20 Dinners That Cost About $5 Each

Why $5 Dinners Matter in 2025

Grocery prices keep rising. Yet five dollar dinners prove you can still feed four people for pocket change. This guide lists 20 tested meals, each with a cost breakdown, quick method, and flavor tips. Apply one plate tonight. Then redirect your weekly savings toward bigger goals like debt payoff or cash-cushion building.

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#1 Chickpea Curry & Rice — $3.50 Total

• 2 cans chickpeas – $1.20
• 1 cup rice – $0.40
• Curry paste + veg – $1.40
• Spices – $0.50

Method. Simmer chickpeas with curry paste and veggies for 15 minutes. Cook rice in a separate pan. Serve with lemon wedges.

Savings tip: buy curry paste in bulk; freeze leftovers in ice-cube trays.

#2 Black-Bean Quesadillas — $4.00

• 8 flour tortillas – $1.20
• 2 cans black beans – $1.00
• 1 cup shredded cheese – $1.80

Mash beans with salsa, spread on tortillas, top with cheese. Grill 3 minutes each side.

#3 Sheet-Pan Sausage & Veg — $4.50

• 1 lb chicken sausage – $2.75
• 1 lb frozen mixed veg – $1.50
• Oil + spices – $0.25

Toss, roast at 425 °F for 18 minutes. Zero clean-up.

#4 Lentil Bolognese — $3.70

• 1½ cups dry lentils – $0.90
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes – $1.30
• 1 lb spaghetti – $0.80
• Aromatics – $0.70

Simmer lentils in tomato sauce 20 minutes. Serve over pasta.

#5 Veg Fried Rice — $2.30 Total

• 3 cups cold cooked rice – $0.60
• 1 cup frozen mixed veg – $1.00
• 2 eggs – $0.50
• Soy + oil + garlic – $0.20

Method. Heat oil in a large skillet. Scramble eggs; remove. Stir-fry veg 3 min. Add rice, soy, and eggs. Fry 2 more minutes.

Savings tip: Freeze leftover rice in 1-cup bags for lightning-fast dinners.

#6 Tuna-Melt English Muffins — $4.40

• 2 cans tuna – $2.00
• 4 English muffins – $1.20
• 4 cheese slices – $1.20

Toast muffins. Mix tuna with a spoon of mayo. Top each half with tuna and cheese. Broil 2 minutes until bubbly.

Protein swap: Use canned salmon when on sale—cost rises only $0.40.

#7 Potato-Leek Soup + Toast — $4.00

• 2 lb potatoes – $1.60
• 2 leeks – $1.40
• 4 cups broth + 1 cup milk – $1.00

Sauté sliced leeks. Add diced potatoes and broth. Simmer 20 min. Blend half, return, add milk, warm 2 min. Serve with toast.

Flavor boost: Sprinkle cheap cheddar ends for richness.

#8 BBQ Chickpea Sandwiches — $4.40

• 2 cans chickpeas – $1.20
• ¾ cup BBQ sauce – $0.80
• 4 hamburger buns – $1.40
• Quick slaw veg – $1.00

Drain chickpeas; smash lightly. Warm with BBQ sauce 5 min. Pile onto buns. Top with crunchy slaw.

Time-saver: Use pre-shredded coleslaw mix when discounted.

#9 One-Pot Peanut Noodles — $3.90

• 1 lb spaghetti – $0.80
• 1 cup frozen stir-fry veg – $1.20
• Peanut-soy sauce – $1.20
• Peanuts + lime – $0.70

Boil pasta with veg; drain all but ½ cup water. Stir in peanut sauce. Garnish with crushed peanuts and lime.

Nutrition: Add a fried egg for 6 g extra protein per serving.

#10 Baked Ziti with White Beans — $4.80

• 1 lb ziti – $0.80
• 2 cans cannellini beans – $1.40
• 24 oz marinara – $1.30
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella – $1.30

Combine cooked pasta, beans, and sauce. Top with cheese. Bake 20 min at 375 °F.

Bulk tip: Freeze half for a future zero-cook night.

