A Budget-Friendly One-Pan Dinner for the Whole Family
Feeding a family on a budget can feel like a balancing act. You want meals that are affordable, filling and made with ingredients everyone will enjoy. This BBQ ground beef cornbread skillet checks all those boxes!
It’s also proof that shopping locally can fit into a grocery budget. At Weaver’s Orchard, you can pick up fresh, seasonal produce to build meals around affordable pantry staples. Bell peppers are a great example. They add color, flavor and fresh produce to an otherwise simple skillet dinner. Check out our current market offerings here!
This cowboy skillet recipe combines ground beef, bell peppers, barbecue sauce and mustard under a golden layer of cornbread. I love using Jiffy Honey Corn Muffin Mix for the topping. It’s budget friendly, easy to prepare, and adds a touch of sweetness to the barbecue flavors. Think of it as a cross between a classic sloppy joe and shepherd’s pie, with sweet cornbread taking the place of mashed potatoes.
If you’re searching for dinners under $10, watch for sales on ground beef and shop produce when it’s in season. Prices will vary, but simple recipes like this make it easier to keep costs down. You can also stretch the beef with an extra bell pepper or even an onion if you have one on hand. That makes this recipe a great addition to your list of cheap family dinner ideas. It’s also one of those budget friendly ground beef recipes that doesn’t require a long list of specialty ingredients.
September can get especially busy as families settle into new routines. A simple back to school dinner can make those packed evenings a little easier. Everything cooks in one cast iron skillet, which also means fewer dishes afterward. Add a fresh salad and you have a super simply easy weeknight dinner! It’s a simple way to put a filling family meal on the table while still enjoying fresh, local produce.
Eating on a budget doesn’t have to mean giving up the foods you love or skipping fresh, local ingredients. Start with a few affordable staples, then let seasonal produce bring freshness and flavor to the meal. Stop by Weaver’s Orchard to see what’s in season and bring it home to make it part of your next family dinner. We can’t wait to hear how your BBQ Cornbread Skillet turns out!
BBQ Cornbread Skillet
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 bell peppers, diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups barbecue sauce
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 box cornbread mix, such as Jiffy, plus ingredients called for on the box
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the cooking oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and diced bell peppers, then sauté until the beef is browned and the peppers are softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the barbecue sauce and mustard until well combined. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Prepare the cornbread batter according to the package directions. Spoon the batter evenly over the barbecue beef mixture in the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and the meat mixture is bubbling around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Keywords: budget, peppers, BBQ, skillet