Spag bol can go a long way especially if it’s beefed up with veggies. The same with taco mince and chilli con carne. The beans really help with that

Fried rice is great, you can add as much or as little meat and veg to it as you want, and it goes a long way.

Pasta for sure as you can get a bag for a dollar and the sauce for around 5 bucks.
Hot dogs or sausages in a roll with a side of hot chips are also cheap and super quick. I know it’s not the healthiest of options but once in awhile isn’t bad.
Also have a lookout for Mexican kits like Burritos or tacos when they go on sale for half price as you just get mince, corn kernels, rice and beans for the filler which can leave leftovers as well.

Mince is always good as you can do so many different meals also pasta can make lots with Macaroni Cheese kids love and cheap meal, also sausages kids love you can do with bake beans curried sausages with rice you can make spaghetti with sausages and chicken when whole chickens are out cheap buy a few leave whole do a roast then any meat left I cut up freeze can go in lunches same as cold sausages in a sandwich with tomato sauce. I cut some chickens in half and freeze also cut them into pieces you do in a stew with vegetables you can make chicken chow mein kids love the noodles with this meal and make chicken soup just another versatile meat and it depends what you like to eat as hard if kids don’t like some food but you can do meals that you can freeze in smaller meals. Tacos is another meal kids like also lots with eggs toasted sandwiches you can make with all different fillings. Lots come to mind like little quiches you can put bacon in or vegetables and you can have hot or cold when I’ve made little ones in muffin tins and taken for lunch and people grab them straight away even sausage rolls I’ve made mobs of and freeze in packets of so many so very handy to have in your freezer and make a lot when you do them. So quite a few ideas for you.

if u like tuna pasta bake, $3 tuna pasta bake sauce, .65c for coles penne pasta, Tuna tins are usually a couple of bucks.. plus 1 cup of cheese on top..
i tell my kid tuna is good for the brains and he eats it happily once a fortnight
whats good is there is always left overs for work lunches for me and my partner the next day

I love one pot meals as it is super convenient and you just throw ingredients and stock in only one pot and can cook it as soup or a casserole. I’ve even got a small cookbook called One Pot Meals . I think all pasta and rice dishes are good and the cheapest meat I find at the supermarket is chuck steak which you can use especially for casseroles.

this is what I have done with 500g of mince meat, and vegies turning them into pasta sauce. I tend to try and spread it further by adding the last bit 5 beans by munching them up.
spaghetti, lasagne, pizza base spread, tacos, wraps, nachos. (pizza base, nachos, tacos and wraps you don’t really need a lot hence why I can stil spread it even more)
chicken- poached then shred it down – sandwiches, wraps, chicken corn soup, pasta.
ive used 2 Maryland chicken and put it in the slow cooker to make curry and its enough to feed 8 people with some rice.
I haven’t bought fish as they are sometimes dear but tin of tuna helps me along with curry tuna or tuna mornay pasta.
Its 2 adults here and 2 kids age 9 & 7.
im supposed to be using my 4 vegie boxes but ive lost my motivation so my money has been going down the gutter quickly as I haven’t been careful.

Looking for answers on this also. I am now on a budget!

So many options!
Spag bog – with either home made sauce or the can sauce you can purchase from any supermarket.
Lasagne & mash potato with veg – for a family frozen lasagne at Coles it’s around $10.
Sausages – a tray of 24 sausages at Coles is around $8 & you can have sausages with just about anything!
Shepards pie – a family pie from Woolworths is around $3, cook up the mash & top it yourself.
Hot dogs.
Chicken in cream – chicken fillets from the deli, slice them up, cook them in cream, serve with chips & garnish with some grated carrot.
If you do have a roast & have some left over meat, turn it into a pie!
Sausage rolls & party pies with chips.
Home made hamburgers with salad & chips.
Fish & Chips.
Pizza.

Woolworths does crumbed frozen fish fillets, they are always on special of $8 (well for as long as i’ve been buying them) They are in the frozen fish section, Create an easy salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion and great some cheese on it. I like to cut and cook some potatoes at the same time I’m baking the fish. super easy, healthy and not expensive! Even the fussiest eaters will be impressed.

sausages and mash, spaggetti, rissoles and frozen veg

I just do meat and vege, or meat and salad. but change the flavours in the meal by adding different sauce or dressings

Tuna is a cheap meal. Try a mornay. Savoury mince goes a long way. Cous cous is a great filler…oh and macaroni cheese. If you need recipes just let me know. I’ve had many years of making food stretch and would be more than happy to help.

what about homemade curry, or spaghetti bolognese.

Pasta is great,just add extra pasta,sauce,meat and also no cooking for the next night!

Pasta is always a cheap meal, a big packet and a jar of sauce, you can fill it out with veggies also. Sometimes there’ll be leftovers for the next day or they can go in the freezer. Very simple and easy!

I am just about to start a course at ministry of food. They teach about cheap healthy meals on a budget. 5 week course is $50 which is 1 90 minute session per week and covers cost of food and lesson, all equipment provided. Look and see if there are any in your area.

In actual fact, good quality mince is not cheap – high in fat =high cholestoral and other illnesses so you may end up spending what you think you have save on medical expenses. Even a child can have a stroke or heart attack. Some starchy foods may fill them up in the interim but they will be looking for something to eat later. You are better off looking for meat that is marked down which has less fat. Even chicken thighs or breast fillets you can serve in a variety of ways are served. breast has a lot less fat than thighs. Drumsticks are marked at a lower price per Kg, but a fair % of the weight is bone.

I’m with Nicole, spaghetti Bolognese, meatloaf, tacos there is a million dishes you can do with mince, leftover Bolognese sauce on a potato with cheese. We have all had to live on a tight budget at some time and it is amazing what you can do with mince.

Hi, im Nicole…spag bol is a kids fav & very cheap….pasta salad, rice salad, tuna, zucchini,corn,potato patties cheap. Bake a whole potato in jacket then just add whatever on top at end, mince, corn , salad stuff….good luck