Do you have a large family to feed? Or maybe you just want to save money on food. Either way, this is the list for you! Here, we’re going to learn the cheapest and best (and, sometimes, the most creative) ways to use your food. Time to get into the kitchen!
Shephard’s Pie
Cook yourself some beef mince along with carrots, onions, and celery. Then add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, stock, and tomato paste. That’s the beginning of your shepherd’s pie! Put it into a serving dish, add mashed potato on top, add cheese on top of the potato, and bake. What else could you possibly need? It’s budget-friendly, satisfying, and tastes even better the next day as leftovers.
This cozy classic is the ultimate in comfort food and a great way to use up leftover veggies or meat.
Chicken Tetrazzini
If you’re obsessed with pasta, then this is the dish for you. Cook a pot of pasta, fry some onions, and then add a magic ingredient to the onions – mushroom soup. Pop in some stock, peas and chicken, stir it all together, then mix it with the pasta. Creamy, comforting, and loaded with flavor, this dish feels indulgent without breaking the bank.
It’s a perfect make-ahead meal and great for feeding a crowd or stretching leftovers creatively.
Potato Leek Soup
This soup is healthy and delicious! All you have to do is cook your leeks in butter, then add stock, potatoes, and herbs of your choosing. Let it simmer for a while and then use a hand blender to soup-ify it up. Ta-da! It’s smooth, creamy (without the cream), and deeply comforting on a chilly night.
You’ll be amazed at how flavorful it is for such a simple dish. Serve it with crusty bread or a salad for a complete, budget-friendly dinner everyone will love.
Tuna Melt
An incredibly easy and delicious dish. All you have to do is whip up a tuna salad (you just need tuna, obviously, plus mayonnaise and maybe some pickle relish) and then put the mixture on bread, with cheese. Then simply cook until golden brown! The result is melty, savory, and totally satisfying. It's perfect for lunch or a quick dinner when you’re short on time.
But it's still something warm and filling. Pair it with a cup of soup or salad for a complete, comforting meal.
Pasta Carbonara
It’s easy to make pasta carbonara at home. Boil your spaghetti, cook your bacon until it’s crisp, and then whisk together eggs, parmesan cheese, grated Pecorino, and the fat from your bacon. Add the bacon itself, and then add the spaghetti. Throw in some salt and pepper if you’d like. The result is rich, silky, and packed with flavor—without needing any cream at all.
It’s a classic Italian favorite that feels fancy but comes together in minutes with pantry staples.
Chicken Pot Pie
To do this one, cook a seasoned chicken and then add vegetables of your choosing plus thyme. Add flour, stock, and white wine. Simmer it for a bit, and then put it in a pie plate and cover with a puff pastry crust. The result is delicious and filling! The creamy mixture and golden crust make every bite feel like a warm hug.
It’s the kind of meal that’s great for leftovers and perfect for cozy weeknight dinners on a budget.
Mac and Cheese
It’s not for nothing that mac and cheese is a beloved dish. It’s tasty and so easy to make! Simply boil some macaroni pasta while creating cheese sauce in another pan: you need butter, milk, flour and grated cheese. You could add some peas to your mac to make it healthier! Or toss in breadcrumbs for crunch.
It’s creamy, cheesy, and always satisfying—perfect for all ages. This classic comfort food is budget-friendly and endlessly customizable to fit your taste.
Gnocchi With Creamed Spinach
Do your kids insist they don’t like spinach? They may change their minds after being served this dish. To make it, simply cook the gnocchi in a pan while whipping up cream of spinach mixed with heavy cream in a different pan. Garnish the meal with lemon zest if you’d like. The sauce is velvety, rich, and perfectly coats each pillowy piece of gnocchi.
It’s a sneaky way to get in greens and feels indulgent without being complicated or expensive.
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Isn’t tuna wonderful? You can use it for so many things! For this dish, all you have to do is cook macaroni, and then combine tuna with mayonnaise, celery, pickle relish and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and store in the fridge. It’s creamy, tangy, and loaded with texture—perfect for a make-ahead lunch or easy dinner when you’re in a rush.
