18 Frugal Food Ideas for Autumn

With autumn upon us, saving money while stocking up on seasonal goodies is a great way to make the most of this season.

Frugal food ideas for autumn offer plenty of potential to get creative with your favorite comfort food recipes.

From slow-cooked stews and soups to baked goods and preserving fruits, preparing meals that are not only delicious but budget-friendly is possible with a little planning.

Autumn is my favourite time of year.

The horrible sweaty heat of Summer is gone, it is starting to get darker earlier and best of all, cool down to a reasonable temperature.

Plus my cooking style starts to change. It isn’t quite yet cold enough for casseroles and stews, but still cool enough to start making the one-pot meals that are so hearty and perfec=t for this time of year. There’s also a lot of fruits and veggies in season that I like!

These are my favourite recipes to cook during the Autumn season, I hope you enjoy making them as much as I loved eating them!

1. Shepherd’s Pie

Love a good Sheperd’s pie on a nice autumn day. That soft potatoeyy top is soft and delicious! The meat in the middle always takes me by surprise no matter how many times I’ve eaten it. Lovely dish, don’t you think?

2. Pork and Apple Sausage Rolls

The kids always love it when I make these. They’re delicious and full of protein. They’re absolutely cheap, too!

3. Pork, Apple and Caramelised Onion Rissoles

The pork, apple and caramelised onion go so well together. Served with mashed potatoes, greens and gravy makes it a match made in heaven!

4. Chicken and Cauliflower Bake

Delicious meat and vegetables in one cheesyyy goodness!

5. Porcupine Mince Balls

These Porcupine Mince balls are super lovely and filling! The sauce makes the rice and meat such a joy to eat!

6. Garlic & Herb Celeriac Fries

This one’s a delicious, healthy side dish or snack. It’s low in calorie and super cheap! When I want to trick my kids to eating these veggies I put some and cook these with french fries bahaha sometimes they can’t even tell the difference!

7. Lemon Risotto

Fresh and filling! This one is perfect for dinners in the autumn.

What I love about this recipe is that it feeds four for just $10!

A delicious meal for that price makes me feel like I’m winning at life!

8. Coconut Chicken Bites

I know this one’s a summer kind of dish but I still love making Coconut Chicken Bites in the early days of autumn. Sooo yummy!

9. Sausage Stroganoff

Quick, easy, cheap and delicious! What more could you ask for?

10. Chicken Casserole with Cheesy Damper Top

Creamy, delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy!

11. Bacon and Egg Pie

I love how versatile this Bacon and Egg Pie is. You can add as many or as little grated veggies as you like and it’s still super delicious!

12. Beef Tortilla Stack

Homemade always tastes the best! This homemade beef tortilla stack will make you drool so much it will be hard to wait for dinner!

13. Quick Fish Coconut Curry

This delicious dish for two is a great way for when you want to spice things up. 

14. Chicken Pot Pie

This Chicken Pot Pie recipe is a firm staple meal in my house. It is loved by both my husband and my kids alike.

You can freeze the chicken mixture in advance and it can be turned not just into a pie but can also be turned into pasta for a fancy pasta dish!

15. Slow Cooker Mushroom Risotto

A very hearty meal in one!

Of course, if you’re into meat and want to make it even heartier feel free to add some beef strips or similar. We’ve kept it pretty simple here to keep it inexpensive.

16. Choy Sum (Asian Greens) With Garlic Sauce

If you’re looking for a delicious dish that’s rich in fibre and vitamins, you should definitely try this one out.

The garlic sauce makes the taste interesting and tempting to eat! Even the most picky eaters will dig in to this one!

17. Cabbage Pancakes

These pancakes are soo delicious that the kids won’t even know that they are good for them. It smells so tempting when you’re cooking it so it makes the kids excited to eat!

18. Chicken Rice Casserole

Rice, chicken and veggies – don’t you just love a dish that’s all in one. The crunchy, yummy topping makes this one a favourite among the kids.

Do you have more favourite frugal recipes you usually cook during the autumn months?

Share it with us!

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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