35 Frugal Recipes To Help You Stay On Budget
Whether you’re struggling to make ends meet or just looking to save money on groceries, these frugal recipes will help you stay on budget while you feed your family for less.
It’s always a good idea to live frugally and have a budget to work from, but sometimes it’s actually necessary.
My husband lost his job unexpectedly last month, just 10 days before Christmas. Since then we’ve been extra careful about every dollar we spend as we do our best to keep enough money in the bank to pay our mortgage until things turn around.
Related: How We’re Moving Forward After A Year Of Setbacks
This past month, we set a strict budget of $250 for food, and I’m happy to report that we are well on our way to making it to the end of the month without blowing our budget. Of course, we were able to supplement many of our meals with food we already had put away in the house (which is why putting up food and being prepared is so, so important). But still, it took some creativity and careful meal planning to make it all the way to the end. Definitely no eating out and no expensive ingredients.
But it’s amazing how cheap and easy it actually is to create delicious and nutritious frugal meals when you make them from scratch. Inexpensive, humble ingredients on their own may be just that, but combine them and the sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can create (and how good it can taste!)
Related: 10 Tips to Help You Save Money At the Grocery Store
So whether you’re flat broke or just trying to save a little extra money on your grocery bill, these 35 frugal recipes will help you get good, wholesome, delicious homemade food on the table every day, which means you have one less thing to stress about:)
Frugal Breakfasts
Cinnamon Apple-Raisin Oatmeal – The House & Homestead
We’ve practically been living on oatmeal at our house ever since my husband lost his job. This is my favourite recipe of them all.
Big Batch Granola – As For Me And My Homestead
This big batch granola recipe can feed a family of five breakfast for up to two weeks!
Oatmeal Pancakes – Adamant Kitchen
Use your leftover oatmeal to stretch your pancake batter in this frugal breakfast dish!
Perfect Frittata Recipe – Healing Harvest Homestead
This frittata recipe is super flexible and highly customizable. As long as you’ve got some eggs, you can use whatever meat and veggies you have on hand to fill out this dish.
Homemade Breakfast Sausage – The Prairie Homestead
Make your own homemade sausages out of whatever cheap ground meat is on sale or that you can get your hands on (maybe through farming or hunting or simply meat you have in the freezer).
Frugal Soups
Bean & Ham Soup – Melissa K. Norris
There ain’t nothin’ more frugal than beans, and when paired with a ham bone and a few veggie scraps, they also make a filling, tasty meal!
Easy Potato Chowder – Farming My Backyard
Potatoes have long been a staple food for many a struggling family. Whether you’re struggling or not, you’ll save big money and make those potatoes streeettch with this soup!
Easy Crockpot French Onion Soup – Hillsborough Homesteading
If all you’ve got is a bag of onions, you can still make a satisfying soup. Make this meal even more frugal by omitting the red wine/sherry and the cheese, or simply use whatever cheese you have in the house. Add in some crusty old bread (that you can even make at home yourself) and make your own beef or veggie stock out of scraps to make this a truly frugal homemade meal.
Borscht – The House & Homestead (Guest posting for Melissa K. Norris)
Beets and a few humble garden veggies & herbs like cabbage, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic and dill are all you need to make this frugal and extremely healthy meal! Add a little sour cream and serve with a side of crusty bread to add calories and take this soup to the next level.
Cream of Broccoli Leaf Soup – The House & Homestead
Broccoli soup is a great place to start if you’re looking for a filling and delicious frugal meal, but you can make it even more frugal by using the oft-discarded broccoli leaves instead (and the soup tastes just like regular cream of broccoli soup). Use the leaves off of your own broccoli plants or ask at your local market. Often times you can get them for free!
Roasted Vegetable Soup – Little House Living
Use whatever veggies you have on hand, along with a little shredded chicken to make this yummy spin on a traditional chicken and veggie soup. Or omit the chicken altogether for an even more frugal dish.
Frugal Homemade Breads, Etc.
Easy No-Knead Homemade Bread – The House & Homestead
All you need for this bread is flour, water and a little yeast. You don’t even need to knead!
Honey Whole Wheat Buttermilk Sandwich Bread – Melissa K. Norris
Bread’s expensive. Here’s a simple, frugal recipe to save you money.
