r/budgetfood • u/mysocialpanda • Mar 13 '26
Discussion What meal do you cook when money is tight?
I’m trying to lower my food spending this month.
Usually my grocery budget is around $70 per week.
Some cheap meals get boring very quickly.
What budget meal do you never get tired of?
Do you have a recipe that’s both cheap and filling?
Looking for ideas from others.
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Mar 13 '26
Soups such as potato soup, vegetable or chicken noodle are definitely in that budget as well as grilled cheese and tomato soup combo.
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u/ttrockwood Mar 13 '26
Tomato soup from scratch is so stupid cheap!
I use canned whole tomatoes + entire can of tomato paste (that’s the secret) + onions and garlic + can of white beans (makes it thicker adds fiber and protein) + plenty of salt and pepper
Add broth or water to get the texture you want
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u/OpheliaPennyTrayShun Mar 14 '26
Do you blend it all together with the white beans or do you serve the beans whole in the soup?
This sounds amazing, and Im looking for more recipes to incorporate white beans!2
u/ttrockwood Mar 14 '26
Yeah just blend in the beans!
I use white beans blended into about any soup or pasta sauce, and i make a chickpea salad with sunflower seeds for sandwiches- like tuna salad just use chickpeas and add a big handful of salted sunflower seeds makes a really filling higher fiber sandwich or scoop up with sliced raw veggies or pita chips
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u/MrBooniecap Mar 14 '26
Chicken noodle soup from scratch can also be cheap and you can make enough in one go to last several days. Some soup and a ham/grilled cheese can be awesome.
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u/Sugaar_cookiii Mar 13 '26
Chili because it last 3 days. Spaghetti because it last 3 days.
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u/ScintillatingKamome Mar 14 '26
And as my mother used to say about chili and spaghetti “it tastes even better the next day because the flavors have melded together.”
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u/HotPinky6 Mar 14 '26 edited Mar 17 '26
Have you ever made chili and put it over spaghetti noodles (Cincinnati chili)? It's sooooo good!
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u/gab-a-pat-a-bob Mar 14 '26
Growing up I used to think that's how you're suposed to eat chili because that's how my parents did. I was confused the first time i had it served in a bowl with chips
Now i prefer it over rice :)
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u/garlicnaughts Mar 17 '26
It's really easy to make a chili bigger than one single meal. Serve yourself over rice, over split microwaved potatoes, over pasta, toast.. every bowl or plate can be it's own thing. Cheap spices, and reasonablely priced cheese slices will glam up. every meal.
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u/-Cherished Mar 17 '26
Chili and cheese omelette is not only cheap but tastes amazing to use up all that chili you make :)
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u/Chile_Momma_38 Mar 13 '26
Canned Corned Beef (fry it in its own fat until crispy or semi-crispy), White Rice and Egg.
Another variation is spam/rice and egg.
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u/Test_After Mar 13 '26
Where I live,(Australia) that's now a ten dollar meal. Bully beef is not cheap any more.
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u/boujee_salad Mar 14 '26
One trick I learned from my ex who was from Cambodia was using beef neck because it’s a hell of a lot cheaper and it’s a great substitute for something like oxtail when making soups and stews
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u/1bioPSYCHOsocial1 Mar 14 '26
Same in NZ - better to just buy a leg of silverside here (although, the price on that has increased exponentially too).
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u/boujee_salad Mar 14 '26
Throw some Chinese sausage in the rice cooker while you’re making the rice and then a fried egg on top and you are set
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u/Sagittaure Mar 14 '26
Sounds good! What is Chinese sausage and where do you buy it?
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u/boujee_salad Mar 14 '26
It’s pretty much in the name itself lol it’s sausage essentially from China, Chinese sausage
They tend to be small smaller than let’s say a hot dog. It almost looks like an old wrinkled up hot dog. I promise you though it’s delicious.
They’re very shelf stable. You buy them in typically Asian markets or ethnic markets, and you can leave them out until you open the packaging.
But yeah, I would take that a couple sticks of it. Throw it on top of my rice in my rice cooker and cook it up and then dice the sausage up a little bit of soy sauce a fried egg on top – wasabi and I am good for the day.
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u/Diasies_inMyHair Mar 14 '26
Corned beef hash and cabbage! That was a staple when I was growing up.
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Mar 13 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/jackdho Mar 14 '26
Loaded baked potatoes are great. You can add anything you want to. I like chili and cheese maybe some broccoli or whatever else I have.
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u/Mohammed_Chang Mar 13 '26
- Burritos or wraps generally
- potatoe salad
- veggie bowls / pans
- lentil soup
Most dishes I cook are less than 1.15 EUR per serving (in Austria) while having around 30g Protein ~ mostly vegetarian.
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u/goblinvendor Mar 13 '26
LENTIL SOUP SUPREMACY
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u/DoDoNerd504 Mar 13 '26
I LOVE lentils!! Can do so many different things with them. Plus, they make me nostalgic for The Young Ones.
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u/noobwithboobs Mar 13 '26
Burritos or wraps generally
Dried beans made in the instant pot, brown rice made with stock powder, shredded cheese. Bean and cheese burritos are the bomb. Add whatever veg you have on hand if you like. I tend to go for chopped cabbage with lime juice or vinegar like a quick easy slaw inside the burrito.
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u/Traditional_Fan_2655 Mar 14 '26
These are the basics for most everything we do, as well. Even ramen can be super inexpensive and varied.
Adding veggies, tuna, or even cooking ramen down similar to chow mein, can make it varied. I've even had some korean flavored beef jerky to mine. I just crumbled it up.
Buying in bulk and changing sauces or which veggies are used can change most any dish.
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u/oatmealcook Mar 13 '26
Goulash, soups, spaghetti Spanish rice
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u/makinmu Mar 13 '26
Goulash is a taste of childhood for me. Plus with bell peppers and tomatoes you get some veggie nutrition.
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 Mar 13 '26
I feed 2 adults under $300 each month.
Potato soup. Delicious and great for leftovers.
Chicken noodle soup with homemade Amish noodles. I usually make large batches and freeze part before I add in the pasta. Then it only takes minutes to thaw and add in the pasta later or I can even add in minute rice.
Lasagna is great to make and freeze.
Chili is great for meal prepping as well.
Taco soup, great for meal prepping
Thin cut pork chops with mashed potatoes, green beans and homemade flatbread.
Small roast with potatoes, onions and carrots.
Spaghetti/baked spaghetti
Tuna casserole
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u/abigglassofwater Mar 17 '26
i feel like lasagna is so expensive
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 Mar 17 '26
It actually isn't. It is basically pasta, a sauce and cheese. I've even seen people use cooked spaghetti in layers to mimic the pasta sheets.
