I Turn $120 Into A Week Of Meals For My Family Of Five, And These Are The Simple One-Pot Recipes I Constantly Turn To Over The Holidays

Year after year, these are the easy one-pot meals that have become family favorites during colder winter months.

Hi! I'm Sydney, a stay-at-home mom of three, and I make homemade meals for my Colorado family every week. My household runs on a $120 weekly grocery budget that — due to a severe peanut allergy — needs to cover almost every single meal and snack for the week. (We don't rely on much takeout for this reason.)

Sydney Martin

I'm always trying out new recipes, especially with cooking every meal at home, but in particular, I really love prioritizing one-pot recipes — especially when it comes time for cleaning up!

One-pot recipes are my secret superheroes in the kitchen, saving time and energy, and making cleanup a breeze in my bustling household. They're my go-to for whipping up scrumptious meals without the fuss! From breakfasts to dinners to desserts, here are the cozy, soul-warming one-pot recipes I'll be whipping up all winter long.

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH:

1. Dutch Oven Dutch Baby

Sydney Martin

I really love a fun pancake breakfast, and variety is the spice of life! Switching things up with this Dutch baby, a large-format fluffy pancake, is easier than flipping a bunch of pancakes at the stove while facing the difficult task of everyone getting hot hot cakes. The simplicity of making this in a Dutch oven ensures that everyone will eat all at once. You can easily switch out the toppings to your family's favorites.

Recipe: Dutch Oven Dutch Baby

2. Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Sydney Martin

We are huge oatmeal fans in my house, and when I say this pumpkin pie version made my eyes double in size upon first taste, I'm not exaggerating. It truly tastes like a warm pumpkin pie. The sweetness is very subtle, but if you have a sweeter sweet tooth, you could easily add some brown sugar as well. One of my favorite qualities of this recipe was that when I reheated the next day, it was still creamy — which can be rare when trying to reheat oatmeal.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

3. Sheepherder's Breakfast

Sydney Martin

Growing up in Northern Wisconsin, when I think of a "traditional breakfast," this is it. All it's missing are two slices of wheat toast, cut on a diagonal with what some may say is too much butter, and you've got yourself a great start to the day.

Recipe: Sheepherder's Breakfast

4. Baked Eggs Florentine

Sydney Martin

Soon enough, when we all wake up and it's just a little bit colder than we'd like it to be, this is how we're going to remedy it. This recipe is extremely quick and easy, with the perfect amount of creamy comfort. One tip: Watch these closely when you put the eggs in the oven! I went off of the time listed and ended up with hard yolks, which ended up okay because my kids aren't particularly fond of runny eggs anyway. But if this would upset you, heed my warning.

Recipe: Baked Eggs Florentine

LUNCH & DINNER:

5. Creamy Sausage Gnocchi

Sydney Marin, Sydney Martin

I'm such a sucker for any recipe that has sausage and gnocchi; I gravitate toward them every time. I really enjoyed the tomato-based sauce in this recipe, and it's the perfect addition to the Sunday night rotation of spaghetti and lasagna.

Recipe: Creamy Sausage Gnocchi

6. One-Pot Chicken and Mushroom Orzo

Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net

If you're a mushroom lover, this one's for you. Since the mushrooms are left in large halves, there's tons of texture and meatiness in every bite.

Sydney Martin

This recipe is also a great go-to when you have any leftover cuts of chicken and/or greens, so it's a great dish to have in your back pocket when you're working with a tight budget.

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken and Mushroom Orzo

7. Tortellini Soup

Cooking Classy / Via cookingclassy.com, Sydney Martin

We all have days when it seems like every meeting or activity for the day is scheduled right at dinner time. I love that we can do a majority of this recipe's prep in advance, and then add in the spinach and tortellini minutes before it's time to eat. This allows us to still eat a nice, homemade meal without the stress when we're in a pinch.

Recipe: Tortellini Soup

8. Creamy Tomato Chicken with Feta

Sydney Martin

The thing I love about sun-dried tomatoes is that they give you bright bursts of flavor that remind you of sunshine and summertime when the weather is chilly.

Sydney Martin

If you're lucky, maybe you had an abundant tomato plant this year, and now you can reap the benefits of your hard work throughout the winter with a recipe like this! If your thumb isn't so green, don't fret — it's just as good with store-bought cherry tomatoes.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Chicken with Feta

9. Mustard Chicken

Sydney Martin

In this recipe, the main focus is a comforting mustard sauce that you can soak up with your favorite crusty bread. You can easily change the flavor profile depending on which types of mustard you use, but I personally love the whole-grain mustard this recipe calls for, which adds a little bit of kick and tang!

