12 best budget-friendly recipes

Did you know food is often the highest living expense after paying rent or a mortgage? Every families’ food bill varies, but one thing is the same from house to house: Kiwis are a hard-working bunch, and we want to know our hard-earned dollars are being put towards good quality kai for our whanau.

When it comes to eating on a budget we know people sometimes associate that with boring meal choices such as cooking an extra-large batch of something on Sunday and eating the same thing, slightly varied all week. Surely it could be more appealing than that? Well you know what? It is. Here's a look at some of our favourite budget-friendly recipes.

A flatbread topped with spiced meat, mixed salad, pickled red onions, white sauce, and pine nuts on a white plate.

Spiced lamb flatbreads

Protein packed, these flatbreads are a quick and nutritious dinner that's fast to get on the table. You can make the flatbread from scratch or buy them premade for ease.

Red skillet of mince and black beans with parsley on a wooden board.

Easy mexi mince

Versatile, quick and delicious, mince is a Kiwi favourite. Easy to whip up for a variety of different meals, this is a recipe to always keep on hand that the whole family will love.

A bowl of udon noodles with lamb, broccoli, carrots, and peas, with a fork.

Family lamb stir-fry

With all the goodness of iron, carbohydrates, and minerals perfect for muscle recovery, this dish is perfect to serve up post-exercise. Quick, easy, delicious. Suitable for toddlers.

A grilled reuben sandwich, cut in half and stacked, showing corned beef, melted cheese, and pickles on a wooden board.

Corned beef reuben

What could be better than tender meat, melted cheese and tangy pickles in between good quality bread.

A person holds a large white bowl of mince, colourful chopped tomatoes, and fresh herbs.

Turkish lamb pasta

This relies on pantry spices and a tub of Greek yoghurt with garlic for the big flavour. Use whatever pasta you have on hand - penne works well as does twists.

Baked meat and potato casserole with melted cheese in a blue dish.

Cottage pie

This cottage pie recipe is made with Kiwi families in mind. Quick and easy to prepare, and delicious - it’s guaranteed to please! It's a great option for Kiwi families who looking to lower their food bills.

A pan of baked lasagna with a golden-brown cheesy top, garnished with herbs, and a few slices missing.

Extra easy lasagne

This rich and comforting lasagne recipe makes enough for six people and only uses six ingredients! It's great for batch cooking weekend as it freezes well. To make this even more affordable, think about doing a 50/50 blended mince and veg mixture with ingredients like lentils.