Meal planning

Updated 20 February 2026

Cheap dinner ideas in Australia

15 dinner ideas under $4 per serve using Australian supermarket prices. Feed the family without ordering takeaway.

Why cheap dinners matter

Food is one of the biggest expenses for Australian households. For lower-income families and those managing tight budgets, the difference between a $3 dinner and a $15 takeaway meal can be $50+ per week. That's enough to cover a week's groceries for an entire family, or redirect toward rent, utilities, and essentials.

The good news: cheap doesn't mean boring. All the dinners below are ready in 20-30 minutes, use ingredients available at Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, or Harris Farm, and actually taste good. Costs are based on real 2026 supermarket prices.

Budget dinners under $1.50 per serve

1. Fried Rice (4 serves, total $4.50-5.50)

Fried rice is the fastest way to use leftover rice, and it stretches a small amount of protein across four dinners. Use cold cooked rice (day-old is best), two eggs, frozen peas and corn, soy sauce, and garlic. Heat oil in a large pan, scramble eggs, remove, add rice and vegetables, then combine. Done in 8 minutes.

Cost per serve: $1.10-1.40

2. Lentil Curry (4 serves, total $4-5)

Red lentils are the cheapest protein. Fry onion and garlic, add curry powder (or garam masala if you have it), tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, and red lentils. Simmer 20 minutes. Serve with rice or naan. The lentils expand massively, making this one of the cheapest dinners available.

Cost per serve: $1-1.20

3. Egg Fried Noodles (4 serves, total $5-6)

Two-minute noodles cost under $1 per pack. Boil, drain, then fry in a wok or large pan with beaten eggs, soy sauce, and whatever vegetables you have (onion, carrot, frozen peas). Add chilli or sesame oil for depth. This is genuinely fast food at home-cooked prices.

Cost per serve: $1.25-1.50

4. Chickpea Curry (4 serves, total $4-5)

Tinned chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger (if you have it), curry paste, tinned tomatoes, and coconut milk (or just water). Simmer 15 minutes. Serve with rice. The texture and protein content rival lentil curry, and most Australian supermarkets stock tinned chickpeas in the Asian aisle or alongside beans.

Cost per serve: $1-1.20

Budget dinners $1.50-2 per serve

5. Pasta with Tinned Tomato Sauce (4 serves, total $6-7.50)

Pasta, tinned tomatoes, onion, garlic, and dried herbs (oregano, basil). Fry aromatics, add tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes while pasta boils. Finish with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil. If you add tinned tuna or lentils, it's still under $2 per serve and becomes a complete meal.

Cost per serve: $1.50-1.75

6. Vegetable Soup (4-5 serves, total $6-7)

Carrots, celery, onion, potato, stock, and tinned beans. Chop everything, simmer 25 minutes. Blend partially for texture, or leave chunky. Serve with crusty bread (not included in cost). Soups are incredibly cheap because vegetables are bulky and filling.

Cost per serve: $1.40-1.70

7. Bean and Rice Bowl (4 serves, total $7-8)

Tinned beans (kidney, black, or mixed), cooked rice, diced tomato, onion, and a squeeze of lime if you have it. Warm everything together and season. Top with sour cream or grated cheese if your budget allows. It's filling, cheap, and takes 10 minutes once rice is cooked.

Cost per serve: $1.75-2

Budget dinners $2-3 per serve

8. Chicken Stir-Fry (4 serves, total $9-10)

Chicken breast (often on sale at Coles and Woolies), onion, capsicum, broccoli, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Chop, stir-fry over high heat, 15 minutes. Serve with rice. Chicken is more expensive than lentils or rice, but a little goes a long way in a stir-fry.

Cost per serve: $2.25-2.50

9. Minced Beef Tacos (4 serves, total $10-11)

Minced beef, taco seasoning (or cumin and chilli powder), tinned tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. Fry mince, add seasoning and tomato, simmer 10 minutes, and serve in taco shells with lettuce and cheese. Minced beef is cheaper than steak or fillets, and tacos feel special without being expensive.

Cost per serve: $2.50-2.75

10. Sausage Bake (4 serves, total $9-10)

Sausages, potato, onion, capsicum, and tinned tomatoes. Layer vegetables in a baking dish, nestle sausages on top, pour tomato sauce over everything, bake at 200C for 25 minutes. Minimal prep, maximum comfort.

Cost per serve: $2.25-2.50

11. Salmon and Veg (4 serves, total $11-13)

Canned salmon is much cheaper than fresh. Combine with pasta, tinned tomatoes, spinach, and garlic. Or flake into a rice bowl with peas and soy sauce. Salmon provides omega-3s that lentils and beans don't, making this worth the higher cost once a week.

Cost per serve: $2.75-3.25

Budget dinners $3-4 per serve

12. Chicken Schnitzel (4 serves, total $14-15)

Chicken breasts, flour, egg, breadcrumbs, and oil for shallow frying. Pound flat, coat, and fry until golden. Serve with lemon, salad, or roasted vegetables. Schnitzel is comfort food that feels restaurant-quality, but homemade costs a fraction of the takeaway version.

Cost per serve: $3.50-3.75

13. Bolognese (4 serves, total $13-15)

Minced beef, onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried herbs. Simmer 20 minutes while pasta boils. The long simmer develops flavour without expensive ingredients. Batch cooking means leftovers freeze well.

Cost per serve: $3.25-3.75

14. Fish and Chips (4 serves, total $15-16)

Frozen fish fillets, potato, flour, salt, and oil for frying. Cut potato into chips, deep or shallow fry, then fry fish in batches. Homemade fish and chips is a fraction of the $20+ takeaway version and feels like a treat.

Cost per serve: $3.75-4

15. Pork Chop Dinner (4 serves, total $14-16)

Pork chops, apple, onion, and a splash of stock or cider (water works too). Pan-fry chops, set aside, then fry apples and onion, add stock and return chops to glaze. Serve with potato or green beans. Pork is often cheaper than beef and takes just 20 minutes.

Cost per serve: $3.50-4

How to shop cheaply for these dinners

Check specials first. Most of these dinners use pantry staples (pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, lentils, beans) that don't spoil. When they're on sale, stock up. A $1 difference per item saves $4-5 per meal when you cook five times a week.

Buy bulk protein. Chicken, mince, and sausages are cheaper per kg when bought in larger packs. Freeze what you don't use that week. Lentils and tinned beans are the ultimate budget proteins and store indefinitely.

Use what you have. The recipes above are flexible. No red capsicum? Use green. No spinach? Add frozen peas. Vegetables are the most variable cost in these meals, so improvise based on what's cheap that week.

Compare prices between retailers. Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, and Harris Farm all compete heavily on staples. A can of beans might be $0.50 cheaper at one store than another. Over a week's shopping, those differences compound.

The real savings

If your family orders takeaway five times a week at $20 per meal, that's $100 weekly. Cooking these dinners instead costs $12-15 total, saving $85 per week or $4,400 annually. For families managing tight budgets, that money matters: it covers groceries, utilities, or unexpected expenses.

The secret isn't deprivation. It's choosing meals that are cheap, quick, and genuinely satisfying. Once you build a rotation of 10-15 cheap dinners, you stop reaching for takeaway by habit and start cooking intentionally.