The Best Budget-Friendly Comfort Meals Straight Out Of The '70s And '80s

If you grew up in the '70s or '80s and were lucky enough to have a big family dinner every night, your parents probably rotated through the same classic dishes each week. Busy parents would often have a collection of recipes in an old-school recipe box that they knew their household would enjoy. Looking back on those meals now, you might have a sense of longing or nostalgia for simpler times.

While there are some retro dishes we're glad aren't popular anymore, others endure due to their simplicity, cost-efficiency, or ability to evoke fond memories. You can recreate those memories now by revisiting some of the budget-friendly comfort meals from your childhood. We've assembled 15 of the most iconic dishes that budget-conscious families in the U.S. ate for dinner in the '70s and '80s that are still popular now. 

Start bookmarking some recipes and update your shopping list, because you are going to want to take a trip down memory lane by incorporating some of these into your weekly dinner menu rotation. Whether you plan to turn them into more upscale versions of childhood favorites, or are looking for ways to cut grocery costs by making dinners that will last for more than just one night, you're sure to see something that sparks your interest. 

A one-pot beef stroganoff recipe was a staple of many busy households in the '70s and '80s. Most recipes just called for beef, cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, and seasoning. This made it inexpensive and easy to whip up in just about 30 minutes. And while it's not a gourmet dish, it's warm, filling, and flavorful, which is why so many people still consider it a comfort food today.

Chicken divan is an old-school cheesy chicken dish that deserves a huge comeback. This simple casserole is said to have been invented at the Divan Parisien Restaurant located in New York City inside the famed Chatham Hotel. It's an easy recipe to dress up to make it fancier, but it can also be made very inexpensively using a few key ingredients: chopped chicken, broccoli, cream of chicken soup, grated cheese, sour cream, and Ritz crackers or saltines.

If your parents fed you tuna casserole for dinner, you probably grew up in the '70s or '80s. It is a classic casserole that makes it easy for busy parents to use up ingredients that would otherwise go bad. While its recipe may vary depending upon the ingredients at hand and the part of the country you were in, the basic foundation of the dish includes noodles, cheese, peas, canned tuna, and some kind of cream sauce.

This was not only a school cafeteria classic in some lucky parts of the country, but also a way to make a kid-friendly mac and cheese dinner more nutritious and more palatable to adults in the household. Now, it's a creative way to use up leftover hot dogs and revisit fond memories of your childhood.

Sloppy Joe's were once considered a cheap '70s comfort sandwich, but have now actually become a luxury. Parents used to make this for dinner because the ingredients were simple and inexpensive, and the preparation only took about 10 minutes. Kids thought they were getting a treat, and as adults, we now understand why. It's easy to modify this simple classic to more highbrow tastes, or stick with a budget-friendly version.

If you absolutely dreaded meatloaf night in your home, you weren't alone. This simple, low-cost dish was a favorite, but most kids couldn't stand it. Yet as adults, many of us have realized that there are many different ways to elevate a classic meat loaf recipe, and you can even find modern versions of the dish on menus at upscale restaurants. This comfort food staple really deserves its comeback.

Stew and goulash recipes are perfect for using up veggies and potatoes that are about to go bad. Both are also hearty American comfort meals that gave parents in the '70s and '80s a lot of bang for their buck. Neither dish has ever gone out of style because there are endless options for customization that allow you to elevate the dish or find even more budget-conscious ways to make it.

Hamburger Helper was introduced in 1970 and quickly became popular because, at only about 65 cents per box, it was an incredibly inexpensive way to feed a large family. Although it required the addition of meat (and potatoes, in some households), it was a novel solution for families struggling with rising grocery costs. It's no surprise that sales of Hamburger Helper are rising now as Americans face inflation and major spikes in grocery prices.

Pillsbury crescent rolls were released in 1965, and it didn't take long for creative parents and the company itself to introduce a wide range of fast, low-cost, and clever ways to use canned crescent rolls in everything from breakfast to dinner to dessert recipes. Crescent dogs only require a can of the iconic rolls and a package of hot dogs, yet the resulting meal is warm, filling, and kid-friendly.

Chili and cornbread may not have been a household dinner staple across the U.S., but it definitely was on the weekly menu rotation for families in the south and southwest. A classic chili is rich in fiber, dense and filling, and incredibly flavorful. Store-bought canned chili was inexpensive and easy to prepare, and pouring it over a nice, hot tray of freshly-baked Southern cornbread made for a very satisfying meal that is still popular today.

Chicken a la king is an old-school chicken dish that has been around longer than you'd think, and is still popular today. Its popularity in the '70s and '80s stemmed from its inexpensive ingredients and fast preparation. This family-friendly casserole was also large enough that parents could typically count on having enough left over for dinner the next night as well. Making it only requires diced chicken, cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, and some mixed veggies.

Both Salisbury steaks and hamburger steaks, served with mashed potatoes and canned veggies of course, were hits in the '70s and '80s. They were a low-cost way to create some variety in the dinner menu rotation. Parents could use up leftover ground beef without having to go through the time and trouble of making hamburgers or meatloaf. Yet it's a testament to the no-frills appeal of these dishes that they are still seen as comfort meals today.

Many '70s and '80s budget meals included the addition of classic foods that kids love, like fish sticks. While most kids wouldn't eat grilled salmon (and many households couldn't afford it anyway), fish sticks are a comfort food every '80s kid remembers. Now, it's easy enough to recreate this old-school comfort meal by putting a spin on a classic fish and chips recipe and using quality, beer-battered frozen fish or making your own fried fish.

Making a pot pie from scratch can be a complex and lengthy endeavor, and it was one that many busy parents just didn't have time for. Luckily, in the '70s Bisquick started including a recipe for its Impossibly Easy Pie on the back of its boxes. This sparked countless variations, one of which was the Bisquick pot pie, which quickly became a favorite in many households, and is still made for dinner today.

Tater tot casserole is a classic comfort food that Midwesterners love. It was also a popular dinner dish for large households that relied on casserole recipes that would last for multiple meals. Popularized in the 1970s as a fast and easy way to make dinner for a big family, all parents needed to do was combine ground beef, a can of cream of mushroom soup, grated cheese, and some veggies in a casserole dish and top it with a bag of frozen tots.