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Feeding Teenagers Without Breaking Your Budget (100+ Ideas!)

Feeding Teenagers Without Breaking Your Budget (100+ Ideas!)

Trying to feed teenagers at home without breaking your budget? It can be tough, but this list of 100 ideas will come to your rescue!

Are ravenous appetites threatening to derail your grocery budget? If so, we put together a long list of quick, easy, healthy, AND frugal foods we know your teens will enjoy.

A big thanks to all the input from our Facebook community — so many great suggestions and ideas that helped us compile this list!

Frugal Meal Ideas for Hungry Teens

Are you feeding a large crowd (or just your own teens)? Here are a bunch of easy, delicious, and frugal meal ideas!

Soups and Stews

Add some extra veggies and broth to stretch your meat even further, and be sure to include bread or rolls as another good filler!

Chili and Cornbread
Taco soup with all the toppings and tortilla chips
Cheese Broccoli soup or Cheesy Potato Soup
Black Bean Soup
Dave Ramsey Soup
Hamburger Soup

Sandwiches

Bread and buns freeze wonderfully, so stock up when it’s on sale and always keep a loaf (or 7) on hand for sandwiches.

Grilled Cheese
Sloppy Joes
Chili Cheese Dogs
Hot Dogs
Ham and Cheese Pockets
Smashburgers
Homemade Pepperoni Rolls
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches

Pizzas

Hungry teens will eat anything pizza-ish at any time of the day!

Little Caesar’s Pizza
English Muffin Pizzas
Homemade Pizza
French Bread Pizza
Homemade Pizza Pockets

Pasta

Pasta is an excellent way to fill up hungry teens without breaking your grocery budget — especially if you go meatless with the sauce and add some salad and garlic bread.

Chicken Alfredo
Spaghetti Pie
Spaghetti Pizza
Lasagna
Buttered Noodles
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Mac and Cheese

Breakfast

Breakfast is another winner when it comes to frugal meals all kids seem to love, and it’s so budget-friendly!

Pancakes
Breakfast Tacos
Breakfast Pockets
Biscuits & Gravy
Omelets
Homemade Pigs in a Blanket
Lil’ Smokies in the crockpot
Eggs and Toast
Breakfast Casserole

Mexican

Use beans, rice, and corn to stretch all your Mexican favorites and make these frugal meals even more filling and affordable.

Beans & rice
Taco Bar
Sheet Pan Nachos
Rice Bowls
Cheese Quesadillas
Bean Burritos
Walking Tacos
Pork Carnitas with rice, salsa verde and avocado
Southwest Roll-Ups
Haystacks

Other

Loaded Tater Tots
Baked Potato Bar
Chicken Drumsticks
Stirfry and Rice
Casseroles

Frugal Snack Ideas for Hungry Teens

If you’re the after-school or after-game hangout place, you’ll want to stock up on lots of these easy, frugal snack ideas. (And homemade is always more budget friendly!)

Produce Snack Ideas

These healthier options are great for before or after sporting events, after school, or whenever you’re craving a snack but don’t necessarily want “junk food”.

Fruit & Veggies with homemade dip
Apples & Peanut Butter
Carrots with Homemade Hummus
Bananas with Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chips
Fruit with Whipped Cream
Homemade Fries or Sweet Potato Fries
Apple Nachos
Peanut Butter Banana Rollups
Celery with Peanut Butter or Cream Cheese
Air-Fried Sliced or Cubed Sweet Potatoes
Yogurt with Fruit and/or Granola
Dill Pickles (buy the gallon jar!)
Smoothies
Frozen Grapes
Watermelon (when it’s in season)

Salty Snack Ideas

These easy on-the-go snacks will fill them up for less than other options. Save even more by purchasing bulk family-size bags and portioning them out in your own zip-top bags.