Homemade Burger Buns – The House & Homestead
If I’d known that making homemade burger buns was this easy (and cheap!) I’d have started making them from scratch long ago!
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits – Melissa K. Norris
Hands-down the best biscuits I’ve ever eaten, and they cost just pennies a piece. Always best when made in a cast iron pan:)
Homemade Tortillas – Farming My Backyard
Make these tortillas from scratch using ingredients your already have in your pantry.
Perfect Pizza Crust – The House & Homestead
Simple ingredients. Perfect crust. Top with whatever you have in the fridge and pantry.
Frugal Main Dishes
Sloppy Joes – Imperfectly Happy Homesteading
Use your homemade burger buns to make this super frugal supper!
Buttermilk Chicken Strips – Melissa K. Norris
This homemade buttermilk chicken strips recipe works out to just $.65/serving to feed a family of four. Mic drop.
Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie – The Rustic Elk
Use leftover chicken pieces and veggies to make the filling for this new twist on an old classic. Top with homemade biscuits and you’ve got a filling meal for the whole family.
“Stretching A Buck” Lasagna – Little House Living
This dish uses whatever ingredients you have on hand and to make a thriftier version of traditional lasagna.
Keema Aloo (Ground Meat with Potatoes & Indian Spices) – Adamant Kitchen
If you’re looking for something a little different or craving some Indian takeout but you’re on a tight budget, this dish will satisfy your spice tooth and is, like, a thousand times cheaper than takeout. (Why is Indian food so expensive anyway? Or is it just where I live??)
Egg Roll in a Bowl – Don’t Waste The Crumbs
This egg roll in a bowl recipe uses simple, frugal ingredients like cabbage, mixed veggies (ie. carrots, onions, mushrooms, etc.) and a little ground pork to make a huge batch that will fill many hungry bellies. Most of the ingredients are flexible (aka. use what you have on hand), and the recipe fits into the Whole 30 diet or can easily be tweaked to fit the Paleo or Keto diets if you’re following any of these programs.
Traditional Ukrainian Perogies – The House & Homestead
These perogies are definitely NOT diet food! But they will fill your belly and stick to your ribs, and they’re made with some of the most frugal ingredients on Earth: potatoes, onions, cheese (optional), flour, water and eggs. Plus a little sour cream for serving. ?
Frugal Snacks & Sides
Easy Refried Beans – Little House Living
Almost nothing is more frugal than beans. Serve these ones with rice or with homemade tortillas (see “Breads”) and a few frugal toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and maybe even some homemade salsa. Or top with fried eggs for a hearty breakfast dish.
Baked Seasoned French Fries – The Rustic Elk
When you’re on a tight budget, you can’t always afford to go out to eat. But you can make some of your favourite restaurant dishes at home. Fries are a staple on most restaurant plates. Make this version at home to save money and make them healthier by baking them instead of frying.
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries – Hillsborough Homesteading
Same as above, but sweeter:) And spicier. And yum.
Butternut Squash & Kale Casserole – The House & Homestead
One big ol’ butternut squash goes a long way in this healthy, frugal and filling dish. Serve as a side or a main!
Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts – The Prairie Homestead
Brussels sprouts have never screamed “high end,” and that’s because they’re not. In season, they’re super cheap to buy, and of course if you grow them at home, they cost even less. But cook ’em the right way and you’ve got yourself a restaurant-worthy side dish for just pennies a piece. (I know this because Brussels sprouts were all the rage when we lived in the city and were being served alongside fancy step dinners at all the hottest restaurants in town. I think they even won “veggie of the year” one year… Yes, apparently that’s a thing).
Pickled Beets – The House & Homestead
These are perhaps more of a condiment, but let me tell you, if you end up making some homemade perogies, you’re gonna want a side of pickled beets. Here’s how to make them (and can them too!)
Frugal Sweets & Treats
Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding – Little House Living
Bread pudding is one of the most frugal recipes you can make. You can even make it with old, stale bread! Satisfy your sweet tooth and save a few bucks.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars – Melissa K. Norris
These bars are gluten-free, dairy-free and refined-sugar free. Oh, and they only cost $.40/bar!
Rustic Apple Crumble – The House & Homestead
This apple crumble can be made with fresh apples when they’re in season or with home-canned apple pie filling. Top with a few ingredients like oats, flour, butter and a little sugar and you’ve got a frugal dessert that goes just as well with Christmas dinner as it does on the weeknight dinner table.
