Dinners Under $10

Pasta is famously easy on the budget, and this Greek-inspired dish gives a standard pasta salad a fresh, flavorful twist. If everyone in the family likes olives, add in a handful of pitted Kalamata olives at the end. Otherwise just serve them on the side.

One way to trim a grocery budget is to fix more plant-based meals. Serve these tacos deconstructed and let your family members build their own. With so much flavor no one will miss the meat.

Packing this stir-fry full of veggies means you can get away with using less meat. Plus, choosing a cheaper cut of beef also helps keep costs low.

Seafood-skeptical kids will eat up the name. And this 15-minute meal will leave you with treasure -- leftovers that taste great cold the next day.

Have comfort-food fare on the cheap. Pair pork tenderloin, one of the leanest cuts with low-fat mashed potatoes (the secret ingredient: chicken broth).

Tofu is a busy mom's best friend. It's a good source of protein, easy to cook, and very budget-friendly. In this recipe the tofu gets tons of flavor from a quick soy sauce marinade and a delicious drizzle of peanut sauce.

Originally published in the January 2012 issue of Parents magazine. Updated June 2015.