15 Budget-Friendly Produce Recipes
The Produce Moms is proud to partner with the Produce for Better Health (PBH) Foundation and “Get In the Groove”! As the school year begins, we’re all looking for easy meals for busy days that won’t break the bank. Check out these produce-based budget-friendly recipes and #HaveAPlant!
Kids are getting ready to go back to school and their parents are preparing to rearrange their schedules to accommodate. This time of year, planning some easy, quick, and most importantly affordable ways to feed the family might be on the forefront of your mind. But you don’t have to sacrifice nutrition when you’re looking for cheap meals! These budget-friendly recipes will help you keep money in your pocket and put more fruits and veggies on the table.
Sweet Potato and Golden Beet Salad
The first of our budget-friendly recipes uses sweet potatoes and beets, along with several ingredients you might already have in your pantry. Golden beets are a bit sweeter and less earthy than the more well-known red beet and give this salad a delightful sweetness and satisfying heartiness.
Get the recipe for Sweet Potato and Golden Beet Salad here!
French Bean Refrigerator Salad
Busy days require quick, easy, budget-friendly recipes. But that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice flavor or nutrition! Ditch the bland and boring and forget the fast and greasy — French Bean Refrigerator Salad is a flavorful and wholesome replacement for your old packed lunches. With unlimited pairing potential, you’ll never get tired of it!
Get the recipe for French Bean Refrigerator Salad here!
Watermelon and Cucumber Salad
Here’s a sweet, refreshing, and inexpensive spin on salad! Sweet and juicy watermelon mixes with cool, crispy cucumber and is topped with fresh mint and feta cheese. Freshly squeezed lime juice is used in lieu of salad dressing.
Get the recipe for Watermelon and Cucumber Salad here!
Tropical Avocado Pineapple Salsa
This Tropical Avocado Pineapple Salsa is stuffed with fruits and veggies and can bring a little heat to any cold, rainy day. Just pair with some tortilla chips for an easy bowl of summer sunshine, add as a tropical topper to grilled fish or chicken, or spoon over tacos or a simple green salad to bring the tropics to your table.
Get the recipe for Tropical Avocado Pineapple Salsa here!
SweeTango® Tuna Sandwich
Have a unique lunch and incorporate some more fruit into your day with this SweeTango® Tuna Sandwich. We’ve ditched the bread for tasty, crunchy apple rings and used fresh ingredients for a whole new take on a budget lunchtime classic.
Get the recipe for SweeTango® Tuna Sandwich here!
BLT Pizza
Pizza? On the grill? You might be used to cooking a homemade pizza in your oven, where you know just how long to cook them to turn out a perfect pie. But a grilled pizza is a slice of heaven! Take a bite and you’ll be met with the perfect amount of crispy crust and a smokey flavor reminiscent of gourmet brick oven pizza, without the price tag. But don’t worry: if you don’t have access to a grill, an oven will still do this BLT Pizza justice.
Get the recipe for BLT Pizza here!
Celery Pesto Pasta
When it comes to adding flavor to a home-cooked meal, nothing quite does the job like a good pesto. Here’s a pesto recipe that uses an inexpensive ingredient, celery, to elevate a home-cooked meal to restaurant-quality flavor.
Get the recipe for Celery Pesto Pasta here!
Roasted Multi-Color Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower steaks are simple to make yet deliver big on flavor and texture and also help you use part of the plant you might normally throw out. Simply slice out the middle of the cauliflower to make the steak, then save the rest to use as florets or rice. Any kind of cauliflower will do, but when you use Carnival® Multi-Color Cauliflower from Salad Savoy this dish becomes as colorful as it is flavorful!
Get the recipe for Roasted Multi-Color Cauliflower Steaks here!
Steak and Salad on a Stick
Save some money on your next steak dinner with this Steak and Salad on a Stick! This easy-to-cook meal skewers all the courses and lets you serve a little less steak and a little more salad. Smother it in our homemade Avocado Ranch Dressing for a hearty handheld meal with classic flavor.
Get the recipe for Steak and Salad on a Stick here!
Mushroom Kebabs
Mushrooms have a delicious earthy flavor. They also pair nicely with all kinds of other ingredients in any kind of meal and can even take on rich new flavors as they’re cooked. Kid-friendly and featuring a variety of flavors, these kebabs are perfect for parties or just meals with the family. Here are not just one, but three budget-friendly recipes for tasty mushroom kebabs!
Get the recipe for Mushroom Kebabs here!
Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Sheet Pan
Want to put a delicious dinner on the table but don’t have a lot of time? Easy Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Sheet Pan is a tasty choice for busy parents! 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven is all it takes. Since everything is contained to a couple of dishes, clean-up is quick too!
Get the recipe for Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Sheet Pan here!
Sausage and Potato Sheet Pan
Everyone adjusts to new schedules as the new school year begins. But while the easy solution for dinner in the middle of these busy schedules might be to just order a pizza, there’s a better option! Nutritious and inexpensive produce like potatoes can give you and your family the energy to get through the day. Sausage and potatoes are a classic combo for a reason!
Get the recipe for Sausage and Potato Sheet Pan here!
Berry Pinwheels
Here’s a fresh and fruity take on sushi that will please even your seafood-averse kids! These Berry Pinwheels make cheap, easy snacks or packable meals that you and your family will love. Each of these four pinwheels features different berry and spread combinations.
Get the recipe for Berry Pinwheels here!
Mango on a Stick
This recipe is cheap and simple, but there’s more to it than simply skewering a mango! This classic Mexican street food is also called a Mango Flower. With careful slicing you can turn a skewered mango into a unique, eye-catching snack that’s fun and easy to eat.
Get the recipe for Mango on a Stick here!
Pineapple Whip
The coolest of our budget-friendly recipes! Your kids will love this creamy freeze with breakfast, during school, or as an afternoon snack. Best of all, it’s easy to whip up and serve. It requires just three ingredients, which you might already have in the kitchen.
Get the recipe for Pineapple Whip here!
What budget-friendly recipes are you eating?
As school gets back in session, give your family a lesson in cheap, nutritious eating with fruits and vegetables! Which of these recipes was a hit with your family? Do you have any favorite budget-friendly recipes that use fresh produce? Tell us in the comments, and don’t forget to check out the Produce for Better Health Foundation when you #HaveAPlant!