Frugal Homemade Chocolate Sauce – Piwakawaka Valley
Forgo the store-bought chocolate sauce full of all sorts of questionable ingredients and make your own instead. Better quality. Less money. Win-win.
Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate Mix – Hillsborough Homesteading
Once you make your own homemade hot chocolate mix, you’ll wonder why you ever bought it from the store. You probably even have the ingredients you need on hand already, so this one might not even cost you a dime!
What are your favourite frugal recipes? And what else do you make from scratch that saves you money? Share your ideas in the comments:)
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If you haven't checked-in lately, the last week or so, we've sorta been in the trenches of homesteading and life over here. While some make it out to be glamorous all the time there are high's and low's just as there are in life.
With all that's going on, I've been making a point to find my way back into the garden, which is not only needed to feed my family, but also for some personal spiritual nourishment.
I just want to take a minute to love on my favorite veggie today, Broccoli! 🥦 It's one we plant over-and-over and I'm leaning into its abundance this year.
Not only is it one of my favorites, but we've also found it's one of the easiest veggies to grow so if you haven't tried it or added it to your garden yet, there's no better time than the present.
I've got an entire post on How to Grow Broccoli from Seed here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-grow-broccoli-from-seed/ if you're looking for any tips or tricks.
In my "How to" post you'll also find a link to one of my favorite recipes for Cream of Broccoli Leaf Soup!
Can I be honest?
Sometimes you've gotta take a step back and look at the life you've created for yourself and ask yourself "is this truly what I want?"
The other day I shared about losing two of our rabbits this week to Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease. The stress of losing them comes amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions around here...
From work pressures for Ryan to me trying to run a business and handle a very fussy, colicky 2-month-old (and a very busy 6-year-old), to things ramping up in the garden again and all of the other million things that need to get done (including multiple loads of laundry a day thanks to more spit up than I ever knew a baby was capable of producing), I finally felt like I was ready to crack this week.
Oh, not to mention we're doing this all on next to no sleep thanks again to our sweet boy.
I know this is all part of what we signed up for, but when it all happens at once, it can feel completely overwhelming. And when I'm completely overwhelmed and stressed out, that's exactly when I get sick too, which is exactly what happened a couple days ago.
Then yesterday (Saturday) I woke up feeling awful and decided to scroll Instagam as I nursed Noah. I saw other mothers with 6, 8 or even 10 kids somehow keeping it all together getting three square meals on the table every day while managing to keep a tidy kitchen and find time to Instagram about it.
I saw other homestead bloggers reaching new levels of success in their business that I can only dream about right now. And as I sat there in bed, covered in spit up with a ravenous baby nursing off me as I tried to console him, I felt sad for myself in that moment that I couldn't live up to the folks I was comparing myself to.
Later in the day I had to work, so Ryan took the kids to the beach and I stayed home. And I felt sad once again; Sad that I was missing out on yet another weekend with my family because I had created a life where I now have to work weekends just to keep up.
But the silver lining was that the work I had to do yesterday forced me out into the garden, and it was probably the most soothing thing I could have done for my soul.
(Continued in comments…)
Sometime homesteading looks like homegrown vegetables and freshly laid eggs and sourdough rising on the counter.
And sometimes it looks like tears when you have to bury one of your animals 😔
Ryan went out to feed the bunnies yesterday and Flopsy -our little black and white bunny- was laying dead in the pen. There was no blood, other than a little bit by her mouth. Seems like something internal happened. We’re not sure what.
Evelyn helped lay her to rest yesterday. It was a hard weekend for her. First she stayed with grandma and went with her to put her sick, 17-year-old cat down. Then she came home to the news that Flopsy was gone.
But I believe she’s more resilient because of it. We talked to her about how death is a part of all life, and allowed her to go through the stages of grief and process it however she felt she needed to.
Homesteading isn’t always sunshine and rainbows and snuggly barnyard animals. Homesteading teaches us hard lessons and helps us to become stronger and more resilient by challenging us daily.
Yesterday was a sad, hard day. But I’m glad we got to experience it together as a family.
A few years ago, Forbes published an article titled Dear Homesteaders, Self-Reliance is a Delusion.
