The weather outside might be frightful, but these cheap winter dinner ideas are so delightful! These meals use relatively inexpensive ingredients, which can be helpful if you are trying to avoid accumulating consumer debt or if you are actively trying to pay off debt. The money you save from your grocery spending can go straight into savings or toward your debt payments. Here are 5 cheap winter dinner ideas that will warm you up without breaking the bank when it gets cold:
Here’s American Consumer Credit Counseling’s cheap winter dinner ideas.
1. Lentil Stew
You can make lentil stew with or without meat. Lentils, like beans, are a cheap ingredient that is high in fiber and protein. To make lentil stew, you’ll need lentils (obviously!), onions, canned tomatoes, spinach, carrots, garlic, and vegetable broth. None of these ingredients are particularly expensive, so lentil stew makes for a great budget-friendly if you’re paying off credit card debt.
2. Chili
Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of chili on a cold winter evening? By bulking up your chili with a few different types of beans, you can get lots of protein without spending a lot of money! The key ingredients for chili include ground beef/turkey, beans, tomato paste, onions, and maybe a jalapeno if you want a bit of spice.
3. Black Bean Soup
This recipe is perfect to make after Christmas to use up any leftover Christmas ham you might have in the fridge. To make black bean soup, you’ll need a can of black beans, a green bell pepper, onions, cilantro, chicken broth, and some chopped up leftover ham. You can top your bowl of soup with some sour cream, hot sauce, or whatever you prefer.
4. Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is a winter staple, and this dinner hack will make it even easier to make! Rather than making the pie crust, top your creamy chicken and vegetable mixture with biscuits. Frozen biscuits will work just fine.
5. Sweet Potato & Sausage Bake
The kind of dinner that you can put on a tray and into the oven without too much effort is the best kind of dinner! It’s easy AND budget-friendly, so it’s a win-win in our book. You can serve the baked sweet potatoes and sausage with whatever vegetable you have on hand already for a perfectly balanced meal.
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Sign up for a free credit counseling session with us today.
