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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!

Lunch

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Quick & Budget-Friendly Lunch Recipes

Need easy lunch ideas that won’t break the bank?!

Our collection of budget-friendly lunch recipes is perfect for busy days when you need something simple, delicious, and affordable.

From make-ahead lunches and hearty salads and pasta salads to grilled cheeses and other kid-approved lunchbox favorites, these recipes are designed to save time and money without sacrificing flavor.

Whether you’re packing lunch for work, school, or home, you’ll find plenty of tasty options that fit your budget. Explore our easy lunch recipes and enjoy stress-free midday meals!


MUST

Tortellini Pasta Salad

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Guacamole with Street Corn

Homemade Freezer PBJs vs. Store

BLT Biscuits

7 Money Saving Tips for Packing Lunches

30+ Soft or Crunchy Lunchbox Ideas for Your Sensory or Anxious Child

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Italian Meatball Slider Bake

5

Smothered Fritos Taco Salad

Cheesy Beef Quesadillas
pasta with zucchini tomato sauce
Pasta with Tomato & Zucchini Sauce

Bacon Cheddar Chicken Salad

Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Caprese Grilled Cheese

St. Patrick’s Day Charcuterie Board

2022 Back to School Essentials

Summer Spaghetti

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

The BEST Egg

Tzatziki Chicken Salad Recipe

Smashed Chicken Caesar Wraps

Air Fryer Garlic Bread Pizza

How to Make Homemade Croutons

How to Pack Protein

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad

Greek Protein Bowls

15+ Nut-Free School Snack Ideas
16 Freezer Friendly Lunch Recipes from 5DollarDinners.com
16 Freezer Friendly Lunch Recipes

5 Healthy Lunch Ideas
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 28 | 5DollarDinners.com
Almonds, Cheese, Breakfast Bar

Arborio & Mushroom Side Dish

Asian Chicken Salad with Quinoa

Asian Chicken Wraps

Asian Ramen Noodle Salad
Avocado Toast from 5DollarDinners.com
Avocado Toast

Avocado, Grapefruit with Goat Cheese Salad
B-L-Tomatillo Sandwich | 5DollarDinners.com
B-L-Tomatillo Sandwich

Bacon & Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

Bacon & Honey Mustard Grilled Cheese

Bacon & Spinach Salad

Bacon Avocado Tomato Grilled Cheese

Bacon, Avocado, and Red Pepper Quesadilla
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 18 | 5DollarDinners.com
Bagel with Cream Cheese

Baja-Cali Black Bean Salad
Baked BBQ Chicken Sandwiches from 5DollarDinners.com
Baked BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

BBQ Chicken-White Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Bean & Cheese Tostadas

Bean and Cheese Sandwiches

BLT Salad
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 19 | 5DollarDinners.com
BLT Sliders
Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese | 5DollarDinners.com
Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Caesar Chicken Pasta Salad

Caesar Romaine Wedge Salad

Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

Celebrate Pi Day with 14 Delicious Pie Recipes
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 6 | 5DollarDinnerscom
Cheese Quesadillas
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 29 | 5DollarDinners.com
Cheesy Hot Dog Wraps

Chicken and Quinoa Waldorf Salad with Creamy Maple Vinaigrette

Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas
Chicken Caesar Lettuce Wraps from 5DollarDinners.com
Chicken Caesar Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese

Chicken Nacho Salad
Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt | 5DollarDinners.com
Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt

Chicken Veggie Wraps

Chickpea Tuna Salad

Chilled Summer Squash and Orzo Salad

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread + How to Cut Baking Time in Half!
Copycat Panera Recipe for Mac n Cheese from 5DollarDinners.com
Copycat Panera Mac 'n Cheese

Corndog Muffins
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 27 | 5DollarDinners.com
Corndog Muffins

Crackers & Cheese Wedges
cran-turkey sliders
Cran-Apple Turkey Sliders

Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Cubano Sliders
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 23 | 5DollarDinners.com
DIY Uncrustables

Doritos Taco Salad

Egg Salad Meets the BLT Sandwich
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 7 | 5DollarDinners.com
Energy Bites & Raspberries

Freezer Meals for Back to School Lunches
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 15 | 5DollarDinners.com
French Toast Sticks

Fried Egg Caesar Salad.

