20 Healthy Budget Friendly Meals
These recipes and grocery shopping tips will help you save money on healthy meals! These meals are gluten and dairy-free and most are also paleo and AIP.
Have you seen the prices at the grocery store these days? Yikes. It takes some creative effort to eat healthy within your budget, but these tips and recipes are here to help you save and still eat healthy, delicious meal that your family will love!
Budget Friendly Healthy Ingredients
- Ground Meats. Ground beef is a generally much cheaper option than whole roasts and steaks, and it’s super verstaile.
- Chicken Thighs and Whole Chicken. These tend to be cheaper than chicken breast.
- Cabbage. Cabbage is always cheap, nutrient-dense and great in soups and skillet meals.
- Sweet Potato. A great source of carbs that’s usually a low price.
- Rice. If you can tolerate rice, it’s an amazing way to bulk up meals for cheap!
Budget Friendly Meal Tips & Tricks
- Buy in bulk when things are on sale and freeze. I tend to have my freezer totally stocked with frozen meat when I can get a good deal on it!
- Make your own snacks. Store-bought convenience snacks can get super pricey. I like to make my own beef jerky to save on protein bars!
Budget Friendly Healthy Soups
- Egg Roll Soup. This soup has all of the egg roll flavors you love, but in a hearty soup.
- Cabbage Roll Soup. This cabbage roll soup is a rich, savory and nourishing one-pot meal. It’s made with affordable cabbage and ground meat.
- Hot & Sour Soup. This hot and sour soup is a gluten and soy free take that tastes like the real deal!
- Zuppa Toscana. With veggies and ground sausage as the main ingredients, this is soup is filling but without expensive ingredients.
- Albigonas Soup. Ground beef and veggies are the star of this meatball soup!
Budget Friendly Bowls
- Egg Roll in a Bowl. This Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe brings back all of the flavor and nostalgia you love about egg rolls without the wrapper! It’s paleo, whole30, AIP, and keto.
- Ground Beef & Broccoli. This ground beef and broccoli is a simple and cost-effective one-pan meal. It’s paleo, whole30, and AIP-friendly.
- Unstuffed Cabbage Roll in a Bowl. This unstuffed cabbage roll is an easy one-pan meal that’s filling and delicious! It’s paleo, keto, whole30, and AIP compliant.
Budget Friendly Skillet Meals
- Paleo Sloppy Joe. A healthier take on a classic with cost-effective ingredients.
- One Pan Enchilada Bowls. Enchilada-inspired bowls packed with veggies.
- One Pan Taco Skillet Dinner. This meal is made with veggies and ground beef.
- Cabbage and Sausage Skillet. This cabbage and sausage skillet is made with sweet potato, apple, cabbage, and sausage for a well-rounded meal or egg-free breakfast or dinner option.
- Apple Chicken Sausage and Vegetables Skillet. The perfect fall dish!
Budget Friendly One Pan & Slow Cooker Meals
- One Pan Spatchcocked Chicken and Veggies. A whole chicken is a much cheaper option than cuts, and it goes a long way!
- One Pot-Baked Chicken and Rice. This recipe uses rice, chicken thighs, and simple veggies. No expensive sauces!
- One Pan Sausage and Vegetables. Not only is this meal cost-effective, but it’s super easy.
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken & Veggies. This balsamic chicken and vegetable dish is made in the slow cooker for the perfect weeknight meal or stress-free meal prep! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and can be made AIP.
Budget Friendly Stir Fries
- Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry. This ground beef stir fry is easy, delicious, and cost-effective! It’s made without soy or gluten and is paleo, whole30, AIP, and easy to make keto.
- Ground Beef Fried Rice. This ground beef fried rice is an easy and cost-effective meal for a weeknight! It’s gluten and soy-free and can be made grain-free if made with cauliflower rice.
- Ground Turkey and Vegetable Stir Fry. This ground turkey and vegetable teriyaki stir fry is an easy and delicious one-pan meal. It’s paleo, whole30, and AIP-friendly.
Quick & Easy Budget Friendly Meals
- Avocado Tuna Salad Cucumber Boats. Canned tuna can be a great way to add lots of protein for a smaller price tag.
- Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers. The main ingredients are sweet potato and ground chicken (or turkey) which can both be cheap and filling! You only need small amounts of added ingredients like seasonings and coconut flour to round out this perfect recipe.
- Avocado Salmon Salad. This easy avocado salmon salad is the perfect lunch that will only take you 5 minutes to prep! It’s gluten-free, paleo, and AIP-friendly.