25+ “Cheater” Dinner Ideas for Lazy Nights (That Cost Less Than $10!)
Yep, we’re gonna talk about cheap EASY meals for the family that are SO simple, they’ll feel like “cheating” (but they’re GOOD and you’ll still FEEL good about serving them)!
I’ve got a big list of over 25 lazy meals you can make tonight – or to meal plan for the whole month!
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Let’s be real for a second—some nights, even the drive-thru line feels too long.
We’ve all been there. You’re exhausted, the kids are “starving” (even though they just had a snack) and your energy level is at absolute zero. But then you remember the grocery budget… and eating out just isn’t happening.
I needed dinners that were faster than delivery, cheaper than a Happy Meal, and required almost zero brain power.
Enter: The “Cheater” Meal.
These aren’t gourmet, y’all – but the ARE the “I love my family but I am not cooking tonight” meals. They use shortcut ingredients to do 90% of the work for you. And the best part? Every single one of these can be made for under $10.
Here are my favorite 25+ lazy, cheap, and surprisingly yummy dinners that my picky eaters actually clear their plates for!
The Golden Rule of Lazy Cooking
Before we get to the meal ideas, here is my #1 tip for lazy nights: Use as much “pre-ready” ingredients as possible. Seriously.
Recipe calls for onions or veggies – have frozen on hand. Recipe calls for meatballs – use frozen pre-cooked meatballs. Heck, if the casserole calls for chicken – use CANNED pre-cooked chicken!
I have LOTS of canned chicken cassrole recipes here.
“Dump & Go” Slow Cooker Wins
These are for those mornings when you know 5:00 PM is going to be chaos. Dump it in, turn it on, and walk away.
1. 3-Ingredient Meatball Subs
- The Cheat: Frozen meatballs.
- How: Dump a bag of frozen meatballs and a jar of marinara sauce into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Serve: Spoon onto cheap hoagie rolls, slap a slice of mozzarella on top, and broil for 2 minutes.
- Lazy Factor: 10/10. No rolling meat!
2. “Crack” Chicken Sandwiches
- The Cheat: Ranch seasoning packet.
- How: 2 chicken breasts + 1 block of cream cheese + 1 packet of Ranch seasoning. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred it right in the pot.
- Serve: On hamburger buns. It’s creamy, cheesy, and addictive.
- Budget Tip: Buy the store brand of the cream cheese…that Great Value cream cheese is JUST as good as the expensive brand!
3. Salsa Chicken Tacos
- The Cheat: Jarred salsa doing all the flavoring.
- How: Chicken breasts + 1 jar of your favorite salsa + 1 packet taco seasoning.
- Kid Hack: Use the leftovers for quesadillas the next day (cook once, eat twice!).
4. Salisbury Steak Meatballs
- The Cheat: Brown gravy mix.
- How: Frozen meatballs + 2 jars of beef gravy (or 2 packets of mix with water).
- Serve: Over egg noodles or instant mashed potatoes. It tastes like a warm hug.
5. Crockpot Calico Beans
- The Cheat: Canned pork & beans.
- How: Ground beef (browned quickly) + can of kidney beans + can of butter beans + can of pork & beans + ketchup + brown sugar.
- Why it works: It’s hearty, sweet, and incredibly filling for pennies.
Sheet Pan “No-Scrub” Dinners
If you aren’t lining your pans with foil or parchment paper, you are working too hard! Line the pan = zero cleanup.
6. Sheet Pan Pancakes (Breakfast for Dinner!)
- The Cheat: Pancake mix.
- How: Don’t stand there flipping! Make your batter, pour it onto a greased, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle chocolate chips on one half and berries on the other. Bake at 400°F for 15 mins.
- Lazy Factor: You can feed the whole family at once.
7. Sausage & Pierogi Bake
- The Cheat: Frozen pierogies (no boiling needed!).
- How: Box of frozen pierogies + sliced kielbasa sausage + frozen broccoli florets. Toss it all in olive oil and seasoning salt. Bake at 400°F for 20 mins.
