About Haley Nelson

Haley Nelson is the creator and recipe developer behind Cheap Recipe Blog, where she’s been sharing affordable, tested recipes since 2011. With over 600 budget-friendly recipes published and 15+ years of hands-on cooking experience, Haley specializes in making delicious food accessible to everyone, regardless of budget.

Experience & Expertise

Haley’s passion for cooking started at age 5 and has evolved into a trusted resource for millions of home cooks seeking practical, affordable meal solutions. Her recipes have been tested in her own kitchen and refined based on real-world feedback from thousands of readers.

Professional Recognition:

Featured food expert on Fox9 News Minneapolis-St. Paul discussing budget meal planning
Quoted in Minneapolis Star Tribune on grocery savings strategies during inflation
Contributed recipes and articles to Betty Crocker, Today Show, Self Magazine, and BuzzFeed
Featured speaker at Minnesota Blogger Conference and What’s For Dinner Summit
Published author of 39 Low-Effort Ways To Save Up To $9,340.67 This Year (2016)

Media & Press:

Fox9 News: “Can you feed a family of four for less than $100 a week?” (December 2021)
Star Tribune: “How to lower your grocery costs when prices are soaring” (February 2022)
Recipe featured in The Ultimate SPAM Cookbook: 100+ Quick and Delicious Recipes
Regular contributor to Bring Me The News Minnesota State Fair coverage (2018-2024)

Why Trust Haley’s Recipes

✓ Every recipe is tested in Haley’s home kitchen before publishing
✓ 15+ years of recipe development and food blogging experience
✓ 600+ published recipes with reader reviews and feedback
✓ Real-world budget constraints inform every recipe. Haley lives what she teaches
✓ Transparent about substitutions and adaptations to fit different budgets and dietary needs

Cooking Philosophy

“You can eat delicious, satisfying meals on a tight budget. I know because I do it all the time! My goal is to show you exactly how, with recipes that use affordable ingredients, minimal prep time, and techniques anyone can master.”

Haley focuses on “80% of the time” recipes—the quick, practical meals you actually cook on busy weeknights, not aspirational dishes that require specialty ingredients or hours of preparation.

Specialties

Budget-friendly meal planning and grocery shopping strategies
Making expensive dishes affordable (homemade sushi for $2/roll, BBQ ribs with country-style cuts)
Using affordable ingredients creatively (cabbage, frozen vegetables, ground meats, pantry staples)
Reducing food waste through scraps and leftovers
Regional Minnesota/Midwest recipes (hotdish, Norwegian heritage recipes)

Background

Based in Dayton, Minnesota, Haley grew up in rural Minnesota near the South Dakota border. Her cooking expertise developed through years of experimentation, including adapting recipes while studying and working abroad in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Japan, and learning traditional Norwegian dishes from her heritage.

When she’s not in the kitchen, Haley is researching grocery store pricing, testing new budget-friendly ingredients, and finding creative ways to make favorite recipes more affordable.

Connect with Haley

Want to learn more? Read Haley’s full story and approach to budget cooking.