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If you're trying to eat well on a tight budget, you'll love these healthy recipes for two on a budget! Plus, I'll teach you how to halve a recipe, avoid food waste, and meal plan with cheap pantry staples to save as much money as possible. Example meal plans for two included!
If there's anything I know how to do, it's meal plan for two on a budget. My husband and I have lived together for almost 9 years (no kids yet!), and during that time I have been doing all of the meal planning and grocery budgeting. In fact, I've gotten so good at meal planning on a budget I was able to pay off $70,000 student loan debt in just 27 months and keep our grocery budget at $25 per week.
While grocery prices have certainly gone up since this time period, the same principles still apply in 2024. These principles have kept our food spending far lower than the average two person household in the United States.
Check out 4 real-life example meal plans for two on a budget that I published in 2023:
If you're wondering what you should be spending on groceries every month as a two person household, make sure to check out my blog post to help you figure out How Much You Should Be Spending on Groceries.
How to Save Money Cooking for Two
Make a meal plan: If you're serious about saving money on groceries, the first thing you need to do is make a weekly meal plan and stick to it. You cannot go to the grocery store without a grocery list, buy random things that sound good and expect to save money. Here are a few must-read resources to get you started: How to Meal Plan to Save Money and How to Use AI to Make a Custom Meal Plan.
Shop at the cheapest grocery stores: If you're shopping at the wrong grocery stores, you're probably spending more money than you need to. Make the switch to one of the top 10 cheapest grocery stores and instantly save on the same exact items. Trust me – over time it makes a HUGE difference!
Rely on cheap proteins and other inexpensive ingredients: The cheapest proteins are beans, lentils, chickpeas, and tofu. To keep costs low, we rarely buy meat. If you prefer to eat meat on a consistent basis, focus on the cheaper cuts of meat like chicken thighs, whole chicken, chicken leg quarters, ground beef, chuck roasts, tinned fish, etc.
Freeze the excess: If a recipe can't be easily cut in half (my Crockpot Beef Enchilada Casserole is one of those), freezing the leftovers can be a smart way to reduce food waste and create a meal for the future. I also highly recommend eating dinner leftovers for lunch. It cuts down on cooking, and the amount of ingredients you have to buy every week.
Incorporate a leftovers night: In addition to eating leftovers for lunch, I recommend incorporating at least 1 leftovers night for dinner each week. When cooking for two, you are much more likely to have leftovers and this helps avoid food waste!
How to Cut a Recipe in Half
One of my favorite ways to reduce food waste and expenses when cooking for two is cutting a recipe in half. I like to cook a lot of slow cooker recipes because they are quick and easy and ensure we have a hot meal ready at night (when I am the most tired!). The only problem is slow cooker recipes typically make a LOT of food.
If a recipe makes 8 servings, I will typically cut it in half. Simply halve all of the recipe measurements, but keep the cook time the same (this applies to Instant Pot recipes, too!).
If a recipe makes 6 servings, I will usually cook the entire recipe, serve 2 servings for dinner, 2 for lunch, and package 2 for the freezer (I always use Souper Cubes to freeze individual meals).
If you are halving a recipe, such as a baked casserole, simply halve the ingredients and cook it in an 8×8 casserole dish instead of a 9×13.
Recipe Ideas for Two on a Budget
Here I've collected 30 of our personal favorite recipes that we have been eating for YEARS. Honestly, if you came over for dinner any day of the year, we're probably eating one of these recipes.
I have cooked all of these recipes several times and can affirm that they are delicious, budget-friendly, easy to make for just 2 people, and made with simple ingredients that most people have on hand in the pantry. Browse these ideas and find a few (or 30 😜) new recipes to try!
You will instantly fall in love with these saucy Mongolian beef noodles! So simple and easily one of my favorite cheap dinner ideas! These Asian noodles can be made with any type of noodle or pasta and any type of protein. I've made it with vegan beef, regular beef, crumbled tempeh, homemade vegan beef, lentils, and ground turkey. It's truly so versatile and one of my most made easy dinner ideas.
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice (Vegetarian) Recipe
These Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice are some of my favorite jazzed up Instant Pot Beans! Made with dry beans (no soaking!), vegetarian smoked sausage, and an array of cajun spices for a meal to remember. Get this family favorite cooking in 10 minutes or less.
Learn how to make the crispiest orange tofu at home with a few simple ingredients and your air fryer! Crispy, chewy tofu coated in a sweet and zesty orange sauce, then served over fluffy white rice with sesame seeds and green onion.