Greek Chilled Quinoa Salad

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Grilled Italian Chicken Panini

Grilled PB & Banana Sandwich

Ham & Cheese Kebabs
Ham and Cheese Panini from 5DollarDinners.com
Ham & Cheese Panini

Ham & Cheese Sliders with Honey Mustard

Hatch Green Chile Grilled Cheese

Honey Mustard Salmon Salad

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
instant pot sun-dried tomato chicken
Instant Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Recipe

Italian Salad + Homemade Balsamic Salad Dressing

Korean Sloppy Joes

Lemon Pasta with Ham and Peas
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 16 | 5DollarDinners.com
Mac 'n Cheese

Make Ahead Freezer Smoothies

Mango Avocado Chicken with Orzo Salad

Mango Tropical Smoothie Bowl

Marinated Vegetable Pasta

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Muffin Tin Lunches
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 20 | 5DollarDinners.com
Naan with Tzaziki Sauce

Pasta Salad with Artichokes, Olives, and Feta

Peach, Almond & Blue Cheese Salad

Peaches & Cream Baked Oatmeal

Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Penne with Creamy Pesto Sauce
Pepperoni Pizza Muffins ~ easy kid friendly recipe from 5DollarDinners.com
Pepperoni Pizza Muffins
Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
Pesto Orzo with Grape Tomatoes from 5DollarDinners.com
Pesto Orzo with Tomatoes
philly cheesesteak sandwich
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 4 | 5DollarDinners.com
Pita Chips & Hummus
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 13 | 5DollarDinners.com
Pita Pockets with PB & Bananas

Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 30 | 5DollarDinners.com
Pizza Pockets
Pumpkin Turkey Sandwich | 5DollarDinners.com
Pumpkin Turkey Open Face Sandwiches
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 17 | 5DollarDinners.com
Puzzle Turkey Sandwich

Rolled Pizza Bread

Shredded Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Simple Salmon Sandwich

Sloppy Joe Sliders
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Sandwiches | 5DollarDinners.com
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Sandwiches
Southwest Shells with Beans and Corn | 5DollarDinners.com
Southwest Shells with Beans and Corn
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 22 | 5DollarDinners.com
Spaghetti & Salad

Spicy Bean and Cheese Tacos

Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

St. Patrick’s Day Lunch Box Ideas

Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad

Summer Side Salad

Sweet Asian Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Tiny Tacos

Tomato and Feta Salad
triple squash stew
Triple Squash Soup

Tuna Sandwiches

Tuna Sandwiches
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 24 | 5DollarDinners.com
Turkey & Swiss Rollups
Turkey and Pepper Pinwheels
Turkey and Pepper Pinwheels
Easy Veggie Tortilla Pizzas from 5DollarDinners.com
Veggie Tortilla Pizzas
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas Day 12 | 5DollarDinners.com
Waffles with Syrup

Wedge Cobb Salad
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 5 | 5DollarDinners.com
Whole Wheat English Muffin with PB & Honey
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 31 | 5DollarDinners.com
Whole Wheat Muffins & Cheese
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas - Day 26 | 5DollarDinners.com
Whole Wheat Pancakes
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 6 | 5DollarDinners.com
Whole Wheat PB&J
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas: Day 6 | 5DollarDinners.com
Whole Wheat PB&J Sushi
31 Days of School Lunchbox Ideas Day 11 | 5DollarDinners.com
Whole Wheat Tortilla with Faijtas & Refried Beans
winter cobb salad
Winter Cobb Salad

Winter Spinach Salad with Chicken

Zesty Egg Salad
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