Cooking on a Budget: 12 Hearty and Healthy Meals That Cost Less Than $10 Per Serving

Curries are the perfect affordable home-cooked dish because you likely already have the majority of ingredients in your pantry. The priciest item here is two tablespoons of almond butter, which you can easily swap out for a more inexpensive nut or seed butter, like peanut butter or tahini. Approximate cost: $4 per serving

Who doesn’t love a big breakfast for dinner? Shakshouka, the classic Middle Eastern brunch dish that simmers eggs in a rich tomato sauce, is also a go-to supper option. It easily serves many and is a refreshing change from dinner classics like chicken, beef or fish. Eggs are the perfect food: they cook quickly, offer 6 grams of protein per egg and are incredibly affordable. Approximate cost: $7 per serving

Cooking on a budget? Sheet pan dinners are our all-time favourite because they’re fairly quick to make and have next-to-no cleanup. Pairing a sticky, glazed salmon with gingery bok choy is a no-brainer, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy that it only takes about 17 minutes to cook. Approximate cost: $7 per serving

We’re all about simple ingredients that add loads of flavour, depth and deliciousness to your meal and miso is one such ingredient. The fermented soy paste has a great salty taste with that je ne sais quoi umami flavour. Here, it’s easily transformed into a broth. This recipe calls for the addition of broccoli, sweet potatoes, vermicelli noodles and tofu, making it both nourishing and affordable. Approximate cost: $5 per serving

There’s nothing easier than a hearty, homemade meal. While most comfort food dishes are typically reserved for fall and winter, this recipe works well no matter the season. The enchiladas are brightened up with loads of beans, spinach and a squeeze of lime, amounting to a reliable dinner staple for the entire family. Approximate cost: $6 per serving.

Building a flavourful dish is actually quite simple and inexpensive. With a quick sauté of garlic and ginger, you have a fragrant base for this almond chicken satay. Vermicelli noodles help to bulk up this recipe and sop up the creamy, nutty sauce; not to mention they only cost $2 a bag. Approximate cost: $6 per serving

Our recommendation is to always have a fully-stocked spice cabinet (buy spices in bulk to make them even more affordable). Having these on hand allows you to quickly season chicken, fish, beef, beans or veggies for a fast, inexpensive and flavourful meal here are the best pantry staples based on cuisine.) We love chicken fajitas, but if you wanted to make this even more affordable, swap them out for black beans or pinto beans. Approximate cost: $6 per serving

Pasta is always a great ingredient to use when you’re trying to feed a family. It’s inexpensive and a little goes a long way. Tomato sauce over pasta is classic, but it can sometimes be a little lackluster, so sprucing up noodles with garlic, lemon zest, pine nuts and broccoli is a welcome change. If pine nuts are too much of a splurge, you can always omit or opt for walnuts instead. Approximate cost: $3 per serving

This recipe calls for buying a whole chicken and then cutting it up into thighs, drumsticks, breasts and wings. It’s always more economical to buy a whole chicken than to simply buy its individual parts. The chicken then gets nuzzled in with root veggies and a simple maple-mustard marinade for a family dinner ready in under an hour. Approximate cost: $6 per serving

Noodles are a go-to when looking for a filling, yet inexpensive dinner; one package of linguine costs about $1.50 and can easily feed a crowd. Pairing these noodles with fresh arugula, shrimp and lemon amounts to a light meal perfect for spring and summer. Approximate cost: $4 per serving.

This 20-minute dinner will satisfy your taste buds and your wallet. It’s all cooked in one skillet, which means you get tons of flavour from all the ingredients with little clean up. You can also find rainbow trout that’s been farmed or caught in Canada, making it a great local and affordable fish to eat. Approximate cost: $5 per serving

Although quinoa is more of an expensive grain, it adds a nice variation to the standard fried rice dish most of you are accustomed to. This recipe is extremely simple, and you most likely already have all of the other ingredients in your fridge and pantry, so a little splurge on quinoa is worth it. Approximate cost: $5 per serving