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 of the best 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 seven 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
Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart
- 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
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- 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
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- 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
Credit: Merc / Wamart
- 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
Credit: Merc / Target
Best Lasagna
Best Breakfast Bowl
Best Lean Cuisine
Best Indian Meal
Best High Protein
Best Chicken Pot Pie
Best Turkey Dinner
