Justine Sterling
Frozen meals have come a long way from the days of Salisbury steak and even Kid Cuisine. But they’ve still managed to maintain a low price tag. Even some of the best frozen meals we’ve tasted in our taste tests fall under that $5 mark!
We sorted through all of our frozen meal rankings to find the best cheap frozen meals that came in under $5. We were looking for actual meals—not sides or starters, but a self-contained meal that required no additional purchases. And we found 15 great options. Here are the best cheap frozen meals you can buy.
- Stouffer’s Vegetable Lasagna
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This was the best frozen veggie lasagna we tasted in our frozen lasagna taste test and it can be yours for just under $5. It’s a good deal for such a soul-satisfying meal. The alfredo sauce is so creamy and savory. The cheese has a great stretch to it. It’s packed with veggies. And there are just enough breadcrumbs to add crunch without drying everything out.
Read the full ranking of the best frozen lasagna
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- Healthy Choice Power Bowls Greek Style Chicken
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This low carb, grain free, gluten free, low cal frozen meal is shockingly satisfying. While it does emerge from the microwave a bit sloppy and a bit wet (that’s what happens when you include frozen artichokes and frozen zucchini), the flavor is good. A mix of surprisingly good cauliflower rice, chicken, assorted veggies, and feta, I’d happily eat this frozen meal for a weekday lunch. It comes in at just 170 calories, but it’s still satisfying thanks to the variety of ingredients. And, of course, it’s under $5!
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Marie Callender’s Classic Spaghetti & Meatballs Bowl
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I tried all the cheap frozen meals that featured spaghetti and meatballs for this list. Some had good meatballs but terrible sauce. Others had god awful meatballs and decent sauce. This one from Marie Callender’s is straight down the middle. The meatballs are sizable and totally fine. The pasta, while on the slightly mushy end of the spectrum, is satisfying. And the sauce tastes like basic jarred tomato sauce with an extra hit of oregano. But if you dash on some powdered parm, I think you’ll find this cheap frozen meal to be super comforting. And it packs 20 grams of protein, so it’ll fill you up.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Stouffer’s Swedish Meatballs
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Want even more protein from your meatballs? This frozen Swedish meatballs meal from Stouffer’s contains 27g of protein. And it tastes darn good thanks to a tangy, silky sour cream-based sauce. The meatballs taste like slightly less good Ikea meatballs. The pasta is actually decently al dente. But that sauce—it brings it all together. If you’re looking for the best cheap frozen meal that isn’t like the others, try this one.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Lean Cuisine Protein Kick Shrimp Scampi
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The best Lean Cuisine meal we’ve had so far is also the best cheap frozen meal made with shrimp. Two frozen birds, one microwaveable stone. The shrimp are not mushy at all—they’re firm! The pasta is well-cooked. And the sauce is light and citrusy and wine-y. Sure, it could use a vegetable. Just toss in some frozen peas.
Read the full ranking of the best Lean Cuisine meals
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
- Atkins Beef Merlot
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Want some red meat in your cheap frozen meal? I love a risk taker, but play it safe with this low carb frozen meal from Atkins. The beef is shockingly good—it tastes like stew beef, rather than mushy rehydrated beef jerky. Paired with broccoli, the beef is covered in a rich, savory sauce. It’s the best low carb frozen meal you can buy under $5.
Read the full ranking of the best low carb frozen meals
Credit: Merc / Wlmart
- Hungry Man Country Fried Chicken
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Want some rib-sticking frozen fried chicken for cheap? Hungry Man is here to help. Our top pick for the best Hungry Man meal comes with a fried chicken patty and mashed potatoes that are totally flooded with white gravy in the best way. There’s also green beans so you can pretend you’re getting something healthy and some cinnamon apples. That’s a cheap frozen meal that’s also a complete frozen meal.