It also travels well, making it a smart choice for potlucks, picnics, or weekday meal prepping on a budget.
Potato Soup
A traditional and tasty meal. To create your own potato soup, you just need to grab potatoes (obviously) plus carrots, sliced celery, two cloves of garlic, and six cups of vegetable stock. Cook in a slow cooker and then add herbs of your choosing. The result is a warm, hearty, and nourishing bowl of comfort that’s perfect for chilly evenings or lazy weekends.
Top it with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or chopped scallions for extra flavor and flair.
Sausage Soup
If you’re a meat eater, you can’t go wrong with this hearty soup. Fry a pre-cooked sausage in oil, and then make a pan of cabbage, onion and carrots and simmer. Chop and peel some potatoes. Then mix all the ingredients in a pan and cook them until the potatoes are soft. It’s rich, rustic, and packed with flavor.
It's perfect for cold nights when you want something that really fills you up. Add a pinch of paprika or chili flakes for a little kick!
Fried Rice
Rice and vegetables make for a great, healthy dinner. Simply fry some white, long-grain rice and add a stir-fry of bacon, carrot, peas and shallot. Then create an omelet and slice it into small pieces. Once you’ve combined all those ingredients, add in some sesame seeds. It’s colorful, filling, and full of flavor, making it a fantastic way to use up leftovers.
Plus, it's a good way to cut down on food waste. Top with soy sauce or chili oil for an extra burst of flavor.
Bagel Pizzas
Sure, bagel pizzas aren’t the healthiest things in the world, but who cares when they taste this good? To create them, all you need is bagels, cheese, marinara sauce and toppings of your choice. A lot of people choose pepperoni but you could have mushrooms, peppers, black olives, anything you like. They’re fun, fast, and totally customizable.
They're great for a quick dinner, party snack, or getting kids involved in the kitchen. Just pop them in the oven until the cheese bubbles and the edges crisp up.
Beef and Pumpkin Curry
Craving something a bit different from the norm? How about this delicious beef and pumpkin curry? Heat oil with the beef, ginger and curry paste, then move to slow cooker. Add tomato and stock, then cook for five hours, add the pumpkin (buy one just after Halloween!), and cook for another hour. The result is a rich, aromatic dish.
It's filled with tender meat and sweet pumpkin that soaks up all the flavor. Serve it with rice or naan for a hearty, comforting dinner that feels special.
Caprese Pasta Salad
Pasta is cheap and so, so versatile. All you have to do to create this pasta salad is cook the pasta, obviously, and then whip up a mixture of vinegar, oil, and honey. Add the pasta to the mixture along with tomatoes and some mozzarella balls. It’s fresh, tangy, and satisfying—like a classic Caprese salad with a hearty twist.
Perfect for warm-weather meals or easy lunches. Top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to finish it off beautifully.
Spaghetti Bolognaise
A dish beloved by children everywhere. Watch out, it makes a mess when eaten! To create it, just cook the spaghetti in a pan, then create your bolognaise of beef mince, tomato paste, carrots, onions and a little garlic. Let it all simmer together until thick and flavorful. It’s simple, comforting, and always a hit with even the pickiest eaters.
Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with garlic bread for a full meal that’s delicious, filling, and easy on the wallet.
Minestrone Soup
Once upon a time, only peasants would eat this kind of soup. But those peasants knew what they were doing, and now we have a tasty dish to enjoy here in the future. Minestrone soup consists of potatoes, carrots, celery, chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, pasta, bacon, garlic and stock. It’s a hearty, veggie-packed meal that’s both comforting and incredibly nourishing.
It's ideal for feeding a family without spending a fortune. Serve with a hunk of crusty bread to soak up every last savory spoonful.
Chicken Quesadillas
This is another one your kids will thank you for making. It’s easy as anything: just cook a tortilla on a frying pan, add cheese, chicken and whatever other ingredients you fancy, and then put another tortilla on top and toast it! In just a few minutes, you’ve got a gooey, crispy, flavor-packed meal that’s fun to eat and totally satisfying.
Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole on the side to make it feel even more like a treat.
Beef Stroganoff
One for all the beef lovers out there. Beef stroganoff is created by heating the beef in oil, then adding mushrooms, garlic, paprika, stock and tomato paste. Then, cook some pasta and serve the beef on top of it. The sauce is creamy, savory, and deeply comforting—perfect for nights when you want something hearty and homemade without too much effort.
Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley for a rich, restaurant-style finish at home.
Sloppy Joes
You can buy cans of Sloppy Joes, but it’s easy to make your own with things you have lying around! You just need beef (obviously) plus ketchup, beer, Worcestershire sauce, a bit of chili powder, tomato paste and sugar. Then serve on a toasted bun. The result is messy, saucy, and totally delicious—classic comfort food that’s always a crowd-pleaser and perfect for busy weeknights.
Add pickles, coleslaw, or cheese on top for an extra layer of texture and flavor.
Vegetarian Lasagna
Why should the meat eaters have all the fun? Vegetarian lasagna is cooked the same way as the meat kind, but instead of mince the recipe uses pumpkin, zucchini, and mushrooms. It’s still just as hearty and delicious. Layer it with tomato sauce, béchamel, and plenty of cheese, then bake until bubbling and golden. You won’t miss the meat at all.
It’s a perfect make-ahead meal that freezes well and pleases vegetarians and carnivores alike with its rich, savory flavor.
Cauliflower Curry
Here you need cauliflower, onion, garlic, cubed squash, red lentils, diced tomatoes, curry paste, coconut milk and good old water. Pop them all into an Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for about five minutes. Serve with naan bread! It’s creamy, aromatic, and totally satisfying—plus it’s packed with fiber and plant-based protein, making it as nourishing as it is flavorful.
You won’t believe how quickly it all comes together. Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime for extra brightness and zing.
Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup
This is a great one if you’re feeling under the weather. Boil chicken stock and chicken, then add soy sauce, ginger, cornflour, corn and maybe a little ham if you feel like it. This stuff should perk you right up. It’s warm, soothing, and full of flavor—like a hug in a bowl. The ingredients are simple, but the comfort is real.
You can crack in an egg while stirring for a silky finish, just like in classic Chinese takeout versions.
Stuffed Peppers
Peppers are healthy and delicious! To make stuffed peppers, simply cut off the top of a cooked pepper and fill it with onions, garlic and tomato paste. Once the peppers are softened, add some ground beef and rice, put cheese on top, and then cook. They come out bubbling, flavorful, and wonderfully filling—great for when you want something wholesome and colorful on your plate.
You can also swap in quinoa or beans for a lighter, vegetarian-friendly version that’s still hearty.
Tuna Pasta Bake
Mmm, tuna and cheese. This is a very easy meal to make – simply cook your pasta, make a cheese sauce, and then combine them with canned tuna! Tuna is good for you as it’s high in vitamins, protein, and omega-3 fatty acid. Once everything’s mixed together, pop it into a baking dish, sprinkle cheese on top, and bake until golden and bubbling.
It’s a comforting, budget-friendly classic that’s great for leftovers and guaranteed to keep everyone feeling full and happy.
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Another great easy pasta recipe! Make your ricotta mixture by combining spinach, ricotta, parsley, parmesan and basil in a bowl. Salt to taste. Then place your mixture on a lasagna sheet and roll it up, then bake until golden. It’s rich, cheesy, and packed with flavor—perfect for a satisfying vegetarian dinner that feels special but is simple to prepare.
Top with tomato sauce and a little more parmesan before baking for a bubbling, golden finish that’s sure to impress.
Marry Me Chicken
Originally created by Delish, Marry Me Chicken is made from chicken, garlic, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, tomatoes, thyme, heavy cream and parmesan. You can substitute the chicken out for tofu if you’re not a meat eater! The sauce is creamy, savory, and just a little spicy—perfect for spooning over pasta, rice, or even mashed potatoes. It’s indulgent without being complicated, and incredibly satisfying.
