According to the Oct. 2023 USDA Food Plan research, an average family of four spends approximately $975.30 per month on groceries. That’s an insane amount, especially when trying to save money. Managing a budget becomes even more challenging for larger families of 6 or more.
In the quest to help you Stack Your Dollars, I’ve curated a collection of healthy recipes that cost under $10 for 6 people. The most expensive recipe here is only $1.94 per serving, making them excellent and economical options for feeding a large group!
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Cheap Family Meals
These cheap dinner recipes are not only good for feeding a family for $10, but they can also be used when meal prepping; They’ll give you enough servings to last the rest of the week without having to cook every day.
I also like to use large recipes like these so I can have leftovers to take for lunch. In my post of Ways to Lower Your Monthly Spending, it is one of the tips that can save you a lot of money!
I’ve broken down the cost of all the ingredients needed for these recipes based on my local grocery store. Things that haven’t been included are items that we usually have on hand and buy way cheaper in bulk: seasonings, onions, and rice. Due to these, your actual prices might vary, but I hope it’ll give you a rough idea of how much you’ll have to spend.
If you’d prefer to shop online, like on Amazon Pantry, I’ve also provided links there. But please keep in mind it might be more expensive.
Planning out your meals is a great way to stick to a budget. Use my free meal planner and other Budget Printables.
Freezer Burritos
It would be a shame if I didn’t throw my own recipe in the ring, though it’s way over budget at $42. However, I typically cook a batch of 32 of these homemade freezer burritos making it only $1.32 per serving!
They are also only about 192 calories and make a great meal for lunch or dinner. I just pop it in the microwave for about 2 minutes and enjoy!
32 Servings ($1.32 per serving)
- 1lb 96% Lean Ground Beef= $6.68 x 2
- Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Burrito= $5.58 x 4
- 14oz Organic Black Beans= $1.16 x 2
- 14oz Organic Pinto Beans= $1.16
- 6oz Organic Tomato Paste= $0.96 x 2
- 1 Sweet Onion= $1.10
Total= $42.18
Easy Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
This gluten-free slow cooker cabbage soup is not only a simple and easy healthy recipe that is packed with veggies, but it is also cost-effective and feeds a crowd!
8 Servings ($1.49 per serving)
- 1lb Ground Beef= $4.94
- Green Cabbage= $2.04
- White Onion= $1.00
- 32 Chicken Broth (or Vegetable Broth)= $1.99
- 15oz Diced Tomatoes= $0.96
- 15oz Tomato Sauce= $0.98
Total= $11.91
Items available online: Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce.
Easy Italian Wedding Soup
This healthy Italian soup comes up to over $10 if you don’t already have the ingredients; however, it basically feeds an army!
12 Servings ($1.37 per serving)
- Chicken Bouillon= $1.49
- Fresh Italian Parsley= $0.98
- Parmesan= $2.50
- White Onion= $1.00
- 1.5lb Italian Meatballs= $6.29
- Frozen Spinach= $1.16
- Acini de Pepe= $3.00
Total= $16.42
Items available online: Parmesan, Acini de Pepe.
Green Lentils and Rice with Curry
This green lentils and rice dinner is perfect for anyone on a budget and is only $0.66 per serving. What’s even better is that it’s easy and delicious, too!
8 Servings ($0.66 per serving)
- Green Lentils= $1.29
- Curry Powder= $1.99
- Raw Spinach= $1.99
Total= $5.27
Items available online: Green Lentils, Curry Powder.
Vegan Congee
The ultimate budget meal, this healthy vegan congee is similar to a breakfast porridge.
6 Servings ($0.93 per serving)
- Vegan ‘Chicken style’ or Vegetable Stock= $2.98
- Soy Sauce= $1.58
- Ginger= $1.00
- Optional Purchases: Spring onions, Shallots, Sesame oil, Tofu, Chili
Total= $5.56
Easy One-Pot Vegan Gluten-Free Louisiana Red Beans & Rice
This classic Southern recipe is easy and you can make it all in one pot! At just 76 cents per serving, it’s one of the best cheap recipes for families on a budget.
(Doubled) 8 Servings ($0.76 per serving)
- Red Bell Pepper= $1.48 x2
- Celery= $1.47
- 15oz Dark Red Kidney Beans= $0.82 x2
- Optional purchases: Vegetable Broth, Tomato Sauce
Total= $6.07
Items available online: Dark Red Kidney Beans, Vegetable Broth, Tomato Sauce.
