Feel free to substitute it with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Recipe: White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli. This baby is everything you love about caprese and grilled cheese crammed into one delicious sandwich. Serve it with salad or soup, and you've got yourself a dinner that's both fancy and budget-friendly.

Recipe: Caprese Grilled Cheese. This recipe calls for a lot of basic ingredients you'll already have in the pantry. It makes six to eight servings too, so you can enjoy leftovers for lunch all week.

Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup. Dal is a timeless classic — and this version is an ideal starter if you've never made it before. You only need a handful of ingredients, and the whole thing only takes 20 minutes. The original recipe calls for red split lentils, but if you want to get more creative, add some French lentils, too.

Recipe: Dal. Black bean patties are one of the most popular alternatives to meat. They're also pretty easy to make. Recipe: Black Bean Burgers. Recipe: Tuna Melt. Pair it with any greens you have handy! Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Glazed Chicken. Tangy, spicy kimchi or Korean-style fermented vegetables is another way to add a ton of flavor to a dish for not a lot of money.

Keep a jar stocked in the fridge, then work it into fried rice, noodle bowls, or burgers. Recipe: Minute Kimchi Fried Rice. Recipe: Rice Bowl With Fried Egg And Avocado. Recipe: Southwest Turkey, Vegetable, and Rice Skillet. This recipe calls for only three ingredients, and you can always add a protein to the mix if you want.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Shells. Recipe: Chicken Pesto Bowls. Recipe: Zucchini Corn Quesadillas. Recipe: One-Pan Pizza Chicken.

Recipe: Super-Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad. Recipe: One-Pot Caprese Chicken Pasta. Recipe: Vegan Creamy Kale Pasta. Recipe: Greek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Recipe: One-Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac 'n' Cheese.

Recipe: Spicy Chipotle Buddha Bowl With Cauliflower Rice. Recipe: Chicken and Mandarin Salad With Simple Sesame Dressing. Recipe: 5-Ingredient Coconut Curry. Recipe: Garlic Butter Capellini Pomodoro With Shrimp.

Recipe: Vegetarian Sheet Pan Zucchini Parmesan. Recipe: Vegetable Enchilada Casserole. The recipe calls for both whole wheat spaghetti and zucchini noodles, but you can skip the spaghetti if you want to go fully low-carb. Recipe: Burst Tomato and Zucchini Spaghetti With Avocado Sauce.

Recipe: Amazing Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos. Recipe: P. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps. A super-straightforward weeknight dinner that you can serve with grilled chicken if you want some added protein.

Recipe: Orzo With Spinach and Roasted Red Peppers. Introducing your new favorite pasta sauce, made with nothing more than egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon. Recipe: Pappardelle Al Limone. This recipe calls for tofu, broccoli, and sweet potato, but you can always swap in whatever protein and veggies you like best.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Thai Green Curry. Orzo, sliced sausage, bell pepper, heavy cream, and a handful of spices are all there is to this Cajun-inspired skillet. Recipe: Sausage and Creamy Cajun Orzo Skillet.

Grab some chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, canned diced tomatoes, ranch dressing, and canned fiesta corn mix to make this heartwarming chicken soup with a Mexican flair. Recipe: 5-Ingredient Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy with this mixture of artichoke hearts, spinach white beans, and basil mashed into a creamy and savory spread. Recipe: White Bean and Artichoke Basil Toasts. Don't let the ingredient list overwhelm you. All you really need to make these fajitas are portobello mushrooms, peppers, onion, and tortillas.

Swap the avocado sauce for store-bought guacamole or diced avocado and you've got a delicious meal. Recipe: Portobello and Poblano Fajitas. Recipe: Spicy Lentil Nachos With 3-Cheese Sauce. Black beans in chocolate muffins might sound odd, but they get super creamy and batterlike — and it absolutely works.

Recipe: Flourless Black Bean Brownie Muffins. You can also use coconut curry as a marinade for your meats. Here, the chicken marinates for two hours in a mixture of coconut milk, soy sauce, curry powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Recipe: Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce.

Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato, Kale, and White Bean Skillet. Recipe: Grilled Cheese and Cream of Tomato Soup. Recipe: Baked Eggs in Marinara Sauce. And fair warning that you'll want to put the latter on just about everything.

Recipe: Mujadarra. Recipe: Simple Black Bean Soup. Recipe: Big-Batch Minestrone. This article contains content previously curated by Hannah Loewentheil, Jesse Szewczyk, Marie Telling, Melissa Jameson, and Ailbhe Malone.

It was compiled by Lavanya Narayanan. Easy recipes and cooking hacks right to your inbox. Opens in a new window Opens an external site in a new window Opens an external site. Share via facebook Share via pinterest Share via email Share via sms. Vegan 3-Bean Chili. Feel free to use store-bought pizza dough to make this recipe a cinch to throw together.

