Cooking dinner can get expensive quickly, so I created a “Splurge or Save” menu that lets you create the perfect meal without the stress of budgeting. Each category has a high version and a low version and both taste amazing.
You can easily mix and match recipes based on your budget, your audience, and how much time you want to spend in the kitchen (or on your grocery bill)!
Build a menu on a budget (or not!)
This post is meant to be made your menus come together without the stress or price shock. Everything is organized by course so you can see exactly where you want to spend and where you want to save.
Start with your main course, add a couple of sides, then choose an appetizer and dessert. You’ll find recipes that taste amazing without blowing your grocery budget. Or, if it’s a special occasion, which recipes are worth spending a fortune on! It’s the easiest way to plan a dinner that feels special and still makes sense in real life.
Tips for using this menu
- Mix and match:Combine the high and low options to create your perfect dinner.
- Spend smart:Splurge on the main course and save on the sides when you want a special centerpiece without hitting a big grocery bill.
- Keep it simple:Stick to the easy side dishes and only splurge on dessert if you want a quick win.
If you spend too much on meat, don’t waste it
If you’re going to splurge on a large cut of meat like a prime rib, please don’t ruin it by guessing the temperature. There’s nothing worse than spending all that money and ending up with something overcooked. A good thermometer is the difference between “wow, that’s amazing” and “well… that was a costly mistake.”
I’ve tested all the best meat thermometers out there and you know what surprised me? The winner was the super affordable one. It was literally the lowest priced option of the entire lineup I tried and it beat every fancy thermometer I tried. So yes, you can splurge on the flesh and save on the tool that protects it. Total victory.
Main course
Let’s start with the star of the show. Choose fantasy if you’re feeling crazy or keep things simple if today isn’t the right day.
Higher price
Dinner
Incredibly delicious prime rib recipe
1 hour and 5 minutes
Dinner
Best lobster tail recipe ever!
20 minutes
Dinner
Marry me Salmon
30 minutes
Dinner
Slow cooked Burgundian beef
9 hours and 20 minutes
Dinner
Baked stuffed pork chops
35 minutes
Economic
Dinner
3 packets of roast
8 hours and 5 minutes
Dinner
The best Swedish meatballs
30 minutes
Dinner
Crockpot Olive Chicken with Pasta
6 hours and 20 minutes
Dinner
Air Fryer Ham
50 minutes
Dinner
Simple Spaghetti Margherita
35 minutes
Side dishes
Choose your sides as if you were building the dish of your dreams. Vegetables, potatoes, all the good things. High or low, they all belong here.
Higher price
Salads
Appetizer Salad Recipe
20 minutes
Side dishes
Roasted Asparagus Garlic Parmesan Lemon
13 minutes
Salads
The best winter fruit salad
15 minutes
Salads
BLT Avocado Pasta Salad
15 minutes
Economic
Salads
Imitated garden olive salad
15 minutes
Side dishes
The BEST air fryer “roasted” potatoes
25 minutes
Side dishes
Glazed Carrots With Brown Sugar
40 minutes
Side dishes
5 ingredient corn casserole
50 minutes
Appetizers
Something to snack on while dinner finishes. Some are imaginative. Some are fast. All are delicious.
Higher price
Easy
How to make a charcuterie board
20 minutes
Dinner
THE BEST grilled shrimp
1 hour and 20 minutes
Easy
Mushrooms Stuffed With Sausage
20 minutes
Appetizers
Bites of brie with walnuts and cranberries
20 minutes
Economic
Appetizers
Bacon Crackers
25 minutes
Appetizers
Kielbasa Bites
22 minutes
Appetizers
Spicy artichoke and spinach sauce
25 minutes
Appetizers
Easy meatballs with grape jelly
2 hours and 5 minutes
Dessert
You know you want to end the meal with something sweet. Go classic and elegant or go for the simple treat that everyone always loves.
Higher price
Dessert
Best New York cheesecake ever!
8 hours and 40 minutes
Dessert
Easy Tiramisu Recipe
45 minutes
Recipe skill levels
Macarons
1 day 1 hour 48 minutes
Recipe skill levels
Crack cake
6 hours and 8 minutes
Economic
Dessert
Lemon might
3 hours and 15 minutes
Dessert
Extravagant cake
50 minutes
Dessert
Easy creme brulee
40 minutes
Dessert
Cherry Pie Bars
55 minutes
Store-bought shortcuts that work every time
Sometimes the smartest dinner move is to grab a few pre-made things. These store-bought items taste great, save time, and blend perfectly with a homemade meal.
- Festive drinks:Easy, fun and no cleanup.
- Frozen sandwiches or baked sandwiches: As soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter and a little salt. They taste fresh and smooth every time.
- Salad kit in a bag:A crunchy salad balances out a heavier meal. Pick a simple kit and toss it into a nice serving bowl.
- Dessert trick: Take a store-bought cake, add a little whipped cream, and it will immediately taste better.
More recipes to complete your menu
If you want to add even more to your menu, here are some tried-and-true favorites you’ll love all year long.
Side dishes
Super Easy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
5 hours and 15 minutes
Salads
Apple and broccoli salad
20 minutes
Recipe skill levels
1 hour rolls
1 hour and 3 minutes
Side dishes
Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts Parmesan
15 minutes
