A Month of Family Friendly Instant Pot Meals with a Budget
It is safe to say that the Instant Pot has come to the rescue in making super easy dinners that are fast and extra tasty! For busy moms who are always on the go, they now have one kitchen appliance that swoops in to save the day. From getting home after a busy day, shuttling your kids back and forth between school and activities, it leaves you minimal time to put a wholesome and nutritious meal on the table. I have created A Month of Family Friendly Instant Pot Meals with a Budget with Free Printables, Recipe, and Shopping Lists. If you still have not purchased an Instant Pot or electric Pressure Cooker I highly recommend getting one to help save money and cut down cooking times.
A Month of Family Friendly Instant Pot Meals with a Budget
If you own an Instant Pot you might run into the question of what to make? I love to plan my meals ahead so when I head to the grocery store I can easily pick up things I need for each meal. Now, I am a person who forgets, so a list comes in extra handy! I like to make my meals around items that are on sale at our local stores. It allows me to save as much money as possible for the meals I am preparing. If chicken is on sale for the week, I buy extra so I can freeze some and then use for a few instant pot dishes like the Instant Pot chicken fajitas, Instant Pot chicken, and dumplings, for starters.
A Month of Budget-Friendly Instant Pot Meals. All Recipes on this list are under $10.00 and will feed a family of 4.
Print the Month of Instant Pot Meals. Print the Free Grocery Shopping List and Weekly Meal Planner Also.
A Month of Family Friendly Instant Pot Meals with a Budget
I have created A Month of Family Friendly Instant Pot Meals with a Budget with Free Printables, Recipe, and Shopping Lists. If you still have not purchased an Instant Pot or electric Pressure Cooker I highly recommend getting one to help save money and cut down cooking times.
Instant Pot Chicken PotPie Casserole
is Instant Pot chicken pot pie casserole that gives you the same flavor as a traditional pot pie, but without all the work, and less time cooking it.
Better than Take Out Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken
Better than Take-out Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken Is the perfect hint of spicy and sweet and the chicken is so tender it melts in your mouth.
Instant Pot Cubed Steak and Gravy
There is no greater comfort food than this Instant Pot Cubed steak and gravy. It falls apart tender, extra juicy, and the gravy is something to swoon over.
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot buffalo chicken pasta. It is ready to be served in under 30 minutes, and let me tell you the flavor factor is spot on! I
Instant Pot Goulash 4 Minute Meal
Tonight I wanted to share with you Instant Pot Goulash 4 Minute Meal. This dish is great you can add any veggies you like. I used zucchini and mushrooms tonight but I have used peppers and mushrooms before.
Instant Pot Homemade Lasagna Hamburger Helper
Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper! This is a one-pot no-fuss dish that gives you that rich and savory meat sauce, tender pasta, and of course we can’t skip the cheese.
Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper
Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe. In just 4 minutes you can ring that dinner bell and watch your family come running. Ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and loads of cheese to claim this as a total comfort dish.
Instant Pot Cheesy Tuna Helper
Yummly
I am always looking to save a little money on dinner. Instant Pot Cheesy Tuna Helper is the perfect solution. Cheesy & Creamy The perfect quick weeknight meal. Why waste your money on boxed tuna helper when you can make it yourself in 4 minutes.
Instant Pot Pasta Carbonara
Instant Pot Pasta Carbonara recipe. Tender pasta, bacon, in a creamy carbonara cream sauce that will knock your socks off.
Dr. Pepper Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork is tender and juicy and a hint of spicy perfect on bread or served over rice or even on a pizza.
One Pot Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Yummly
This meatloaf recipe is not your grandma’s recipe! This meatloaf has been upgraded to the max with a cheeseburger take and it is stuffed with creamy mashed potatoes!
Instant Pot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Olive Garden Chicken Pasta is a complete meal in one. You can pair it with a crisp salad, or breadsticks or eat it as is.
Instant Pot Taco Pasta
Instant Pot Taco Pasta is a creamy dish bursting with flavor as it combines ground beef, onion, tomatoes, taco seasoning, cheese, salsa, and pasta to create an easy weeknight dish that is ready in minutes!
Instant Pot Supreme Pizza Pasta
This Instant Pot Supreme Pizza Pasta, dish is what carb lovers dreams are made of. A simple one-pot dish that gives you the tender pasta in each bite paired with all the delicious toppings you would find on top of a supreme pizza, and lots of ooey-gooey cheese.
Instant Pot Popeye's Copy Cat Red Beans and Rice
Instant Pot Popeye’s Copy Cat Red Beans and Rice is bursting with flavor! Creamy, flavorful, and the right amount of Cajun spice to kick it up a notch.
