Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas
$6.61 recipe / $0.66 each
These super tasty Black Bean Quesadillas have been a runaway Budget Bytes hit since they were first posted in 2012. The spicy mix of...
Honey Mustard Wings
$8.04 recipe / $4.02 serving
I used to hate chicken wings. But, OMG, I think I'm officially a convert. These crispy, oven-baked honey mustard wings are so seriously delicious...
Perfect Oven Roasted Broccoli
$3.34 recipe / $0.84 serving
If you're not a fan of broccoli, it might just be because you haven't tried it roasted yet. Roasted broccoli is my go-to side...
Tortilla Baked Eggs
$1.22 recipe / $0.61 serving
You guys know how I love using leftover odds and ends in my fridge to make delicious meals on the fly, right? Well these...
Top 20 Recipes of 2020
It’s that time again! The time of year where I round up the top 20 recipes from the past year. Instead of picking the...
Quickie Black Eyed Peas and Greens
$4.43 recipe / $1.11 serving
It's said that eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day brings you good luck. Now, I'm not usually superstitious, but after a year...
Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms
$4.24 recipe / $1.06 serving
Balsamic roasted mushrooms are an easy side dish or appetizer, soaked in garlic, herbs, and tangy balsamic vinegar for maximum flavor.
Brown Sugar Roasted Pork Loin
$9.12 recipe / $1.14 serving
Roasted pork loin is probably one of the easiest (and inexpensive) main dishes you can make. Just add a little seasoning, pop it in...
Tomato Lentil Soup
$4.74 recipe / $0.79 serving
There's nothing quite like the smell of a pot of soup simmering away on the stove top when it's cold and blustery outside. This...
Marinated Cauliflower Salad
$8.40 recipe / $1.05 serving
Marinated cauliflower salad is a crunchy and colorful "refrigerator salad" that's is the perfect winter side dish or meal prep salad.
Garlic Marinated Chicken
$3.37 recipe / $0.84
This simple all-purpose Garlic Marinated Chicken is great to add to sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, and more!
Garlic Herb Mashed Cauliflower
$3.01 recipe / $0.75 serving
You can never have too many easy side dish recipes in your back pocket, which is why I've been playing around a little with...
Sheet Pan Cranberry Chicken Dinner
$13.26 recipe / $3.32 serving
One of my favorite simple dinner "formulas" is two roasted vegetables and a meat. It's just so simple and when I can cook them...
Sausage and Egg Breakfast Quesadillas
$5.02 recipe / $0.84 each
Breakfast quesadillas are one of my absolute favorite foods. Not just a favorite breakfast food, but a favorite any time food. Normally I stick...
French Onion Soup
$5.34 recipe / $1.07 serving
French Onion Soup is one of my favorite things to order at a restaurant. I usually reserve this bowl of warm comfort for restaurants...
Apple Cider Mimosas
$1.46 each
This may be a no-brainer for my cocktail aficionado friends, but for those who aren't naturally cocktail savvy, allow me to present these Apple...
How to Make a Thanksgiving Grazing Board
Whether you feel like you want to skip the Thanksgiving dinner all together, or you need something to keep the hungry mouths busy while...
Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
$8.65 recipe / $1.44 serving
Thanksgiving is probably going to look a little different for a lot of us this year, but we can still celebrate, enjoy good food...
Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
$6.19 recipe / $1.55 serving
You guys, Thanksgiving is right around the corner! And if you've been looking for a vegetarian (or vegan) main dish for Thanksgiving, this one...
Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots
$2.82 recipe / $0.71 serving
Honey + Balsamic Vinegar + Butter = Heaven. It’s sweet, tangy, and rich, all at the same time. You already know that I love...
Quick Tofu Stir Fry
$3.82 recipe / $0.96 serving
Here's a little quickie for you this weekend! This super simple tofu stir fry is a riff off of my favorite Beef and Cabbage...
Sweet Potato Cornbread
$4.00 recipe / $0.50 serving
OMG, y’all. Stop everything. This is important. I knew I loved cornbread, but I didn’t know I could love it this much. I decided...
Autumn Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
$6.67 recipe / $1.67 serving
I don't know about you, but I need a good salad right about now. I've been kind of over doing the comfort foods lately...
How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
I'm a little late on this tutorial this year, but we finally got around to carving our pumpkins this past weekend! Carving pumpkins is...
Potatoes Au Gratin
When you need pure comfort in a casserole dish, Potatoes Au Gratin deliver. These thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce hit...
