" It ’s fast , easy , super cheap , and need minimal sporty - up . Plus , it does n’t heat up the kitchen too much when it ’s already really hot outside . "
I don’t know about y’all, but I struggle to eat on a budget, and it feels like groceries get more and more expensive every day. So recently, when Reddit userSouthEmergency7292asked, “What’s your go-to cheap and easy meal?” I was keen to see the responses.
People had really great advice about budget meals with simple ingredients, and I am definitely adding all of them to my repertoire. Here are some of their best suggestions, along with some added tips and prices!
1.“Frito pie. Chili, cheese, and Fritos. Classic Texas staple.”
Also , you do n’t need to use Frito ’s — " Generic Zea mays chip are fine . "
— atomic number 92 / fazrare57
" Came here to say this . Butter a pie knockout , then add together layers of tinned chile , Fritos , light-green chili , and tall mallow until the mantrap is full . Tent with transparency and bake at 375 for 10 - 15 minute . Uncover and browned the cheese if you like . countenance it cool down and answer with salsa or sour ointment . It ’s high large calorie , though ; you could eat on an entire udder of Fritos this fashion . "
— u / KuromanKuro
approximate cost:~$8-$13 for about five service of process *
Fritos:$4.48or$1.97for generic
Chili:$2.16
unripened chilis:$0.84
Cheese:$1.97
Salsa:$1.98
And / or rancid cream:$1.24
Check out a more involved recipe for Frito pie — involve ground bitch — here .
- observe : There are ranges in cases of generic vs. brand name options , and also when the recipes involve ingredients the commenters bring up as optional , which will be go out out on the blue end of the estimates .
2.“Salsa Verde chicken. Season up some chicken breasts. A fajita seasoning works well. Put in a slow cooker. Cover with a jar or two of a quality salsa verde. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Pull out the chicken breasts and shred them, or pull them apart with a pair of forks. Put the chicken back in the slow cooker, squeeze a lime or two into the pot, and stir to mix the chicken and salsa verde thoroughly. Cook for another 1 to 2 hours. You can serve it in tortillas like a taco or burrito, put it in a bowl, or dump it on a plate. You can add cheese, sour cream, or guacamole when serving. Cheap, easy, a variety of ways to serve, makes a lot of food, and extra can be frozen for another time.”
— atomic number 92 / RasputinsAssassins
Estimated cost:~$10.50 - 17 for about six servings
Salsa Verde:$2.62
poulet breast:$5.45
Lime:$0.25(can add as many as you want )
Tortilla:$1.98
Guacamole:$2.98
Sour cream:$1.24
Check out a unproblematic formula for salsa verde chickenhere .
3.“Mexican cornbread: corn meal, corn, onions, chopped jalapenos, and cheese baked in a 450-degree preheated cast iron skillet.”
— atomic number 92 / OverQuail6135
estimate cost:~$6 for one loaf of bread / cake
Cornmeal:$1.56
Corn:$0.64
Onion:$1.23
Jalapeno:$0.84
Check out a more tangled recipehere .
4.“If I am too lazy or broke to get all the real ingredients, I make what I call ‘Noncheladas.’ Take a few taquitos (frozen from the store if you already have some in your freezer, or grab some from the rollers at 7-Eleven). If they’re frozen, nuke them for a couple of minutes to thaw. Place them in a shallow glass casserole dish. Pour canned red sauce on, cover with shredded cheese, then bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce. They’re like 80% as good as hand-rolled enchiladas with homemade sauce but with 10% of the effort.”
" Good enchiladas are n’t difficult to make ; they ’re just time - consuming with a quite a little of killing , so sometimes ' noncheladas ' are where it ’s at . "
— uranium / blamethepunx
Estimated cost:~$12 for 16 enchilada
Taquitos:$4.98
Red sauce:$1
live sauce:$1
5.“Breakfast burritos. It can be as simple as scrambled eggs and tater tots in a tortilla, but you can add pretty much anything to it. Beans, sausage/bacon/ham, salsa, onion, tomato, cheese, etc.”
