Tips

6 Budget-Friendly Meals to Feed a Family of Four

Introducing a delicious and affordable way to feed your family: 6 hearty meals, each serving 4 people, all for under 100k! Imagine no longer having to worry about what to cook that's both nutritious and budget-friendly. With our carefully crafted menu suggestions, you can treat your family to tasty and wholesome meals without breaking the bank. From hearty stews to flavorful rice dishes, we've got you covered. So why wait? Let us inspire you with our mouth-watering and economical meal ideas!

Administrator

28 July, 2024

Finding affordable and nutritious meals every day can be a challenge, but don’t worry! Follow these suggestions for six delicious and economical meals that will never disappoint.

1. Basa Fish Braised in Pepper, Squash Soup with Minced Meat, and Eggplant with Scallion Oil

Basa Fish Braised in Pepper

This dish has a beautiful golden-brown color and a thick, savory sauce. The basa fish is soft but not flaky, with a slight fattiness that blends perfectly with the spicy and pungent flavors of the pepper and scallion oil.

Basa fish is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and is low in saturated fat, making it a heart-healthy choice.

Squash Soup with Minced Meat

This soup is best enjoyed hot, as the sweet and delicate aroma of the squash is at its most potent. The squash remains tender without disintegrating, and its natural sweetness blends beautifully with the minced meat to create a delicious and refreshing soup.

Squash is known for its ability to stabilize blood pressure, aid digestion, reduce kidney stones, slow aging, and promote weight loss.

Eggplant with Scallion Oil

This simple and humble dish has a unique and delightful flavor. The grilled eggplant has a natural sweetness, and its soft flesh pairs perfectly with the fragrant scallion oil, making it a delicious and rice-inducing dish.

2. Duck Braised in Ginger, Ngót Vegetable Soup with Minced Meat, and Quẹt Stew with Shrimp and Pork

Duck Braised in Ginger

A familiar dish in many households, duck braised in ginger is a tasty treat that never gets old. The final product is incredibly aromatic, with tender duck meat that is naturally sweet and infused with the warm and spicy flavors of fresh ginger slices. It’s a comforting and rice-inducing dish.

Ngót Vegetable Soup with Minced Meat

This soup is an excellent choice for a hot summer day, as it is refreshing and nutritious. The broth is sweet and delicate, and the ngót vegetable retains its vibrant green color, creating a visually appealing dish. The minced meat is soft and naturally sweet, making this soup a delicious and healthy option.

Quẹt Stew with Shrimp and Pork

This stew has a gorgeous golden-brown color and a thick, savory sauce. It combines the salty taste of shrimp with the sweetness of pork and the creamy richness of coconut milk. The addition of spicy chili and pungent pepper further enhances the flavor of this mouthwatering dish.

Be sure to serve this stew with plenty of steamed rice and steamed vegetables on the side!

3. Pink Perch with Glass Noodles, Chayote Stir-fried with Eggs

Pink Perch with Glass Noodles

This dish is a feast for the senses, with the aroma of fish, chili, and lemongrass stimulating your appetite. The glass noodles are chewy and crunchy, and the pink perch, when cooked, has a translucent appearance and a perfect balance of tenderness and chewiness. It’s a unique and tasty dish.

Eating pink perch also boosts your immune system and helps treat conditions like hepatitis, jaundice, joint pain, and rheumatism.

Chayote Stir-fried with Eggs

For those busy days when you need a quick and easy meal, this chayote and egg stir-fry is the perfect solution. The soft and sweet chayote noodles pair beautifully with the fragrant and buttery eggs, making it a delightful accompaniment to hot rice.

4. Pork Kidney Stir-fried with Bean Sprouts and Chives, Bitter Gourd Stuffed with Minced Meat, and Cabbage Stir-fried with Mushrooms

Pork Kidney Stir-fried with Bean Sprouts and Chives

This dish is a sensory delight, with the aroma of garlic, pepper, and especially the fragrant bean sprouts enticing your taste buds. The kidneys are firm and juicy, with a rich and buttery flavor, and the addition of chives and bean sprouts makes the dish less greasy and more wholesome. The seasoning is perfectly balanced, and it goes exceptionally well with hot rice.

Eating pork kidneys can help prevent kidney stones, relieve back pain, and boost virility.