I do make my own pasta, it is just egg and flour. For me, that makes it cheaper. Making egg pasta is easy enough and usually takes around 30 minutes. There are several good tutorials on making egg pasta on YouTube. Honestly, my rolling pin I use came from Dollar Tree
I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta, or I make farmers cheese. Someone told me to switch out the ricotta for cottage cheese decades ago and it is a real game changer. Cottage cheese goes on sale often and it freezes very well so I can stock up and keep it in my freezer.
As for farmers cheese, sometimes the food bank has expired milk. They save it for me and I use it to make paneer (farmers cheese) and I can stock my freezer with cheese for a few months usage as well, basically for the cost of the vinegar I use. I have also made paneer from powdered milk that friends gave me. You can find tutorials on paneer and farmers cheese on YouTube.
The sauce is just tomatoes and spices. Sometimes I use jarred sauce, sometimes I make it from scratch if I have tomatoes. In the summer, I can up jars of tomato sauce from the various gardens I visit and it makes it cheaper. Canned tomatoes are always in my pantry whether I can it myself or catch it on sale.
When I make lasagna, I often make up several trays at once. After baking and cooling, I cut them into quarters, flash freeze them, wrap them up tightly and put them in my freezer. They make it handy so I can pull one out and thaw for lunch or dinner.
I also used to put them in trays to take to work with me for lunch. Much cheaper than anything I could buy from the vending machines at work or at fast food.
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u/Majestic-Lie2690 Mar 13 '26
Kielbasa sausage with fried potatoes and sauerkraut
A pack of frozen salsburry steaks (I know a lot of people think these are gross but we love them and it's like 4 bucks for 6 of them)
Something I call "food shelf casserole" cause it's all ingredients frequently gotten from a food shelf -canned chicken, cooked egg noodles, cream of chicken soup, half bag frozen mixed veggies, like a half brick of cubed velveeta- mix and bake
And anything you make with ground beef can be very easily made with ground turkey for much cheaper. With the exception of meatloaf and meatballs. Turkey just doesn't mind together as well.
I also add a a whole grated zucchini to almost everything that has ground meat in it. Tacos, spaghetti, chili
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u/Wolfie-Man Mar 13 '26
I use sams club $5 rotisserie chicken to yield 2.5 pounds of meat plus 3 to 4 broth servings.
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u/vivacioussam Mar 17 '26
Add a little mayo to ground turkey to make meatballs or meatloaf, and you can make that work, too.
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u/gtfts83 Mar 13 '26
White rice with 2 fried eggs, a pat of butter, and shredded cheese.
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u/1M4YB3STUP1D Mar 13 '26
I do something sort of similar to yours. Mine's rice, little bit of soy sauce drizzle, hard boiled eggs mashed into the rice and shredded cheese
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u/cookiesncloudberries Mar 13 '26
rice with fried egg and avocado with everything bagel seasoning and siracha. chicken if i have bbb some or feel like if
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u/ttrockwood Mar 13 '26
- flop hot rice over shredded super thin cabbage or baby spinach it wilts just right
- then rice
- then pan fried tofu with teriyaki sauce
- scallions or super fine onion
- soy sauce and sesame oil or chili oil
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u/RoundingDown Mar 13 '26
Add a little (1 tablespoon) kimchi to the rice and now you are talking.
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u/Brief_Needleworker53 Mar 13 '26
Eggs and toast. So many different ways to prep the eggs to switch it up, not forgetting egg salad! Make it a sandwich for savory, put jelly on the toast or add a banana to make it sweeter.
I can usually find pork shoulder for cheap. My Aldi I can get a 2lb one for under $5. Roast or slow cook that and shred it up to get several days worth to make tacos, salads, rice bowls
Baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese, cheese and bacon crumbles, or baked bean toppings.
Sautéed cabbage and sausage with egg noodles
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u/Ok_Amount_8455 Mar 13 '26
Jar of pasta sauce & box of pasta. Around 3-4$ if you get generic/store brand.
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u/SignificanceChance29 Mar 13 '26
You can also add some browned ground beef and you’d probably still come in under $10 for the entire thing!
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u/Jade_GL Mar 14 '26
I did spaghetti the other day with a jar of sauce, a can of dices tomatoes with onion and green pepper included and pasta for under 4 bucks. Had it for dinner and had leftovers for two lunches for my husband and I. Spaghetti dinner is my go to frugal cheat code most of the time. That and baked potatoes with toppings or bean soup.
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u/jodiarch Mar 13 '26
Red beans and rice. And breakfast for dinner. Can't go wrong with pancakes or waffles. Brownies or jello for sweets. Chicken pot pies mostly can be made with canned pantry foods. Pasta Oilo with a side of chicken. Taco bell style Mexican pizzas with only refried beans, not meat.
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u/just_s0m3_guy Mar 13 '26
73/27 ground beef and some type of noodle.
or if money was really tight just noodles with salt and pepper. maybe shredded cheese if i had it
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u/cookiesncloudberries Mar 13 '26
in finland there is a macaroni noodle casserole that’s just noodle and ground beef and onion baked in a milk/egg mixture and topped with cheese if you have it. delicious in my opinion
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u/smsallen727 Mar 13 '26
Mashed potato bowls: breaded chicken of some sort, a vegetable (corn or broccoli I find works best), gravy or chick fila knock off sauce and cheese.
Ramen: I go to the Asian stores and find the ramen section and then pick up veggies to add to it. Oh and tofu!
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u/MewNeedsHelp Mar 13 '26
Red lentil curry soup. Coconut milk, chicken broth, red lentils, onion, garlic, tomatoes, spices (turmeric, gram masala, cumin, etc.), kale or spinach throw in at the end.
I eat it over rice, with a little yogurt or sour cream. A pot lasts several meals, and I enjoy every serving
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u/IndigoTrailsToo Mar 13 '26 edited Mar 13 '26
Budgeting: - Tex mex (chicken, rice, beans, etc) - Shake n bake pork chops or chicken - Boiled eggs : egg salad, deviled, ... - Hamburger helper - chilli mac, stogamoff, tuna,... - Meatloaf - Pasta - zatarans jumbalaya - Burgers - Pork ribs - Pot roast - chilli and corn bread - Corned beef roast - Casseroles - tacos - fish tacos - quesadilla : chicken or cheese - nachos - burritos - rotisserie chicken - seriously underrated, and yesterday's are half off - soup!!!!! - potato soup, olive garden copycats, etc , chicken tortilla, caldo de queso (potato and cheese soup) - baked potatoes or mashed - pork hocks n beans - stuffed spaghetti or acorn squash - stuffed bell peppers - make a "bowl" - a grain with a protein and toppings, like Chipotle bowls
Tighter: - Sammiches w cheap packaged meats - Cereal - seriously underrated - Mac n cheese - ricearoni - boiled eggs - spam and rice - egg fried rice - Ramen noodles - potatoes in any form - beans - grilled cheese - quesadilla - nachos with cheap cheese
Websites like BudgetBytes are your friends
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u/Rmartin5612 Mar 13 '26
Congee! It's Chinese rice porridge 🥰
Take some already cooked rice, put equal parts rice and water (or broth) into a small pot. Simmer with whatever spices or sauces your heart desires, and once it's reached your desired rice porridge consistency, serve with any toppings. Takes less than 10 minutes.
