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$5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

Save on Groceries in 2025

Chicken & Lentil Chili

March 26, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

freezer friendly chicken lentil chili

Freezer Friendly Chicken & Lentil Chili Chicken & Lentil Chili This budget-friendly chicken with lentils dinner is not only delicious but also nutritious. It's an excellent choice for anyone looking to create a satisfying and cost-effective dinner. Enjoy! 2 large boneless (skinless chicken breasts)15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes8 oz. can tomato … [Read more...]

QUARAN-Beans and Rice – Recipes & Tips for Eating More at Home

March 23, 2020 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 3 Comments

As we find ourselves staying home and getting creative with the items we have on hand to pull dinner together, this list of rice and bean pantry recipes and tips are a stellar resource to save! I present to you... QUARAN-Beans and Rice!!!  Even though the recipes we share on this site are mostly on a $5 per meal budget, there are times in the month that you … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Indian Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry

November 2, 2018 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 1 Comment

I spent several years overseas and fell in love with cooking different meals from other cultures and cuisines. It's remarkable how different combos of spices, herbs and simple ingredients can make for such a phenomenal meal. This Indian-inspired dish with lentils, butternut squash and a tomato based curry sauce is to-die-for. We served it with flatbread, almost using the … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Split Peas and Brown Rice

December 18, 2014 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 8 Comments

Slow Cooker Split Peas and Brown Rice Recipe | 5DollarDinners.com

Could this possibly be easier or more yummy? Three ingredients in your slow cooker means a hearty, warm, freezer-friendly dinner can be ready with only 5 minutes of effort. My family boycotts the kitchen when we run out of a few items. Bananas are one. And split peas are another. I'm glad something so popular is easy to make and freezes well. Unlike other legumes and … [Read more...]

Rice Cooker Hearty Tomato Soup

December 4, 2014 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

What's this about a rice cooker? Turns out, it works a bit like a slow cooker. Only a little faster. It uses less energy than cooking on a stove. And, for me, seems to make less of a mess. Try it sometime. Like with this soup. Tomato soup and grilled cheese are about as American as apple pie, right? And tomato soup seems like one of the standard things to come in to from … [Read more...]

Freezer Friendly Slow Cooker Lentil Recipes

November 20, 2014 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 1 Comment

2 Slow Cooker Lentil Recipes | 5DollarDinners.com

Here's how this time of year goes: You're so busy doing the fun stuff, you'd prefer dinner to cook itself. But then, you remember all the treats you have been snacking on at work or all the icing you and the kids ingested making cookies or the thousands of calories you inhaled at the Thanksgiving table, and your stomach doesn't feel like eating at all. Sound … [Read more...]

Lentil Minestrone Soup

June 10, 2014 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Lentil Minestrone Soup | 5DollarDinners.com

Ever since becoming a mom, I've felt like life just keeps getting faster and faster. And faster. We have a gazillion things happening in each of our days, but that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice important things like a healthy dinner. Or our sanity. I wanted to share this Lentil Minestrone Soup with you guys because it is very low maintenance (as most soups are) saute … [Read more...]

Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe

June 25, 2013 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Spicy Lentil Soup | 5DollarDinners.com

Lentils have a bad reputation. They are known for their bland taste, but they really don't have to be. With enough heat and kick, lentils can be transformed into a delicious, time-warming, taste bud-igniting spicy lentil soup. Try this recipe: Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe With enough heat and kick, lentils can be transformed into a delicious, time-warming, taste … [Read more...]

Spicy Chorizo and Lentil Soup

March 30, 2011 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 4 Comments

Splurge Alert! Over the summer I'd stop at the local traveling farmer's market in my town. It comes through every Thursday through the summer, and I look for the sign every week (as I can't remember when it starts back up. May, likely?!) on Thursdays when I take Charlie to school. There are many days when I just which we had more grocery budget money to spend on the … [Read more...]

Lentil Casserole

March 15, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 6 Comments

Tonight's simple, filling and frugal meal ideas come from Tara! Love that you can the simple instructions for the Lentil Casserole..and seems like a no fuss dinner, as long as you remember to get it into the oven in time! And can't beat the variations of the black bean burritos...soft shell, hard shell or over chips!!! Thanks so much for these easy and simple … [Read more...]

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