Bitter Gourd Stuffed with Minced Meat

This soup features a sweet and delicate broth, with the bitter gourd remaining soft and intact. The stuffed bitter gourd has a distinctive and appealing flavor, with the slight bitterness of the gourd complementing the savory minced meat.

Bitter gourd is a popular ingredient in many households due to its delicious taste, refreshing qualities, and health benefits, which include weight loss, improved eyesight, and healthier skin.

Cabbage Stir-fried with Mushrooms

This dish has a vibrant and appealing color, and the combination of crunchy and sweet cabbage with chewy mushrooms is delightful. The seasoning is well-balanced, creating a nutritious and wholesome dish.

Cabbage and mushrooms offer a range of health benefits, including cancer prevention, blood pressure regulation, and cardiovascular health. Incorporate this dish into your regular meals to boost your overall health!

5. Beef Stir-fried with Enoki Mushrooms, Chayote Stir-fried with Fermented Rice, and Tofu Stir-fried with Coriander

Beef Stir-fried with Enoki Mushrooms

This dish is not only easy to prepare but also packed with essential nutrients. The colorful and inviting appearance of the dish is a treat for the eyes. The tender and sweet beef, free from any toughness, is stir-fried with enoki mushrooms, resulting in a harmonious blend of flavors.

Chayote Stir-fried with Fermented Rice

If you’re tired of the usual ways of preparing chayote, such as boiling, steaming, or stir-frying with garlic, why not try something new with this chayote stir-fried with fermented rice? The dish features fragrant and enticing chayote, seasoned to perfection with a chewy and crunchy texture. The sourness of the fermented rice adds a unique twist to the dish, making it even more mouthwatering.

Tofu Stir-fried with Coriander

This dish is an excellent choice for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, as it is both wholesome and easy to prepare. The bright yellow tofu and fresh green coriander create a visually appealing dish. The tofu has a soft and chewy texture, and the spiciness of the chili blends beautifully with the coriander, making it a perfect companion to steamed rice.

6. Hoven’s Carp Fried with Lemongrass, Cabbage Soup with Eggs, and Boiled Water Spinach

Hoven’s Carp Fried with Lemongrass

This dish has a golden-yellow color and a tempting aroma. The carp has a perfect balance of crispness and tenderness, and the flavor of the lemongrass, combined with a hint of chili, makes it even more irresistible. It’s best enjoyed with hot rice.

Cabbage Soup with Eggs

This simple and economical dish is also rich in nutrients. The vibrant green color of the cabbage is visually appealing, and the sweet and delicate broth, combined with the crunchy texture of the cabbage and the soft and buttery eggs, makes for a unique and tasty soup.

Boiled Water Spinach

Boiled water spinach is an inexpensive and wholesome dish. The bright green spinach retains its color and has a crunchy texture. Dip it in fish sauce with chopped garlic, and you have a perfect side dish.

Eating water spinach has numerous health benefits, including improved eyesight, anti-aging effects, reduced cholesterol, and better digestion. Make sure to include it in your diet regularly!

These are six delicious and economical meals, each costing less than 100k and feeding four people generously. We hope these suggestions will help you expand your family’s menu and bring joy to your dining table!

Frequently asked questions

Here are some great options: pasta e fagioli, chicken and rice soup, vegetarian chili, breakfast for dinner, chicken thighs with green beans and potatoes, and black bean tacos.

To make this dish more budget-friendly, use dried beans instead of canned ones. Soak them overnight and cook them in a slow cooker or Instant Pot before adding to the pasta.

Chicken and rice soup is a great option. It’s a one-pot meal that’s hearty and filling. You can also make it in large batches and freeze it for later.

Yes, vegetarian chili is a great option that’s both affordable and nutritious. It’s also easy to make in large batches and can be customized with your favorite beans, vegetables, and spices.

Absolutely! Breakfast for dinner can be very affordable. Try making oatmeal with fruit, eggs and toast, or a vegetable frittata.

Chicken thighs with green beans and potatoes is a great option. It’s a one-pan meal that’s hearty and flavorful. You can also substitute the green beans with other seasonal vegetables.

To make tacos more budget-friendly, use canned black beans instead of meat. You can also make your own taco seasoning to save money and control the amount of sodium.