Read the full ranking of the best Hungry Man meals
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- Healthy Choice Café Steamers Grilled Chicken Pesto with Vegetables
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If you’re looking for a cheap frozen meal to stock in your office freezer for easy lunches that won’t leave you feeling terrible, this Healthy Choice frozen meal is a great option. The sauce tastes bright and fresh (even if it’s a tad gloopy), the chicken is fine, the pasta is nicely chewy, and the squash is terrific.
Read the full ranking of the best Healthy Choice frozen meals
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Great Value Sausage & Gravy Breakfast Bowl
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We’re pretty big fans of Great Value products at Sporked. Often, this Walmart brand makes stuff that tastes even better than name brand stuff. And that’s definitely the case when it comes to frozen breakfast bowls. This mix of potatoes, scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, and salty, peppery gravy is one of the best tasting frozen meals we’ve ever tried.
Read the full ranking of the best frozen breakfast bowls
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- Lean Cuisine Salisbury Steak with Macaroni and Cheese
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For just $5 you get meat, mushroom gravy, and mac and cheese in this Lean Cuisine frozen meal. It tastes like the best cafeteria meal you’ve ever had—but a lot less caloric. The steak is a decent quality and the gravy is rich. The mac and cheese is gooey and perfect for mixing with any extra gravy. If you’re in the market for some cheap frozen meals that are low-cal, buy a few of these.
Read the full ranking of the best Lean Cuisine frozen meals
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- Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala
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While plenty of Trader Joe’s frozen Indian meals fit the bill of being some of the best frozen meals under $5, this one is a real standout and a real meal. You get perfect rice alongside a hearty serving of saucy chicken tikka masala. The chicken is probably some of the best chicken in a frozen meal that we’ve ever had.
Read the full ranking of Trader Joe’s Indian food
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Zatarain’s Blackened Chicken Alfredo
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Not only did this frozen meal earn the top spot in our high protein frozen meals taste test, but it also costs just over $4. That’s a lot of quality for a little scratch. It tastes like really good mac and cheese with a kick from the blackened chicken. It’s definitely one of the best frozen meals you can get for less than a Lincoln.
Read the full ranking of the best frozen high protein meals
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- Marie Callender’s Chicken Corn Chowder Pot Pie
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Our number one favorite frozen chicken pot pie can be purchased for less than $4 in some stores. That’s so cheap considering how extremely good this pot pie is. It has all the classic pot pie components—flaky crust, gooey filling, tender chunks of chicken—plus bacon and sweet corn. Yum.
Read the full ranking of the best frozen chicken pot pies
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
- Stouffer’s Roast Turkey
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Stouffer’s frozen turkey dinner includes white meat medallions in a luxurious gravy, along with moist stuffing and mashed potatoes. It’s a classic frozen meal executed really well. The gravy is savory. The potatoes are buttery. And the turkey is really tender and not dry at all. While this still qualifies as a very sad holiday meal, it’s one of the best tasting frozen meals you can buy for a weekday dinner—and it costs less than $4.
Read the full ranking of the best frozen turkey dinners
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- Banquet Mega Bowls Nashville Hot Chicken
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This is the best cheap frozen meal to buy if you’re craving KFC. It’s practically a dupe for a spicy Famous Bowl. And, yes, it’s actually spicy. Plus, you can score this frozen meal for under $4, making it one of the cheapest frozen meals on this list.
Read the full ranking of the best Banquet meals
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Best Lasagna
Best Low Calorie Frozen Meal
Best Frozen Spaghetti & Meatballs
Best Frozen Swedish Meatballs Meal
Best Cheap Seafood Meal
Best Cheap Low Carb
Best Frozen Fried Chicken Meal
Best Healthy Choice Meal
Best Breakfast Bowl
Best Lean Cuisine
Best Indian Meal
Best High Protein
Best Chicken Pot Pie
Best Turkey Dinner
Best Fast Food Dupe
Matt Crowley
Joe Rumrill
Hebba Gouda