This Lentil Shepherd's Pie swaps the traditional ground meat for hearty lentils for a more budget-friendly main dish. It's the ultimate comfort food recipe that's beautiful enough for your holiday table, yet easy enough for busy weeknights.
These Lentil Sloppy Joes are guaranteed to be a big hit on burger night! The lentils are cooked until soft and tender in a homemade sloppy joe sauce that's perfectly sweet and savory. Serve with simple burger toppings, creamy coleslaw, and your favorite potatoes on the side.
This Crockpot Tortellini Soup is the perfect cozy soup to enjoy a big bowl of during the winter months. It's a brothy soup filled with cheesy tortellini, hot Italian sausage, Italian herbs, creamy coconut milk, and tons of freshly chopped kale! Brown the sausage and onions, then let the slow cooker work its magic.
This Slow Cooker Lemon Orzo Soup with Chickpeas is a cozy, budget-friendly meal that's both easy to make and bursting with flavor. Packed with bright flavors and hearty ingredients, it's perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warm and satisfying.
These Vegan Freezer Burritos are the best of all time! Made entirely in the crockpot with versatile ingredients. Roll in your favorite flour tortillas and freeze, or freeze the filling on it's own for homemade vegan burrito bowls!
Another one of those recipes that is so customizable and easy to make on a budget! To keep costs as low as possible, swap out the coleslaw mix and shred a head of cabbage yourself. Then add your favorite protein and enjoy!
These lentil tacos are some of the cheapest tacos you can possibly make. All you need is 4 ingredients and an Instant Pot to make! Plus, the leftovers are super easy to freeze!
This enchilada casserole is the perfect way to recipe when you want to prep a hearty dinner in the morning. It's quick, easy, and slow cooks in layers of beans, beef, corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, cheese, and more.
Easy 30 minute Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen recipe that's savory, rich, creamy and so satisfying! Topped with tofu, spinach, green onion, sesame seeds and a generous splash of chili oil. This Jinya Ramen bar inspired ramen is addicting and a fraction of the cost.
The best recipe to make when you have leftover rice on hand. Feel free to swap the tofu for scrambled eggs and add additional cheap cuts of meat to make it higher in protein.
This Vegan Peanut Noodle Stir Fry is a great takeout style dish that takes just 30 minutes to make and is made with the easy at home vegan peanut sauce. All you need is 11 ingredients, including udon noodles, soy curls, shredded cabbage and carrots.
This Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta Bake is made with my Dairy Free Pesto and is one of my favorite easy vegan casseroles. All you need is 10 minutes to get this into the oven, making this pasta perfect for busy weeknights when you need something quick and easy.
This dump-and-bake Buffalo Cauliflower & Chickpea Casserole is cozy and hearty, plus you only need 10 ingredients to make it! Naturally Vegan & Gluten-Free.
This 15 Bean Chili is as simple and hearty as it gets. Thanks to the Instant Pot, we can make a chili with dry beans without hours of simmering on the stovetop. Perfect for game day, family meals, or make it as a budget-friendly freezer meal!
Skip the flaky crust and try this Slow Cooker Vegan Pot Pie with biscuits! It's the ultimate quick and easy weeknight meal that's filled with plant-based protein, tender veggies, and topped with buttery biscuits. All you need is 10 minutes of prep time.
These Vegan Tortas are filled with juicy Vegan Carne Asada, Refried Black Beans, Cilantro Lime Sauce, and tons of fresh veggies. It's the ultimate leftovers recipe and is one of my favorite recipes of all time.
This hearty Vegan Beef Stew recipe is filled with tender vegan "beef" pieces, creamy potatoes, carrots, and a full-bodied vegan beef broth that the whole family will love. It's prepped in just 15 minutes, then slow cooked all day for a quick and easy weeknight meal or meal prep.
This vegan corn chowder is made creamy with a cashew cream, non-dairy milk, tons of fresh sweet corn, and potatoes. Have this summer favorite on the table in less than 1 hour.
Our go-to Fish Tacos Recipe! Easy, excellent fish tacos made with cheaper white fish. Pair it with the lime crema for the best, restaurant worthy meal for two!
This slow cooker lasagna soup is the perfect high-protein vegetarian and vegan soup to warm you up in the colder months. It's made with no-boil lasagna in one-pot and can be customized with your favorite vegetables. Gluten-free and Instant Pot options included!
