Health is a journey, not a destination. Rather than trying to be perfect, simply aim to make small, consistent swaps in your weekly routine. They add up over time – take it from someone who knows!
The kitchen, with all of its pots and pans and memories, has the power to redefine what we think of as healthy eating. How you use your kitchen lays the groundwork for how you fuel your body, so to make the healthy journey a little easier, we created a list of budget-friendly, healthy dinner ideas that will appeal to your whole family. We also compiled a grocery list with every ingredient you need to make all five recipes.
In this post, we outline 5 quick dinner ideas using beef recipes. Each of these easy weeknight dinners features bold flavors that make each dish taste unique, even when using the same basic ingredients.
Let’s take a quick look at the principles of healthy cooking reflected in each recipe, making them easy, affordable, and delicious!
Save time and money
Use frozen and canned vegetables to maximize your time and budget – no chopping required! While fresh vegetables are always a great choice, they can sometimes be difficult to work with because of their short shelf life and time of preparation.
If you struggle to include vegetables in your meals regularly, keep in mind that canned and frozen options are nutritious, affordable, and time-efficient. Utilizing these alternatives can help you incorporate veggies into your budget-friendly meals more consistently!
- Pre-cut, frozen veggies stay fresh for a year in the freezer
- Canned veggies have a long shelf life and are easy to add to any recipe. Choose no-salt added varieties!
Simplify your dinner
Your healthy dinners don’t need to take forever: use these tips to make healthy eating more convenient by including leftovers as the base of future meals!
- If you always find yourself grabbing a freezer meal when you run out of time in the evening, consider turning leftovers into healthy, freezer friendly meals that you can grab throughout the week.
- Store a few extra servings of brown rice to include in future meals in the fridge or freezer.
- If a recipe calls for half a diced onion, dice and store the other half to use later.
Check out our blog on healthy meal prep for more meal planning tips!
Swap it
When you find yourself missing ingredients for a recipe you’d like to prepare, try substituting with items you already have on hand. For example, if a recipe calls for black beans, you could use pinto beans instead, or vice versa.
Weekly Menu Theme
Include ingredients that can be used in multiple ways. For example, this blog includes five recipes using beef, but each uses unique seasonings and flavors so you don’t get bored. These recipes highlight the best ways to use beef, including in taco bowls, lasagna, and enchiladas!
When you create your theme, base it around a certain culture or ingredient (like beef) to save money by buying fewer ingredients.
Invest in a grocery list
Do you often buy things that you don’t need at the store? We can relate! That’s why we suggest creating a grocery list before you go shopping. A list will help you avoid the urge to just add whatever looks good to your cart (it also ensures you won’t forget any ingredients).
If you are someone who would rather hear nails on a chalkboard than sit down to write out a grocery list (understandable), we have you covered.
Below, you’ll find a complete grocery list with everything you need to make each of these five recipes. We’ve taken care of all the preparation, so all you need to focus on is cooking each beef recipe.
Buy in bulk
If you are confident your food will be eaten before it expires, consider buying ingredients in bulk. Generally, larger containers cost less per ounce than smaller ones. Pantry staples like rice, beans, oats, and peanut butter are excellent choices to purchase in bulk. A healthy selection of basics will help make healthy cooking easy and convenient – to learn more, check out our blog Pantry Staples for Healthy Cooking!
Pantry items are not the only food that you may want to consider buying in bulk: proteins, like beef or chicken, are the most expensive part of a meal, so you can stretch your dollars by buying proteins in bulk and making several budget-friendly meals out of them.
Buy in season produce
Purchasing fruits and vegetables in bulk may be challenging due to their shorter shelf life, meaning you need to find other ways to save money. Luckily, fruits and veggies tend to be less expensive when they’re in season, allowing you to get the best quality at the best price!
Look for sales
You can easily search for sales at the grocery store or online and base your meals around those more affordable ingredients. For example, if zucchini is on sale at your grocery store, search for zucchini recipes on the Choose Homemade website before you go shopping to brainstorm ideas!
Grocery List for Ground Beef Recipes
This grocery list creates 32 servings in total, or about eight individual meals for a family of four. Each of these healthy dinner ideas for families can be prepared in under 30 minutes, and the following list contains everything you need to prepare each recipe. Cross check this list with what you already have to avoid buying extras!
