Skip to content
Free every Sunday: Get the weekly meal plan & shopping list →
Budget Plates
Browse recipes

Know what dinner costs before you cook it.

Just published

Featured this week

More recent recipes
Classic Meatloaf Recipe of the week
Ground Beef

Classic Meatloaf

1 hr 25 minServes 6Total $9.43
$1.57per plate
Chicken Rotisserie Chicken (3 Dinners)
$1.17per plate

Rotisserie Chicken (3 Dinners)

45 minServes 12
Total $14.08Cook it
Vegetarian Sweet Potato & Black Bean Skillet
$1.19per plate

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Skillet

25 minServes 4
Total $4.76Cook it

Every recipe includes the estimated price per plate, total recipe cost, and cost per serving.

Price per plateon every recipe
Costed line by linefrom typical grocery prices
Home-kitchen testednormal gear, normal stores
Free Sunday planfive dinners, one list
Find your craving

Browse by category

All categories
Chicken Ground Meats Pasta Pantry & Rice Under $2 All Recipes
Under $2 a serving, most nights

Cheap & easy dinner recipes

See all recipes
Soup Hearty Lentil Soup
$0.67per plate

Hearty Lentil Soup

45 minServes 6
Total $4.04Cook it
Soup Creamy Potato Soup
$0.73per plate

Creamy Potato Soup

40 minServes 6
Total $4.40Cook it
Breakfast Berry Baked Oatmeal
$0.61per plate

Berry Baked Oatmeal

45 minServes 6
Total $3.64Cook it
Breakfast Freezer Breakfast Burritos
$1.18per plate

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

35 minServes 6
Total $7.10Cook it
Pasta Easy One-Pot Pasta
$0.76per plate

Easy One-Pot Pasta

25 minServes 4
Total $3.04Cook it
Rice and Beans Build-Your-Own Rice Bowls
$0.77per plate

Build-Your-Own Rice Bowls

25 minServes 4
Total $3.08Cook it
Casseroles Tuna Noodle Casserole
$0.82per plate

Tuna Noodle Casserole

40 minServes 6
Total $4.93Cook it
Chicken Shredded Chicken Batch Base
$0.91per plate

Shredded Chicken Batch Base

30 minServes 6
Total $5.48Cook it
Stretch a pound further

Ground meat dinners

See all
Ground Beef Classic Meatloaf
$1.57per plate

Classic Meatloaf

1 hr 25 minServes 6
Total $9.43Cook it
Ground Meats Easy Ground Beef Chili
$1.33per plate

Easy Ground Beef Chili

45 minServes 6
Total $7.96Cook it
Ground Meats Homemade Sloppy Joes
$1.45per plate

Homemade Sloppy Joes

25 minServes 5
Total $7.24Cook it
Ground Meats Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
$1.80per plate

Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers

1 hrServes 4
Total $7.20Cook it
Ground Meats Baked Meatballs
$0.97per plate

Baked Meatballs

30 minServes 6
Total $5.84Cook it
Ground Meats Ground Beef Tacos
$1.63per plate

Ground Beef Tacos

25 minServes 5
Total $8.14Cook it
Browse all recipes
About Budget Plates

Good food shouldn't need a big budget

Budget Plates started with a grocery receipt and a simple frustration: recipes tell you how long a dish takes, but never what it costs. So every recipe here shows its estimated price per plate, right next to the photo, so you can compare dinners and plan cheaper weeks before you shop.

More about us

How Budget Plates calculates recipe costs

  • Every price is an estimate. We cost each ingredient by the amount the recipe actually uses, based on typical U.S. grocery pricing.
  • Per plate = total ÷ servings. The plate badge is the recipe's estimated total divided by the servings it's written for.
  • Your total will vary. Store, location, brand, and season all move prices, sometimes a lot.
  • The goal is comparison. Consistent estimates make it easy to see which dinners stretch your budget further.
Twirl-worthy for pennies

Pasta & noodle dinners

See all
Pasta Easy One-Pot Pasta
$0.76per plate

Easy One-Pot Pasta

25 minServes 4
Total $3.04Cook it
Pasta Penne Pasta Bake
$0.87per plate

Penne Pasta Bake

45 minServes 6
Total $5.20Cook it
Pasta Creamy Garlic Pasta
$0.60per plate

Creamy Garlic Pasta

20 minServes 4
Total $2.40Cook it
Pasta Simple Weeknight Pasta
$0.71per plate

Simple Weeknight Pasta

20 minServes 4
Total $2.84Cook it
Pasta Vegetarian Pasta with Veg
$1.14per plate

Vegetarian Pasta with Veg

25 minServes 4
Total $4.56Cook it
Sausage Italian Sausage & Peppers Pasta
$1.50per plate

Italian Sausage & Peppers Pasta

30 minServes 5
Total $7.48Cook it
The cheapest bird there is

Easy chicken recipes

See all
Chicken Rotisserie Chicken (3 Dinners)
$1.17per plate

Rotisserie Chicken (3 Dinners)

45 minServes 12
Total $14.08Cook it
Chicken Juicy Baked Chicken Breast
$1.09per plate

Juicy Baked Chicken Breast

30 minServes 4
Total $4.35Cook it
Chicken Sticky Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
$1.23per plate

Sticky Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

45 minServes 4
Total $4.92Cook it
Chicken Chicken Quesadillas
$1.48per plate

Chicken Quesadillas

20 minServes 4
Total $5.92Cook it
Chicken Breaded Chicken Cutlets
$1.35per plate

Breaded Chicken Cutlets

25 minServes 4
Total $5.40Cook it
Chicken One-Pot Chicken and Rice
$1.19per plate