Instant Pot Cracked up Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole
The reason it is called this is that it is super addictive, and I guarantee for any chicken lover out there, one bite will have you addicted.
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Yummly
In just ten short minutes you can create this Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe that will blow your mind.
Instant Pot Better than Take-Out Beef & Broccoli
Yummly
Instant Pot Better than Take-Out Beef and Broccoli truly is better than take-out! You have thinly sliced beef that is so tender and juicy, that soaks up the gravy marinade, that is a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, beef broth, garlic and more.
Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
Instant Pot cheesy taco pasta is a stellar dish that combines my love for pasta and Mexican all in one. You get al dente pasta, ground beef, taco seasonings, black beans and lots of cheese
The Ultimate Instant Pot Pot Roast
This truly is the ultimate Instant Pot pot roast recipe ever! Pot roasts used to be something I only cooked on the weekends because it took way to much time to cook in the oven during the week.
Instant Pot Lazy Ravioli Lasagna
Instant Pot Lazy Ravioli Lasagna is crazy simple to make and loaded with your favorite lasagna flavor. Skip all the prep and try my lazy lasagna ravioli recipe.
5 Tips for Saving Money When You Shop
Shop Sales and use a Shopping List or Meal Planner
Shopping the sales is a great tool. Look for produce that is on sale, and pair with the meats that are on sale as well. When you go this route, it really opens you up for maximum savings. Instead of paying $10 for the ingredients, you might pay $5 or less. This is a great way to maximize your meals without going over budget. Plus if the meat is on a good sale like a buy one get one free, stock up if you can. This will help cut down the cost of future meals.
Get your Free Printable Meal Planner and Shopping List Here.
Consider Buying Frozen
Look at fruits and vegetables; frozen can sometimes be just as good if not better than fresh when you are cooking them in a dish. When I make cheesy tuna casserole and shepherd’s pie, I use frozen vegetables for both. It helps cut down the savings tremendously compared to buying fresh produce. It doesn’t change the dish’s flavor, and everyone loves the meals.
Shop Your Pantry
One other big-time is shopping your pantry and cupboards before heading out. Look and see if you have that cream soup you need for a recipe coming up or if you have the spices on hand. This is a great way to use what you have before it expires and saves money on your overall meals. I can’t tell you how many times I have come home with diced tomatoes or beans and opened my pantry to find I already had 3 cans each. Take a quick look through once you plan your meals and see what ingredients you already have that you can mark off your shopping list.
Digital and Clipping Coupons
We all know coupons can help a lot, but also don’t forget about digital coupons. Some stores now have digital coupons you can access when you sync up your rewards card or even download their app. Kroger is a store that really has a huge amount of coupons available that you load directly on the app and it syncs, so when you go to pay and use your rewards card, the savings instantly comes off.
Cash Back Apps
Make sure you also use apps like Ibotta or Checkout51, both of these will give you cash back on select items you purchase. I personally like Ibotta, Just scan the UPC codes and then take a picture of your receipt, and you have a quick and easy way to earn money back from shopping. You can cash out via PayPal or even choose gift cards.
All of these meals are tasty and easy to whip up. You will feel like there are no excuses needed for taking a few minutes out of your day to prep or toss in ingredients or wholesome meals for you and your family. Dinner hasn’t been this easy in a long time, and you have a ton of recipes to pick and choose from! Or if you are like me, you will want to make them all!
Thank you!! What an awesome list. I love the printable! I have no excuses now! Thank you. 🙂
Thank you for the add. My problem with my new Instapot is that I am intimidated by it. I really want to make some of the recipes but had a bad time with pressure cookers, I was taught to fear them! Can anyone give me some words of confidence so that I can begin cooking?
I felt the same way! So, I decided to make something simple first, like brown rice, then mashed potatoes, a chicken breast ( I took out too soon) then I tried mac and cheese. Tonight I’m going to try a complete dinner.
@Paet, I was the same way. Decided to go big or go home by starting with a roast chicken. I won’t lie, I ducked behind the counter when the pressure release started it’s thing. And I looked at my husband as I expressed skepticism that the chicken was really cooked. (Then the chicken wing fell off the chicken because it was tender and fully cooked—I felt sort of silly). I’m not as nervous now…it gets easier the more you use it. I’m following the 30 days menu to desensitize myself. By then, I’ll be a pro at it!
Thank you so much for these recipes.
These recipes sound great. I can’t wait to try them! Thank you!
Just made the black bean chili for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit with my kids! The portion sizes were perfect and it was so easy to make. Thank you for sharing this recipe and breaking down the cost breakdown – it really helps me plan my meals around our budget. Can’t wait to try more of these recipes!