Foods for a fiver: 5 nutritious and easy dinners you can make at home
Planning dinners for the week ahead, but want meals that're healthy as well as easy on the purse strings? While it can be relatively easy to slash the cost of breakfast and lunch, it's a little more challenging to stick to a tight budget when it comes to dinner.
The good news though is that it's not impossible — you just need to get acquainted with a few terrific recipes and ingredients, for a nourishing final meal of the day that clocks in at $5 or less per serve. It's totally achievable!
Veggie omelette
While we may generally think of eggs as a breakfast food, their versatile nature means that they can also serve as a filling meal option when turned into a frittata or omelette. All you need to do is add plenty of veggies to your favourite egg recipe, along with a little cheese, and you have a hearty and cheap dinner meal.
Per serve:
2 eggs = $1
2 cups frozen vegetables = $2
Cheese (40g) = $1
¼ cup milk = 50c
Total = $4.50
Stuffed potato
Not only are potatoes rich in nutrients but their high fibre content makes them one of the most filling foods at a cost of just a $1 per potato or even less. Team a jacket potato with tuna or salmon or beans, along with a little cheese and salad for a nutritionally balanced, satisfying meal.
Per serve:
1 potato = $1
95g canned fish = $2
Tomato = 70c
Cheese (40g) = $1
Total = $4.70
Tuna pasta
With pasta costing as little as $2 for an entire packet, and around 6-8 serve inside, you can't go wrong with pasta as a budget staple food. Then bake your pasta with a small can tinned fish, or loads of veges, pasta sauce and a little cheese, for a substantial dinner meal that ticks all your nutritional boxes.
Per serve:
Pasta = 50c
Tinned fish = $1.50
1 cup pasta sauce = 80c
Frozen veges = $2
Total = $4.80
Fried rice
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With quick-cook brown rice costing just $1 a serve or less, it can easily be transformed into a satisfying meal when teamed with frozen veggies, a little ham, bacon or egg, and a dash of soy sauce. Plus it will only take about five minutes to cook!
Per serve:
Brown rice = $1
Ham 100g = $2 or ham 50g and 1 egg = $1.50
Frozen vegetables = $2
Soy sauce = 20c
Total = $4.70
Bean soup
If you're on a tight budget, adding soup into your diet at least once a week is a no-brainer, with a large pot of soup giving you at least 4-6 meals. Adding beans to any of your favourite veggie soups will help to bulk up the meal so it's a lot more filling than broth alone. All you'll need is a few herbs for flavour or (my favourite) a sprinkle of Parmesan.
Per serve:
Stock cube = 50c
420g can lentils or beans = $1
420g can crushed tomatoes = $1
Carrot, onion, garlic = 1
Potato = $1
Cheese 20g = 50c
Total = $5
Author Susie Burrell is a leading Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder of Shape Me, and prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in both print and television media commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.