- Why it works: It fills you up for practically pennies and feels like “real” cooking.
8. Sheet Pan Nachos
- The Cheat: Leftover meat or canned beans.
- How: Spread a bag of tortilla chips. Top with a can of black beans (drained), shredded cheese, and whatever leftover taco meat you have hiding in the fridge. Bake until melty.
- Serve: With the whole pan in the middle of the table!
9. BBQ Drumsticks & Potatoes
- The Cheat: Drumsticks are usually the cheapest meat at the store!
- How: Toss drumsticks in BBQ sauce. Toss potato wedges in oil. Put them on the same pan. Bake. Done.
10. Sheet Pan Chicken Stir Fry
- The Cheat: Bag of frozen “Stir Fry” veggies.
- How: Diced chicken + frozen veggie bag. Toss with a bottle of Teriyaki sauce. Roast it!
- Serve: Over instant rice.
The “One Pot” Wonders
Less dishes = happier mom. These all happen in a single skillet.
11. Egg Roll in a Bowl
- The Cheat: Bag of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage).
- How: Brown some ground sausage (or pork). Dump in the bag of coleslaw mix. Add soy sauce, garlic powder, and ginger. Fry until soft (about 5 mins).
- Speed: Done in 10 minutes flat. Faster than takeout!
12. Homemade “Hamburger Helper”
- The Cheat: You probably have the ingredients right now.
- How: Brown ground beef. Add 1.5 cups macaroni, 2 cups beef broth, 1 small can tomato sauce, and seasonings. Simmer until pasta is cooked. Stir in cheddar cheese at the end.
- Mom Tip: Way less sodium than the box, but just as easy.
13. Tuna Mac & Peas
- The Cheat: Boxed Mac & Cheese.
- How: Make the box of mac & cheese as normal. Stir in a can of drained tuna and a cup of frozen peas.
- Nostalgia: This is total comfort food city!
14. Fried Cabbage & Sausage
- The Cheat: Cabbage is DIRT CHEAP.
- How: Slice a head of cabbage and an onion. Fry in butter with sliced smoked sausage. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Why it works: It stretches the meat so far!
15. Skillet Hot Dogs & Potatoes
- The Cheat: Hot dogs.
- How: Dice potatoes small (so they cook fast) and fry in oil. When soft, add sliced hot dogs and onions. Cook until crispy.
- Serve: With ketchup. Don’t judge it until you try it!
“Fancy” Toast & Bread Pizzas
When you can’t even look at a pot, turn to bread.
16. French Bread Pizzas
- The Cheat: $1 Loaf of French Bread from the bakery.
- How: Cut the loaf in half lengthwise. Slather with jarred pizza sauce and mozzarella. Bake at 375°F until bubbly.
- Budget: You can feed 4 people for about $4.
17. Garlic Bread Meatball Boats
- The Cheat: Frozen Garlic Toast slices.
- How: Thaw a few frozen meatballs and cut them in half. Place them on top of the frozen garlic toast. Top with a slice of provolone. Bake.
18. Sloppy Joe Sliders
- The Cheat: Hawaiian Rolls + Canned Manwich.
- How: Brown beef, add sauce. Slice the whole pack of rolls in half. Put the meat in the middle, top with cheese, put the “lids” of the buns back on. Brush with butter and bake until warm.
19. Open-Faced Tuna Melts
- The Cheat: Canned tuna.
- How: Mix tuna with mayo. Put on bread. Top with cheese. Broil.
20. Tortilla “Pizzadillas”
- The Cheat: Tortillas instead of dough.
- How: Tortilla + sauce + cheese + pepperoni + Tortilla. Fry it in a pan like a quesadilla. Dip in extra sauce.
The “I Literally Can’t Cook” Section
For the nights when boiling water feels like too much.
- 21. Rotisserie Chicken Salad: Buy the pre-cooked chicken. Shred it with kitchen shears. Mix with mayo and relish. Eat on crackers.
- 22. Ramen Noodle Stir Fry: Boil Ramen (ditch the packet). Drain. Toss with frozen peas and soy sauce/butter.
