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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

Deck the Freezer in 2025!

Save Money: Make These Homemade Spice Mixes

October 27, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

best homemade spice mixes

Skip the prepared packets and dressings - make these homemade spice mixes with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! Mixing up your own spice mixes will help you save money on your grocery bill - because what not use what you already have?! My guess is you have most (if not all) of the ingredients you would need to mix up these different homemade spice mix … [Read more...]

How to Make Homemade Buttermilk in 5 Minutes

October 3, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Never Buy Buttermilk Again! This 2-Ingredient Homemade Version is Budget-Friendly & Easy Out of buttermilk or don't want to buy a whole carton for just one recipe? Learn how to make your own buttermilk at home with just two simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. This quick DIY substitute is perfect for pancakes, biscuits, and baked goods—and it'll … [Read more...]

Homemade Freezer PBJs vs. Store-Bought Uncrustables

July 24, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 1 Comment

How to make homemade freezer peanut butter & jelly sandwiches - save time and money in the back to school season!   During a recent livestream video, I kept having this thought flash through - I need to do a cost comparison of making these yourself vs. buying them in the store. Yes, you have to weigh cost and convenience...but this one is one where cost wins … [Read more...]

Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe

May 20, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Best Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe – Simple, Authentic & Full of Flavor This homemade marinara sauce is rich, robust, and made with just a few classic ingredients for an authentic Italian taste. Simmered with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs, it’s the perfect base for pasta, pizza, or dipping. Whether you're cooking a quick weeknight dinner or prepping for a … [Read more...]

Homemade Powder Laundry Soap

April 28, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Store-Bought vs. Homemade LAUNDRY SOAP: Is It Really Worth It to Make Your Own Homemade Powder Laundry Soap?! Is it worth it to make your own homemade laundry powder soap, or should you just buy it pre-made at the store? In this video and series, we will analyze the cost, convenience and ingredient comparisons between homemade and store-bought powder laundry soap. I will … [Read more...]

Homemade Philly Cheesesteak Seasoning

April 14, 2025 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Bold and Savory Homemade Philly Cheesesteak Seasoning for the Ultimate Sandwich Experience! Take your cheesesteaks to the next level with this bold, flavorful homemade seasoning blend. This unique combo of perfectly balanced spices brings out the savory, juicy goodness in every bite. Say goodbye to bland and hello to Philly-style cheesesteak sandwich perfection at … [Read more...]

VIDEO: Make Any Flavor Overnight Oats with This Formula

September 28, 2024 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Use this Formula to Make Any Overnight Oats with Freeze Dried Fruit, Spices and More With this formula, you can mix and match liquids, mix-ins, and spices to make the perfect batch of Overnight Oats.  VIDEO: Make Any Flavor Overnight Oats with this Formula Overnight Oats Formula Make any flavor of overnight oats with this formula 2 cups rolled … [Read more...]

VIDEO: How to Cook a “Pie Pumpkin” to Make Pumpkin Puree

September 26, 2024 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Learn How to Cook a "Pie Pumpkin" in the Slow Cooker and Instant Pot to Get Pumpkin Puree for Your Holiday Baking!  I spotted a great deal on the cute little "pie pumpkins" that are grown to make the Pumpkin Puree that is used in holiday cooking and baking. I grabbed 4 of the pumpkins so that I could cook 2 in the Instant Pot and 2 in the Slow Cooker.  While they … [Read more...]

Instant Pot Buffalo Ranch Chicken Mac n Cheese

August 5, 2024 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

This Buffalo Ranch Chicken Macaroni & Cheese is Ready in Minutes, thanks to the Instant Pot! At our house, we love a good homemade macaroni and cheese. I've made them 97 different ways but I keep coming back to the Instant Pot cooking method because it's just so easy. It's pretty simple - you cook the pasta in chicken stock and some other flavoring. In this case, I used … [Read more...]

Homemade Pesto Sauce

March 15, 2024 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

Use this Homemade Pesto in These Recipes  Chicken Pesto Pasta Pesto Salmon  Pesto Chicken Bake Pesto Pilaf Pesto Stuffed Chicken Penne with Creamy Pesto Sauce VIDEO: How to Make Homemade Pesto coming soon :) Homemade Pesto Recipe Recipe for homemade pesto sauce 30 basil leaves2 Tbsp slivered almonds1 tsp minced garlic3 … [Read more...]

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