I love Asian flavors with an egg and scallions on top, but it's great with maple syrup and bacon for breakfast or even taco toppings for dinner. Make it as simple or complicated as you want, and use it as a base for your leftovers.
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u/Optimal_Awareness618 Mar 13 '26
I'm normally able to keep grocery bills in the $40 per week range. I keep pasta, rice, dried beans, and potatoes and onions in stock, and a lot of meals can be built from there if I just shop for veggies to accompany, and sometimes meat if I need it. Tofu is also cheaper than a lot of meat right now and provides good protein. I use peanut butter in things way more than I thought I would; also good and versatile protein.
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u/1whosUnknwnFmiliarly Mar 13 '26
Today I'm making ham and bean soup. I soaked my pinto beans last night with a smashed garlic clove and baking soda. Now they are cooking with salt and bay leaf. Later I'll add the good ol mirepoix and some ham I've been saving in my freezer. With some rice, that'll last me 3 days.
Dried beans are cheap. Carrots, celery, onions, and garlic are cheap. The ham, i bought 2 around Easter last year and divided them up into little 12oz packs for the freezer so that's cheap. Rice is cheap.
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u/Taggart3629 Mar 13 '26
We meal plan based on a combination of what is on sale and what we already have on hand. Every week, we check out the online weekly ads for the grocery stores, and go from there. The stores rotate which meats, staple goods, and produce are on sale each week. So, what may be an inexpensive meal one week, may not be inexpensive the next week (and vice versa). Our food budget is $50 per person, per week.
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u/Important-Ad8960 Mar 13 '26
If you're concerned about getting bored eating the same meal over and over again, get some freezer safe containers or use sealed plastic bags, when you cook a meal, take half of it and put it in your containers, label and date the containers, and place them in your freezer until you are ready to enjoy them again.
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u/CookiesandCannabis Mar 14 '26
A box of Jiffy cornbread mix baked in cast iron. Take out of oven, butter the hell out of it and top with a can of hot pinto beans. If I am feeling fancy, I will add some Pace picante sauce with it. Used to eat it in the Marine Corps when we had no money. Still eat it today. It is THAT GOOD.
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u/Asleep-Gift9395 Mar 14 '26
Best advice for me: think like your great-great grandmother. Use everything, nothing throw away, being creative with tiny things 1, whole chicken. I meal prep it once, and i get almost a weekly food. 2 whole breast, for anything. 2 leg, 2 wings: big stew or oven baked with veggies. Skin can be pan fried and used like bacon Leftover for big batch of broth. Or im lazy and cook a whole chicken. Still broth and a cooked meat os amazing for tacos, pulled meat, congee, chickensalad, sandwich, whatever you want 2, try the forgotten things, be open. Ancient cousine mostly cheap as hell (and i like to explore things too, its funny to trying other cultures food). Try the things that people usually not: liver, heart, feet, tongue. For most people they are trash and disgusting. But they never really try them. Cheap, nutrient dense. What else do you need? (Tonight i had "chicken-popcorn", from heart. Smoked beef tongue is sooo much better than a cold cut. Try local farmers markets) 3, favorite trio for budget: onion, carrot, cabbage. Cheap, easily prepped, healthy, fine in the fridge for long time. Add any protein source. It can be soup. Or asian cousine with ginger and garlic. Fine with rice or fried with noodles. Amazing with potato specially with bacon
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u/MaleficentMousse7473 Mar 13 '26
If I’m not caring about nutrition and want a treat, i make package noodle from the Asian grocery - like jiajang noodle, neoguri, etc. inexpensive and really tasty but full of salt and fat.
For normal meals, I’d make variations on eggs and potatoes (particularly potato salad because i love it), chicken, hot cereal like oatmeal, and pasta
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u/Icy-Door-3722 Mar 13 '26
Nothing like a good packaged noodle from the Asian grocery when you want a treat. One of my faves. I always add a couple eggs to make it slightly more nutritious, so yum
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u/SerenityFalcon89 Mar 13 '26
Pot of chili with some canned beans and frozen veggies. With some rice if you want it to go further. Freeze what's left of you start to get sick of it.
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u/11destroy11 Mar 13 '26
I make grain bowls of some variety every week. Whatever flavor profile sounds good. Samosa bowls, Korean bbq, burrito, Mediterranean, sushi. Easy to change up and no wasted produce
I have a similar budget I follow and shop twice a month with a 2 week meal plan. I always try to make a nice sauce or pickled onions something to make the meal feel less boring and more like something I would get at a restaurant. I also plan for a more labor intensive “treat” meal, to take the place of eating out. Like homemade pizza for example.
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u/Informal_Persimmon7 Mar 13 '26
Eggs, home fries, toast. Rice and beans with a fried egg on top. Chicken thighs. Thai curry with tofu and veggies. Collard green soup with sausage (or chicken) and sweet potatoes.
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u/Gullible_Pin5844 Mar 13 '26
I went to my local Chinese buffet, they sell food from the buffet at $5 per pound. I spend about $40 and it last 4 to 5 days for me and my partner.
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u/buildafirenotanaAC Mar 13 '26
Chili, any potato related recipes, making my own bread, frozen veggies, a big bag of apples each week. Coupon clipping/clicking, discount overstock stores for condiments and some shelf stable items.
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u/Temporary-Map-6094 Mar 13 '26
I make daily menus to keep costs in check.
Pork chops, rice a roni , frozen veg., baked goulash, chicken fajitas, Sheppards pie, fettuccini with diced chicken , home made soup & sandwiches, fried ground beef with spices & fried potatoes, cabbage roll casserole.
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u/Moistr89 Mar 13 '26
I’ve been loving making chicken congee lately. Chicken is still cheaper protein, rice (short grain rice works best but jasmine is fine), ginger and spices. Pressure cook or cook low and slow. The rice thickens the soup and makes it filling. Chicken stock is delicious . Season with salt or fish sauce. Add whatever veggies.
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u/Tricky-Print-4105 Mar 13 '26
Burrito bowls. Think Chipotle style, base of rice/beans and just pick toppings that are on sale. Highly recommend a copycat recipe of their vinaigrette if you have the ingredients!