Honey Mustard Pork Chops
$6.11 recipe / $1.53 serving
Simple homemade sauces (or glazes) are your secret weapon in the kitchen. They’re the easiest way to turn a boring piece of meat into...
Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
$2.21 recipe / $0.55 serving
I’m all about keeping my side dishes as easy as possible. I want my main dish to be the star of the show, and...
Sheet Pan Kielbasa Potatoes and Green Beans
$9.47 recipe / $2.37 serving
THIS is the sheet pan meal to end all sheet pan meals! It’s similar to some I’ve made before, but it is by far the...
5 Kitchen Tools I Can’t Live Without
The five most versatile, most used kitchen tools that I can't live without, plus tips for using and buying.
Tomato Herb Soup
$2.62 recipe / $0.52 serving
I’m constantly looking for new ways to use my favorite (not) Sun Dried Tomato Sauce in recipes because it’s just SO good. So, the...
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
$0.95 each
Have you ever had a recipe call for just a partial can of pumpkin purée? And then you’re like, “well, what am I going...
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
$2.99 recipe / $0.50 serving
It’s not even Halloween yet, but it’s never too early to start planning for Thanksgiving, so I’m going to throw you this little tip...
Oven Roasted Autumn Medley
$4.38 recipe / $2.19 serving
Years ago I made Nature’s Candy, which was a deliciously sweet and savory oven roasted side dish that was so good I’d almost call...
Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Crispy Onions
$8.70 recipe / $2.18 serving
Creamy mushroom sauces make me weak in the knees. Anyone else? The chicken here is purely a vehicle for the creamy, garlicky, heavenly mushroom...
How to Steam Fresh Green Beans
$1.86 recipe / $0.47 serving
One of my go-to side dishes is steamed green beans. Why? Because they’re so fast, they’re uncomplicated, delicious, and you can make them several different...
Roasted Vegetable Baked Penne
$11.34 recipe / $1.42 serving
This was actually supposed to be a baked ziti, but it turns out ziti is just about impossible to find in grocery stores right now,...
Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Feta
$2.31 recipe / $1.16 serving
Here’s a little quickie for you this weekend! I’m always looking for ways to use up the odds and ends of my fresh spinach,...
Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
$3.21 recipe / $0.80 serving
Remember ten years ago or so when cauliflower suddenly got super popular and everyone was using it in place of every carb imaginable? And...
Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
$4.97 recipe / $1.24 serving
If ever there was a meal-worthy soup, it would be Broccoli Cheddar! This bowl full of colorful, chunky vegetables and a super thick cheesy...
Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet
$7.21 recipe / $1.80 serving
Hello, new favorite! I think of this Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet kind of like “jambalaya light”. It has similar flavors and ingredients as...
The Bagel Lunch Box
$5.32 recipe / $1.33 serving
Here’s another quick lunch box idea (or meal prep breakfast idea) for you! While this one isn’t completely no-cook because it contains a hard...
Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew
$9.88 recipe / $1.65 serving
Y’all. I am SO ready for sweater weather and cozy slow cooker stews! To kick the season off, I made this super simple Slow...
How to Freeze Bananas
I was freezing some of our brown bananas the other day and decided to take a few snapshots of the process and do a...
Chocolate Banana Muffins
$3.97 recipe / $0.33 serving
What to do with browning bananas? It’s the question that never stops needing to be answered. The other day I was about to make...
Quick Garlic Butter Shrimp
$4.37 recipe / $2.19 serving
As I mentioned last week, I’ve been experimenting a with shrimp a little more lately. Why? It’s super fast and easy to cook, and...
The Peanut Butter Lunch Box
$4.57 recipe / $1.14 per serving
Continuing on with the series of no-cook lunch boxes, I bring you The Peanut Butter Lunch Box! This one is so simple, yet I...
Pesto Shrimp Pasta
$$8.07 recipe / $2.02 serving
I’ve been experimenting with shrimp a lot lately. Yes, it can be a little on the expensive side, but if you pair it whith...
One Pot Lemon Artichoke Chicken and Rice
$7.39 recipe / $1.85 serving
As this unusual summer draws to a close, it’s time to start moving into new routines for fall. Having a routine dinnertime can be...
Mediterranean White Bean Salad
$4.87 recipe / $1.22 serving
You can never have enough easy side dish recipes, am I right?? I like to keep my side dishes simple so they don’t steal...
The Tuna Salad Lunch Box
$7.68 recipe / $1.92 serving
Here’s another no-cook cold lunch idea for you! Tuna salad is a classic cold lunch item, but you can’t prep a few days worth...
