Budget Meals: Easy Slow Cooker Roast Beef Dinner | Under $10

It’s true, you can make a complete Roast Beef Dinner for a family of 4 for under $10.00. I know this may shock some of you but it can be done. If you follow my budget meals along with some of my tips and tricks you’ll be able to feed your family of 4 this same budget-friendly meal and no one will ever know that it was less than $10.

What meal is more comforting than roast beef, potatoes and carrots? My mother served this meal every Sunday when we were growing up. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy when I think back to coming home from church and sitting down as a family and enjoying a meal together. I’ve made this a tradition for my family as well, maybe not every Sunday, but a couple of times a month. Hopefully, when my kids are grown, they’ll look back at Sunday dinner with the same warm and fuzzy feelings.

Now I know you are probably still shocked at the price of this meal, thinking that there is no way that it is under $10, so let me explain how I did it. First of all, you need to look at portion sizes. Many of us consume way more than what the USDA suggests. Did you know they suggest that a portion size for beef is only 3 ounces? Crazy, huh? For this meal I’ve doubled the suggested serving size to 6 ounces per person, it not only looks more substantial on the plate but it’s a lot more satisfying to our bellies.

The second thing that you need to look at is the price. Meat prices will vary from week to week and it’s a good idea to track the prices to pinpoint the lowest price. When the meat goes on sale at the lowest price point, stock up, you’ll save a ton of money.

Another way to save money on meat is to shop in the morning. The butcher usually goes through the meat cases and marks down the meat that is getting close to the sell-by date. You can find some great deals this way.

Finally, if your budget can take it, buy a side of beef and have it butchered. We do this every year and the savings are tremendous, I end up paying around $3.00 per pound.

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Roast Beef

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, crockpot, roast, slow cooker

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 586kcal

Ingredients

• 1½ lb top round roast
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1½ cups beef broth or water
• 4 med potatoes quartered
• 4 carrots quartered
• 1 med onion quartered

Instructions

• Pat roast dry. Generously season all sides of the roast with salt and pepper, followed by the flour.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear on each side 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set asied.
• Add the beef broth to the skillet and bring to a boil. Using a spatula clean the bottom and sides of the skillet. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Place the roast and any juices into the slow cooker. Top with the potatoes, carrots and onions.
• Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
• Remove from slow cooker and place on a platter. Tent with foil and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

*The Nutritional Facts that have been calculated on this recipe are only estimates.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 1749mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10218IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 6mg

To complete the meal try adding some homemade buttermilk biscuits or easy drop biscuits.