25 Cheap Dinners for a Family (easy and healthy recipes)
You don’t have to sacrifice your budget when you want to cook a healthy meal.
These are our favorite cheap dinner ideas that the whole family will love! From speedy skillet meals to 20-minute sheet pan recipes, these easy dinner ideas will become your go-to.
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Lemon Garlic Chicken Sheet Pan
Chicken and asparagus are roasted in a bath of lemon-garlic oil. Infused with rich flavor, every bite is tender, bright, and juicy.
Recipe >>> Lemon Garlic Chicken Sheet Pan
Crispy Skin Chicken and Mushrooms
Roast your chicken in a pool of creamy, garlic mushroom sauce. This one-pot meal is both beginner friendly and offers easy clean up. If you’re looking for an easy dinner idea or a quick chicken recipe, this is the healthy meal for you!
RECIPE >>> Braised Chicken and Mushrooms
Chipotle Burrito Bowl Copy Cat
This restaurant-inspired Chipotle bowl features tender chicken and sautéed veggies, layered over a bed of cauliflower rice for an easy, low-carb meal you can feel good about.
RECIPE >>> Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Recipes in the image above:
1 – HIDDEN Veggie Pasta – Your kids (and/or partner) won’t notice that this pasta dish is FILLED with vegetables! >>> Get the Recipe
2 – Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan – chicken and a veggie of your choosing is all baked on ONE PAN! >>> Get the Recipe
3 – Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Wings – these air fryer wings are an excellent weeknight dinner because they are quick and easy, perfect for those busy nights! >>> Get the Recipe
4 – Healthier Mac and Cheese – this mac and cheese tastes as good as the real thing, but there’s less cheese in it! We’ve replaced some of the cheese with pumpkin to make this recipe healthier and more filling! >>> Get the Recipe
One Pot Cherry Tomato + Garlic Pasta
This low-carb tomato and garlic pasta combines simple ingredients in one pot for rich, creamy comfort food that’s full of warm, savory flavors and nutrients.
Recipe >>> Tomato Garlic Pasta
White Chicken Chili Crockpot
High-protein, healthy white chicken chili? Yes, find out how you can make this hearty recipe with just 5 minutes of prep work thanks to the crockpot!
RECIPE >>> White Chicken Chili Crockpot
Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Crispy on the outside, juicy in the center, and flavored with a savory, zesty lemon garlic seasoning, these air fryer chicken wings are the perfect appetizer, side dish, or main course.
RECIPE >>> Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Wings
Healthy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Learn how to make a lightened-up version of everyone’s favorite comfort food with this low-carb pumpkin mac and cheese! Featuring natural ingredients, it’s a nutritious dish you’ll look forward to sinking your fork into.
RECIPE >>> Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Simple Pesto Chicken (3 simple ingredients)
Take the stress out of weeknight dinner and meal prep with this 3-ingredient pesto chicken! The best sheet pan recipe, it’s a hands-off recipe that pairs perfectly will all your favorite sides for a meal everyone will love.
RECIPE >>> 3 Ingredient Pesto Chicken
Hidden Veggie Pasta
This pasta sauce is nearly 100% veggies, but you wouldn’t know it based on the taste. Add some garlic, salt, and vinegar to a pan of roasted vegetables, blend them together, and you get creamy, savory pasta sauce. Even a picky eater can indulge in Hidden Veggie Pasta!
RECIPE >>> Healthy Hidden Vegetable Pasta
Cheap Chicken Dinner Recipes:
Recipes in the image above:
1 – Crispy Skin Chicken and Mushrooms
2 – Lemon Chicken and Asparagus Sheet Pan
3 – Easy Pesto Chicken (Baked)
4 – White Chicken Chili Crockpot
Chipotle Chicken Stew
Is there anything more comforting than a warm bowl of chipotle chicken stew? Top it off with all your favorite fixings for a hearty, filling meal you can feel good about!
RECIPE >>> Chipotle Chicken Soup
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wings
Healthy air fryer crispy chicken wings? Yes! Find out how you can make a nutritious version of this classic appetizer in minutes right from your own home.
RECIPE >>> Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Chili Garlic Oil Noodles
Who knew chili garlic oil noodles were so quick to make? And they can be healthy? Make a batch for a low-carb comfort food you can enjoy all week!
RECIPE >>> Chili Garlic Oil Noodles
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Who knew avocado pesto was so easy to make? And it’s healthy? Make a big batch in minutes to add flavor to pasta, chicken, and more!
RECIPE >>> Creamy Avocado Pesto
Spiraled Cucumber Salad
Say goodbye to bland, boring salads with this easy spiraled cucumber salad recipe! Featuring crisp veggies, a tangy Asian-inspired dressing, and topped with crunchy peanuts and sesame seeds, it’s the perfect balance of flavors and textures to make your tastebuds sing.
RECIPE >>> Spiral Cucumber Salad
Starbucks Egg Bites (Bacon)
Our homemade take on a fast food favorite. These Starbucks Egg Bites feature fluffy eggs, savory flavors, and a hint of smokiness. It’s a high-protein breakfast (or dinner) you can meal-prep (and you’ll look forward to eating it).
RECIPE >>> Starbucks Egg Bites
Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad with Air Fried Salmon
This salad proves that healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland or boring. Crisp vegetables, tender, flakey salmon, and a tangy ginger dressing combine to create a nutritious, filling meal you’ll look forward to eating!
RECIPE >>> Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad with Air Fried Salmon
Meal Prep Salad Jars with Lemon-Dijon Dressing
Crisp zucchini, juicy cherry tomatoes, and sweet mini bell peppers mingle with tangy feta crumbles and crunchy sliced almonds. The zesty dijon dressing ties everything together, making each bite feel refreshing and invigorating. This is the ultimate summer salad!
RECIPE >>> Meal Prep Salad Jars with Lemon-Dijon Dressing
Healthy Sushi Waffle (Salmon)
This recipe features a cheesy low-carb waffle topped with classic, savory sushi toppings, and a creamy sriracha mayo sauce that packs a punch of heat. Enjoy this unique fusion of flavors and cuisines.
RECIPE >>> Healthy Sushi Waffle (Salmon)
Pizza Casserole
This low-carb pizza casserole satisfies any and all cravings for deep-dish pizza: golden crust, gooey cheese, classic pizza spices, and your favorite toppings. Made from natural ingredients, this pizza is a meal you can feel good about.
RECIPE >>> Pizza Casserole
"Lemon Chicken Tray Bake is a healthy and easy weeknight dinner! Lemon slices, fresh rosemary, and garlic are tucked away under the skin to ensure lots of flavor, then roasted to golden brown perfection."
"The BEST chicken fajita recipe, in just 20 minutes! Learn how to make chicken fajitas that are both healthy and full of flavor, plus tips and topping ideas."
"Egg Roll in a Bowl! This one skillet meal comes together in under 20 minutes and is gluten free, keto and low carb! An easy healthy meal the whole family will love! Only 310 calories a serving!"
"This Pork Fried Cauliflower Rice is healthy and easy but packed with those takeout flavors you love. It is a one-pan Paleo, Whole30 and Low Carb Meal that the whole family will devour!"
"Slow cooker Zuppa Toscana is a favorite cold weather soup! It's creamy and comforting, and tastes very much like the real deal. The best part? It's literally the easiest version you'll find on the internet!"
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