#11 Sweet-Potato & Black-Bean Tacos — $4.80

• 2 lb sweet potatoes – $1.80
• 1 can black beans – $0.60
• 8 corn tortillas – $1.20
• Taco toppings – $1.20

Roast cubed sweets with cumin 25 min. Warm beans. Assemble tacos with salsa and yogurt.

Cost cutter: Swap tortillas for homemade oat flatbreads—saves $0.40.

#12 Egg Fried Ramen — $3.50

• 4 packs ramen noodles – $1.20 (discard flavor)
• 4 eggs – $1.00
• 1 cup frozen veg – $1.00
• Soy/sesame oil – $0.30

Boil noodles 2 min; drain. Stir-fry veg, eggs, then noodles. Splash soy and sesame.

Market hack: Buy ramen by the case and cut per-pack cost to $0.22.

#13 Garlic Butter Tilapia + Rice — $4.60

• 1 lb frozen tilapia – $3.60
• 1 cup rice – $0.40
• Butter, garlic, lemon – $0.60

Pan-sear thawed fillets 3 min per side in garlic butter. Serve over rice with lemon.

Upgrade: Substitute brown rice; cost +$0.10, fiber +2 g.

#14 Chili Mac — $4.80

• 1 lb macaroni – $0.80
• 1 lb ground turkey – $2.00
• Beans & tomatoes – $1.20
• Cheddar – $0.80

Brown turkey. Add beans, tomatoes, and dry pasta plus water. Simmer 12 min. Top with cheese.

Meatless swap: Use red lentils and save $1.40.

#15 Spinach & Feta Frittata — $4.65

• 8 eggs – $2.00
• 10 oz frozen spinach – $0.90
• 4 oz feta – $1.50
• Onion – $0.25

Sauté onion and spinach. Add beaten eggs and feta. Cook 5 min then broil 3 min until set.

Leftover hack: Slice cold frittata into lunch sandwiches.

#16 Budget Chicken Stir-Fry — $4.20

• 1 lb chicken thighs – $2.20
• 1 cup frozen veg – $1.20
• Rice – $0.40
• Stir-fry sauce – $0.40

Cook chicken strips, add veg, then sauce. Serve over rice.

Portion control: Slice thighs thin; meat stretches across four bowls.

#17 Pinto-Bean Burrito Bowls — $4.00

• 2 cans pinto beans – $1.00
• 1 cup rice – $0.40
• 1 cup corn & salsa – $1.20
• Toppings (cheese, lettuce) – $1.40

Layer rice, beans warmed with salsa, corn, toppings. Family chooses extras.

Batch idea: Prep rice and beans Sunday; reheat bowls all week.

#18 Tomato & White-Bean Gratin — $3.70

• 2 cans white beans – $1.40
• 1 can diced tomatoes – $0.80
• Breadcrumbs + Parmesan – $1.20
• Herbs – $0.30

Mix beans and tomatoes in a baking dish. Top with herbed crumbs and parm. Bake 15 min until golden.

Flavor flare: Add a dash of smoked paprika for depth.

#19 Cabbage Stir-Fry Noodles — $2.40

• 1 lb noodles – $0.80
• ½ head cabbage – $0.60
• Carrot & onion – $0.60
• Sauce & sesame – $0.40

Stir-fry cabbage and veg 5 min. Add cooked noodles and sauce. Toss. Sprinkle sesame.

Cost note: A single cabbage yields two dinners—store half for slaw.

#20 Mini BBQ Meatloaves + Veg — $3.80

• 1 lb ground turkey – $2.00
• ½ cup oats – $0.20
• ½ cup BBQ sauce – $0.60
• 1 lb frozen veg side – $1.00

Mix turkey, oats, half the BBQ sauce. Pack into muffin tin. Glaze with remaining sauce. Bake 18 min at 375 °F. Steam veg while baking.

Portion plus: Mini loaves freeze great—double batch on sale weeks.

Meal	Total Cost	Cook Time
Chickpea Curry & Rice	$3.50	20 min
Black-Bean Quesadillas	$4.00	10 min

Stretch Your Grocery Budget Further

Small wins compound. Cooking these five dollar dinners four nights a week trims about $100 monthly from an average food bill. Funnel that surplus into your debt-snowball payment or an emergency fund. Future-you will thank present-you.