October Budget Friendly Dinners: What to Cook (Oct 4)
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October Budget Friendly Dinners week. Fall is the perfect season for delicious, healthy dinners that also happen to be affordable. Without skimping on vegetables or protein, these easy meals will satisfy everyone at your table, including your wallet.
With reports of rising food costs, it only makes sense to watch the grocery budget. You can make delicious food without only relying on rice and beans. Although — I’m particularly fond of both!
Most of these dinners serve double duty for dinner and leftovers for lunches.
Here’s what we’re cooking this week.
October Budget Friendly Dinners
The week begins with a delicious slow cooker soup, packed with fall vegetables, easy prep, and budget friendly ingredients. Plan for leftovers!
On Tuesday, we’re making a whole roasted chicken in the Instant Pot. Although, you can also pick up a rotisserie chicken at the market if that works better. Serve with roasted vegetables or even leftover soup from Monday.
Be sure to save part of the chicken for Wednesday’s dinner.
I love double-duty dinners. Leftover chicken from Tuesday is the base of this classic fall favorite, chicken pot pie. Purchase a store-bought pastry for both tonight’s dinner and the weekly treat.
On Thursday, we’re also making a classic favorite, tuna pasta, with a very budget-friendly ingredient… peas.
Friday is a game-day favorite at our house. It’s a simple Mexican-inspired skillet casserole.
And finally, the treat is an October tradition… baked apple dumplings. If preferred, baked apples are delicious too.
Have a great week!
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October Budget Friendly Dinners: What to Cook (Oct 4)
Monday: Healthy Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
Tuesday: Easy Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
Wednesday: Fall Leaf Chicken Pot Pies
Thursday: Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas
Friday: Mexican Lasagna Skillet Casserole
Treat: Apple Dumplings with Maple Caramel Syrup
October Budget Friendly Dinners: What to Cook (Oct 4)
Monday: Healthy Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
This hearty and easy-to-make soup is packed with budget-friendly vegetables you likely already have in your refrigerator. Add crusty slices of bread to round out the meal. Perfect for healthy lunches throughout the week too.
Tuesday: Easy Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken is a weeknight dinner or Sunday supper dream. Tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful. Truly, fall-off-the-bone delicious. And the best part? It is incredibly easy to make. What I love about a whole roasted chicken is that it can serve as two dinners with one. Reserve chicken part of this Instant Pot chicken for tomorrow night's dinner. Serve with roasted vegetables.
Wednesday: Fall Leaf Chicken Pot Pies
Perfect for autumn these Fall Leaf Chicken Pot Pies are the best of the season's comfort food. Easy to make with cooked chicken and store-bought pastry.
Thursday: Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas and Parmesan
"Peas are totally underrated. They’re inexpensive, easy to cook or add to recipes, and packed with both protein and fiber. So they’re an excellent item to keep on hand in your freezer to whip up quick and easy dinners, like this Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas and Parmesan. You only need a few ingredients, about 20 minutes, and you’ll have this warm, comforting dinner that will be equally as good the next day for lunch!"
Friday: Mexican Lasagna Skillet Casserole
Mexican Lasagna Skillet is a Southwestern-inspired casserole made up of layers of tortillas, cheese, and taco meat. Simple, packed with flavor, and delicious!
Treat: Apple Dumplings with Maple Caramel Syrup
Store-bought crust and fresh fall apples make for a perfect October treat. If you want to reduce, make baked apples instead. But I can't resist at least one time during the fall these delicious apple dumplings.
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