Classic Tuna Salad
$5.20 recipe / $1.30 serving
With so many people going back to work but without the luxury of being able to use their break room microwaves or refrigerators, classic...
Beef Taco Skillet
$6.30 recipe / $1.58 serving
Sometimes I just throw random leftovers into a pot or skillet and just see how it turns out. 😜 But you can’t really go...
The Cheese Board Lunch Box
$7.45 recipe / $1.86 per box
Continuing on with my no-cook lunch box series, today I bring you The Cheese Board Lunch Box! This one goes out to everyone who...
Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli
$5.48 recipe / $1.37 serving
I’m all about the quick skillet meals because, let’s face it, sometimes after a long day of work you don’t really want to cook...
5 Templates for Easy Vegan Dinners
The older I get the more I love meals where I can just throw whatever I have into one pot, bowl, or skillet. I’ve...
The Hummus Lunch Box
$8.04 recipe / $2.01 serving
Are y’all ready for the next installment in the no-cook lunch box series? The Hummus Lunch Box is a classic, one that I’m sure...
Gochujang Ramen with Tofu
$2.26 recipe / $1.13 serving
I love good quality food, but I also have a small place in my heart reserved for convenience foods like instant ramen or frozen...
Black Bean Burgers
$2.57 recipe / $0.43 serving
Super flavorful Homemade Black Bean Burgers are as easy as combining black beans together with a slew of flavorful ingredients, like garlic, red onion,...
The Pizza Roll Up Lunch Box
$5.64 recipe / $1.41 serving
The heat is getting to me, y’all! So last week I sat down and brainstormed some no-cook lunch boxes, or meal preps that I...
Crunchy Cabbage Salad
$3.01 recipe / $0.51 serving
I ate my teriyaki meatball bowls all week as meal prep and absolutely loved them, but I desperately need another vegetable side to balance...
Sesame Ginger Dressing
$2.03 recipe / $0.20 serving
This Sesame Ginger Dressing is probably one of the most addictive homemade dressings I’ve ever made. It’s sweet, salty, tangy, and has a super...
Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
$7.04 recipe / $1.76 serving
Craving BBQ, but don’t have a pit? These Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches only take about 30 minutes to make and cost only a couple...
How to Cut a Watermelon
Summer is in FULL SWING and one of the most wonderful simple pleasures of summer is fresh cut watermelon. If you’re a little intimidated...
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
$3.24 recipe / $0.54 serving
This dessert-like banana bread baked oatmeal is rich, sweet, hearty, and totally breakfast worthy, thanks to hearty oats and the natural sweetness of bananas....
Blackened Salmon with Zucchini
$13.30 recipe / $3.33 serving
Are you ready for a dinner that is seriously easy and is so good that it will make you go weak in the knees?...
Summer Sweet Corn Salad
$7.67 recipe / $0.96 serving
Fresh sweet corn is one of my favorite things about summer. It’s so sweet and juicy when it’s fresh, and the smell of the...
Sesame Cucumber Salad
$2.44 recipe / $0.41 serving
This salad is one of the very first recipes I ever posted on Budget Bytes. Like, way back when I was still taking photos...
Jerk Seasoned Collard Greens
$4.10 recipe / $0.51 serving
When lockdown started a few months ago I focused on buying vegetables that would last a long time in my fridge or pantry so...
Quick BBQ Chicken
$4.98 recipe / $1.25 serving
We get a lot of feedback from readers who are trying to cook for families who all have different dietary needs and preferences, especially...
Pico de Gallo
$2.59 recipe / $0.22 serving
Pico de gallo is one of my favorite fresh summer condiments because it only takes a few minutes to make and it’s just so...
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
$11.32 recipe / $1.89 serving
Creamy, tangy, and filling, these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are an awesome comforting weeknight dinner. Whether you cook a couple of chicken breasts up...
Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes
Whether you call it a “make-ahead breakfast” or “breakfast meal prep,” having breakfast already made and ready to be eaten on busy mornings is...
Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
$1.87 recipe / $0.31 serving
Canned green enchilada sauce is just kind of sad. It’s watery and usually not very flavorful. Authentic green enchilada sauce is a little bit...
BBQ Chicken Pizza
$5.43 recipe / $1.36 serving
It’s almost Friday, so I’m going to throw a quick little pizza recipe at ya! BBQ Chicken Pizza is such a classic with its...
Homemade Pizza Dough
$0.62 recipe / $0.16 serving
I know it sounds cheesy, but pizza really is my favorite food. It has endless possibilities and usually includes my favorite things: bread, tomatoes,...
Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese
$3.63 recipe / $1.82 serving
This Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese is totally indulgent. It’s like your favorite restaurant appetizer turned into a meal (because you were going to eat...
Comeback Sauce
$1.03 recipe / $0.21 serving
Earlier this week I made some amazing steak fries and I needed a dipping sauce for them that was equally as epic. Plain old...
Oven Baked Steak Fries
$0.94 recipe / $0.47 serving
Who needs a little comfort food these days? Yeah, me too. I had some leftover russet potatoes the other day and I knew exactly...
Cottage Cheese Crab Bowl
$1.21 each
Every now and then I like to share things with you that aren’t exactly “recipes” but are just the random bowl meals that I...
No-Knead Focaccia
$1.31 recipe / $0.11 serving
Once you try focaccia, you’ll never go back to plain bread! This hearty No-Knead Focaccia is coated in olive oil and herbs, making every...
Spinach Stuffed Portobellos
$7.23 recipe / $1.81 serving
If you’re looking for a meatless main dish this summer, you’ve got to try these Spinach Stuffed Portobellos. They’re super easy, a little like...
How To Calculate Recipe Cost
The recipe cost breakdowns are a big part of Budget Bytes. And while you’re not likely to have the exact same food costs as...
Honey Vanilla Cottage Cheese Fruit Dip
$0.94 recipe / $0.24 serving
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’ve fallen in love with a new budget ingredient: cottage cheese. A lot of people are turned...
One Pot Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
$4.22 recipe / $1.06 serving
Y’all know I love one pot pasta meals, and I know a lot of you do too. They’re quick, easy, and pack a lot...
How to Make Baked Potatoes
$1.26 recipe / $0.31 each
Let’s talk about baked potatoes for a second. This simple food is waaaaay overlooked. They’re inexpensive, simple to make, and can be turned into...
Pizza Pasta Salad
$7.98 recipe / $1.00 serving
This is kind of just like a basic Italian pasta salad, but I’m calling it “Pizza Pasta Salad” because this is how I use...
How to Slice, Dice, and Mince
If you’re learning how to cook for the first time, you’re not alone. When you first dive into cooking and trying to follow a...
Yogurt Banana Bread
$3.68 recipe / $0.46 serving
I’ve been even more diligent about keeping my food waste low since the pandemic started, since our visits to the grocery store are few...
Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
$8.34 recipe / $2.09 serving
My boyfriend saw what I was cooking and said, “What is this, the “Hungry Man” edition of Budget Bytes? 😆 What can I say,...
No-Yeast Pizza Dough
$0.92 recipe / $0.23 serving
Desperate times call for desperate measures. There’s nothing quite like a perfectly light, chewy, and crispy traditional pizza crust made with yeast, but right...
Chimichurri Chickpea Salad
$4.85 recipe / $0.81 serving
We’re still experiencing a lot of grocery shortages in the middle of this pandemic, but when I ventured out to the grocery store this...
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
$7.57 recipe / $1.89 serving
Y’all know I’m obsessed with meatballs, right? They’re just so easy, delicious, and something that I’m always in the mood for. So, when I...
200+ Recipe Ideas for Pantry Staple Ingredients
A couple weeks ago I polled my Instagram followers to see what pantry staples they bought to sustain them through this period of social...
Chocolate Depression Cake (egg-free, dairy-free)
$2.41 recipe / $0.27 serving
Depression as in The Great Depression, not depression as in “this cake will cure your depression.” 😅Since a lot of us are experiencing ingredient...
How to Freeze Green Onions
I use green onions a lot in my cooking. I find they offer a great pop of freshness, flavor, and color to recipes, making them...
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Salad
$4.84 recipe / $1.61 serving
I was lucky enough to get a bunch of fresh broccoli last week, so I wanted to share this super simple salad that I...
Long Lasting Produce to Stock Up On During Isolation
One of my main goals when I started Budget Bytes 11 years ago was to be able to maintain a well rounded diet with...
Vegetable Fritters with Garlic Herb Sauce
$3.19 recipe / $1.06 serving
We’re kind of coming full circle here, with Budget Bytes. I started this blog as a log of what I was cooking up in...
Freezer Breakfast Burritos
$11.29 recipe / $1.41 each
I’m a huge proponent of batch cooking and stocking your freezer with portioned meals that you can just grab-reheat-and-go! Not only are these make-ahead...
Sesame Tuna Salad
$3.09 recipe / $1.55 serving
Canned tuna is a lot more versatile than I think many people realize. In other words, there’s a lot more you can do with...