— u / Dragon_wryter
" Eggs , salsa , and high mallow make a salutary breakfast taco , too . you could add together pith if you have it . "
— uranium / retailguy_again
" I use Mexican - style chorizo and testis for those burrito . I fry the chorizo , impart the eggs , and shuffle them up ( Allium cepa and peppers are skillful ) . The chorizo is malicious gossip bum , which is undecomposed between jobs . Here is what we employ . "
— u / Uptown_NOLA
Estimated cost:~$8-$17 total ( for up to 10 tacos / small burritos )
Chorizo:$1.34
Eggs:$2.68
Cheese:$2.98
Tater tots:$2.97
Tomato:$0.21 per Roma tomato
Black beans:$0.86
Tortillas:$1.98
6.“Chili without meat added is very cheap and not unhealthy, and it’s super good! Just beans, crushed tomatoes, a diced onion, and chili peppers; add spices, and there you go.”
— u / foxxsnowbaby
you’re able to also make yourownchili ( vegetarian , or you’re able to add meat ) with chili beans ( $ 0.86 ) , tomato sauce ( $ 0.48 ) , diced tomatoes ( $ 0.88 ) , diced onion ( $ 1.46 ) , and anything else you desire !
Just buying canned chili ( $ 2.16 ) is very trashy too ! But you could get a more customized version with fresher ingredients if you make it yourself .
7.“English muffin pizzas.”
— u / oh_sheaintright
" I recently get an air fryer , and this is one of my favorite things to make with it . I bake mine until the high mallow is caramelize around the edges and the pepperonis are crispy . I also wish shredding fresh basil onto them . It ’s good shit ! "
— u / robo - firedrake
" Bagels and frozen Naan also work really well ! ( Thaw the Naan first . ) "
— u / pinkthreadedwrist
" If you only have bread , you’re able to make the slightly sad ' pizza toast . ' "
— u / JobOk2091
Estimated cost:~$4 - 6.50 for a portion of six
English muffins:$1.50
Tomato sauce:$0.67
Pepperoni:$2.37
8.“Chicken thighs, rice, and zucchini. Probably $2/serving, but that’s likely on the high side.”
— uracil / zNaturalLilDoll
" Chicken thigh are so underrated . I have an instant locoweed , and I steam them . They fall off the osseous tissue after 25 bit . You ’re able-bodied to cook a full clique at a time , and they ’re moist . They reheat as well as when they ’re impudent .
I wish make rice and manna from heaven with them and a green vegetable like Brassica oleracea italica or peas . Sometimes , though , I get those Tastybite software system with the tikka masala instead when they ’re on sales event .
— u / NumbrZer0
" I mix cooked chicken , rice , artichoke heart and soul , and pesto sauce , and it is loose but feel fancy . "
— atomic number 92 / PJKPJT7915
" Roasted courgette is my fave . Here are a couple of tips :
Season with saltiness after it comes out of the oven . I find if I season before , the salt pulls some of the liquidity out of the veg and ends up on the tray alternatively of in my oral cavity .
Do nice big composition , like 1 - 1.5 inch . If you roast zucchini that ’s issue too small , it just sustain kind of mushy before it can get some nice colour . "
— u / MiniRipperton
Estimated cost:$14 for around seven or eight helping ( the interpretation with artichoke and pesto is slimly more expensive )
Chicken thighs:$9.06(for a value face pack ; $ 1.77 a pound )
Rice:$0.92
Zucchini:$0.93 / each(probably require at least four to go with that much chicken )
Or sub in broccoli for:$0.94
Or artichoke hearts and pesto for:$2.22and$2.10
9.“Tuna pasta. Tuna, mayo, peas, black olives, rotini pasta. It’s easy to make a huge batch for very little time/money investment, keeps well in the fridge, and is good to eat hot or cold. It’s one of the main things my mom used to make for dinner when we lived on public teachers' salaries, and it’s still a comfort food for me as well as a good budget option.”
— u / RiskyMama
Estimated cost:$9 for about eight servings
Tuna:$3.22(for four cans )
Mayo:$2.12
Peas:$0.64
contraband olives:$1.97
Rotini pasta:$0.98
chink out a more detailed formula for tuna pastahere .
10.“Velveeta shells and cheese with either tuna or hamburger added. If I do tuna, I like adding microwave-steamed broccoli to it. Bonus seasoning at the end with Tony Chachere’s.”
