55 Cheap Summer Meals for Families on a Budget
Easy cheap summer meals for families! These fun and frugal meals made quick dinner ideas for a hot day.
When it comes to feeding your family, making the same ‘ol thing can get old fast.
It’s fun to change it up throughout the year ……
… making different meals in the summer than in the fall and winter.
And with the rising grocery prices out of control, shopping and cooking on a budget really helps!
That’s why I put together this list of cheap summer meals.
These fun summer dinner ideas include lots of budget-friendly ingredients – and recipes your family will actually eat.
There’s a great variety of summer meals, ranging from grilling and crockpot dinners that keep your kitchen cool …
… to fun stovetop recipes and classic meals that picky eaters love!
A few quick tips for saving on groceries:
- Stock up when your favorites are on sale
- Use a Foodsaver to keep sale-priced meat fresh in your freezer for YEARS
- Buy cheaper cuts of meat (like chicken thighs)
- Use in-season produce
- Eat leftovers for another meal
Okay, let’s check out these cheap easy meals for summertime!
(☀️ Looking for more delicious summer recipes? Try one of these easy grilled chicken dinners, creative camping meals, simple picnic food ideas, cheap summer side dishes, or fun summer charcuterie boards!)
💡 Psst: Want a whole YEAR of dinner ideas at your fingertips? Grab my One Year of Dinners Meal Plan, with 365 different recipes!
Affordable Summer Meals
Dr. Pepper Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Dr. Pepper Crock Pot Pulled Pork is easy, tender, delicious and everyone always loves it!
With just 5 minutes of prep, this pulled pork crockpot recipe is ready to go before heading off for the day.
Serve it as sandwiches, nachos, or over rice!
Taco Pasta Salad
This Easy Taco Pasta Salad is a kid-friendly summer meal that's loaded with Mexican-inspired flavors, perfect for Taco Tuesdays.
Quick to make, and always a crowd-pleaser, it’s also perfect for the next potluck or BBQ.
Easy Grilled Cola Burgers
This tasty and juicy burger has a savory, sweet and smoky flavor that is sure to please, thanks to the cola and french dressing.
It’s a wildly addicting twist on the regular ol’ burger.
Copycat Arby's Chicken Salad Sandwich
Save money and try an Arby's Market Fresh Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich right at home!
This recipe is very flexible, so you could add a little more or a little less of any of these ingredients, and you will come up with a great-tasting sandwich or wrap.
Sausage Broccoli Foil Packets
These budget-friendly Sausage Broccoli Foil Packets make a great dinner and only take 30 minutes to cook in the oven or the grill.
You’ll love that there’s only a few ingredients!
No-Cook Summer Pasta with Tomatoes
Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Pasta is a quick and easy no-cook sauce that’s perfect for summertime.
Fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and balsamic vinegar add so much flavor and texture to the summer tomatoes.
Italian Pinwheel Sandwiches
Pinwheels are the best type of recipe for the summer because you don’t have to heat anything up.
Totally customizable for your tastes, these are also fun to make ahead and take on a picnic, or to the ballpark, beach, or pool.
Dorito Taco Salad
One of our favorite family dinners is this Dorito Taco Salad recipe with Nacho Cheese Doritos, hamburger, beans, tomatoes and lettuce!
So easy to make (or make ahead), it’s a delicious way to eat tacos in a cold, refreshing salad.
Baked Chili Cheese Dogs
Baked chili cheese dogs are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! When you bake chili dogs in the oven, magic happens—they taste warm, fresh, and extra delicious.
Everyone will love customizing their chili cheese dogs with their own favorite toppings, and you’ll love how easy it was to put it together.
Tuna Pasta Salad
This delicious Tuna Pasta Salad is the perfect 15 minute meal for warm summer evenings.
It’s filling, inexpensive, and a great balance of flavors and textures.
Chicken Caesar Wrap
Quick and Easy Chicken Caesar Wraps are light, healthy and delicious!
They are made in about 10 minutes and are perfect for a summertime lunch or simple dinner.
Grilled BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs
Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs are perfectly sweet and smoky and are the ultimate budget-friendly way to enjoy chicken during grilling season!
Marinated and glazed in a simple BBQ marinade, this sticky grilled chicken makes for such a quick, easy and delicious meal.
Cheeseburger Sliders
Cheeseburger Sliders with caramelized onions and melty cheese atop a toasty bun are the epitome of deliciousness.
They're perfect if you don't have a grill or you just want to enjoy burgers but cook indoors.
Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Believe it or not, a handful of ingredients tossed into the slow cooker makes the most tender flavorful chicken for tacos.
We do love a dinner that cooks itself while we're off enjoying a summer day!
Mexican Fiestada Pizza
If your family loves tacos and pizza, try this easy Mexican fiestada pizza recipe for a match made in heaven!
