Inflation 2022: Recipes that will save you and your family money

If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you might have noticed that your bill is a lot higher. The Deseret News reported Tuesday that over the course of 2022, grocery prices have risen 13.5%. Even though prices are dropping at the gas pump (though they’re still over $4 per gallon in Utah), groceries have the biggest year-over-year increase since 1979.

There are many ways to save money like shopping based on what’s on sale in the store, but here are five cheap, easy dinner meals that you can make for your family. These meals are reliably low cost even when prices are high.

Turkey chili

What you’ll need:

• 2 cans of beans of your choice.
• 1 28-ounce can of tomatoes.
• 1¹⁄₂ cups of vegetable or chicken broth.
• 12 ounces of corn.
• 12 ounces spinach.
• 1 pound of ground turkey (only $4.16 at Walmart).
• 1 package of taco seasoning.

How to make it:

1. Brown the ground turkey with taco seasoning in a large soup pot on medium heat.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until warm.
3. Serve. You could pair this meal with rice (cooked in broth to add flavor), tortilla chips or cheese and sour cream.

Money-saving tip: Buy frozen corn and spinach. Both of these are cheaper than their fresh counterparts and they are just as nutritious and delicious when frozen.

Potato soup

What you’ll need:

• 3 pounds russet potatoes, diced (skin on or off, your choice).
• 3 cups chicken broth.
• ¹⁄₂ cup heavy cream.
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder.
• 1 teaspoon onion powder.
• 2 cups shredded carrots.
• 4 green onions, chopped.
• Pepper and salt to taste.

How to make it:

1. Add all ingredients except heavy cream and green onions to a pot and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Add water as needed.
2. Mash together all ingredients after potatoes are fork tender. Add heavy cream and combine. Season to taste.
3. Serve with green onions on top.

Money-saving tip: Red potatoes, Yukon gold and other types can work in this soup. Buy whatever potatoes are on sale.

Roasted vegetable bowls

What you’ll need:

• Olive oil.
• Whatever vegetables are on sale. 3 or 4 of them would work.
• 2 cups brown rice.
• 1 can of black beans.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Chop up and roast vegetables in the oven with olive oil.
3. Cook rice and warm beans.
4. Assemble the bowls. Season to taste.

Money-saving tip: Buy vegetables that you can use in other recipes if you have leftovers.

Quick fajitas

What you’ll need:

• 1 pound chicken chopped.
• 2 12-ounce bags of frozen peppers and onions.
• 1 12-ounce bag of frozen corn.
• 1 7-ounce can of chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce.
• 1 packet of taco seasoning.
• Olive oil.

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Blend the chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce.
3. Coat the chicken in this sauce. Set in fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Toss frozen peppers and onions and frozen corn in olive oil with taco seasoning. Put on a roasting pan. Add chicken to pan.
5. Put in oven until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 — around 35 minutes.
6. Serve. It can be eaten on its own or with rice or chips and salsa.

Money-saving tip: Chicken is where to save money. Buy a whole chicken, clean it and save the meat you don’t use here for a different recipe.

Vegetable egg scramble

What you’ll need:

• 1 or 2 eggs per person.
• 12 ounces frozen spinach.
• 12 ounces frozen peppers and onions.
• 6 ounces frozen broccoli, chopped.
• ¹⁄₄ cup cheese of choice.
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Olive oil.

How to make it:

1. Put a little bit of olive oil into a skillet on medium-low heat and warm up your vegetables with garlic powder.
2. Scramble your eggs until they look slightly under-cooked.
3. Pull from heat and add cheese. Scramble while it melts and the eggs continue to cook in the hot pan. Season to taste.
4. Serve with fruit or whole-wheat toast if desired.

Money-saving tip: Don’t assume the eggs are more expensive at farmers markets or farm stores. Find a local place to buy eggs — they can often be cheaper than grocery stores.