| Meat | Spices |
| 4 lbs 93/7 lean ground beef | Homemade Taco Seasoning |
| Lean flank steak, thinly sliced | Ground ginger |
| Chili powder | |
| Produce | |
| Matchstick carrots (10 oz) | Canned |
| Green onions (5) | No-salt-added tomato sauce (30 oz) |
| Tomatoes (4) | No-salt-added tomato sauce (15 oz) |
| Baby spinach (10 oz) | No-salt-added diced tomatoes (12.5 oz) |
| Romaine lettuce (4 cups) | No-salt added black beans (15 oz) |
| Yellow onion (small) | No-salt-added pinto beans (15 oz) |
| Garlic cloves (10) | Mild diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 oz) |
| Zucchini (large) | Mild enchilada sauce (10 oz) |
| Mushrooms (2 8oz carton) | Unsalted beef broth (48 oz) |
| Fresh basil (1/4 cup) | |
| Fresh cilantro (6 Tbsp) | Grains |
| Lime (1) | Whole-wheat lasagna pasta (5 oz) |
| 6 inch Corn tortillas (8) | |
| Dairy | Ramen noodles (3 packets) |
| Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 ½ cups or 6 oz) | Whole wheat penne pasta (16 oz) |
| Shredded fiesta blend cheese (2 cups or 8 oz) | Whole-grain tortilla chips (1 cup crushed) |
| Plain non-fat Greek yogurt (1 1/4 cup or 10 oz) | |
| Grated parmesan cheese (¾ cup or 3 oz) | Pantry Items |
| Queso Fresco (¼ cup) | Cornstarch |
| Low-sodium soy sauce | |
| Frozen | Non-stick cooking spray |
| Corn (2 cups) | Sriracha |
| Broccoli florets (12 oz) | Olive oil |
5 Easy Weeknight Dinners
Slow Cooker Enchilada Stack
Cost per serving: $3.20
Featuring our homemade taco seasoning, this slow cooker beef enchilada recipe saves you effort by eliminating the need to hand roll each enchilada!
No time for a slow cooker? Place the enchilada stack in a large glass dish and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F or until bubbling.
Easy Skillet Lasagna
Cost per serving: $3.02
This one pot skillet lasagna recipe is prepared on the stovetop, making it an ideal option for nights when you need a quick dinner idea. It’s also a great way to sneak vegetables into your ground beef recipe, like onions, garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms. For an extra kick of flavor, consider adding red pepper flakes.
Beef and Broccoli Ramen
Cost per serving: $3.41
If your family loves traditional store-bought ramen noodles, introduce them to this easy, veggie-packed beef and broccoli ramen. Use frozen stir-fry veggies to save time!
Pantry Pasta
Cost per serving: $2.37
Typically, pasta recipes involve using two separate pots: one for the sauce and another for the pasta. However, this easy weeknight pantry pasta can be made in just one pot – plus cooking the pasta directly in the sauce adds flavor! You can substitute spinach with other vegetables you have on hand, such as carrots, zucchini, or other greens, to make use of what you already have at home.
Beefy Taco Salad
Cost per serving: $2.31
This beefy taco salad is a popular family-friendly dinner because it can be easily customized to individual tastes. Use leftover ingredients from this easy weeknight dinner to make this delicious salsa!
In addition, buffet style dinners like taco salad bowls are a great way to introduce new vegetables to your kids. Simply placing options like spinach or cilantro on the table increases the chance they will want to sample these vegetables in the future.
For tips on encouraging your kids to eat more vegetables, check out our blog post Easy Tricks for Getting Kids to Eat More Veggies.
Seasonings and Sauces
Remember our discussion about using different flavors to change up the same base ingredients? One way to do this is by rotating your seasonings and sauces! Try these ideas to add flavor to your ground beef recipes throughout the week.
Alternatively, you can opt for store-bought seasonings and sauces, but make sure to check the sodium content before purchasing! For more information, visit our blog on low sodium seasonings and sauces.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
You can make this homemade taco seasoning using spices you likely have at home. Afterwards, store in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it! To season beef or beans, simply mix in ½ teaspoon of cornstarch and ⅓ cup of water along with your seasoning and allow it to simmer down.
Chunky Homemade Salsa
This chunky homemade salsa is an easy, family-friendly recipe if you make it mild. Don’t de-seed the jalapeños to add an extra kick if you’re feeling brave!
Chipotle Black Bean Salsa
Mix a teaspoon of chipotle seasoning with a can of black beans to create a chipotle black bean salsa full of fiber and flavor! For added sweetness, include diced pineapple.
Homemade Cilantro Lime Crema
This cilantro lime crema uses just three ingredients, and it can brighten any dish – especially these easy, healthy recipes featuring ground beef. If you enjoy the bold lime flavoring, include lime zest as well!
Conclusion
These healthy ground beef recipes are designed to save you time, money, and hassle in the kitchen. Try them out, and see for yourself how you can use different flavors to compliment the same protein source in a variety of easy weeknight dinners. With these meal planning tips, healthy meal prep has never been easier!
Did you like this post? Tell us what you think in the comments, and let us know whether you would like to see more budget-friendly meal plans like this in the future!