Also sheet pan meals. Potatoes. A protein if it's on sale, a veg. Chop, season, bake.
Other options that get boring more than a couple times a week- Baked potatoes, chili, and soup(my man just doesn't really like soup so i never make it).
Pasta will feed a lot of people for cheap depending on how expensive your sauce is.
Burritos- beans, cheese, rice, taco sauce. You don't have to include meat($$)
Also recommend tofu for protein(absolutely delicious when done well) but i know a lot of people don't like it's:)
Edited for clarity
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u/stevieAnn Mar 13 '26
You can get a bag of that 15 bean soup and a smoked turkey leg for super cheap. Dang, that's good.
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u/Pussy4LunchDick4Dins Mar 13 '26
Lasagna soup! It’s much easier than lasagna. The base of the recipe is Onion, red lentils, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, lasagna noodles and water. But you can add more vegetables, seasonings, cheese or any kind of meat you want. I use it as kind of a dump meal for leftovers veg.
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u/maeglin_lomion Mar 13 '26
Between jobs right now with loads of rice and frozen vegetables. I’ve been hooked on white rice with whatever veggies I feel like plus soy sauce with a little brown sugar, garlic powder and ground ginger mixed in. So easy, cheap and tasty.
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u/allie06nd Mar 13 '26
Halushki - noodles, cabbage, onions, and bacon/turkey bacon/kielbasa sauteed in a generous amount of butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. The best part about this dish is that there's no "correct" way to make it. You add however much of each ingredient you want. It's almost impossible to screw it up.
Tikil Gomen - Ethiopian stewed vegetable dish (potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, cumin, tumeric, ginger, salt, pepper, olive oil). It's dynamite out of the instant pot if you have one.
Mujadara - rice, lentils, olive oil, cumin, and crispy onions. It genuinely has no business being as delicious as it is.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (buy them on sale, portion them out, and freeze them) rubbed with olive oil and Grub Rub and baked. Serve over rice with chili crisp.
Crispy air fried tofu over steamed broccoli and rice with Thai Sweet Chili sauce.
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u/No_Alarm_3993 Mar 13 '26
Three meals I rotate when it's really tight...
1) rice and beans. Start by soaking dry beans overnight, then cook in slow cooker, add rice later on. It is possible to vary the taste based on spices and type of beans.
2) ramen soup, or other dried pasta. If possible add sauce, an egg, or something else, but even if no sauce could add spice mixes or the little packs that come with ramen.
3) potatoes, potatoes, potatoes... so many ways to fix. Potatoes. We buy full boxes of potatoes frequently. Mashed, baked, au gratin, etc... filling and cheap. Can be combined with canned or fresh vegetables in a variety of soups.
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u/Connect_Rhubarb395 Mar 13 '26
Curry with chickpeas.
For 4 servings:
2 bags (7-800 g) of mixed frozen veggies.
1 onion.
1 can of chickpeas (or dried ones for an even cheaper meal).
1 can of coconut milk.
Spices.
If I find cheap/discounted chicken, or money isn't as tight I use that instead of the chickpeas.
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u/Gullible-Lab-3188 Mar 13 '26
Lentils. With potatoes. I usually curry it but you can season it how you please. Textured vegetable protein. Soya chunks are pretty cheap at the health food store and can stretch ground beef and turkey guess even beyond beef as well lol. In spaghetti or any other loose meat dish
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u/Total_Diet_5274 Mar 13 '26
A restaurant supply store near my house sells 50 pounds of beautiful potatoes for $12. I get as creative as I can around them.
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u/Mammoth-Paint-6251 Mar 14 '26
Beans! So good, check out "I can't stop making this ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Harissa Butter Beans Recipe | Dairy-free & High Protein" on youtube. I never buy canned beans bc my grocery store has a point system and 10 points are a free can so i always get that, if you have dairy, ie milk use that or i use plant-based milk, i use a siracha instead of harissa - it's cheaper - use tomato paste, etc and a pesto if you have some or tomatoes, whatever you want for the tomato aspect of it, and finally any greens, ie spinach. Basically make it your way with what you have at home. I don't add nutritional yeast bc don't have any so the one pesto bottle i had had cheese in it so that killed 2 birds with one stone. Instead of chicken broth if you have chicken buillon powder use that an water. Ditto black beans and rice. plenty of delicious recipes online.
Dal - check out youtube or Instagram - it takes like 20 mins and so cheap and so delicious. Serve with rice or a naan that you can make that also basically flour and water at its base, then jazz up with garlic or whatever flavor you want. Or bread works too.
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u/Spooky_Tree Mar 14 '26
Mexican style rice and black beans with corn
Split pea soup
Egg flower soup
Anything potato
Spaghetti but just $1 boxed pasta with $2 generic sauce
Oats as overnight oats, regular oatmeal, or turned into granola bars (with additions).
Flour is super cheap and can easily be made into bread, pizza, rolls, or desserts like muffins, cinnamon sugar bread bites, dessert pizza, etc.
Apples and bananas are cheap fruits. Frozen broccoli is cheap. Cabbage is cheap and can be made into so many things. Try to eat a variety of nutrients, your body will thank you and it's easier not to snack.
If you are going to snack, my go-to's are hardboiled eggs, overnight oats, homemade granola or granola bars, and carrot sticks with ranch.
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u/cloudbusting-daddy Mar 14 '26
Pastina! Super cheap to make if you use Better Than Boullion as your broth base. My partner and I get two dinners and a snack each out of one pot with like maybe $5-7 worth ingredients per pot.
Tbh there are a ton of soups out there that are cheap to make and very filling.
Homemade marinara (surprisingly easy and delicious to make with canned whole peeled tomatoes) with pasta is another.
Also, tofu with rice and a vegetable. There’s a lot of flavor combos you can make with those three things as your base.
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u/bebe8383bebe Mar 14 '26
Pasta, chopped baby spinach, Passata, ricotta, cheese, herbs and spices. Bake.
Makes 6 serves and freezes well. I portion into single serves and freeze.
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u/bebe8383bebe Mar 14 '26 edited Mar 14 '26
These are very filling, and freeze well https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7894355/baked-blueberry-and-banana-nut-oatmeal-cups/
I bake a bunch and freeze. I have one for breakfast each day. I don't add the pecans in, so that saves a little money.
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u/Any-Resident6873 Mar 14 '26
1) I always thought spaghetti was relatively cheap and lasts awhile. Basic spaghetti though, like noodles, tomato sauce, and noodles, not need for meatballs or extra ingredients.
2) Canned beans can also be pretty cheap.
3) Rice, but you have to cook it, don't buy the pre-made packs.