It’s easy to customize with your favorite taco-style fixings for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will devour.
Healthy Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Colorful and packed with flavor, Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad only takes 30 minutes to make.
Not only is it the perfect addition to a potluck or BBQ, but it makes great meal prep for weekday summer lunches or dinners.
Classic Club Sandwich
A Classic Club Sandwich is hard to beat - filling and tasty, with the feeling of eating at your favorite diner.
These classic double decker sandwiches are some of the best: toasted bread piled high with plenty of meats, juicy tomatoes, and crisp lettuce.
Easy Sheet Pan Quesadillas
The delicious quesadilla taste the whole family loves, made in baked form right in the oven.
Everyone will get such a kick out of this giant quesadilla concept!
Bacon Cheeseburger & Potato Hobo Dinner
Hobo Foil Packet Dinners have a whole burger covered in cheese and bacon on top of thinly sliced vegetables.
Warm and savory, they’re folded up in aluminum foil and are then cooked on the grill, campfire or in the oven for a hearty meal outside or in.
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
A fresh take on a salad classic! Grilling the romaine lettuce, bread, AND chicken totally enhances the salad's flavor beautifully.
The smokiness from the grill, alongside the easy tangy homemade dressing is truly a winning combo.
Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Keep your kitchen cool and use your slow cooker instead of the oven!
Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti is definitely a family favorite dinner that everyone will devour.
Grinder Sandwiches
These viral Tik Tok Italian grinder sandwiches are made with crusty bread and packed with deli meat, cheese, and other delicious ingredients for a truly delicious sandwich.
Much cheap than buying everyone food from the deli!
Sheet Pan Fajitas
This Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe promises a deliciously satisfying meal and is ready in under 30 minutes.
It combines juicy, seasoned chicken breast and fresh vegetables, all cooked together in one pan for restaurant quality flavor without the dining out price tag.
Ham and Pimento Cheese Wraps
Crisp lettuce, sweet honey ham, and creamy pimento cheese, these Ham and Pimento Cheese Wraps are such a delicious quick and easy summer lunch or dinner.
Taco Stuffed Shells
Super delicious Taco Stuffed Shells are a great twist on classic Italian stuffed shells.
Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a creamy taco-flavored ground beef & vegetable mixture, topped with cheese, and baked.
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Sandwiches
Let the crockpot do the work with this creamy, cheesy Slow Cooker Crack Chicken and effortlessly create a simple, addictive, and flavor-packed meal!
A flavorful blend of shredded chicken, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon, it tastes amazing on slider buns or as a dip.
Easy Shrimp Fajitas
If you need a quick and easy recipe that feeds a crowd, look no further than these Shrimp Fajitas!
With juicy shrimp and a flavorful fajita filling, you can also add more or different proteins to change it up for everyone's tastes.
Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Kebabs
This Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken kebab recipe features chunks of chicken marinated in a sweet and tangy huli huli sauce with peppers, onion, and pineapple.
It's an easy flavorful dish that's perfect for summer grilling.
Cheesy Bean Burritos
Freezer friendly Cheesy Bean Burritos are the perfect way to fill up your family using budget-friendly pantry staples.
Soft flour tortillas filled with seasoned rice, veggies, beans and cheese are full of protein for a tasty and quick meatless main dish.
Juicy Turkey Burgers
Say goodbye to boring and bland! These Turkey Burgers are thick, juicy, and packed with flavor.
Add your favorite toppings for a delicious burger that rivals any restaurant!
Mexican Tuna Salad
Easy, high-protein Mexican Tuna Salad is filled with canned tuna, black beans, veggies, cilantro, lime juice, spices, and a Greek yogurt and mayo mixture.
All your favorite southwest flavors are made in a chilled summer salad that can be served a million different ways!
Basil Pesto Grilled Chicken Thighs
Fire up the grill, because it’s time to make Basil Pesto Grilled Chicken Thighs!
Tender, juicy chicken thighs are made flavorful with bright basil pesto, zesty lemon, and just a touch of salt and pepper. This is the summertime entree of your dreams!
Cajun Egg Salad
Elevate your sandwich routine with a new fun take on a classic - Cajun Egg Salad!
This recipe features the creamy egg salad you know and love, with the flavorful addition of bold Cajun spices.
Put it on a sandwich, in a wrap, or eat it with crackers or on a salad.
One Pot Taco Spaghetti
One Pot Taco Spaghetti is an easy and fun 30-minute recipe that combines the delicious flavors of tacos and spaghetti.
The perfect way to feed kids AND adults!
BBQ Hawaiian Roll Chicken Sliders
Slow cooker BBQ Hawaiian Roll Chicken Sliders are the ultimate delicious bite!