Taco Pizza. White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli. Grilled cheese meets tuna salad. Sweet and Spicy Glazed Chicken. Top it off with your favorite hot sauce and you're good to go. Southwest Turkey, Vegetable, and Rice Skillet.

One-pan creamy goodness. Healthy, tasty, and cheap! Ready in 25 minutes, these quesadillas are a perfect spring dinner. You had me at pizza. Guaranteed to be just as good as your local salad bar, for half the price.

Ready in 35 minutes for the perfect weeknight dinner. The good news is there are plenty of ways to create a classy and enjoyable menu based on vegetables, regardless of the event type.

For example, these vegetarian wedding menu ideas look absolutely stunning. Want to make it fancier? Include a larger quantity of affordable, heavier snacks like mini grilled cheese sandwiches, tortellini and sauce cups, or even items like spinach puffs.

This tip is also great for if you have a lot of children or grown up picky eaters or want to save on wait staff expenses. Which means that a slightly smaller plate might subconsciously discourage them from wasting food or taking too much of your carefully alloted dishes.

Finally, here are other ways to keep event catering costs down. Soups, spruced up canned goods, and all manner of delectable roasted creations combat common colds and ward off overspending on event food. Check out these light, refreshing, and floral ideas for some spring event food and beverage inspiration.

Next, be sure to brush up on your catering preparation plan. Then, get unique budget-friendly centerpiece ideas or summer event decor ideas. The cheapest food to cater is any rice or noodle-based cultural cuisine. Pizza is also a reliably cheap option. Catering costs can vary widely depending on cuisine, location, and level of service.

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One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

Affordable menu selections - Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

Who says baking a pie isn't viable for one person? With a few affordable ingredients and frozen veg, you can easily knock up this beauty and have it all to yourself.

Using a ready-made soffrito is a cheap and easy way to create an extra layer of flavour. Freeze the remaining puff pastry to use in another recipe — you'll find plenty of ideas in our puff pastry collection.

Budget tip: Given the recent rise in fuel prices and the implication for oven usage, it would be more cost-effective to batch cook this pie and store multiple servings in the freezer.

Try more of our perfect pie recipes. Serve up a comforting bowl of healthy fast food in a flash, using just a handful of ingredients. This easy noodle dish is low-fat and low-calorie yet makes a filling meal which you can have on the table in just 15 minutes.

Using dried noodles instead of ready-made will take a bit longer but is more cost-effective. All good things come in small packages, and this is certainly true for our flavour-packed ginger and spinach sweet potato. This satisfying, spicy veggie meal makes a cheap and low-calorie lunch.

Budget tip: As baking in the oven is a more energy intensive cooking method, it's best to batch cook several of these jacket potatoes at the same time, then store a few in the freezer for future. See our guide for easy baked potato filling ideas to mix up your dinners. To save on energy, you could also use a microwave to cook the baked potato instead - pierce the skin several times with a fork and microwave for around 5 minutes, or until soft.

Get more filling inspiration with our collection of baked potato recipes. Sometimes, there is little more comforting than a bowl of buttery pasta topped with grated cheese. Browning the butter gives the dish a wonderfully nutty flavour and we've also added crispy breadcrumbs to soak up any extra sauce.

Find more budget-friendly pasta recipes. Combine hummus with flavourful chorizo, chickpeas and kale for a protein-packed dish that won't break the bank. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and flatbread for a simple, speedy lunch which is ready in just 15 minutes.

Whip up our microwaveable shakshuka in just 10 minutes. The rich tomato sauce, topped with a runny egg is perfect for dipping pieces of warmed pitta bread into. Both healthy and hearty, this Middle Eastern-style meal in a mug is sure to be a student staple.

Check out more of our quick and easy microwave recipes. Tinned sardines are a cost-effective way to get more heart-healthy oily fish in your diet, so it's worth keeping a few cans in the cupboard.

Here, we've combined them with juicy cherry tomatoes, watercress and parsley on toast for a speedy no-cook supper. Budget tip: Using regular wholemeal bread instead of sourdough will make it more budget-friendly — we've got plenty more leftover bread recipes to use up the rest of your loaf, too.

Rustle up this veggie stir-fry in just 20 minutes using simple yet wholesome ingredients such as brown rice and cabbage. It's great for using up other leftover veggies you have, which you can just grate or chop in.

Serve this nasi goreng with a fried egg on top and a drizzle of sriracha chilli sauce for a satisfying supper. Discover more speedy stir-fry recipes. If you're looking for a lighter supper option, this healthy miso noodle soup is super satisfying but low in calories.

You may be surprised at the good buys available. Plan some plant-based meals every week. Legumes beans, lentils, dried peas , tofu and peanut butter offer great tasting protein at a good price. Here are a few tasty plant-based meal idea recipes: The Ultimate Mixed Bean Salad , Chickpea Tikka Masala , and Quick Quinoa and Veggie Casserole.

