Carrie Barnard Author of Eating on a Dime

Title: Founder and Recipe Creator

Carrie Barnard is a professional recipe developer and food blogger with over 14 years of experience creating budget-friendly family meals. As the founder of Eating on a Dime, she helps millions of busy families simplify dinner with easy, tested recipes that actually work.

Expertise: Recipe Development, Family Budget Cooking, Over 14 years of professional Food Blogging, Digital Cookbook Author, Content Creator since 2010

Education: Bachelors in Science in Mathematic Education from Southwestern Oklahoma State College, Former High School Math Teacher, Self-Taught Home Cook with a lifelong background in the restaurant industry

Cuisines: I love simplifying a variety of recipes so my family always love eating at home. From classic American recipes to exotic Indian dishes, I love teaching my followers how to make anything easily at home. You will also find Easy Family friendly Dinners, Slow Cooker Meals, Easy Grilling Recipes, Air Fryer meals, and so much more.

Location: Oklahoma

About

Hi, I’m Carrie! I’m the creator behind Eating on a Dime, where I share easy, family-friendly recipes to help busy people cook great meals without spending a fortune.

I come from a food-loving family—both of my parents owned restaurants, and I practically grew up in a kitchen. From napping in the back room as a toddler to managing my mom’s restaurant as a teenager, food has always been part of my life.

When I went to college, I started cooking at home to save money and realized I hated complicated recipes. That’s when I began experimenting with how to make meals using simple ingredients—and I’ve never looked back.

Now, with over 25 years of experience cooking for family and friends, I focus on recipes that are fast, affordable, and absolutely delicious. I’m also a proud mom to 8 amazing kids (yes, 8!), both biological and adopted through foster care. Feeding a big family on a budget is what I do every day, and I’m here to help you do the same.

About Eating on a Dime

Eating on a Dime is a trusted resource for busy home cooks who want to make easy meals their families will actually eat. With over 3 million fans on Facebook and recipe videos with more than 100 million views, we’ve become a go-to site for meals that don’t break the bank—or your back in the kitchen.

You’ll find everything from slow cooker classics and air fryer favorites to stovetop staples and one-pan meals. Whether you’re cooking for two or feeding a crowd, my recipes are designed to simplify your life and stretch your grocery budget.

My Recipe Testing Process

At Eating on a Dime, every recipe you see has been created and tested in my own kitchen — often more than once! I don’t believe in complicated, hard-to-follow recipes. I focus on simple, family-friendly meals that actually work for busy home cooks.

Before sharing any recipe, I make sure it’s easy to follow, uses everyday ingredients, and delivers delicious results. If it doesn’t pass the test with my own big family (I’m a mom to 8!), it doesn’t get published.

Then the recipe is created by our photographer and our videographer. That means each recipe is tested my multiple people. You can trust that the recipes you find here are real, reliable, and created with love — because feeding your family shouldn’t be stressful.

Digital Cookbooks

I’ve created a collection of easy-to-follow digital cookbooks to help you save time, money, and stress in the kitchen. Each cookbook is filled with recipes my family loves—and yours will too!

Slow Cooker Recipes – The ultimate time-saving cookbook for busy families
Low Carb Recipes for a Month – A beginner-friendly guide to eating low carb without the overwhelm
Crocktober – An entire month of slow cooker recipes
Christmas Dinner Cookbook – 50+ classic holiday recipes including mains, sides, drinks, and more
Christmas Desserts Cookbook – 50 fun and festive treats from cookies to fudge

As Seen In

Featured on KOCO5 News with our money saving tips
Featured in The Oklahoman as a money-saving expert
Recipes shared by BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and Parade
Trusted by millions of home cooks across the U.S. and beyond

Fun Facts

I used to be a high school math teacher before turning my passion for food into a full-time business.
My friends and family called me “Betty” growing up—as in Betty Crocker.
I was on the Pom squad in college.
I love traveling and seeing comedians.
I have 4 dogs that I’m crazy about and treat them as they are my children.
I’m a foster care and adoption mom and love using my platform to support and encourage other moms. I have actually adopted 5 children from foster care!
I’ve been blogging for over 14 years and love connecting with my readers every single day.
I genuinely believe anyone can learn to cook delicious meals with just a little help—and I’m here to be that help!