Planning a birthday party on a budget? No worries! You don’t need expensive catering to serve delicious food.
With a little meal prep, you can make tasty & filling dishes without spending too much.
The key is to choose simple recipes with affordable ingredients that can be prepared in advance.
In this blog, I’ll share three cheap yet delicious cheap meal prep ideas that are easy to make at home.
These meals require basic ingredients, minimal effort, and can feed a crowd without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re hosting a small family gathering or a big birthday bash, these recipes will save you time and money while keeping everyone satisfied.
From creamy chicken fajita pasta to a hearty bean & vegetable soup and a crispy hash brown sausage pie, you’ll find something for every taste.
Let’s get started with these budget-friendly and tasty birthday meal ideas!
1. Chicken Fajita Pasta
Ingredients:
- 500g pasta
- 5 chicken breasts
- 4 bell peppers
- 250g red onions
- 2 packets of fajita seasoning mix
- 280g light cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
Instructions:
- Cook the chicken breasts in the oven at 180°C for 40 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, boil the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Slice the bell peppers and red onions. Sauté them in a pan until softened.
- Once the chicken is done, shred it into pieces.
- In a large pot, combine the cooked pasta, sautéed vegetables, shredded chicken, fajita seasoning, light cream cheese, and a spoonful of mayonnaise. Mix well until everything is coated and heated through.
Chicken Fajita Pasta is not only tasty but also makes for great leftovers.
2. Bean and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 can of black beans
- 1 can of cannellini beans
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic.
- Saute the celery, carrots, and onion in a big pot until they are tender. Cook for one more minute after adding the garlic.
- Add the dried basil, black beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. After bringing to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for twenty minutes at a time.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This hearty soup is both filling and nutritious, perfect for feeding a crowd.
3. Sausage and Hash Brown Pie
Ingredients:
- 6 sausages
- 500g frozen hash browns
- 4 eggs
- 1 onion
- 100g cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Cook the sausages in a pan until browned, then slice them into pieces.
- Dice the onion and sauté until translucent.
- In a large bowl, mix the hash browns, cooked sausages, sautéed onion, and grated cheddar cheese.
- Beat the eggs and pour them into the mixture—season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
This pie is a crowd-pleaser and can be prepared ahead of time, making it ideal for parties.
Last Words: Cheap Meal Prep Ideas
Hosting a birthday party doesn’t have to be expensive. These budget-friendly & easy meal prep ideas are very simple, delicious, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
With simple ingredients and quick preparation, you can serve tasty dishes without stress.
Try these recipes, enjoy the celebration, and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones!