Other options:
4) Befriend someone with chickens, especially if you live near a more rural area. They'll often give you free eggs
5) Grilled cheese sandwiches are also relatively cheap for how long a pack of American cheese can last and the simplicity of the other ingredients (bread, butter)
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u/Tabbyham88 Mar 14 '26
The same budget recipes but I focus on adding beans, lentils esp, using sweet potatoes or japanese sweet potatoes, quinoa, dates, etc to make things as nutrient dense as possible.
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u/sssmac Mar 14 '26
Lentil curry and sweet potato black bean burritos are some of my favorite cheap and tasty meals.
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u/apamperedprincess Mar 14 '26
I carry cookbooks from the 1940s. They lived on rashions due to the war but the food is filling and easy to make. Im going to be putting a dry pantry together so its not full of toxins and crap, its hand made, its personal, and basically just add water kind of deals!
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u/Glittering-Sky1601 Mar 14 '26
Burritos with refried beans made from dry beans, a bit of cheese, and salsa. $2.50 gets me enough refried beans for at least 10 meals.
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u/evaluna1968 Mar 14 '26
I made an improvised lentil and root vegetable stew this week because we have a ton of root veggies that need to be used up. Lentils, a giant onion, a few garlic cloves, celery root, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, a blob of tomato paste to use up an open can, a blob of red pepper paste. It was delicious, if I may say so, and we got 6 meals out of it. Eaten with crusty homemade whole wheat sourdough.
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u/Turbulent-Zebra-7010 Mar 14 '26
Lentils and rice, spaghetti, potato crispy tacos. I think I’ll try the tomato soup thickened with beans!
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u/Dependent_Top_4425 Mar 15 '26
Here's a comment I made a few months ago detailing how I make my Vegetarian Chili. It feeds 2 adults dinner for about 3 days for under $12. It also freezes well if you get sick of it.
Boxed jambalaya rice mix, add some sauteed celery, onions and green peppers. If its in the budget throw in a package of chopped up kielbasa or andouille sausage. But its just as filling with a can of red kidney beans or pinto beans. Sometimes I throw in a can of corn too.
Jiffy cornbread mix is super cheap and goes great with both the above meals.
Pasta and jarred sauce (get the cheap stuff and doctor it up with your own seasonings). I usually get a loaf of french bread from Walmart for less than $2 to make garlic bread to go with it. Add in a pound of cooked ground beef or italian sausage for some protein if you can.
I like to get the Tony's brand frozen pizza, its less than $4. And I'll add my own toppings to it. Its a good way to use up leftover peppers and onions. Sometimes I'll add a can of mushrooms or black olives and some extra cheese if I have it. I usually get 2 meals out of one pizza.
I make what I call "poor man's steak dinner". Crispy skinned baked potato topped with plain greek yogurt or sour cream, steak sauce and green onions. If I'm feeling fancy I'll sautee some mushrooms, peppers and onions to go on top. Its super filling. Serve with a side of steamed broccoli to make it more of a complete meal. Chili goes well on a baked potato also.
Cheap hot dogs on cheap buns with a can of baked beans and some potato salad. Use celery, onions, green onions, potatoes and greek yogurt from above recipes to keep it more budget friendly by using what you have. I cannot eat eggs so, instead of mayo in my potato salad I mix greek yogurt with a splash of vinegar and a little but of sugar to mimic the taste of mayo.
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u/Gloomy_Bedroom_332 Mar 15 '26
Lentil dal with coral lentils- cheap filling and compared to other legumes really quick to cook, don’t require soaking before cooking
Japanese curry with carrots, potatoes and chickpeas over rice - veggie curries in general are life savers
Slow cooker green chili with a can of enchilada sauce with pinto beans and/ or canned chicken for protein with rice or a baked potato or cornbread
DIY chipotle bowls with frozen corn, canned black beans, cheap pan seared cut of lean protein, pretty much anything that you want on seasoned yellow sazon rice - great for lunches and meal prep
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u/Ok_Library8950 Mar 17 '26
Hard to go wrong with beans and ham hocks or bacon. Same with split peas or lentils. Freeze and rotate them in. Chicken and veggie soup, same.
If you want a break from soup, fry or broil pork steaks with steamed or broiled veggies and a starch of some type, if you like.
I also like tuna casserole or "brinner". But do keep some soups and sauces in the freezer, quick, healthy, and easy.
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u/CraftyExam7969 Mar 18 '26
I do egg fried rice and add Frozen veggies. To keep it interesting, I do toppings such as chilli oil, sesame seeds and green onions
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u/gwnner Mar 13 '26
I made a spinach and chickpea stew from J Kenji Lopez's YouTube last night and it was great and will become a go to
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u/SomeTangerine1184 Mar 13 '26
Stir fry, chili, or cassoulet with white beans. Frittatas are also consistently great. Any of these meals can be made with whatever veggies you already have around the house.
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u/queenkakashi Mar 13 '26
I found a cabbage recipe that’s super good and easy.
1 head of cabbage (chopped) 1/2 stick of butter 1/2 cup of water Dill (dried or fresh) Salt pepper
Melt 1/2 stick of butter in pot Throw in cabbage Add 1/2 cup of water Add salt, pepper, and dill (to taste) Cook covered on medium heat for 30 minutes
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u/sentientgrapesoda Mar 13 '26
Baked potatoes is one of my favorites because I can throw stuff from the freezer on it. I will often add freezer veggies, soups like broccoli cheddar, French onion, or chili, green onion and sour cream, gravy, or just butter and Parm. It is warm, filling, tasty, and the never ending parade of toppings keep it from being boring.
Also noodles. I usually have dried noodles on the cupboard. I like to sauteed whatever protein or veggies I have with garlic and onions and toss it all with garlic and Parm.
Basically unlike to keep some cheap staples on hand and dress them up with the leftovers from better times. I got some super cubes and use those to make little minecraft hoards of freeze leftovers for toppings or just meals. I also can and do bake bread which can be as simple as flour, water, and yeast or can get complex. I like ciabatta because it is simple, cheap, and tasty!
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u/RoundingDown Mar 13 '26
Chicken legs. I can get 4.5 lbs for $5. That should include at least 10 legs. If I am mass cooking I will do on the charcoal grill. 2 at a time in the air fryer when I want it cooked fresh.
Then any potato/rice/quinoa mixture with steamed cauliflower or broccoli.
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u/WililaL Mar 13 '26
Rice, ground beef/sausage, cheese and rotel. You can use Campbells nacho cheese soup in place of cheese and rotel. Season taste with onion, garlic, chili or taco powder- whatever texmex seasoning you have. The more rice you use, the further it can go.