— u / warnerve86
Estimated cost:$3.50 - 12 per three serving ( the ground beef interlingual rendition and seasoning drive up the damage , and would have leftover beef )
Velveeta shells:$2.98or$1.48for generic
Tuna:$0.88(may desire two )
Ground beef:$4.74
Broccoli:$1.16
Tony Chachere’s:$2.94
11.And for a single serving: “Tuna packet and macaroni cup. About $3 with about 350 calories and 25g protein, 40g carbs, and 15g fat. Surprisingly, it only has about 1000g sodium, too.”
— uracil / shastasever
judge cost ( in reality even tatty than OP said):$1.75 per serving
Anguilla sucklandii pack:$0.88
Macaroni:$6.98for eight single - serving cup
12.“Spaghetti with garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and butter.”
— u / athenafester
" I use supernumerary virgin olive oil instead of butter , but it ’s such a adept , mere formula . Aglio e oliois a classic ! "
— uracil / monty_kurns
Estimated price : under $ 6 for a serving of eight
Spaghetti:$0.98
Chili flake / crushed red pepper:$1.44
Parsley:$0.98fresh or$1.12 dry
Butter:$2.26
13.“Zatarain’s Dirty Rice with ground beef or really whatever leftover meat I have in the fridge.”
— u / Fusciee
gauge cost:$7 for a serving of nine
Zatarain ’s pestiferous Rice:$2.64
Ground beef:$4.34(probably need two for this much Elmer Leopold Rice )
14.“Beans and rice.”
— u / nothingforless
" This is mine . A can of fateful bean ( drained or not , but if you drain them , summate a bit of water to the pan ) . Add 1/8 tsp saltiness , 1/4 tsp bootleg pepper , 1/4 tsp onion powder , 1/4 tsp garlic powder , and 1/2 cumin seed . I cook them on the stovetop until they are bubbly . Then , after remove them from warmth , I add a splatter of cherry vino acetum .
I make white Elmer Rice in the rice cooker . It ’s fast , easy , extremely cheap , and requires minimum clean - up . Plus , it does n’t heat up the kitchen too much when it ’s already really blistering outside . "
— u / FallingBackTogether
appraisal cost:~$3.50 for 10 servings if you already have assorted spice / omit spice , ~8.50 for 10 servings if you do n’t
Black beans:$0.86(will want 2 - 3 fanny to go with the bag of rice )
saltiness and pepper:$1.76
Onion powder:$1.12
Garlic powder:$1.12
Cumin:$1.28
15.“Whole chicken in the crock pot. After pulling it off the bones, you can eat it for about three days over rice with jarred chicken gravy. Then you boil the chicken overnight in the crock pot and make soup the next afternoon.”
— u / pezziepie85
Or , if you do n’t desire to cook the chicken : " I buyrotisserie chicken , and I habituate the carcase to make bone stock . I cook it for 2.5 hours in an instant crapper . "
Get a rotisserie volaille for$4.97or a peeled whole chicken ( doubly as big as the rotisserie ) for$7.64 .
16.“Philly Cheesesteaks. Heat the oven, put the buns in, cook the meat with some onions, and throw in some cheese towards the end. Boom: delicious Philly Cheesesteak.”
— u / mimbingsconny
" I know the American culture is to say ' eww , ' but that is why bitch heart is $ 2 to $ 3 per pound . It tastes like steak and is almost as tender as a filet mignon . adjudicate it ; it is only cheap because of cultural stigma . It is really easy to befriend and regularize directly from a rancher on Facebook . "
— u / GamerExecChef
forecast cost:~$8.50 for six sandwich
Rolls:$2.58
kick liver ( I ’m not understand heart):$2.62
Check out a fancier formula for a Philly cheesesteakhere .
17.“Spaghetti O’s with meatballs:$1.23a can. Cheap, fast, easy clean up and filling.”
— u / DICHOTOMY - REDDIT
18.“Cream of Mushroom soup and crackers. Heat it up and let the crackers soak up the excess liquid. Lots of protein and very filling for less than $1.”
— atomic number 92 / Logical_Comment2842
approximate cost:~$2.50 for two and a half servings ( with leftover crackers )
emollient of mushroom-shaped cloud soup:$0.68
Crackers:$1.74
19.“One of my easy go-to’s is spaghetti and meat sauce. Brown some ground meat (sometimes I add chopped garlic and onion if I have extra time), mix with a jar of pasta sauce, and make some spaghetti or other pasta to go with it.”
