Founder & Recipe Creator

Carrie Barnard is the grill-obsessed recipe developer behind Grill on a Dime, where she shows busy families how to fire up mouth-watering meals without burning through the grocery budget. After 14 years creating crowd-pleasing dishes for her flagship site Eating on a Dime, Carrie turned her tongs toward all things barbecue—proving you don’t need fancy gear or pricey cuts to serve smoky, restaurant-worthy flavor at home.

Expertise

  • Backyard Grilling & BBQ Techniques
  • Budget-Friendly Family Cooking
  • 14+ Years Professional Food Blogging
  • Digital Cookbook Author & Video Content Creator (since 2010)

Education

  • B.S. in Mathematics Education, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
  • Former High-School Math Teacher turned Self-Taught Grill Master
  • Raised in a family-owned restaurant and practically grew up next to a flat-top grill

Cuisines

Classic American cookout staples, Tex-Mex fajitas, cedar-plank salmon, veggie skewers, smoky low-and-slow roasts, quick weeknight gas-grill meals, plus air-fryer and smoker hacks—always simplified so everyone can grill with confidence.

Location

Proudly grilling in Oklahoma

About Carrie

Hey there—I’m Carrie! I created Grill on a Dime because I believe dinner tastes better when you’ve made it over open flames (or at least hot grates) and still stayed under budget. Both of my parents ran restaurants, so I’ve been flipping burgers and chopping produce since before I could spell “thermometer.”

College forced me to cook on pennies, and I quickly ditched complicated recipes for easy, flavor-forward meals. Now, as a mom of eight (yes—8!) amazing kids, I lean on the grill year-round to keep dinner fun, fast, and affordable. Whether it’s Tuesday-night chicken thighs or a full-on Fourth-of-July feast, my mission is simple: help you master great flavor without expensive gadgets or gourmet ingredients.

About Grill on a Dime

Grill on a Dime is your go-to hub for affordable grilling inspiration. From five-ingredient marinades to crowd-sized smoker brisket tutorials, every recipe is developed with busy home cooks in mind. Our videos have racked up more than 100 million views across social media, and our community of grillers swaps tips daily on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

You’ll find:

  • 30-Minute Weeknight Grill Recipes
  • Slow-Smoked Weekend Projects (brisket, ribs, pork shoulder)
  • Vegetarian & Seafood Options for balanced menus
  • Beginner Guides to charcoal, gas, pellet, and electric grills
  • Budget Tips to stretch every pound of meat and bag of charcoal

How Our Recipes Are Tested

Every dish starts in my own backyard—often on multiple grills (charcoal kettle, gas four-burner, pellet smoker) to ensure versatile results. My eight resident taste-testers give brutally honest feedback; if the recipe doesn’t win them over, you’ll never see it online. After internal tweaks, our photographer and videographer cook it from the written instructions, guaranteeing it works exactly as published.

As Seen In

  • Featured grilling expert on KOCO 5 News
  • Quoted in The Oklahoman for money-saving meal strategies
  • Recipes shared by BuzzFeed, Parade, Huffington Post, and Business Insider
  • Trusted by millions of home cooks nationwide

Fun Facts

  • Former high-school math teacher—still love a good kitchen conversion.
  • Childhood nickname was “Betty” (as in Betty Crocker).
  • College pom-squad alum who can still hit a high kick.
  • Mom to four dogs that think they’re sous-chefs.
  • Foster-care and adoption advocate—five of my eight kiddos joined our family through foster care.
  • I believe anyone can learn to grill delicious meals with a little guidance—and I’m here to provide it!

Some of My Favorites

Most Popular Recipes to Try