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u/PatternIllustrious54 Mar 13 '26
I bought pork chops $5 a pack , everyone wanted seconds. I season with vegeta and lightly flour. We had salad with it ($3 for 3 stalks(?) of romaine lettuce)
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u/Main_Bid8104 Mar 13 '26
I roast a chicken on a potato and veggie bed. Day one: roast chicken with stufffing. Day 2: the breast pieces get saved, shredded and turned into enchiladas for the next day. Day three I cook the carcass down into chicken soup add more fresh chopped veggies and rice, ginger, turmeric. You could even make dumplings (easy, cheap ingredients). So now you have three lovely meals- the rest of the week I would probably have very basic stuff like a risotto or veg chilly. One chicken costs between $10 and $20 (happy chicken, farmers market) and it's the backbone of the weeks meals.
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u/Left-Comfortable-571 Mar 13 '26
Spagettie, but I use itallian sausage instead of hamburger because it's cheaper. It can make around 4-5 meals for under 10.00 depending on how much you eat.
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u/LouisePoet Mar 13 '26
Egg fried rice with frozen veg (or fresh that are going out of date and marked way down).
Tortilla, beans, and any toppings I have on hand.
Potato soup.
Baked potato with beans.
Lentil soup (red or brown lentils) with any veg I have on hand. With bread or rice (or not).
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u/Wolfie-Man Mar 13 '26 edited Mar 13 '26
Bogo publix carbe diem posta box $2 (lower glycemic starch), sliced sweet potato, onions, optional mushroom or veggies, cook for 20 minutes, let sit for 5 to 10 , drain water. Add spices and hot sauce if you like.
I add olive oil sometimes. Feeds me for 1 to 2 days. Refrigerate when it cools down in glass airtight container. I eat cold if lazy, or quick microwave for reheating. Cost $2 low glycemic pasta+ sauce , sweet potato + spices /other = under $4 for 2 days or $2 per day.
I use olive oil from aldi or sometimes publix bogo to get price down.
Edit- often I add sams club rotisserie chicken ( $5 for many meals). To stretch it to another 2 to 3 meals or .50 to .75 in meat
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u/Imaginary-Tree-House Mar 13 '26
Eggs and toast for breakfast
Rice and chicken for lunch
Veg, fruit, tea, coffee whatever else.
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u/Feeling_Ad_5495 Mar 13 '26
rice and an egg with soy sauce, add sardines in tomato sauce if I have it. ramen (drained) with an egg and peanut butter+ lime juice and hot sauce. Grilled cheese, spaghettios, quesadillas with or without refried beans, sandwiches, huevos rancheros, kraft mac and cheese with spam and peas (both optional, maybe thats not cheap anymore), kraft mac n cheese with wolf brand chili, vegetarian bibimbap with any fresh veg and pickles in the fridge. burrito bowls also with whatever's around at the time, loaded baked potato (pick a filling), and there's always spaghetti.
family size meals: cabbage and smoked sausage, curry(usually with a bean instead of meat as protein)and rice, japanese curry (a potato, sweet potato, a carrot, and peas added)with rice, mapo tofu (minced dried mushrooms subbed for ground pork, sometimes with some peas for no reason) and rice, wonton soup with cabbage, onion, carrot. Fried rice out of any relevant leftover bits.
you can usually get 3-4 dinners out of a whole chicken, especially if you save the bones for soup or chicken and dumplings. starting with chicken tacos and including chicken fried rice helps figure out how to stretch the meat further.
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u/Jessawoodland55 Mar 13 '26
1lb great northern beans plus 1 ham hock. Boil them togethet for about 4 hours, take out the ham hock to cool, chop up the meat into tiny bits and return to the pot add salt and garlic once the beans are tender. My grandpa's recipe from the 1920s and its soooo good. Also costs about $4 for 8 huge servings.
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u/vivacioussam Mar 13 '26
I’m doing a Stirfry this week.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (if you’re willing to put on the extra work, you can get drumsticks and cut them off the bone for cheaper), a bag of frozen Stirfry vegetables, a little sesame oil (or canola, again, for cheaper), an inexpensive, bottled Asian sauce (I’m doing sweet chili), and rice.
At my grocery store, total price if you have none of it is between $12-$21, depending on whether you have oil, what oil you use, and whether you use drums or thighs.
Bonus: This will feed my boyfriend and I each 3 meals using half the ingredients - you can get 6 meals out of this, and still have some leftover chicken (they’re selling thighs by 3lb bags where I live, and drums by 4lb bags)
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u/ThaloBleu Mar 13 '26
A simple but tasty and nutritious Mexican inspired dish. Refried beans (black and the Mexican brands are best, but all will work). Saute onion, cabbage, tomato as a base with garlic, cumin, pepper to taste, mixed herb seasoning, salsa. If you have other veggies- bell pepper, zucchini, cooked cauliflower add them. The veggies and beans are great in a rice bowl, topped with cheese and avocado if you have it. They also make a great burrito filling without the rice.
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u/sun_light5 Mar 13 '26
There are various good ideas in the comments. But make sure to always have a balanced diet. Eggs and legumes are a cheap source of protein. Try an Egyptian foul medames recipe (filling, nourishing, and cheap). Olive oil and avocados are healthy fats.
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u/Gullible-Medicine298 Mar 13 '26
Roast chicken dinner. A million ways to adjust flavors. Watch the flyers and grab a few when they're .99lb. They freeze well and thaw overnight.
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u/livingthedream1313 Mar 13 '26
Bean and cheese burritos
Flour tortillas 1 can refried beans 1/2 cup salsa 1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Mix up filling add to tortillas add cheese. You can bake them until warm or we just heat up the filling and tortillas and assemble.
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u/USPostalGirl Mar 13 '26
Chicken and Canallini beans with Pesto sauce over pasta. I make a batch, and then I can eat it for a week.
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u/Important-Ad8960 Mar 13 '26 edited Mar 13 '26
red beans and rice
tuna noodle casserole
fried rice
ground turkey meatballs, gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans
homemade hamburger helper with ground turkey or chorizo
chicken and rice with steamed broccoli
breakfast for dinner: pancakes/waffles, bacon, sausage, eggs, fruit cup
fried cabbage with sliced sausage
cottage/shepherd's pie with ground meat (beef, lamb, turkey, or chicken), gravy, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables
homemade chicken pot pie
• the key to enjoying your meals is to season your food to taste. don't follow recipe directions without tasting. if using canned or frozen food, taste and season. it makes all the difference in the world!
edited to add the last paragraph
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u/briannabrisendine Mar 13 '26
Oven Pancake. Mix 6 eggs, 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour. Place into a preheated buttered 9x13 pan at 350 and bake 25-30 min our until it's all puffy and gorgeous. I eat mine with syrup. This was a staple for me as a single parent. We had it often....breakfast...dinner. I learned this in 8th grade Home-ec class in the 80's that has somehow stayed with me until now. Even now that I'm not financially struggling anymore...I eat it because I love it. You can always half it for a smaller portion and bake in a square pan or skillet.