— uracil / zSunshine_Adorable
" So wanton . Boil a swelled smattering of noodles , brown ground bitch , add a jolt of WinCo spaghetti sauce , drain the noodles , unify everything together , and top with Parmesan cheese . "
— u / PinkMonorail
Estimated cost:~$8-$14 for eight servings
Ground beef:$4.34(will desire one or two )
Tomato sauce:$0.48(will need two )
Parmesan cheese:$1.97for fresh ( may require two ) or$5.48for a large bottle of grated parmesan
Garlic:$0.68
20.“Pork chops with Shake ‘N Bake. I’m fucking 40, and those fuckers are just as delicious as they were when I was 9. Add some mac and cheese, and you will have a tasty meal.”
— u / LizardPossum
Estimated cost:~$14 - 16.50 for six to eight servings
Shake ' north bake:$3.98or$1.67for generic
porc chops:$11.31for ~3lbs
Macaroni:$0.58(probably require two box )
Check out a formula that habituate homemade shake ' n bakehere .
21.“Top ramen. Incredibly cheap but incredibly good. I eat it with hot sauce. It’s literally its own meal, at like 30¢ per pack.”
— u / pizaster3
" Yes ! I top it with Sriracha , acetum , boiled orchis , and spinach or sprout . Probably my favorite repast . "
— u / DaneDaffodil
" I break through an testicle or two into mine for protein , then impart soy sauce , garlic , ginger pulverisation , gullible onions , and cerise pepper . "
— atomic number 92 / Finn235
Get a 12 - pack of ramen for$3.68here , and check outthis articlefor melodic theme of ways to kick upstairs your ramen sweetheart !
22.“Toast. And if you’ve got other food prepared, spread it on toast. Lasagna? Spread some on toast. Chinese or Indian food? Spread some on toast. Mac & cheese? Spread some on toast.”
— u / MagicSPA
Get scratch for goner for as chinchy as$1 .
23.And finally, it may seem simple, but…“Good eggs. Making eggs is easy. Learning to makegoodeggs takes some time and practice–but once you get it down, it’s pretty easy and very rewarding to eat some good eggs you know not everyone else knows how to make.”
" For scrambled eggs , watch some YouTube video on how to get fluffy curds that are n’t overcooked . I did n’t even realize there was such a matter as overcooked and underfluffed scrambled ballock for most of my aliveness . The key are to keep fluffing them with a fork after you pelt them into the raging goat god , and then murder them from the pan before they ’re done preparation so they can set on the plate ( because they ’ll keep on wangle after you remove them and end up overcooked ) .
For deep-fried eggs , some hoi polloi like crispy edges , and some like soft boundary . I care over medium , soft edges . engender the yolks just the right level of runny but still getting the White entirely done so they ’re not gooey ingest some practice . But again , once you get it down , it ’s quick and well-heeled in the sunrise .
And then there are all the ways to bring cheese and all the other thing .
I also like flipping them with the pan , not a spatula . I ’m pretty certain that makes them good . "
— RavenousAutobot
More tips : " For scrambled eggs , add one half shell of milk per bollock . If cook in bulk , save the salt , pepper , and tarragon until the cooking outgrowth or the salt can make the eggs watery . If you ’re cooking personal quantity and doing so immediately , you may add seasoning now ; it will not make a difference and will ensure your seasoning is utterly distributed .
Put a little routine of butter in the pan , and cook low and slow .
Be thrifty not to conjure vigorously , or you will break away up the cooked egg and mix it into the uncooked ball , and your testis will be soggy and grainy . You must be gentle with scrambled eggs . You just need to at times perpetrate the prepare bed off the bottom of the pan with a spatula . But you are not have an omelet , so also make certain to keep them moving gently . Serve it a small bit promiscuous ; it will tauten up on the denture . "
— u / DickDastardly404
The cheapest egg are about$2.68for a twelve . you could also get milk for$1.68 , Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and capsicum pepper plant for$1.76 , and estragon for a bit more at$4.58 .
Submissions have been edited for duration / clarity .