Let’s unpack this…
What does self-reliant really mean? Is it actually achievable, or just a pipe dream?
Over on the blog today I'm unpacking all of these thoughts, and the things I do know for sure as a homesteader, mother and member of a strong and self-reliant community.
But I really want to hear from you! Post in the comments below what self-reliance means in modern times, or what steps you're taking to be more self-reliant.
Read the full article here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/what-is-self-reliance/ or at the link in my bio
The spring issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine is out now!
It’s that time again...
The time when things begin ramping up in the garden, the barnyard and the home.
From trays of seedlings to baskets full of eggs, spring is in the air and I don’t know about you, but I’m here for it!
It’s also time for a brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, and boy do we have a good one for you…
In the spring issue, we cover a diverse range of topics from how to trade your skills for land to the realities of going off-grid, from seed-starting to what to do with too many eggs, and from the simple joys of a homemade herbal cocktail to the sometimes heavy emotional toll of raising meat animals.
In this issue, you’ll find:
🌱 What it really takes to live off-grid, with Tammy Trayer of Trayer Wilderness
🌱How you can trade your skills for a piece of land with the SKIP program from the folks at Permies.com
🌱 Everything you need to know about seed-starting to set your garden up for success and abundance!
🌱 What to do with too many eggs! Author Mimi Dvorak-Smith shares 800+ ways to use ‘em up when your hens start laying.
🌱 How to make your own healthier cocktails with homemade botanical syrups
🌱 Dealing with the emotional toll of raising meat animals on the homestead
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to login to the library and read the spring issue (current subscribers) or subscribe for just $19.99/year to read this issue and gain instant access to our entire library of past issues!
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #selfsufficiency #springonthehomestead
If you grow plants from seed (or if you want to), you’re likely going to want to start a few of them indoors. And if you start your seeds indoors, something that will make your life so much easier (and make your seedlings bigger, stronger and healthier) is an indoor growing stand with grow lights.
I've got a post I'm sharing with you today that will walk you through choosing the best type of lighting for whatever you're growing and then a step-by-step guide of how to make your grow stand, along with product recommendations if you want to make yours just like mine!
Ours can accommodate up to about 200 seedlings, but you can make yours as small or big as needed:)
You can check out the post here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-build-indoor-growing-stand/ or at the link in my bio.
Let me know in the comments what you're growing new, or what you're most excited about in your planting journey this year!
Theme of the Month: ADIDAS
No, not the textiles brand, it stands for: 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗜 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 because it's officially March and we are in full swing around here!
Before you just start throwing seeds in the ground or into red solo cups on your windowsill, it’s important to take some time to read your seed packets and get to know each crop’s specific needs.
Understanding the information on a seed packet is super important when it comes to gardening, especially if you want your plants to get a strong, healthy start and produce an abundance of food for you. And what gardener doesn’t want that?!
Set yourself up for success and take a minute to read through my 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦, before your weekend gardening plans begin.
Grab the guide link in my bio, or get it here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-read-seed-packets/
Happy Planting:) ✨
This all-natural homemade toothpaste recipe is made with just four simple ingredients that are good for both your body and your bank account!
I’m on a personal mission to replace every commercially-made, toxic product in our home with homemade, all-natural alternatives. One-by-one, I’m getting closer every day.
The benefit of making all-natural toothpaste at home is avoiding the unhealthy additives found in most commercial toothpastes by substituting ingredients with proven benefits for oral health.
So if you’re also on a mission to rid your own home of toxic products and replace them with healthy, all-natural versions that actually work, then I highly recommend whipping up a batch of this all-natural homemade toothpaste.
Wishing you health, wealth and squeaky clean teeth… The all-natural way;)
You can find the recipe here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/all-natural-homemade-toothpaste-recipe/ or at the link in my bio.
It's that time of year 🌱 seed starting season!
I know you can feel it too. The transition from winter to spring is truly a special time. It’s when life begins again. It’s the very first taste of all that lies ahead.
So before you go just planting any and every seed you can get your hands on, I've got a list of 8 Things to Think About Before Starting Seeds, to get you off on the right food!
I will walk you through, planning, sowing, containers, watering, lighting and more, and if that's not enough you can download my Seed Starting Cheat Sheet at the end to lay it all out.
