Though we’re always the first to shout from the rooftops about wildly impressive recipes that are sure to wow guests or loved ones, making it seem like all we do is have constant elaborate dinner parties or romantic date nights, in reality… not so much. Really, most weeknights we turn to easy, healthy dinners that come together quickly and for low effort. If they don’t cost an arm and a leg, even better! We firmly believe saving money doesn’t have to mean giving up flavor or convenience. Check out our list of 72 quick and healthy meals that won’t break the bank for easy weeknight dinner inspiration.

When it comes to healthier meals, we LOVE a veggie for pasta ingredient swap. Cauliflower and zucchini are forever faves, but we’re branching out into other veggies too, like spaghetti squash and butternut squash. We swear, you’ll barely miss the pasta (and can enjoy multiple servings, no problem).

We’re a big fan of the ease of Mexican-inspired tacos, quesadillas, and tostadas for simple weeknight meals. You can fill them with pretty much anything—like we did in our fish taco bowls, our black bean tostadas, or our taco salads—and every member of your household can add as few or as many toppings as they like.

Another great option? Grain bowls and bakes. All you need is a great sauce, like our herby green goddess, our salsa verde, or our tahini sauce; some rice (brown, white, or cauliflower all work), quinoa, or even noodles; some protein; and any combination of vegetables. Add some crunchy nuts or seeds and you’ll have a solid, satisfying dinner. Bonus: They’re GREAT for cleaning leftover ingredients out of your fridge. Check out our warm tahini ramen noodles, our goddess bowls, our cheesy salsa chicken & cauliflower rice skillet, or our one-pan chicken & quinoa for variations, then get creative and make them your own.

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When I’m looking for meals that are cheap, quick, yet still delicious, ground beef reigns supreme. It’s versatile, quick-cooking, and great for when you’ve got a crowd to feed. If you’re not careful though, it can become a little one-note. Have some on hand and not sure what to make with it? Look no further! From classics like meatloaf and burgers to creative meals like lasagnchiladas or meatball Parm orzo, we’ve got you covered. There’s something here to please any and every appetite.

Let’s start with the classics. Though we’re all for trying new things or putting spins on our favorites, you’ve gotta walk before you can run. We’ve tested our recipes for things like stuffed peppers, goulash, sloppy Joes, Salisbury steak, meatballs, chili, and more over and over again to guarantee they’re the best and the most reliable they can be. Trust us, you’re going to want to bookmark these.

Once you’ve got some of those recipes down, it’s time to have a little fun. We’ve also included twists on all your favorite flavor combinations here—you could turn them into a casserole, like we did in our our stuffed pepper casserole, our unstuffed cabbage casserole, our lasagnchiladas, or our sloppy Joe casserole; into a sandwich or burrito, like our French onion meatball sub, our copycat Taco Bell grilled cheese burritos, our roasted cabbage burgers, or our Big Mac crunchwrap; or into a soup, like our meatball sub soup or our taco soup. Feel free to get creative too, if there’s any mash-ups you’re craving, let us know in the comments below and we’ll see what we can do to make them.

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