These can be an inexpensive way to get protein and omega-3 and last longer than fresh varieties. Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer.

Look at the expiry dates of the foods and ingredients you already have on hand. Which ones do you need to use up? Look for recipes that use those foods and ingredients. Enjoy grains more often. Grains such as rice, pasta, barley and couscous are inexpensive and can be used in many different recipes.

Try them in soups, stews and salads such as Lentil Bolognese and Curry Chickpea Pasta Salad. Avoid recipes that need a special ingredient. Some recipes call for a special ingredient that you may not have.

How much does that ingredient cost? Does it come in a small or big package? Can you use it in other recipes before it goes bad? It may not be worth the money to buy an ingredient if you are only going to use it once. Leave the ingredient out or try the recipe with an ingredient that you already have at home.

Look for seasonal recipes. As the name suggests, a typical brunch menu includes breakfast and lunch foods that your guests can enjoy and that are relatively easy to prepare. Eggs, bacon, fruit, biscuits, oatmeal, scones, sandwiches and bakery goods are just some of the options you can have at your event.

Serving brunch also creates a more casual and relaxed atmosphere. A top concern with catering for any event is food waste. Boxed lunches are perfect for work meetings or special events where employees can enjoy their meals together and feel more productive.

This is one of the best cheap lunch catering ideas because it offers a personalization solution. Each person can choose from a limited menu or mix and match items to get exactly what they want. Usually, sides and desserts are the same for everyone, but your guests can choose from various flavorful entrees that meet their tastes and dietary restrictions.

This option removes the issues of food waste while ensuring everyone gets to choose from a handful of items. Catering delectable Southern dishes can make any event feel more personable and inviting.

This menu choice could be perfect for your backyard wedding or family reunion over the holidays. Some common Southern BBQ items include:. You can find many caterers who offer BBQ options and work with them to find the perfect menu that fits your needs. Though this option is cheaper, it will leave your guests feeling just as satisfied.

Similar to a buffet, a soup and salad bar is one of the most budget-friendly catering options out there. Generally, meats and specialty items tend to be more expensive. Sticking to simpler foods like salad and soup can prevent you from overspending while providing plenty of choice.

Your guests can choose from several classic mouthwatering soups, such as:. After that, they can create a salad of their choice from a limited menu. This type of catering is perfect for a business lunch or early morning meeting that is shorter in duration or falls outside of regular meal times.

This build-your-own menu gives guests just what they need to feel full and satisfied without needing a three-course meal. Catering finger foods like sandwiches, pigs in a blanket and buffalo chicken dip is a great way to offer plenty of variety on a budget.

Like the other casual options we mentioned, having a spread of finger foods also makes it easier for guests to mingle at your event without being tied to a table.

With finger foods, you promote more socialization and engagement while providing a large selection of delicious options.

Finger foods can be well-suited for large sports gatherings , birthday parties, pool parties or even cocktail hour at your wedding. Other examples of finger foods might include sliders, meatballs, spring rolls, crab cakes and hummus. Not all events necessarily require a sit-down formal dinner.

While charcuterie boards are certainly popular and delicious, having a wide variety of meats may be a bit more expensive. Not to mention, menus heavily relying on charcuterie meat can exclude vegetarian or vegan guests.

With a lighter afternoon tea menu, you can save money on the cured meats. For example, your social event menu could include a pimento cheese tea sandwich, cheese and crackers, or chicken salad croissants.

Like finger foods and cheese boards, catering assorted snack items can also be a cost-effective way of feeding your guests. Some caterers offer sides or snack options that you can pick and choose from to create a simple lunch.

If you want more of an afternoon appetizer theme, combining several snack items can give you a flavorful yet cheaper menu. Some examples of snack items or appetizers you can offer include:. These items would be perfect for a celebratory lunch in the office, a movie night event or a social hour for new employees.

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Affordable menu selections - Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

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Recipes Everyday Cooking Budget Cooking Recipes. By Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years.

Carl Hanson. Day 2: Tuesday. Day 3: Wednesday. Day 4: Thursday. Day 5: Friday. Day 6: Saturday. Day 7: Sunday. Tags Simple Meal Plans. Apply Request Information Give. tuna, 1 Tbsp. Check out these light, refreshing, and floral ideas for some spring event food and beverage inspiration.

Next, be sure to brush up on your catering preparation plan. Then, get unique budget-friendly centerpiece ideas or summer event decor ideas. The cheapest food to cater is any rice or noodle-based cultural cuisine.

Pizza is also a reliably cheap option. Catering costs can vary widely depending on cuisine, location, and level of service. Webinar Spotlight: New Year, New You: Discover Tools to Make Your Events Better Than Ever! Register now. Home » Monday Motivation: 40 Budget-Smart Event Catering Ideas for Every Season.

When searching for catering menu ideas for large groups, make sure you take the time of day into account.