11 $5 Slow-Cooker Recipes That Taste Like A Million Bucks

According to the USDA, the average American family of four spends between $130 and $300 on food per week. This price can skyrocket when you factor in the average person's dining-out costs per week. Food can quickly become a real budget-buster, which is why The Daily Meal has rounded up these 11 cost-effective recipes to help you get through the week with as little effort as possible.

This inexpensive six-ingredient soup tastes like a baked potato in a bowl. Use canned chicken broth or make your own for added flavor and savings.

For the Cheesy Potato Slow-Cooker Soup recipe, click here.

Hearty stews are inexpensive and filling. Stew meat retails for around $2 a pound in most locations, making this recipe a hearty, cheap meal for a family of four.

For the Classic Slow-Cooker Beef Stew recipe, click here.

This inexpensive meal of eggs, cottage cheese, and frozen broccoli offers four servings for around $5, making it the perfect go-to brunch recipe on a budget.

For the Slow-Cooker Egg and Broccoli Casserole recipe, click here.

Sick of wasting money grabbing breakfast on the go? Try this healthy oatmeal recipe that will cook in your slow cooker overnight. If you want to try oatmeal for dinner, add savory touches that transform this wholesome meal from morning-friendly to dinner-ready in a pinch.

For the Slow-Cooker Irish Oatmeal recipe, click here.

This simple and delicious soup uses chicken breasts, but you can purchase a whole chicken for less per pound and save the remaining meat for additional meals. Swap out the orzo for any on-sale pasta to get additional savings.

For the Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup recipe, click here.

Lentils are nutritious and cost less than a dollar per pound. Serve this hearty vegetarian recipe with a side of warmed pita to complete the meal.

For the Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup recipe, click here.

This recipe calls for inexpensive sausage links. You can purchase enough for a family of four for less than two dollars. The addition of canned beans makes this minestrone the perfect entrée soup for dinner.

For the Slow-Cooker Minestrone Stew, click here.

This inexpensive meal is comfort food at its finest. Make this pork sausage and sauerkraut treat on a crisp fall day.

For the Slow-Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut recipe, click here.

Believe it or not, you can make a roast chicken for about five dollars: a small seasoned chicken can cost as little as a dollar a pound. Simply roast the seasoned chicken in the slow cooker overnight and enjoy a perfectly cooked chicken for lunch or dinner.

For the Slow-Cooker Roast Chicken recipe, click here.

This recipe calls for eight ounces of chicken or beef, which can cost as little as $2 a pound. For around five dollars, you can serve this delightful shepherd's pie to the whole family.

For the Slow-Cooker Shepherds Pie recipe, click here.

This slow-cooker white chicken chili couldn't be simpler. Use boneless chicken thighs for lots of flavor and a slightly lowered price tag.

For the Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili recipe, click here.