Now you can enjoy your favorite family-friendly comfort foods without the cost and calories. We took six comfort food favorites for family dinners and gave them budget-friendly and healthy makeovers. So start saving some money — and pounds — with these updated weeknight dinners. Can't get enough cozy comfort food? Try these recipes from your favorite celeb chefs.
By Kara Rodemer
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Lasagna
Great for large families or freezer-friendly leftovers, this Italian favorite pairs perfectly with a side salad for a hearty dinner. If you're looking for an authentic recipe, try our Northern-Style Lasagna with a creamy béchamel sauce.
For a healthier twist, take out the meat and add some spinach: You'll save on calories and add some nutrition with our Lasagna with Spinach. Also, using low-fat milk and cheese helps lower the calorie and fat count.
Since lasagna can be easily frozen and used for a second meal, it's already budget-friendly. But you can save even more if you substitute a Spaghetti Pie. Still freezer-friendly, spaghetti pie requires fewer ingredients — and less time.
photo credit: Ann Stratton
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Breaded Chicken
It's hard to resist the comforting crisp appeal of breaded fried chicken, but the calories and cost of eating out can be a huge deterrent.
If you're looking to cut costs, try Deviled Chicken Thighs. Chicken thighs are less expensive than chicken breasts, and you still get that crunch with bread crumbs you can find in your pantry.
For the health-conscious, our Super-Crunchy "Fried" Chicken has 200 fewer calories and 26 fewer grams of fat than a regular fried chicken meal. These cornflake-coated chicken breasts are baked, not fried, and use fat-free buttermilk and egg whites.
photo credit: Frances Janisch
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Once prepared, meatballs are great to keep on hand in the freezer for any weeknight meal. You can defrost them for a quick spaghetti and meatballs dish or throw them on an Italian roll for a meatball sub.
To save even more time — and money — buy already prepared frozen meatballs to have on hand for those busy evenings. Just add mini meatballs to your favorite sauce and serve with any pasta you already have in your pantry.
If you have some free time, try our healthy version of Old-Fashioned Meatballs, which calls for high-fiber bulgar and whole-wheat bread crumb
Potpie
The ultimate comfort food, chicken potpie is perfect for a cold winter night at home. Full of vegetables and lean protein, potpies are wholesome and filling.
Get two meals for the price of one with our Chicken Gumbo Pot Pie. This recipe makes enough for two potpies, so you can make the filling all at once and freeze half to have on hand for another busy night.
Take a new and lighter approach to the classic dish using reduced-fat sour cream to make a rich sauce and whole-wheat buttermilk biscuits to top the filling in our Turkey Potpie.
photo credit: Monica Buck
Meatloaf
Meatloaf sometimes gets a bad rap, but it's good for changing up your dinner routine — and you can use it for a sandwich the next day. Who can deny the cost-saving benefit of two meals in one?
For more cost-cutting, try our Better-Than-Mom's Meatloaf, which only has 10 ingredients, most of which you can find in your fridge or pantry, like breadcrumbs, milk, ketchup, eggs, and onions.
Just substitute ground turkey, low-fat milk, whole-wheat breaccrumbs, and egg whites in our Healthy Makeover Meatloaf to lighten up a standard meatloaf recipe.
Chili
Whether it's beef, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian, chili is easy to make and great for feeding large families or stretching into multiple meals. This one-pot dish combines veggies, protein, and fiber for a filling and healthy meal option. And it's versatile: You can add as many ingredients and swap proteins as you please.
Make it fit your budget by limiting the number of ingredients — but not the flavor. Try our Turkey and White Bean Chili: healthy and cheap!
For an even healthier option, lower the calories and up the fiber with our meatless Multi-Bean Chili, which calls for three different beans to spice up the taste.
photo credit: Tara Donne
Whether it's beef, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian, chili is easy to make and great for feeding large families or stretching into multiple meals. This one-pot dish combines veggies, protein, and fiber for a filling and healthy meal option. And it's versatile: You can add as many ingredients and swap proteins as you please.
Make it fit your budget by limiting the number of ingredients — but not the flavor. Try our Turkey and White Bean Chili: healthy and cheap!
For an even healthier option, lower the calories and up the fiber with our meatless Multi-Bean Chili, which calls for three different beans to spice up the taste.
photo credit: Tara Donne
