This week’s weekly meal plan recommendations are here, and I’m thinking about $10 meals for summer. While fruit, vegetable, and dairy prices have finally come down — and can we get rid of shrinkflation and price gouging please, food companies? — I’d rather spend less money on groceries and more in air-conditioned movie theaters right now.
So, inspired by Kate’s weekly meal plan of 10 affordable, kid-friendly recipes a while back, I’ve put together even more easy, budget-friendly, $10 summer meals to get your family through the weeks ahead. Each one is designed to serve a family of four, so adjust up or down as needed. In other words, if you are feeding a family of 16, it might cost a little more than $10 unless you’re talking ramen noodles from Costco.
Which is great deal, I might add!
So make your shopping list, and stock up on ingredients before the weekend’s over to make your weeknights that much easier.
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5 delicious $10 summer meal ideas for a family of four
Just note that the prices listed by the recipe creators will of course fluctuate over time, so consider the prices below a general estimate.
Asian Chicken Crunch Wraps from a Taste of Home
Rashanda Cobbins at Taste of Home has put together some great $10 meals for families, and a favorite are these Asian Chicken Crunch Wraps. Asian chicken salad is a go-to for me in the summer, and making these with baked, frozen chicken tenders is a smart shortcut — or hey, go homemade with affordable chicken breast and panko, if don’t mind standing over a stove for a few minutes.
Budget Tip: Note that while you can get affordable sweet chili sauce on Amazon for under $3 a bottle for this recipe, spend a wee bit more on this organic sweet chili sauce and you’ll enjoy your recipes more. If you’re serious about your chili sauce though, Pantai is a favorite brand of a lot of food bloggers and editors — it’s under $15 a bottle on Amazon, which is even less than Walmart.
Quesadillas…mmmmm.
Photo: Jesse Cortez via Unsplash
Quesadillas are always a go-to family dinner for under $10 in our home. In fact, we had them last night! If you want a little more oomph for your dinner than cheese and some chopped veggies, add some protein like leftover chicken. Or try the Chickpea and Cheddar Quesadillas by Kelli Foster, which looks like a terrific vegetarian recipe, even for omnivores. Cumin-scented chickpeas, a good melted cheddar, and scallions? Yes! Of course you can leave out the chickpeas for picky kids — they can even be made-ahead and packed for lunch the next day. The Kitchn calculates the price at $7.52 for the four. (If you add half a jar of Green Mountain Gringo Salsa for the table, that’s another $.71 per person, max.
Budget Tip: We tend to buy giant double bags of shredded cheese, 6-packs of avocados, and huge packs of Mission Tortillas from Costco, and we can enjoy them for a long time. Just add salsa and sour cream — and some homemade guac if avocados aren’t outrageously expensive.
Related: 5 satisfying but light dinners for warm summer nights | Meal Plan ideas
Spaghetti Carbonara recipe | Damn Delicious
I am always down for pasta, hot or cold, and this Spaghetti Carbonara recipe at Chungha Rhee’s Damn Delicious needs to be in your $10 meal repertoire. It uses just five ingredients, and gets on the table in 20 minutes flat. Our original food editor Stacie Billis swears by it, calling the flavor “downright luxurious” when she mentioned it as one of her own favorite $10 meals for families of four. Plus, you know, bacon.
De Cecco is our favorite affordable spaghetti brand, but I have it on good word from some Redditors that Kroger’s Private Selection Spaghetti is a great substitute if you shop there.
Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad | Budget Bytes
Quinoa is such a good, affordable source of protein, and this 16 oz bag of organic white quinoa from Whole Foods on Amazon is just $4.99, or $.31/ounce; less if you use subscribe and save. So let’s put it to use!
I am all about refrigerator salads in the summer and just $6.74 will get you 4 servings of this Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad from Budget Bytes. My mouth is watering already! It was designed as a vegan or vegetarian main, though can be a side for heartier eaters. She even offers some additional ingredients or substitutions you might want to use, should they be on sale or you’ve already got them on hand. I always have feta cheese in my fridge, so I’m all over that.
Budget Tip; It will cost a little more if you buy an organic red pepper, which is one of the cases where I do try to go organic with fruits and vegetables when possible.
Pancakes for Dinner!
Photo: Alison Marras on Unsplash
Pancakes for dinner? Yes, please! I mean come on, it’s summer. For a wonderful summer dinner under $10, check out the inspiration in Jane Sweeney’s genius box pancake hacks to make mixes more like homemade. A few to consider: Adding ricotta to get a little protein in there. Serve with berries in season that you can find more affordably over the summer. Add some greek yogurt on the side with a little honey drizzle. Orr put out a plate of your favorite sausage or bacon. I could eat this every night, come to think of it.
Budget Tip: Trader Joe’s no-sugar uncured dry-rub bacon is just $4.49 and it’s fantastic. Especially for those of us who love our bacon and have bigger families gto feed.
Some awesome meal ideas for $10! I love that they’re budget-friendly, yet you still get food that’s delicious and friendly to have with your family. The Asian Chicken Crunch Wraps do sound like a real winner, and come on, who wouldn’t love pancakes for dinner? Thanks for sharing these really creative recipes that make dinner in the summer much easier to handle!