.  I haven’t stuffed up this recipe a single time yet!

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


13. Mediterranean Lamb Casserole

Whether you love lamb or not, you need to give our recipe for Mediterranean Lamb Casserole a try!lamb casserole1 | Stay at Home Mum.com.au

Get the recipe here!


14. Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie is one of many families staple dishes to go to when you want a quick meal. The mince mixed with the potato is a winning combination. Even the pickiest of kids will love it!Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


15 Very Veggie Fried Rice

Yes, it is possible to eat a dinner for only $1 This recipe is chock full of vegetables, in fact you can pretty much use any frozen vegetables you might have lurking in the back of the freezer, or any veggies in the fridge that you can grate up and add to this delicious and filling meal. Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


16. Chicken Rice Casserole

Layers of rice, chicken and vegetables in a soupy sauce with a crunchy topping great for the whole family.Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


17. Beef Tortilla Stack

Beef Tortilla Stack tastes so good and you can even make your own tortillas – homemade always tastes the best!!

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


18. Mexican Chicken Bake

Mexican Chicken Bake is a good use of chicken thighs and cheese. Chicken and cheese can never go wrong in my opinion!Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


19. Faster Pasta

This meal, which I call ‘Faster Pasta’ is not only fast (you can make it in under 12 minutes) but is also incredibly frugal. I can feed this to my family of four for only a few dollars!

Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


20. Pea and Bacon Pasta

Looking for a quick, easy and delicious dinner dish? Especially perfect for the colder nights, whip this Pea and Bacon Pasta up as a side dish, or just on it’s own as a main!Stay At Home Mum

Get the recipe here!


 Don’t you just love this recipe list? It’s every frugal mum’s dream come true!

20 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Cook Tonight

Jody Allen
About Author

Jody Allen

Jody Allen is the founder of Stay at Home Mum. Jody is a five-time published author with Penguin Random House and is the current Suzuki Queensland Amb...Read Moreassador. Read Less

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