5 Meals to Feed Your Family for $5 Or Less

Looking to feed your family on a penny pinched budget? Here are 5 meals to feed your family for $5 or less! These are pretty basic recipes, but you can easily roundup them out your meal with a side salad and homemade loaf of bread. Depending on extra toppings you choose you may pay a little more, but hopefully these meals will help you to easily cook at home and save a bundle over the cost of a trip through the drive thru!

(Note: prices are based on family of 4-5, and assume you’re getting these ingredients at their stock up price. Basic pantry staples not included in prices.)

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore 

• 1-2 pounds frozen chicken tenders ($1.97/lb = $1.97)
• 1 sliced onion ($.99/lb = $.25)
• 1 sliced green pepper ($.50 each)
• 1 sliced red pepper ($.99 each – to keep things priced near $5 you would need to omit this one)
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes ($1)
• 6 ounce can tomato paste ($.49)
• 3 cloves garlic ($.25)
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning ($.25)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb cooked pasta ($.79)
• Total = $5.49

Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

• 1/2 cup butter ($.62)
• 3 tbsp cream cheese ($.50)
• 1 pint heavy cream ($1.29)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper
• 2/3 cup grated parmesan (we like the Digiorno brand in the deli – $1.50)
• 1 lb fettuccine noodles, cooked ($.79)
• Total = $4.70

Slow Cooker Barbecue Stuffed Potatoes

• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, frozen ($1.99/lb.)
• 12 oz. barbecue sauce ($.50)
• 1/2 cup Italian Salad dressing ($.50)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar ($.25)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ($.25)
• baking potatoes ($2)
• cheese, sour cream, or chives (optional)
• Total – $5.50 + any toppings

Fresh Baked Calzones

• Pizza Dough (we’ve used two loaves of Publix Pizza dough when it’s been on sale buy one get one free to make two huge calzones at our house, but you could also make your own, or even try out this Cauliflower Pizza Dough) ($2)
• Pepperoni ($.50)
• Olive Oil
• Cheese ($1.50)
• Italian Seasoning
• Butter or margarine, melted
• Additional toppings (mushrooms, spinach, onions, green peppers, tomatoes . . . whatever you choose!)
• Marinara sauce for dipping ($1)
• Total = $5 (may be slightly more if you buy extra toppings – get those on sale at your local Fresh Thyme, Sprouts, or Aldi)

Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodle Soup

• 4 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth (make yourself with leftover chicken stock or use a chicken bouillon cube $.17 per cube)
• 1 cup carrot, cut into 1/4″ slices ($.50)
• 1 cup celery, cut into 1/4 inch slices ($.50)
• 1 cup onion ($.25)
• 1 garlic clove ($.25)
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 4 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 3-4 pound whole chicken (can also substitute with 3-4 chicken breasts – $1.97)
• 3 1/2 cups wide egg noodles $1
• Total = $4.64

Looking for more? Check out this post on 5 ways to feed your family for less (even without using coupons, and find more penny pinched recipes over HERE.