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Cooking for two should be cheap, but it often isn’t. Grocery stores price for families, so small packages cost more per ounce and big ones go bad before you can finish them.
These 10 cheap meals for two fix that. Five are sized for two from the start, and five make four servings so tonight’s dinner becomes tomorrow’s lunch. Every one is priced at current Walmart and ALDI prices.
How to Spend Less Cooking for Two
- Buy the bigger package, then freeze it. Family packs of chicken or ground meat usually cost less per pound. Split them into two-person portions in freezer bags before freezing.
- Plan ingredients across meals. If you buy spinach for one recipe, choose a second recipe that uses the rest.
- Cook four servings on purpose. Leftovers are the cheapest lunch there is.
- Stock shelf-stable staples. Rice, pasta, canned beans and frozen vegetables don’t spoil before you can use them.
- Shop with a list for two. Our free weekly meal planner and grocery list keeps you from overbuying.
Recipes Made for Two
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
1. 10-Minute Soy & Garlic Noodles
Noodles, soy sauce, oil and garlic powder. Ten minutes and under a dollar for two.
Time: 10 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $0.82 from Walmart, $0.81 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.40 to $0.41
2. Easy Instant Ramen Upgrade
Two packs of ramen become a real dinner with eggs, garlic and a couple handfuls of spinach.
Time: 15 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $2.38 from Walmart, $2.04 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.02 to $1.19
3. Honey-Glazed Pork Chops
Two boneless chops with a sticky honey, garlic and soy glaze. Serve with rice or a frozen vegetable.
Time: 25 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $4.00 from Walmart, $3.92 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.96 to $2.00
4. Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers for Two
Two peppers filled with rice, chickpeas, spinach and feta. A cozy meatless dinner sized just right.
Time: 55 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $5.08 from Walmart, $3.74 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.87 to $2.54
5. Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
Two chicken breasts and a pan of vegetables, roasted together with one pan to wash.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $5.85 from Walmart, $5.65 from ALDI · Per Serving – $2.82 to $2.92
Make Four Servings, Eat Twice
These recipes serve four, which means dinner for two tonight and lunch for two tomorrow. The costs are for all four servings.
6. Creamy Garlic Pasta with Spinach
Creamy pasta tonight, and it reheats well for lunch tomorrow.
Time: 20 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $2.92 from Walmart, $2.91 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.73
7. Tomato Spinach Egg Scramble Bowls
Eggs, tomatoes and spinach over rice. Pack the second half for lunch.
Time: 15 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.92 from Walmart, $3.77 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.94 to $0.98
8. Easy Chickpea Curry
Curry tastes even better the next day, so it’s perfect for planned leftovers.
Time: 25 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.44 from Walmart, $3.50 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.86 to $0.88
9. Egg Roll in a Bowl
A bag of coleslaw mix and a pound of ground pork make two dinners for two.
Time: 25 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $8.14 from Walmart, $7.90 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.97 to $2.04
10. One-Pot Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
Freeze half in a container for a night when cooking isn’t happening.
Time: 40 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $4.42 from Walmart, $4.79 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.74 to $0.80
A Week of Cheap Dinners for Two
Here’s how five of these recipes fit together into one week of budget dinners for two. Two of them make four servings, so they cover lunch the next day too.
| Night | Dinner | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Honey-Glazed Pork Chops | $4.00 | $3.92 |
| Tuesday | Creamy Garlic Pasta with Spinach (lunch for Wednesday) | $2.92 | $2.91 |
| Wednesday | Easy Instant Ramen Upgrade | $2.38 | $2.04 |
| Thursday | Easy Chickpea Curry (lunch for Friday) | $3.44 | $3.50 |
| Friday | Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies | $5.85 | $5.65 |
| Total | Five dinners for two, plus two lunches | $18.59 | $18.02 |
These totals use the recipe costs above, so they count only the amount of each ingredient you use. Your first shopping trip will cost more, because you buy whole packages of things like rice, soy sauce and spices, but those carry over into the following weeks. Add rice or a frozen vegetable on pork chop night if you want a side.
Cheap Dinner Ideas for Two by Cost
If you’re choosing by budget, here are all 10 recipes sorted by what one serving costs.
- Under $1 a serving: Soy & Garlic Noodles, Creamy Garlic Pasta with Spinach, Mediterranean Chickpea Stew, Chickpea Curry and Egg Scramble Bowls.
- $1 to $2 a serving: Instant Ramen Upgrade, Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers and Honey-Glazed Pork Chops.
- About $2 to $3 a serving: Egg Roll in a Bowl and Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies.
The meatless dinners are the cheapest on the list. Swapping one or two of them into your week is the easiest way to spend less on meals for two without eating the same thing every night.
A Simple Shopping Strategy for Two
- Pick three dinners for the week, then cook one batch recipe to cover lunches.
- Choose one protein to buy in a family pack and freeze the rest in portions.
- Buy produce you’ll use twice, like spinach, onions and peppers.
- Keep a backup shelf of pasta, rice, canned beans and tomatoes for nights you don’t feel like cooking.
For a special night in, see our Valentine’s dinner for 2 at home. For more low-cost ideas, see 15 cheap meals when you’re broke.
Cheap Meals for Two: Your Questions
How do I cut a recipe for four in half?
Halve every ingredient and use a smaller pan. Cooking times usually stay about the same for stovetop recipes, but check baked dishes a few minutes early. Eggs are easiest to halve by beating one and using half.
What freezes well for two people?
Soups, stews, chili, curry, cooked rice, shredded chicken and pasta sauce all freeze well. Freeze them in two-serving containers so you can thaw exactly what you need.
Is it cheaper to cook for two or eat out?
Cooking is almost always cheaper. Most of these meals cost a few dollars for both of you, which is hard to match even with fast food.
What are some cheap and easy meals for two?
Soy and garlic noodles, upgraded instant ramen, chickpea curry and egg scramble bowls all take 25 minutes or less and cost under $1.20 a serving. For something heartier, honey-glazed pork chops or sheet pan chicken and veggies cost about $2 to $3 a serving.
How much does dinner for two cost to make at home?
The recipes here cost about $0.82 to $5.85 for both of you, depending on the meal. A full week of five dinners, plus two lunches from leftovers, comes to about $18 to $19 at Walmart or ALDI prices.
What is the cheapest dinner for two?
Our 10-Minute Soy and Garlic Noodles cost about 82 cents for two servings. Add an egg or a handful of frozen vegetables if you want more protein or color.