One-Pot Chicken and Rice

40 minServes 5
Total $5.97Cook it
Pennies a bowl

Cozy soups & stews

See all recipes
Soup Hearty Lentil Soup
$0.67per plate

Hearty Lentil Soup

45 minServes 6
Total $4.04Cook it
Soup Creamy Potato Soup
$0.73per plate

Creamy Potato Soup

40 minServes 6
Total $4.40Cook it
Soup Curried Butternut Squash Soup
$0.81per plate

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

45 minServes 6
Total $4.86Cook it
Soup Crockpot Vegetable Soup
$0.71per plate

Crockpot Vegetable Soup

6 hrServes 8
Total $5.68Cook it
Ground Meats Easy Ground Beef Chili
$1.33per plate

Easy Ground Beef Chili

45 minServes 6
Total $7.96Cook it
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Crock Pot Base
$1.10per plate

Ground Beef Crock Pot Base

4 hrServes 8
Total $8.78Cook it
Set it and forget it

Slow cooker & one pot

See all recipes
Slow Cooker Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
$1.17per plate

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

35 minServes 6
Total $7.02Cook it
Slow Cooker Dutch Oven Pot Roast
$1.94per plate

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

4 hrServes 6
Total $11.64Cook it
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Crock Pot Base
$1.10per plate

Ground Beef Crock Pot Base

4 hrServes 8
Total $8.78Cook it
Soup Crockpot Vegetable Soup
$0.71per plate

Crockpot Vegetable Soup

6 hrServes 8
Total $5.68Cook it
Ground Meats Ground Beef and Rice Skillet
$1.50per plate

Ground Beef and Rice Skillet

30 minServes 5
Total $7.48Cook it
Casseroles Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Casserole
$1.21per plate

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Casserole

40 minServes 6
Total $7.25Cook it
Worth setting the table for

Centerpiece dinners on a budget

See all recipes
Pork Herb-Roasted Pork Loin
$1.15per plate

Herb-Roasted Pork Loin

1 hr 15 minServes 6
Total $6.89Cook it
Air Fryer Air Fryer Shrimp
$1.70per plate

Air Fryer Shrimp

15 minServes 4
Total $6.80Cook it
Chicken Sticky Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
$1.23per plate

Sticky Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

45 minServes 4
Total $4.92Cook it
Chicken Chicken Quesadillas
$1.48per plate

Chicken Quesadillas

20 minServes 4
Total $5.92Cook it
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Crock Pot Base
$1.10per plate

Ground Beef Crock Pot Base

4 hrServes 8
Total $8.78Cook it
Chicken One-Pot Chicken and Rice
$1.19per plate

One-Pot Chicken and Rice

40 minServes 5
Total $5.97Cook it
Straight from the pantry

Pantry & canned dinners

See all
Pantry Canned Salmon Patties
$1.23per plate

Canned Salmon Patties

20 minServes 4
Total $4.93Cook it
Pantry Canned Tuna Patties
$0.98per plate

Canned Tuna Patties

20 minServes 4
Total $3.92Cook it
Pantry Canned Chicken Salad Melts
$1.65per plate

Canned Chicken Salad Melts

15 minServes 4
Total $6.60Cook it
Pantry Spam Fried Rice
$1.37per plate

Spam Fried Rice

20 minServes 4
Total $5.49Cook it
Rice and Beans Rice Cooker Dinners
$0.99per plate

Rice Cooker Dinners

40 minServes 4
Total $3.96Cook it
Rice and Beans Black Bean Tacos
$1.12per plate

Black Bean Tacos

20 minServes 4
Total $4.48Cook it
Meatless and even cheaper

Budget vegetarian dinners

See all recipes
Vegetarian Sweet Potato & Black Bean Skillet
$1.19per plate

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Skillet

25 minServes 4
Total $4.76Cook it
Vegetarian Chickpea Coconut Curry
$1.34per plate

Chickpea Coconut Curry

30 minServes 4
Total $5.36Cook it
Rice and Beans Black Bean Tacos
$1.12per plate

Black Bean Tacos

20 minServes 4
Total $4.48Cook it
Pasta Vegetarian Pasta with Veg
$1.14per plate

Vegetarian Pasta with Veg

25 minServes 4
Total $4.56Cook it
Soup Curried Butternut Squash Soup
$0.81per plate

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

45 minServes 6
Total $4.86Cook it
Vegetables Loaded Baked Potatoes
$1.02per plate

Loaded Baked Potatoes

1 hr 10 minServes 4
Total $4.08Cook it
The best value on the site

Cheapest plates on the site

See all
Pasta Buttered Egg Noodles
$0.43per plate

Buttered Egg Noodles

15 minServes 4
Total $1.72Cook it
Air Fryer Air Fryer Potatoes
$0.46per plate

Air Fryer Potatoes

30 minServes 4
Total $1.85Cook it
Pasta Creamy Garlic Pasta
$0.60per plate

Creamy Garlic Pasta

20 minServes 4
Total $2.40Cook it
Breakfast Berry Baked Oatmeal
$0.61per plate

Berry Baked Oatmeal

45 minServes 6
Total $3.64Cook it
Breakfast Egg Fried Rice
$0.64per plate

Egg Fried Rice

20 minServes 4
Total $2.55Cook it
Soup Hearty Lentil Soup
$0.67per plate

Hearty Lentil Soup

45 minServes 6
Total $4.04Cook it