If the kids like hotdogs, you can slice a few hot dogs into mac and cheese.
If you make noodles at home, which is pretty easy to do, they are really cheap. That boxed mac and cheese looks awfully unhealthy to me, but home made is easy to do.
I make home made granola (very healthy) and then that can be made into granola bars. The kids think they are getting cookies.
Doesn't everybody love eggs and potatoes? Dice potatoes and fry them up like country hash browns. When they are tender, pour some egg over them and cook until done. if you are feeling rich, you can add some slices of hot dogs or top with a little bit of cheese. I put onions in mine, but most kids don't like onions.
I suppose it is possible, but I haven't met a kid yet who doesn't like tacos. Those can be cheap to make if you are careful to control costs and don't use a lot of expensive ingredients. Kids will eat quesadillas and grilled cheese. Not too expensive if you control the amount of cheese that you use.
When my kid was very little, I would slice up fruit or raw veggies and put them on one plate. I wouldn't say a word. I would just sit there and eat them. Pretty soon, he was taking pieces off my plate and eating them. He's 40 now and will still walk by and take raw veggies off the cutting board while I am cooking. He will eat any fruit or vegetable and I never once said "eat your vegetables" to him.
French toast is healthy if you make it with a whole grain bread. Something like oat bread because a lot of kid don't like whole wheat bread. Limit the amount of butter and syrup by spreading a little jam on it instead of butter and syrup.
If the kids only want hot dogs, find a source of whole grain hot dog rolls. Not whole wheat rolls unless your kids will eat those. Something like 7 grain or oat bread.