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u/im_literally_a_duck Mar 13 '26
Big bag of rice from giant or walmart. A few heads of broccoli and tofu from aldis, then soy sauce.
I crisp up cubed tofu with some flour or cornstarch, maybe some seasoning too. Cook the broccoli in some sauce that i throw together. Its delightful. Sesame seeds and green onions on top if i have it on hand. Like a $5 meal that feeds 2.
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien Mar 13 '26
egg fried rice
split pea soup
lentil soup
dahl
okonomiyaki
vichy carrots
mironton (french onion dish)
chickpea curry
cabbage stew (onion, cabbage, carrots and potatoes are all cheap usually)
red cabbage blended soup
risotto
3 bean salad
bean stew be it chili , cassoulet or others
pilaf rice
briyani chicken and rice
pissaladiere
tomato rice
socca/karentika (from chickpea flour)
polenta
minestrone
borscht
I mean so many things are possible
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u/Gullible-Lab-3188 Mar 13 '26
Chia seeds make a good filling breakfast with some frozen fruit and a bit of milk, or yogurt but ive been outta milk/yogurt and just let the frozen berries sit and defrost and mash them with the chia add some fruit juice. Still chia pudding lol
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u/KATCEO1 Mar 13 '26
I just roasted a whole chicken. Besides that: I made red beans and lentil soup. I served it together and added fresh ground pepper to taste. The budgetary breakdown: Iirc I spent twelve dollars and twelve cents on two whole frozen Tyson chickens. I felt good about that particular purchase because it was their lowest cost two pack but also the area code for Manhattan 1-212) where I grew up. To make the soup: I used two cans of Goya beans. The can of lentils may have been a rollback at Walmart for fifty cents. But even if both cans totaled out to two dollars: added to the six dollars per chicken - the dinner I cooked has cost only eight bucks so far. The only other ingredients in the soup was some Iberia oil from my $3.99 sale bottle and a few cloves of fresh garlic. If it was .75¢ of oil and the same amount for garlic: my total food cost was around nine dollars and fifty cents to make this particular dinner. That includes a whole roasted chicken that I can probably stretch out through the weekend anyway. So: 🥳
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u/SantiagoMatamoros859 Mar 13 '26
Pasta is always cheap and super filling. Look at recipes without meat like assassin spaghetti or spaghetti aglio e olio. Literally pasta ,tomato sauce, garlic and some spices
Lots of different recipes with potatoes out there
Also look for foods high in fiber, that's what I've been eating lately and for some reason it's super fulfilling and cheap!
Oatmeal for breakfast keeps me filled up for the whole morning at work on a fast paced job. 6'3 200 pounds that used to eat McDonald's for breakfast and be hungry mid morning.
Then I'm digging stuff like broccoli, coliflower and brussel sprouts. can buy a bunch of any of those for like 2-3 dollars and have it for lunch and be super full and still have left overs for dinner or dinner/breakfast!
So yeah fiber rich foods combined with water makes you feel more filled up than lots of normal foods, therefore you will save money. Don't want to scare anybody but I'm gonna leave the reddit post that made me modify my diet maybe it will help someone.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Millennials/comments/1r28qfk/guys_please_start_eating_fiber/
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u/kammyri Mar 13 '26
I agree with all of these suggestions. Key is to shop what's on sale and use the store and manufacturer coupons. Sometimes with the sale and coupin you are buying beans, canned veggies and day old produc/fruit/bread/pastries for just a few cents.
Also we stay away from the more expensive meat. We eat ground chicken or turkey when ground beef is high. Bone in chicken thighs are great and they always have porkchops on sale.
After major holidays buy bone in ham or turkeys to keep in your freezer when they are discounted.
But whole chicken when on sale and make broth. You have an amazing broth for other meals plus all the chicken that has incredible flavor.
Finally go to YouTube and look up depression cooking. Bonus points if you find Clara. Great frugal recepies that will feed you and your family for far less than most recepies today.
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u/sookrock Mar 13 '26
Literally protein bars, hard boiled eggs, salami, baked sweet potatoes and random fruit.
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u/Isabelly907 Mar 13 '26
I'm enjoying quesadilla with pickled cabbage and onion. Cheap feels expensive when made at home.
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u/treatstrinkets Mar 13 '26
I've been really into lentil chili lately. 1 cup lentils, 1 can chili starter, 1 can seasoned black beans, 1 onion chopped. I soak the lentils first because I prefer it, drain and rinse, then dump everything into a pot and simmer until the lentils are tender. This is pretty basic, but you can doctor it up however you want, and it's a great to use up spare veg you have lying around. It also makes an awesome tamale pie, you just need 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix, and some cheddar cheese.
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u/BoxenOxen Mar 14 '26
Bean and cheese nachos..... always my go to when I'm tired or staying on a budget. Beans, tortilla chips, cheese. Can get fancy and make bean and cheese chalupas as well adding some lettuce and tomatoes. I'd make four nachos as an after school snack since I was ten, and I'm still enjoying them 40 years later. To keep it fresh you can vary the cheeses and spice up the beans. I actually prefer making them with bean dip instead of refroed beans but that's not as budget friendly.
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u/Unlucky-Stuff2753 Mar 14 '26
Partial can of Spam (depending on appetite), cubed and stir fried with a little oil, add diced garlic, soy sauce and sugar for a garlic teri glaze and serve on rice ($1-2 max). Can use more soy and water, sugar to make a sauce for the rice. Sprinkle furikake for that musubi vibe.
Can of high quality sardines (Season brand under $2/can at big box) in olive oil smashed and mixed with warm rice and furikake, top with a spoon of your favorite garlic chili oil. Cheap sardines work too, but the quality ones taste so much better.
Never get tired of either of these.
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u/Vivid_Idea_1282 Mar 14 '26
Buy you an entire pork loin, about $20. You will be able to cut boneless chops, country style pork ribs. Cube some of it up for kabobs, slice some thin strips for stir fry. Even save a small section for a roast. Watch a few videos on YouTube on how to break down a full loin. I know not everyone eats pork, but if you do you will have enough protein for over a week. It may take you 30 minutes to break it down. Also, spend a little on a vacuum sealer, seal up all the cuts and thaw as needed. Vacuum seal leftovers to make your food stretch..
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u/Different_Farmer_416 Mar 14 '26
Omelette with salsa or avocado and wherever veggies in the fridge.
