Top 7+ cheap potato dinners for every night of the week
Bulk up your meals with inexpensive spuds.
Prices for household staples are going up across the board. If you're looking to keep your grocery budget similar to what it was even a year ago, here's one way to do it—bulk your meals out with potatoes. While they also have risen in price, the vegetable still offers shoppers some of the best value for fresh produce. Five pound bags of potatoes can range from $2-$5 at most major retailers, including Walmart and Kroger.
Potatoes can stretch things like meat and dairy, which can utilize a big chunk of your grocery budget. Plus, they're so, so delicious! Here are seven potato-based recipes—one for every day of the week—to help keep rising costs at bay just a little longer.
01 of 07
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
This easy-cheesy potato dish is a whole meal in one, thanks to the addition of peas and ham. This is a perfect way to use up leftover Easter ham—so make sure to save this recipe and keep it handy for after the holidays!
"Amazing!!" raves Allrecipes user LL Kohls. "Best potatoes I’ve ever had!!"
02 of 07
Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup
This hearty potato soup has nearly 2,500 five-star reviews—so there's a good chance you're going to enjoy it. If you're looking to further cut costs, consider using milk instead of heavy cream and the seasonings you already have on hand. Add your favorite loaded potato toppings and dig in.
"This is the best potato soup I have ever made," raves one reviewer.
03 of 07
Shepherd's Pie
This hearty casserole serves six and is made with plenty of common household ingredients you likely have on hand. Swapping a bouillon cube for broth and using ground turkey instead of ground beef or lamb will further stretch your dollar.
"My go-to eazy peazy scrumptious dinner," shares Allrecipes members Michael and Sheryl. "My family loves it! Turns out perfect EVERY time. I highly recommend and would not change one thing about this recipe! It's a WINNER just as written!!"
04 of 07
Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Bake
Allrecipes recipe developer Julianna Hale created this tasty weeknight bake. A classic combo—bacon, chicken, and ranch— gets bulked up thanks to the addition of 2.5 pounds of potatoes. This is sure to be a future family favorite.
05 of 07
Southern Breakfast Potatoes
Sometimes the cheapest dinners are also the best—especially when it means breakfast for dinner. Top with a fried egg and maybe some sausage or bacon and you have a perfect dinner (or breakfast) any day of the week.
"Absolutely delicious," raves one reviewer. "I loved the heat of the cayenne pepper and the crispy crust on the potatoes. I didn't measure anything except the cayenne pepper, and it turned out so yummy. This is a recipe that I will make over and over again. Thank you for sharing your recipe."
06 of 07
Grandma Flo's Shipwreck
"This shipwreck recipe was given to my husband by a friend at work who brought it for lunch often," says Allrecipes member Sue. "You can't go wrong with meat and potatoes, and this recipe combines them in one dish. I usually double it for my family; my husband works in a giant tire factory and has an appetite to match. The smell of the delicious potatoes makes it hard to wait for the meal to finish baking."
07 of 07
Cheesy Ground Beef and Potatoes
"This ground beef and potatoes recipe is best described as comfort food," says Allrecipes Allstar Yoly Gutierrez. "With layers of thinly sliced buttery potatoes and cheesy ground beef, you will keep coming back for more!" Potatoes and canned soup keeps this recipe budget friendly, though switching to ground turkey helps stretch that dollar even further.
More Inspiration
- 13 Potato Hacks You Need to Know
- 20 Potato Recipes That Prove You Can Never Have Too Many Spuds
- Chef John's 21 Best Potato Side Dishes