Perfect for a crowd, the combination of sweet BBQ sauce mixed with pineapple on a sweet Hawaiian roll makes these sliders the perfect vacation meal.
Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
The perfect marriage of cheeseburgers and tater tot casserole, this dish is perfect for feeding kids and adults alike.
It’s savory and comforting, and uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
Greek Chicken Souvlaki
This Souvlaki Chicken Kebab recipe uses a simple marinade that is bright and tangy from the lemon juice and savory from the garlic and herbs.
It packs a ton of flavor and it's super easy to prepare.
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Yep, ground beef can be transformed into a quick and delicious stir fry!
This easy Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe is made with seasoned ground beef and fresh vegetables in a quick sesame sauce that tastes better than takeout.
Chicken Taco Pizza
When you can’t decide between tacos or pizza, make Chicken Taco Pizza!
It’s assembled and served like a pizza topped with everything you love about tacos. The best of both worlds!
Mediterranean Beef Kebabs
These juicy Mediterranean Beef Kebabs are packed with flavor and one of our favorite dinners during grilling season.
Serve them with a big salad, rice, or Naan bread for a satisfying meal you’ll make again and again.
Grilled Chicken Wraps
Grilled Chicken Wraps are perfect for a quick and light summer meal.
They’re so easy and inexpensive to make, and the flavors are incredible! Plus, who doesn’t love a ranch chicken combination?
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks are the main entree you need in your life.
Not only does it pack a flavorful punch, but it’s very simple and easy to make a little or a lot.
The crisp yet tender chicken marinated in a sweet tangy sauce will quickly become a favorite for any occasion.
Chicken Apple Salad Lettuce Wraps
Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps are ready in minutes thanks to a rotisserie chicken and a quick Greek yogurt dressing.
Fresh, diced apples are the secret weapon. They lend a bit of sweetness and crunch to this simple chicken salad. Ready in less than 20 minutes!
Taco Grilled Cheese
This recipe takes everything you love about tacos and combines it into a classic grilled cheese.
Use classic taco ingredients like seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, lettuce and of course, a lot of cheddar cheese, or swap in your personal favorites!
Crock Pot Spaghetti
This Crock Pot Spaghetti is perfect for those hot days when you know you aren’t going to have time to prepare dinner.
Put everything in the slow cooker and leave it simmering all day!
Loaded Potato Naan Pizza
This 30 minute Loaded Potato Naan Pizza recipe has it all - creamy garlic herb spread and tender potatoes, plus cheddar, bacon bits, & green onions.
It’s a loaded potato; it’s a pizza; it’s the best of both worlds!
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Homemade Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes are easy to make and quick to throw together.
The sauce and the meat slow cook to become a wonderful sweet and tangy mixture that can make delicious sandwiches for a crowd.
Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos
Oven-Baked Sheet Pan Nachos have layers of tortilla chips, cheese, and ground beef and are loaded with your favorite nacho toppings!
This easy appetizer meal or appetizer is sure to be a crowd favorite!
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Crockpot Mac and Cheese comes together beautifully in your slow cooker!
Not your ordinary macaroni and cheese though, because it’s extra creamy and full of flavor thanks to an amazing combo of milk, seasonings, plus cheddar and Velveeta cheese.
Meatball Sub
Homemade or frozen meatballs get simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce, then placed in a roll and topped with cheese.
The sandwiches are broiled until golden and the cheese is bubbly for a truly perfect bite.
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken is a delicious, healthy meal that packs big flavor.
With fresh tomatoes, garlic, balsamic, and Italian Seasoning, this will be your new go-to grill dinner for company or any weeknight.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Packed with shredded chicken drenched in spicy buffalo sauce and topped with a mix of Mozzarella and Blue Cheese, these Buffalo Chicken Sliders are crowd-pleasing and full of flavor.
Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme
If your family loves tacos or quesadillas, they’re really going to love the Taco Bell dupe.
A soft tortilla packed with layers of beef & cheese and a crispy tostada shell is folded and pan-fried until crisp.
It’s so fun to recreate your favorite fast food and skip the pricey drive-thru!
Shrimp Foil Packets with Summer Veggies
Shrimp Foil Packets are a delicious healthy-ish meal with all your favorite summer veggies.
Ready in just 12 minutes on your grill, campfire or even in the oven, this is great meal prep for all your future campouts, Sunday cookouts, or simply great weeknight dinners.
Easy Chicken Enchilada
This delicious Chicken Enchilada recipe has flavorful shredded chicken rolled up in a soft, flour tortilla with cheese and all of your favorite fillings and toppings and smothered with enchilada sauce!
Ready to try some new cheap summer meals?
I hope this list of quick, inexpensive summer dinner ideas has given you tons of inspiration for fun new recipes to try.
They’re sure to please even the pickiest eaters, and can all be made on the cheap.
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