5 Delicious Budget-Friendly Family Meal Ideas

1. Street corn chicken & rice bowls

First up, I’m making some street corn chicken and rice bowls. I have a soft spot for anything with street corn, so this recipe immediately caught my eye. Plus, my family can never resist a good chicken and rice dish.

To start, I grabbed two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cleaned them up, and trimmed them in half to make four thinner pieces. I even had a little extra half piece that I threw in too. I placed the chicken in an 8x8 casserole dish and got started on a simple marinade.

For the marinade, I mixed together two teaspoons of olive oil, a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, and a quarter cup of low-sodium soy sauce (regular works fine too, just use what you have).

I squeezed in the juice of half a lemon, added a couple of small spoonfuls of minced garlic, and seasoned it with a bit of kosher salt and black pepper. I poured this mixture over the chicken, making sure the marinade got underneath the pieces, then covered it with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for about an hour.

When it was time to cook, I started by microwaving some fresh corn. You can cook corn however you like, but I love the microwave method—it’s quick and easy. While the corn was cooking, I got some rice going in my Instant Pot.

I used two cups of long-grain rice, two cups of water, and a special seasoning mix I found on vacation in Florida. I set the timer for four minutes and let it naturally release, which took about 10 to 15 minutes.

While the rice was cooking, I heated up a can of black beans on the stove and got my corn ready. I’ve been using this microwave corn method for years—three minutes per ear of corn, then just cut off the end and squeeze it out. It’s perfectly cooked with no silks!

Next, I made a street corn salad by cutting the corn off the cob and mixing it with two tablespoons of mayo, a quarter cup of crumbled feta cheese, some chopped fresh cilantro, and the juice of half a lime. I seasoned it with chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, then set it aside.

For the chicken, I heated up a large skillet with some olive oil spray and cooked the chicken pieces for about seven to eight minutes per side, using a meat thermometer to ensure they were cooked through.

The recipe suggests grilling the chicken and corn, which would add a nice touch, but my grill is out of commission, so I cooked everything inside.

Once the chicken was done, I let it rest for five minutes before slicing it up. It turned out so juicy and flavorful!

To assemble the bowls, I layered the rice, street corn salad, chopped chicken, black beans, sour cream, diced avocado, and a couple of lime wedges. It may not look super fancy, but it was a massive hit with my family.

Even my picky eaters went back for seconds, so this recipe is definitely a new favorite.

I heated a large skillet over medium-high heat and cooked the patties for about five minutes per side, until they had a beautiful golden-brown sear.

I then transferred them to a baking sheet and popped them in a 300-degree oven for 15 minutes to finish cooking while I made the gravy.

In the same skillet, I added two tablespoons of butter to the leftover hamburger grease, then whisked in a quarter cup of all-purpose flour.

I seasoned it with onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, then slowly added three cups of whole milk, whisking constantly until the gravy thickened. I seasoned it to taste with salt and plenty of pepper, as we love a good peppery gravy.

Once the hamburger steaks were done, I served them with homemade mashed potatoes and some green beans my dad had cooked and sent home with us. The hamburger steaks and gravy were a 10 out of 10—so flavorful and comforting.

3. Sausage fettuccine pasta

This sausage fettuccine pasta recipe absolutely wowed me. It ended up being our favorite meal of the week. I started by cooking a pound of hot breakfast sausage, although the original recipe called for Italian sausage. We’re not big fans of Italian sausage, so I made the swap, and it turned out fantastic.

Once the sausage was halfway cooked, I seasoned it with onion powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and dried parsley.

Then, I added a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce and a 6-ounce can of tomato paste, letting everything simmer together.

While that simmered, I cooked half a box of fettuccine noodles, reserving some of the pasta water.

I then made a white sauce by melting half a stick of butter in the same pot, whisking in half a tablespoon of flour, and then stirring in a cup of heavy whipping cream.

Once the sauce started to bubble, I added three ounces of shredded parmesan cheese, seasoned it with salt and pepper, and thinned it out with the reserved pasta water until it was perfect.

I tossed the cooked pasta in the white sauce, then layered it in a greased baking dish. I spread the meat sauce on top and topped it all with shredded mozzarella cheese. I baked it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, and it came out looking absolutely mouthwatering.

I served it with garlic bread and steamed broccoli, and this pasta dish was so good that I can’t wait to make it again. It’s one of those recipes I’ll be handing down to my kids for sure.

4. Hawaiian pork tenderloin & fried rice

For my next meal, I made Hawaiian pork tenderloin with fried rice.

I started by making a marinade with half a cup of pineapple juice, a third cup of olive oil, a third cup of brown sugar, a quarter cup of low-sodium soy sauce, a quarter cup of ketchup, and a quarter cup of sweet chili sauce. I also added a tablespoon of sriracha, ground ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.

I marinated a pork tenderloin in this mixture overnight, then seared it in a hot cast iron skillet the next day before transferring it to a 400-degree oven to finish cooking for about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the pork was cooking, I made fried rice using leftover rice and broccoli from the day before.

I heated a wok with butter, added the rice and chopped broccoli, and seasoned it with onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. I made a well in the center, added a bit of sesame oil, and scrambled two eggs in the middle before mixing everything together with soy sauce.

Once the pork was done, I let it rest for five minutes before slicing it up. The pork turned out perfectly juicy with a slight pink center, just how pork tenderloin should be. Paired with the fried rice, this meal was a hit!

5. Crockpot BBQ chicken legs & jalapeño popper smashed potatoes

Another meal I made this week was Crockpot BBQ chicken legs paired with a new favorite side dish—jalapeño popper smashed potatoes. Chicken legs are such an inexpensive meat option, and when cooked in the crockpot, they turn out so tender and flavorful.

I started by placing six chicken legs at the bottom of my crockpot, then generously seasoned them with an all-purpose rub. I always go for something like Grindstaff's all-purpose rub, but you can use any barbecue seasoning you like.

After that, I drizzled some Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce over the chicken—my go-to sauce that never lets me down. I popped the lid on and set the crockpot to cook on low. We were out school shopping most of the day, so the chicken cooked for about five and a half hours, and then I switched it to warm until we were ready to eat.

For the side dish, I made jalapeño popper smashed potatoes. I started by boiling 1.5 pounds of baby red potatoes in salted water until they were fork-tender, about 20 minutes.

After draining, I laid them out on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and smashed each one with the bottom of a glass. I melted half a stick of butter and brushed it over each potato, then sprinkled them with garlic salt and a generous amount of black pepper.

I baked them at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, then flipped them over and baked for another 20 minutes to get both sides crispy.

Next, I added the toppings. I sprinkled half the potatoes with diced fresh jalapeños, leaving the other half plain for the kids. I also crumbled up six slices of cooked bacon and distributed it evenly over all the potatoes. Then, I topped everything with shredded sharp cheddar cheese. After popping them back in the oven for just a few minutes to melt the cheese, they were ready to go.

To finish off the chicken, I transferred the legs to a cookie sheet, brushed on some extra BBQ sauce, and broiled them for a few minutes to get that sticky, caramelized finish. I served the chicken and potatoes with a side of air-fried Brussels sprouts, seasoned simply with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper.

The chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender, and the potatoes—oh, those glorious potatoes—were the star of the meal. My family couldn’t get enough, and we even dipped the potatoes in ranch for an extra treat.

Quick and budget-friendly meals 

These meals were all delicious, budget-friendly, and easy to prepare.

Whether you’re feeding a picky family or just looking for something new to try, I hope these recipes inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook up something special.

Which will you try out first? Comment down below.

Next, check out these 5 Easy Party Food Ideas.