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Box dinners are usually affordable, convenient, and easy to prepare, yet they don’t always offer much variety. Many don’t include protein or veggies, and most aren’t well-seasoned. Even the best frozen dinner brands may have unpleasant, mushy textures or flat flavor profiles. If you’re on a budget, you might think you have to accept a ready-made meal for what it is, even if that means a disappointing dinner. However, there are a number of ways to elevate the taste and nutritional value of these packaged meals without spending a lot of extra money.
Upgrading boxed dinner shortcuts can transform your meal from a basic, unsatisfying, and unhealthy dish into a near restaurant-quality experience. You can customize flavors, incorporate additional ingredients, boost nutritional value, and stretch your budget, all while avoiding the hassle of cooking an entire meal from scratch. Plus, adding in starches, veggies, and protein can increase the number of servings you get from one box dinner.
It’s faster (and cheaper) than you think to upgrade boxed macaroni and cheese or other packaged dinners by mixing in some protein, getting creative with fresh veggies, or even just adding extra cheese and seasonings. These simple add-ins can go a long way towards making a meal more palatable. In fact, we found 15 ways to elevate box dinners from Walmart without spending more than $15. While prices vary by region, these fast, easy dinner ideas all ring up at less than $15 and are arranged in order from lowest to highest price.
Spicy beef patties baked with marinara sauce and cheese
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Pasta Roni with crab chunks
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Birds Eye Cheddar Broccoli Bake served over a baked potato
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Red Lobster cheddar biscuit pot pie
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Minute Rice and canned tuna
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Velveeta Shells and Cheese with Spam
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Pasta Roni Four Cheese Corkscrew Pasta with bacon chunks
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Rice-a-Roni rice pilaf with salmon
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Frozen pizza topped with fresh veggies and hot sausage
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Hamburger Helper lasagna
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Zatarain Jambalaya rice with sausage, beans, and peppers
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Instant mashed potatoes with popcorn chicken
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You might not have fast food in your budget, but you can make a KFC Famous Bowl dupe for just $12 at home using a package of popcorn chicken ($6.78), a box of instant mashed potatoes ($1.88), a jar of brown gravy ($2.86), and a can of sweet corn ($0.63). Make the mashed potatoes according to instructions, cook up the chicken in the oven or air fryer, and then mix everything together and top with the brown gravy.
Rice-a-Roni Spanish rice with pinto beans, pico, and chicken
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Pasta Roni with chicken and broccoli
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Ramen with shrimp and clams
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Dining and Cooking