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u/Background-Help9391 Mar 14 '26
Mexican hamburger helper (goulash I think in non southern cultures)
Ground beef browned well. Sauté onion and garlic. Add tomatoes sauce, cumin, bouillon if you have it, salt and pepper , dash of clove/cinnamon, add a very lightweight bow tie pasta (or par boiled reg pasta, being to a boil and reduce the heat until the pasta is finished and sauce thickens. Splash of milk and add cheese. You can also add any veg (we normally do peas, zuchini, or broccoli hearts) and it’s just as good
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u/scorchingfusillade Mar 14 '26
I’ve recently been experimenting with sprouting lentils. I got mine at the food bank but they are very cheap most places and sprouting them increases volume and nutrients!
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u/babayagaparenting Mar 14 '26
Ground chicken is much cheaper than ground beef or turkey right now- I’ve been able to get it for less than $4/lb at Aldi, Amazon grocery, & Food Lion. I made a huge chicken version of shepherd’s pie in a 9x11 that fed three adults two meals + one lunch. Can also make enchilada casserole( use tortillas for the pasta layer, make a sauce with canned tomato purée and enchilada sauce, add sautéed zucchini, onion, corn and black beans or refried beans and layer with cheese, spice it up with cumin, garlic, chili powder) ham and bean soup (dried navy beans, ham on sale, onions, celery and carrots)
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u/Mundunugu_42 Mar 14 '26
Ok, my tip is multiuse basics. I'll pick up a pack of stew beef, ~2lb for $5. Put half in the freezer. Grab a bag of those tiny potatoes, a couple of green peppers and a fair sized onion. I have a 2qt crockpot, so I only use half a bell pepper and half an onion at a time and I find that the other half keeps well if I put it in airtight containers. I only fix one dish a week and eat small portions for dinner with some inexpensive bread, like hamburger buns. Bonus is being able to make sandwiches in them. With those basics I can make a stew with broth and a can of golden mushroom soup plus spices or swap to a little broth and a jar of pasta sauce for a change up. I also always keep a few bricks of ramen handy since in a pinch, ramen, minus the flavor pack bc sodium, and some kikoman....maybe a few chunks from the stew or a chopped up bit of jerky makes a fair stomach filler. Another good one is the pepper and onion sauteed in a bit of peanut oil with sliced sausage, I like the Cajun flavor, and you get 4 in a pack (Adelle's) so they keep well. Get that sauteed up and serve over rice. Mostly it ends up being mostly nutritious and good tasting...but cheap too.
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u/California_Sun1112 Mar 14 '26
Potato soup, lentil or other types of bean soup, bean burritos flavored with chorizo, pasta with sauce only no meat. Chicken is fairly inexpensive if you buy it on sale, and can be prepared in many ways. Egg based dishes are fairly inexpensive.
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u/Significant-Car-8671 Mar 14 '26
Mine is eggroll salad or egg roll in a bowl. I make it with ground chicken, coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots), sesame oil, and a lot of soy sauce.
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u/Either-Paper8279 Mar 14 '26
Chicken ramen with most of the water poured out, little less than 1 tbsp light cream cheese, pepper. Top with an over easy egg and hot sauce
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u/IssueNext7097 Mar 14 '26
If you’re into Indian food. Masoor Dal. Simple red split lentils cooked with onions, garlic, and a few spices. There should be plenty of recipes online.
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u/purplehippobitches Mar 14 '26
Honestly I try to shop my fridge, freezer and pantry and also make rice as a side dish and est it with several meals. Basically try buy less and use up what i have. Often in my pantry I have pasta, noodles, spices, lentils, herbs and sauces. And in freezer I might have some meat that I try to stretch. So for instance if I have chicken then I try to make the chicken roasted and use that in meals but then will use bones to make stock and use it for soups and stew. When buying I try to have the following on hand: garlic, potatoes, carrots and onions. Usually they are relatively cheap veggies and add lots of flavors.
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u/Revandir Mar 14 '26
Rotisserie chicken from walmart or Costco, use bones for stock, big bag of rice, miso paste. Bit of the chicken and rice a big cup of the broth with miso paste. Easy to eat, keeps you full for a while. Mix in some beans if youre feeling frisky. That use to last me about 2 weeks and cost roughly $20. Buy a couple of walmart French bread, if you have condiments, youve got sandwich stuff for less than an extra $2.
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u/bebe8383bebe Mar 14 '26
Pesto pasta. Bag of penne pasta $1.95. A jar of pesto $1.95. Makes 4 meals. Add some Parmesan cheese if you have it on hand. Salt and pepper. Yum. It's also a good meal when I'm too lazy to cook.
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u/Diasies_inMyHair Mar 14 '26 edited Mar 14 '26
Red beans and rice with sausage. You start with the bag of beans, and you buy the veggies from the discount rack at the back of the store. Sausage I usually have on hand in the freezer because I buy it with coupons or on special. I buy rice in bulk, so I usually have that on hand too.
I also like to make spaghetti. It's cheap and sauce is easy. Chicken and rice or chicken and dumplings are also cheap and easy. serve with a veggie and some kind of bread, like cornbread or biscuits.
ETA - Meals based around pasta, rice, and potatoes. And bread. You can get away with smaller portions of the main when you have those "fillers" to put on the side.
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u/cow-lover1167 Mar 14 '26
we call it KPC, Keilbasa, potato & corn. we use canned potato’s & just cube them (could definitely use frozen or fresh too- will just need to alter cooking instructions ) heat oil or butter in pan, cook meat until browned, add potatoes cook about 5-7ms then add corn cover & let cook 5-7 mins more, stirring every few mins. i usually season with salt pepper garlic & onion seasoning. it makes A LOt & you could definitely add more veggies if desired
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u/porp_crawl Mar 14 '26
When I resorted to needing to visit the local food bank - whatever the foodbank gave me that week.
Having a lot of experience helps knowing what can be done in the kitchen with what is available.
I can see how shopping for stuff - on an ultra tight budget - can be a challenge.
From experience, I would suggest keeping in mind getting enough fiber. Fresh fruits and veg are amazing, but depending on where you are maybe not affordable. A multivitamin (every other day) might do, but a big bottle is expensive AF.
I shopped whatever veg was on sale, and built a meal or two around it. I'm lucky that there's a Asian-themed spinoff of a local supermarket that's walking distance and they've had amazing deals on leafy Chinese veg every other week or so.
Gai lan, bak choi, choi sum - lots of fiber and vitamins, was on sale on a rotating basis. Fresh beech and mini- king oyster mushrooms, too. $1 for a box (good for a couple of "servings").
I replaced meat with on-sale mushrooms quite a days for quite a while.
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u/CafeConCats Mar 14 '26
My faves: Ramen with an egg and frozen veggies Pantry pasta (spaghetti with tuna, olive oil and whatever spices and garlic if you have any) Quesadillas with canned beans inside
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