16 Budget-Friendly Dinners to Help You Lose Weight

January 31, 2021

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Get a healthy and affordable meal on the table with these dinner recipes. These low-calorie, high-fiber dinners use inexpensive pantry staples like pasta and beans to help lower your grocery bill while still making delicious meals. Try our budget-friendly recipes like Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie or Cornbread-Topped Chili Casserole, which are flavorful and can help you meet your nutrition goals.

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Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils

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This earthy bowl of lentils bursting with Middle Eastern flavors is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.

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Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

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Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long.

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Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

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Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you're serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce.

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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pies

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These mini vegetarian shepherd's pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mashed potato topping. The recipe can also be made in a broiler-safe casserole dish. Serve with a spinach salad with oranges, walnuts and red-wine vinaigrette.

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Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew

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This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.

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Cornbread-Topped Chili Casserole

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In this healthy casserole recipe--sometimes called tamale pie--the cornbread gets crusty at the edges, thanks to a cast-iron skillet. For the best texture, use yellow cornmeal with a medium grind. Serve with lime wedges for a little extra tang.

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Vegetable Weight-Loss Soup

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A big bowl of this veggie-packed minestrone will leave you satisfied for hours without consuming a lot of calories--plus it's an easy way to boost your vegetable servings for the day. Top with a dollop of pesto before devouring this delicious skinny vegetable soup.

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Sausage & Peppers Baked Ziti

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This healthy baked ziti recipe doesn't require any chopping and is made on the stovetop, so it is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Using whole-wheat pasta adds fiber; opt for penne if whole-wheat ziti is hard to find.

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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

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This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.

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Baked Penne Florentine

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This comforting and flavorful vegetarian dish is packed with protein.

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Firehouse Frito Pie

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Classic Frito pie is a pile of Fritos topped with beefy chili and runny cheese often made straight in the chip bag! Our refined and lightened version is fresh-tasting and delicious. A whole 1/2 cup of chili powder gives it plenty of punch, but be sure to use mild chili powder. If you have spicier chili powder, start with 1 to 2 tablespoons and taste as you go. Top with tomato, lettuce and just a little cheese (hold the Whiz, please).

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Sweet Potato, Corn & Black Bean Hash

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Quick and easy hashes are fabulous one-pot meals for those nights when getting dinner on the table fast is a priority.

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Tomato & Artichoke Gnocchi

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Artichoke hearts, olives and a splash of red-wine vinegar give this ultra-quick, healthy vegetarian gnocchi recipe pizzazz. For an additional hit of Mediterranean flavor, try topping with feta cheese.

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Black Bean Tacos

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Mixing mashed canned beans with whole beans and seasonings makes an incredibly simple taco filling from your pantry. Top these speedy 5-ingredient tacos with lettuce, tomato and salsa or any of your favorite taco toppings.

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Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs

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The meatballs and sauce are cooked in the slow cooker for this traditional Italian spaghetti and meatballs recipe. You could also serve the meatballs over creamy polenta or on a sandwich with melted provolone.

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Vegetarian Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes

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This vegetarian Sloppy Joe recipe uses pinto beans and a heap of veggies tossed in a sweet, tangy sauce for the filling of a tad messy kid-friendly sandwich you can make in your slow cooker.

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