Cheap dinner ideas under 10 dollars that still taste amazing

Feeding a family of four on a real budget means some weeks need dinners that cost under 10 dollars in total, for everyone. These are the ones I lean on when money is tight. None of them feel like a sacrifice, and a few are dinners my kids ask for even when the budget is fine.

Prices change from store to store and year to year, so I haven’t put an exact cost on each one. What they have in common is that they’re built on the cheapest foods in the store: dried beans, rice, lentils, potatoes, pasta, eggs and canned tomatoes.

The cheap staples to keep in the pantry

If you keep rice, dried or canned beans, lentils, pasta, canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes, eggs, a block of cheddar and a few spices at home, you can make every dinner on this list without a special trip. Store brands are usually just as good for all of these. Buy fresh vegetables that are in season or on sale that week, and use frozen vegetables for the rest.

Eight dinners under 10 dollars

1. Beans and rice

Cook a diced onion and a couple of garlic cloves in oil, add two cans of black or pinto beans with their liquid, a teaspoon each of cumin and chili powder, and simmer for 15 minutes, mashing some of the beans to thicken it. Serve over rice with any toppings you have, like shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream or a squeeze of lime. It’s filling, and it costs well under the budget line. Dried beans cooked from scratch are even cheaper.

2. Baked potato bar

Potatoes are one of the cheapest things you can fill up on. Bake four large russets at 400°F for about an hour, or microwave them for ten minutes and finish in the oven for fifteen to crisp the skins. Set out cheese, canned chili or beans, steamed broccoli, and whatever protein is on sale that week, and let everyone build their own.

3. Garlic and olive oil pasta with white beans

Warm four sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of chili flakes in a quarter cup of olive oil over low heat until the garlic turns pale gold. Add a drained can of white beans and a ladle of pasta water, then toss with a pound of cooked spaghetti. Finish with parmesan and parsley if you have them. The beans add protein and turn a side dish into a proper dinner.

4. Egg fried rice

Eggs and rice are both cheap, and fried rice is a good way to use up leftover rice and bits of vegetables. Scramble four eggs in a hot pan and set them aside, then fry three cups of cold cooked rice with a cup of frozen peas and carrots. Add soy sauce, return the eggs, and top with sliced green onion.

5. Lentil soup

Dried lentils cost very little per serving and don’t need soaking, unlike most dried beans. Soften an onion, a carrot and a celery stalk, add a cup and a half of lentils, a can of tomatoes, cumin and six cups of water or broth, and simmer for 30 minutes. It makes enough for dinner and lunch the next day, and it freezes well.

6. Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Bread, cheese and a can or two of tomato soup add up to one of the cheapest dinners in a normal week, and my picky eater never turns it down. To make the soup go further and taste better, simmer canned crushed tomatoes with a sautéed onion, a little broth and a splash of milk, then blend. Butter the outside of the bread, not the inside, for an evenly golden sandwich.

7. Black bean quesadillas

Mash a can of black beans with cumin and salsa, spread it over flour tortillas, add shredded cheese and fold. Toast in a dry pan for two to three minutes a side. A pack of tortillas, a can of beans and some cheese will feed four, and it’s on the table in 15 minutes.

8. Potato and egg hash

Dice four potatoes and an onion and cook them in a large skillet with oil, covered for the first ten minutes, then uncovered until crisp. Make four wells, crack in the eggs, cover and cook until the whites set. Add any leftover cooked meat or vegetables you have. Breakfast for dinner is almost always cheap, and kids tend to love it.

How to stretch the budget further

Buy dried beans and rice in larger bags when you can. The price per serving drops a lot compared with small packages, and both keep for months in the pantry. Plan the week around what’s on sale instead of choosing recipes first and then shopping for them.

Use meat as a flavoring rather than the main event. Half a pound of ground beef or sausage stretched with beans or lentils goes a lot further than a pound served on its own. Cook once and eat twice, too. A big pot of beans or lentil soup covers two dinners, or one dinner and several lunches.

Our 3-ingredient dinner recipes are built on the same cheap staples, and dinner ideas with nothing in the house helps on nights when the fridge is nearly empty. To batch-cook these for the week, see meal prep for beginners.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to feed a family of four for under 10 dollars a meal?

Yes, with dinners like the ones above, though it depends on local grocery prices and what you already have in the pantry. Meals based on beans, lentils, rice, pasta, potatoes and eggs are the easiest to keep under that line.

How do I make cheap dinners feel less repetitive?

Change the seasonings and toppings rather than the base. Beans and rice with cumin and salsa one night and with curry powder and coconut milk the next feel like two different meals.

What is the cheapest healthy dinner?

Lentil soup and beans with rice are hard to beat. Both are high in protein and fiber, and adding a bag of frozen vegetables keeps them cheap while making them more balanced.

Are canned beans or dried beans cheaper?

Dried beans cost less per serving, often around half the price of canned, but they need soaking and a longer cooking time. Canned beans are worth the extra cost on nights when time is short.