It’s said to be so delicious it could inspire a proposal—hence the name. Definitely one to add to your dinner rotation.
Horseradish Hot Dogs
Hot dogs on their own are easy to make, but they’re not exactly a well-rounded meal. You can fix that by adding a topping: horseradish topping can be made from horseradish, purple cabbage, sour cream, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, and sugar. The result is tangy, creamy, and just the right amount of spicy to cut through the richness of the sausage.
It adds crunch, flavor, and color. Serve with a side of fries or salad for a meal that feels elevated yet effortless.
Chicken Curry
Brown your chicken, and then add ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder to the pan. Once you’ve cooked them for a minute, add tomato and stock, and bring to a simmer. Then stir in green beans and coconut milk. The result is a rich, aromatic curry that’s packed with layers of spice and flavor. It’s warming, satisfying, and perfect for weeknight dinners or cozy weekends.
Serve with steamed rice or naan to soak up every drop of that delicious sauce.
Sesame Tofu and Broccoli
Another one for the vegetarians out there. Press the moisture out of your tofu, and cut broccoli heads into florets. Bake your tofu in oil and cook your broccoli while creating a mixture of garlic, ginger, white scallion parts, vegetable broth, maple syrup, chili crisp, vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce. Pour this mixture over your tofu and broccoli and top with sesame seeds.
The result is bold, savory, and just a little sweet with a perfect hit of spice. It’s healthy, protein-packed, and great served over rice or noodles for a complete, satisfying meal.
Rice Paper Rolls
Want to try some Vietnamese food? Look no further than these rice paper rolls. Get a bowl and combine cabbage, beansprouts, capsicum, chicken, mint, coriander, 2 tablespoons lime juice and fish sauce. Soak your rice paper in water, and then place the mixture you just created into the paper. Roll them up tightly and serve with a dipping sauce like hoisin-peanut or nuoc cham for added flavor.
They’re light, fresh, and full of texture. Perfect as an appetizer, snack, or healthy no-cook lunch on warm days.
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
Rub inside the squash with oil, roast it, and then take the insides out. Crisp pancetta up in a skillet, and whisk together cheese, pepper, eggs and egg yolks in a bowl. Add your squash to the pancetta, and cook until steaming. Then, add the mixture. The result is a low-carb twist on a classic dish, with all the creamy, savory richness of traditional carbonara and none of the pasta.
It’s a smart, satisfying way to sneak in more veggies without sacrificing flavor.
Spicy Chicken Fajitas
Take some chicken, season it with cumin and chili powder, and fry it in a skillet. Then put the chicken aside and cook pepper, garlic, onions and mushroom in the skillet. When the food is soft, add chipotles, and lime juice and then put the chicken back in. Give it a good stir and then serve in a tortilla!
The flavors are smoky, zesty, and perfectly spicy—ideal for a quick dinner with serious personality. Top with sour cream, avocado, or cheese for extra indulgence and balance.
Quiche Lorraine
To make a quiche, buy yourself a flan pan first. Line the base and sides with pastry to make the bottom part of your quiche. Then heat bacon and onion in oil, and put that in the pastry and top with cheese. Then whisk eggs, flour, cream, milk and salt together and pour into your pastry. Cook for 30 minutes!
The result is a rich, savory custard nestled in a golden crust—perfect warm or cold.
Ratatouille
A dish made famous by the Pixar movie. But you don’t have to be a talking rat to make it! Boil and peel your tomatoes, then cook chopped eggplant in oil. In a different pan, cook onion, tomato and capsicum, and then add the eggplant along with tomato puree, thyme and garlic. Cook the whole dish for 15 minutes and serve.
It’s rustic, colorful, and bursting with flavor—perfect as a main or a vibrant side dish. Top with fresh basil or serve over rice, couscous, or crusty bread.