Easy, Cheesy 5-Ingredient Pizza Pasta Bake
This incredibly quick and easy pizza pasta bake is an absolute lifesaver on busy nights! It’ll be in the oven in no time flat – you can even mix it all up right in the pan (and you don’t even have to precook the pasta)! So cheesy and full of great pizza flavors! Your whole family will love it!
6 Servings ($1.71 per serving)
- Whole Grain Rotini Pasta= $1.00
- 24oz Pasta Sauce= $1.29
- Mozzarella Cheese = $2.50
- Turkey Pepperoni= $2.99
- Parmesan= $2.50
Total= $10.28
Items available online: Whole Grain Rotini Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Parmesan.
Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew
(Doubled) 10 Servings ($1.69 per serving)
- 1lbs Ground beef= $4.94 x2
- 3lbs Potatoes= $3.00
- Carrots= $1.29
- Yellow Onion= $1.00
- 6oz Tomato paste= $0.86 x2
Total= $16.89
Instant Pot Mac And Cheese – 5 Ways
This post is your ultimate guide to Instant Pot Mac and Cheese! Kids and adults alike will love this creamy, cheesy mac and cheese made in the Instant Pot.
6 Servings ($1.25 per serving)
- Elbow Macaroni= $0.99
- Cheddar Cheese= $2.00
- Monterey Jack= $2.00
- Parmesan= $2.50
- Optional Purchases: Evaporated milk, green peas, pesto, ham
Total= $7.49
Spicy Slow Cooker Bean Soup
This Spicy Slow Cooker Bean Soup is loaded with warming spices, black-eyed beans, and sweetcorn, all in a base of vegetable stock, to give you a comforting meal that your whole family will love.
8 Servings ($1.51 per serving)
- Frozen Diced Onions= $1.46
- Frozen Diced Bell Peppers= $2.58
- Corn Starch= $1.79
- Vegetable Broth= $1.49
- 15oz Black-Eyed Beans= $1.18 x4
- 14oz Frozen Corn= $2.00
Total= $12.04
Mediterranean Instant Pot Chicken And Potatoes
Mediterranean Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes is a perfect family meal. This is a one-pot dish that is affordable, quick, and easy to make, yet full of amazing Mediterranean flavors.
6 Servings ($1.94 per serving)
- 6 Chicken thighs= $6.67
- Chicken Broth= $1.99
- Potatoes= $3.00
Total= $11.66
Homemade Pumpkin, Potato, and Carrot Soup
Pumpkin, carrot, and potato Fall soup. This recipe is super low budget, I’ve shared it for two to three servings but you can easily make it for 10 as well.
(Tripled) 6 Servings ($1.25 per serving)
- Yellow Pumpkin= $3.20
- Potato= $3.00
- Carrot= $1.29
Total= $7.49
5 Ingredient Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
These 5-ingredient spinach and ricotta stuffed shells are a quick and simple vegetarian pasta dinner that is perfect for a busy weeknight or a special occasion. These easy stuffed shells provide a comforting, wholesome, flavorful treat and make the perfect 30-minute meal the whole family will enjoy.
6 Servings ($1.56 per serving)
- 25oz Marinara Sauce= $1.62
- Jumbo Shells= $1.79
- Spinach= $1.99
- Ricotta cheese= $2.48
- Parmesan= $1.48
Total= $9.36
Items available online: Jumbo Shells, Parmesan.
Conclusion
These budget-friendly dinner recipes offer a variety of delicious choices to help you prepare healthy meals for your family under $10. Give them a try, and don’t forget to share your favorite affordable recipes in the comments; Let’s build a community cookbook together! Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing my Vegan Congee 🙂
You’re welcome! 🙂
I looked through so many “cheap meals” articles but none of them were transparent with the cost. This is exactly what I was looking for! I absolutely love this and love that you break down the price per serving and price for each ingredients.
I’m so glad that you found this post helpful!
No wonder they are all cheap. They are mostly soups and most have no meat.
Hi Susan! It is true that the cheapest meals don’t have meat, but I’ve tried to include a variety for the current short list of 14 meals; everyone has different diet requirements. 6 of the 14 meals do have meat and are still under $10 for 6 people. Some cheap meals, such as the Louisiana Red Beans & Rice, could also be paired with maybe baked chicken and still be budget-friendly.
Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells was a hit at my dinner table! Italian is always a crowd pleaser