I hope you're as excited as I am for the beautiful Spring season that lies ahead:)
You can find the list here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/before-starting-seeds/ or at the link in my bio.
What are you planting this year? Anything new you've never tried before? Share with me in the comments!
Ever thought about growing mushrooms at home??
A great EASY way to get started is with one of these mushroom grow kits from @northsporemushrooms
All you need to do is cut open the pack, spray with a little water (the kits even come with a handy little spray bottle), and then sit back and watch the magic happen!
And seriously, watching mushrooms goes does feel a little like magic because they grow so fast you can practically see them growing, no time lapse necessary!
The mushrooms are ready for harvest in just a few days. No gardening experience or land necessary! Even a newbie homesteader in an apartment in the city can grow these babies!
This is a great way to dip your tow into the much bigger world of mushroom growing and harvesting, and to try out a few new varieties that you probably won’t find anywhere else.
I grew Pink Oyster Mushrooms, Lion’s Mane and Blue Oyster Mushrooms (all pictured here). I’ll be using the Pink Oyster Mushrooms in a rigatoni pasta for dinner tonight. I turned the Lion’s Mane into Lion’s Mane “crab cakes” and the Blue Oyster Mushrooms are delicious as part of a stir fry or sautéed in butter and spooned over sourdough toast.
If this reel intrigues you, you can grab your own mushroom grow kit (along with time of other mushroom related products, including fruiting blocks, outdoor log kits, medicinal tinctures, capsules and more) at northspore.com. Use code HOUSEANDHOMESTEAD for 10% off your order!
And if you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my interview with Louis Giller of North Spore Mushrooms in the winter issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine. You can also find my recipe for Lion’s Mane “Crab Cakes,” along with other delicious mushroom recipes and an in-depth feature on medicinal mushrooms including Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga and Cordyceps in the winter issue.
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to subscribe or login to the library and read the current issue.
Mushrooms really are pure magic, don’t ya think? 🍄 ✨
#mushrooms #mushroomhead #shrooming #eatyourshrooms #mushroomsaremagic #modernhomesteading #urbanhomesteading #homegrown
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, it probably comes as no surprise that I don’t exactly love relying on the grocery store to provide for me and my family, and that sentiment is only getting stronger as time goes on.
Between supply chain issues, rising food costs and the plethora of unhealthy ingredients, chemicals and GMO foods on grocery store shelves, I’d rather toil in the garden and kitchen all year to grow and preserve my own food than have to rely 100% on grocery stores to provide for me.
But that being said, we are in no way 100% self-sufficient so when I do go to the grocery story, I haveI have some ingredient guidelines in mind that I use when shopping for my family.
Check out my shopping tips, what I do and don't buy, and where and who I like to buy from here at this link https://thehouseandhomestead.com/healthy-grocery-shopping-tips/ or at the link in my bio.
Usually by late February/early March, right about nowish, I’ve pretty much had enough of winter and the thought of enjoying a tropical fruit platter and a cold adult beverage on a sunny beach in *insert tropical vacation destination here* seems to be just about all I can think about...
But with a newborn at home that's about the last thing on our to-do list right now! So this year, I will be visiting my tropical escape via my favorite Low-Sugar Mango Jam recipe.
If you do have tropical vacation plans, have a piña colada for me 🙏🏼, but if you don't then this recipe may be just what you need to "escape" for a few minutes into that tropical paradise:) 🥭🍹
Check out the recipe here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/low-sugar-mango-jam-recipe/ or at the link in my bio.
Let me know how the recipe works for you, and if add in any additional fruits to change it up!
Very good points. Bless you and your family this Holiday season. Congratulations on your new arrival!
I pray you will be over this trial soon. My husband had fairly seasonal work. So our bank was food. We stocked up during the good times and ate from the pantry in the hard times. Because we went cash only and saved up for things instead of credit – we had no debt. That was a blessing after he died. So I didn’t have a hard time starting over when all the kids were gone. Cooking from scratch is the best way to save. Thank you for your generosity in sharing your recipes during this hard time. May God richly bless you. I’ve found that you can never outgive God. He always blesses back.
Yes! We always stock up in good times and then we’ve always got a reserve when we need it. I cut up my credit card before Christmas too and I don’t miss it one bit! Thank you so much for your kind comment! And bless you right back:)