Recipe: Mustard Chicken

10. Green Chicken Enchiladas

Sydney Martin

There's something about enchiladas that are so dang convenient.

Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net, Sydney Martin

Anytime I see a good deal on a rotisserie chicken or need to use any leftover meat, enchiladas are a go-to since they are baked in just one dish.

Recipe: Green Chicken Enchiladas

11. Roasted Chicken with Clementines

The View from Great Island / Via theviewfromgreatisland.com, Sydney Martin

When considering my grocery budget, I really try to be mindful of buying ingredients I can utilize in a variety of ways. For this recipe, I was able to use the same clementines my kids eat for a snack.

(This would also be an excellent recipe to make when your kid ensures you they love clementines so much that you buy the five-pound bag of them at Costco — only to have your kiddo suddenly lose interest in them altogether.)

Recipe: Roasted Chicken with Clementines

12. One Pan Lemon Chicken and Orzo

Sydney Martin

Filled with bright, lemony flavors, this recipe is a really great one to pair hand in hand with the one-pot chicken and mushroom orzo I referenced earlier in this roundup. They both call for many overlapping ingredients, which allows you to stretch your dollar, but the flavor profiles are so different that you won't think you're eating the same thing over and over again!

Recipe: One Pan Lemon Chicken and Orzo

13. Egg Roll Soup

Sydney Martin

I will not lie to you. My favorite part of this soup is the crunchy wonton crisps on the top.

You really feel like you're eating an egg roll! My advice here is to add some sweet chili sauce or hot honey to really round it out.

Sydney Martin, Gimme Some Oven / Via gimmesomeoven.com

Recipe: Egg Roll Soup

14. Swedish Meatball Pasta

Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net, Sydney Martin

Anytime I ask my son if he has any ideas for dinner, he says "beef stroganoff." Although I do love stroganoff, sometimes I need a little change-up. This Swedish meatball pasta is a great compromise. Make sure to gradually add in the broth so you get a nice thick consistency to your sauce! (I didn't listen to this advice. 👀)

Recipe: Swedish Meatball Pasta

15. Dutch Oven Pizza

Sydney Martin

I love my outdoor pizza oven, but there's no way I'm standing outside getting blasted by wind and snow to use it this time of year. In colder winter months, using my Dutch oven to get an artisan-style crust is a perfect solution.

Kitchen Confidante / Via kitchenconfidante.com, Sydney Martin

As the recipe developer points out: If you can make delicious bread in a Dutch oven, why not pizza crust?! Just be mindful that your Dutch oven is wide enough to make a sizable pizza. If it's too narrow, you can easily use a large cast-iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) instead.

Recipe: Dutch Oven Pizza

16. Butter Chicken Pumpkin Curry

Sydney Martin

When I say this is the most tender chicken, I mean it. I LOVE this recipe. The chicken is super moist, the flavors are spot on, and something about it is so soothing.

A Saucy Kitchen / Via asaucykitchen.com, Sydney Martin

This is also a great recipe to use up any extra pumpkin puree you may have lying around over the holidays!

Recipe: Butter Chicken Pumpkin Curry

17. Cider Braised Pot Roast

How Sweet Eats / Via howsweeteats.com

Save this recipe for a day when you want to do nothing, but still feel accomplished by the end of it.

Sydney Martin

This recipe requires minimal work but a good amount of waiting around while it braises, making it perfect for Hallmark movie days with your own little love story at the end.

Recipe: Cider Braised Pot Roast

DESSERT:

18. Dutch Oven Apple Crisp

Sydney Martin

You can never go wrong with a good apple crisp, and I love the idea of making this recipe in a Dutch oven because you are able to get a thicker apple layer. As someone who loves an ooey-gooey center, it's a no-brainer.

Recipe: Dutch Oven Apple Crisp

19. Dutch Oven S'mores

Sydney Martin

We may be heading into winter, but I believe s'mores are a year-round type of dessert, especially when I'm trying to use up the leftover chocolates and marshmallows we never seem to get through during campfire season. Making this s'mores dip in a Dutch oven allows you to enjoy this classic dessert year-round without your 'mallow turning into an icicle.

Recipe: Dutch Oven S'mores

20. Chai Spiced Apple Skillet Cake

A Cozy Kitchen / Via acozykitchen.com, Sydney Martin

I'm going to be joining a book club this winter, and I already know this will be a perfect crowd-pleaser when it comes time to "bring a dish" to a meeting.

Sydney Martin

The chai flavors elevate this simple recipe to make it feel a bit more ~sophisticated~.

Recipe: Chai Spiced Apple Skillet Cake

For more family recipe ideas, follow me on Instagram at @sydneyinsuburbia or check out all of my past weekly meal plans.

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