Are you looking for recipes where you can save money without sacrificing flavor, nutrition or taste? then your crockpot can be your best friend. With just a few cheap ingredients and minimal prep, you can create delicious and satisfying dinners that won’t break the bank. Here are five budget-friendly crockpot dinner ideas, each costing under $10!
1. Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
– Estimated Cost: $7.5
– Ingredients:
– 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ($4)
– 1 cup of rice ($1)
– 1 can of cream of chicken soup ($1)
– 1 cup of frozen veggies, e.g carrot or peas ($1)
– Parsley for garnishing (optional, $0.5)
– Instructions:
– First, put your washed rice into the slow cooker.
– Add cream of chicken soup, and other seasoning into the crockpot and combine thoroughly.
– Season chicken breasts as desired and place in the crockpot..
– Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.
– Stir in the frozen veggie 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with some chopped parsley.
– Total Cost: $7.5 for a comforting, filling meal.
2. Vegetable Bean Chili
– Estimated Cost: $9
– Ingredients:
– 2 cans of mixed beans ($2), I prefer a mixture of Pinto beans and Kidney beans.
– 1 can of diced tomatoes ($1)
– 1 can of tomato sauce ($1)
– 1 onion, diced ($0.50)
– Garlic ($0.50)
– 1 bell pepper, diced ($1)
– 1 packet of chili seasoning ($1)
– 1 pack of meat or vegetable stock (optional, $1)
– 1 cup of frozen corn ($1)
– Instructions:
– In your crockpot, put some vegetable oil, add in your diced onions, garlic and bell peppers. Saute for a 3 mins
– add seasoning as desired, (Salt, pepper, paprika,)
– Add Tomato sauce and diced tomato, cook for 5 mins.
-Add the beans, water, or some stock
– Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
– Add frozen corn 30 mins before serving.
– Serve with cornbread, rice or some Tortilla strips.
– Total Cost: $9 for a hearty, tasty, nutritious Beans chili.
3. Pasta e Fagioli Soup
– Estimated Cost: $9
– Ingredients:
– 1 can of Red kidney or Cannellini beans ($1)
– 1 can of diced tomatoes ($1)
– 1 small onion, diced ($0.50)
– 1 carrot, diced ($0.50)
– 1 stalk of celery, diced ($0.50)
– 1/2 lb of ground beef ($3)
– 1 cup of pasta (elbows or ditalini) ($2)
– Instructions:
– Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then add to the crockpot.
– Add the tomatoes, onion, carrot, and celery.
– Cook on low for an hour.
– Add the pasta during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
-Drain and rinse Red kidney or Cannellini beans then add to the pot.
-Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with bread, or salad
– Total Cost: $9 for a delicious, filling Italian soup.
4. Fried Sausage and Cabbage
– Estimated Cost: $9
– Ingredients:
– ½ lb of smoked sausage, sliced ($2)
– 1 small head of cabbage, chopped ($2)
– 1 onion, sliced ($0.50)
– 3 tablespoons Butter or Vegetable oil ($2)
– ½ diced Red Bell pepper ($1)
-1 Pack of Chicken broth ($1)
-Green onions for Garnish (Optional, $0.5)
– Instructions:
– In your crockpot, add in some butter or Vegetable oil.
– Add your sliced sausage and fry until golden brown. Remove Sausage from the crockpot and drain off excess fat, set aside.
-Next, melt some more butter in the crockpot, add onions, garlic, bell pepper, and your chopped Cabbage, saute for a few mins on low heat, stir until cabbage begins to wilt.
– Add in chicken broth and pre-cooked sausage and cook until tender.
Serve the Cabbage and smoked sausage, Garnish with Green onions
Total Cost: $8 for a simple, hearty dinner.
5. Creamy Potato Soup
– Estimated Cost:$7.5
– Ingredients:
– 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced ($2)
– 1 onion, diced ($0.50)
– 4 cups of chicken broth ($2)
– 1 cup of milk ($1)
– 1/2 cup of shredded cheese ($1.50)
– Green onion ($0.5)
– Instructions:
– Combine potatoes, onion, and chicken broth in the crockpot, cook until potatoes are soft and tender.
– Blend the potatoes in a blender or an immersion blender for a creamy texture, then stir in the milk and butter. If you want some chunky potatoes in your soup, set some aside unblended and mix in later.
– Cook for another 30 minutes before serving, garnish with some shredded cheese and sliced green onion.
– Total Cost: $7 for a cozy, warming soup, perfect for a cold evening.
Conclusion
Eating well on a budget doesn’t mean you have to compromise on taste. With these crockpot dinners, you can enjoy delicious, homemade meals without spending more than $10. Perfect for families, students, or anyone looking to stretch their grocery budget, these recipes are sure to become staples in your meal rotation.
