Cheap dinners for a family should obviously be inexpensive, but they also need to be nutritious for your little ones! This list of dinner ideas includes nutritious, easy-to-make recipes that your toddlers and kids will actually want to eat. Plus, most are super fast and realistic for making on a busy weeknight too.
1. Taco Cups
When I first made these taco cups I was in love. Not only are they SO much easier for my little toddler to hold, but for some reason they are even more delicious than a normal taco, even though they have the same ingredients. We won’t be making tacos the traditional way ever again in this house!!
2. Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese
My daughter and I thoroughly love mac & cheese, so I decided to hide some extra nutrition in it. If it weren’t for the color you’d never know there was kale blended into the cheese sauce. It’s a healthier, more nutritious version of mac and cheese, all while remaining a very inexpensive meal; a great cheap dinner for a family!
3. Hidden Veggie Shepherd’s Pie
I was obsessed with shepherd’s pie as a kid, so my mom used to batch huge casseroles of it for me for the week. Now that I’m a mom to a toddler, I make it for my family, but with a healthier recipe, and adding a hidden veggie into the mashed potatoes. And honestly, it makes it taste even BETTER!! The ingredients are super basic and keep this meal pretty inexpen\sive to feed your family!
4. One Pan Veggie Loaded Turkey Pasta
This super easy, and easy to clean up, veggie loaded pasta dish is a huge hit in our house and one we make often. Plus it’s so easy to customize and add in the veggies that you have on hand.
5. Sweet and Sour Chicken
My mom made this recipe for us when we were little kids and as we grew up! I started making it once I moved out and never stopped. It’s one of the best meals for picky eaters; so many kids love the popcorn chicken and pineapples in this dish! Plus it uses frozen chicken, frozen veggies and canned pineapple which makes for a cheap dinner for a family!
6. Mini Chicken Pot Pies
These mini chicken pot pies were a staple in my house long before we had kids, and with kiddos it makes this dinner that much better. Not only are they small and much easier for little hands to manage than a slice of full sliced pie, they’re also just fun! It’s a lighter, healthier version of this classic recipe too, so you feel good about feeding it to your family.
7. Healthy Homemade Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders are an obvious cheap dinner for a family, but this homemade recipe makes them healthy too! Sure they’re a tiny bit more work, but it’s worth it knowing that you’re feeding your kids the best possible fuel for their growing bodies! Serve it with the hidden veggie mac & cheese for the perfect, well-rounded cheap dinner for a family.
8. Burger Bowls
Another staple in my house, burger bowls! They’re honestly a salad but look and feel like a burger! They’re so yummy, so healthy and so fun for kids. They won’t even realize they’re eating a salad.
9. Veggie Loaded Quesadillas
I don’t know about you, but when I have nothing to make for dinner, we always end up having quesadillas. Tortillas and cheese never go out of stock in this house, so it’s always our last minute option. But look around for any veggies hanging out in your produce drawer or freezer and you have a nutritious and filling dinner that is SO inexpensive and incredibly easy.
10. Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce
It’s true, hidden veggie recipes are my current favorite thing to make because I have a toddler who is super hit-or-miss with veggies. So the absolute easiest and cheapest hidden veggie meal that I know my daughter will always devour is this hidden veggie pasta sauce. It takes such little work to make, and it’s a great way to get kids to eat veggies. Throw it over some spaghetti and you have a nutritious and super cheap dinner for your family.
11. One Skillet Sausage And Peppers With Rice
Not only are the ingredients super inexpensive for this flavorful dinner, it’s also a one pot meal so it’s easy to make and SUPER easy to clean up. That’s a weeknight win! It’s also so yummy and a hit with kids.
12. Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups
Sloppy Joes are such a family-friendly and super cheap dinner staple, but they are named that for a reason. They’re sloppy! And if it’s hard for adults to eat then it’s extra hard for little ones to eat. So these Sloppy Joe Biscuit cups are the perfect way to serve toddlers and young kids since they’re so much easier to manage, all while keeping a super inexpensive meal for the fam.
13. Chicken, Broccoli, and Potato Casserole
A casserole is always a good go-to when planning a cheap dinner for your family, but this chicken, broccoli and potato casserole is soooo much yummier than the average casserole! Plus, it’s fairly healthy and nutritious for the growing kiddos!
14. Cornbread Taco Bake
Tacos are another obvious cheap dinner for a family, but if you have them every single Tuesday, they can get a bit boring. Mix it up this week with this cornbread taco bake. It stays inexpensive, but makes it so much more fun and delicious!
15. Chicken Patties
These simple but flavorful chicken patties are a great option for a cheap weeknight meal for the family since they’re super easy, cheap and healthy!
16. Sloppy Joes Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sloppy Joes had to make the list twice since there are multiple fun ways to serve this traditionally boring meal. I LOVE stuffed sweet potatoes and the flavor combo of the sloppy joe sauce and the sweet potato is just perfect. Your kids will be begging for more!
17. Creamy Avocado Pasta
Pasta is one of the cheapest possible things you can serve your family for dinner, but make it healthier with this incredibly creamy avocado pasta recipe. I’m a huge fan of adding avocados to anything especially for my toddler because she needs as much of those healthy fats as possible for her development!
18. Gouda Grilled Cheese and Basil-Tomato Soup
You don’t need to be sick to make this gouda grilled cheese and basil-tomato soup combo. It’s one of my absolute favorite ways to serve dinner to my family on a budget since it’s pretty inexpensive yet SO good. This recipe makes a simple meal feel so fancy.
19. Healthy Meatloaf
Ahhhhh, the infamous meatloaf. This version is healthier than you’re probably used to, but still inexpensive and a family-friendly staple. Try this recipe for a cheap dinner for your family tonight.
20. Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos
Another great way to mix up taco night while keeping to the budget, black bean sweet potato tacos. Black bean tacos are the ONLY way my husband is happy to have a meatless meal, because they are just that good. And our toddler loves them too!
21. Copycat Crispy Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich
A healthier, homemade version fo Popeye’s famous chicken sandwich is another great way to serve dinner for your family on a budget. Plus, who wouldn’t want a crispy fried piece of chicken for dinner. The whole family will be so excited when you serve this meal!
22. Canned Tuna Pasta
Canned tuna, one of the cheapest protein options you can find turned into this drool-worthy pasta dish. I mean honestly, I love tuna no matter how it’s served, but even the tuna haters won’t believe how good this is.
23. Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
Looking for the easiest weeknight option for a cheap dinner for a family? Look no further than these Crockpot Enchiladas. They are bursting with flavor, super inexpensive, and SO easy when you get home at night and are ready for a hot meal.
24. Allergen-Friendly Falafel
For something a little more unique, try these crispy falafels for dinner. Many kids love beans, but put them into falafel form and they are that much more yummy while staying super inexpensive.
25. Meatball Parmigiana Sub
Subs might seem like a lunch staple, but your kids will LOVE this fun dinner as a special treat! They’re easy to make and stay on budget for a cheap family dinner.
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