- 23. Scrambled Egg Tacos: Scrambled eggs + cheese + tortilla. Add salsa. Done.
- 24. “Girl Dinner” Platter: A plate of deli meat, cheese cubes, crackers, and baby carrots. Call it “Charcuterie” and the kids think they’re fancy.
- 25. Hot Dog Casserole: Cut up hot dogs mixed with a can of baked beans and topped with crushed potato chips. Bake until bubbly.
More Cheap Dinners
Kid-Approved Meals
With a little creativity and some tried-and-true recipes up your sleeve, you can have everyone at the table happily digging in without blowing your budget or spending hours in the kitchen.
For this comfort food, One Pot Pasta Hamburger Helper is made with a handful of ingredients from the fridge, and the rest of the ingredients are a handful of pantry staples.
If you want an easy and CHEAP comfort food meal in the slow cooker, this cheesy kielbasa meal is for you! You can also make it into an actual soup by adding more milk at the beginning if you prefer.
When you're trying to think of recipes to make that are quick, easy and somewhat nutritious, just think back to your lunch lady at your school cafeteria!
These pizza burgers are from my cheap easy ground beef dinners recipes page here - and they're so simple to make!
My kids love these - and they LOVE that they can "cook" these Taco Sticks by themselves too!
All you have to do is cook the taco meat and the kids can do the rest.
Tender bites of garlicky, butter chicken served over a bed of creamy parmesan pasta, what could possibly be better than that. Super kid friendly and hit with even the pickiest of eaters.
A simple, easy-to-make sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce tossed with pasta. It’s what to make on those nights when there’s just no time to cook.
If you're on a budget and need to keep costs down to a bare minimum, my list of $10 Dinners is a really helpful resource of fast frugal meals!
26 Fast and Frugal Family Dinners for Big Families On A Tight Budget – that’s right, we’re talking dirt cheap and easy “struggle” meals that are perfect for quick school night meals and busy weeknights when the picky eater family needs to be fed, but you’re short on time AND short on MONEY.
I make this a lot and sometimes I make it with sausage, sometimes with chicken depending on what we have.
Heck, on some nights when the money is extra tight (and the eaters are extra PICKY), I've used hot dogs!
Go figure, the kids love it (and so do we!)
Don't worry about the spice in this sweet and spicy chicken - it's subtle and kids love it.
Tacos are so cheap to make, but sometimes I don't have all the toppings on hand. That's where this super simple Layered Taco Bake comes to my rescue - so yummy and easy to make!
If you're doing your monthly meal planning and budget, these 31 cheap meals are all oh SO simple to make!
Be sure to check out the Mac 'n Cheese Casserole (it's a picky eater FAVORITE!)
No Oven? No Problem! These 10-minute enchiladas will have dinner on the table speedy quick!
This is one of the most popular recipes on my Cheap Dinner Recipes post – and it’s absolutely worth the praise!
This Creamy Taco Pasta Recipe is a super quick meal that you can make in one pot!
Pasta shells are smothered in cheesy taco sauce with ground beef and tomatoes.
I used to go through the drive-thru all the time to get these KFC Bowls until I learned that I could easily make them at home.
Only 5 ingredients and makes enough for the whole family! And honestly, they taste SO much better this way!
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner idea that you can make on the stovetop or bake as a casserole! You’ll love the cheesy, creamy pasta with seasoned bites of chicken and crispy bacon.
Need dinner in a hurry? Break out your sheet pan (cookie sheet? baking sheet? whatever you call it!)
These simple dump dinner have a complete meal baked all on one pan making it fast with an almost non-existent clean up!
These super easy Pepperoni Crescent Rolls take just minutes to prep and cook using prepared refrigerated crescent roll dough. They are super kid-friendly and approved. Customize by adding your favorite toppings.
3 ingredients and a pot, that's all it takes to make this simple comfort meal that is perfect for those yucky dreary cold days!
These 10-minute dinners are the perfect throw together meals to make for last minute suppers on the table fast! Best of all, they are cheap AND picky-eater approved!