So recently, I asked members of the BuzzFeed community to share their favorite low-budget meals that don’t feel cheap. Here’s what they had to say:
1.
“What I made tonight: Bowtie pasta, bacon, microwaved broccoli, garlic. Heat the garlic with bacon fat and a little butter, add the broccoli and drizzle over the boiled pasta. Breakfast bacon It’s not that expensive because there’s leftovers, and the whole meal is about $5, and that’s three or four servings for me.”
2.
“A traditional Venezuelan meal! Tasty, filling, nutritious and incredibly cheap. Start with simple rice and beans. Then add arepas. PAN (white corn). flour), salt, and water and oil made on the stove. If possible, fill the arepa with a protein such as meat, eggs, or cheese. Include..only a few bucks per serving.”
3.
“Soak black beans in water overnight, then add water, bay leaves, thyme, chopped and red peppers, and garlic and simmer until tender. To serve, add water (or chicken stock, if available), Make the rice with the onion and thyme.. Then, when the rice is cooked, add the chopped cilantro and the beans on top of the rice.
Four.
“Simple potato soup: All you need is potatoes, onions, garlic, broth (chicken or vegetables), cream cheese and your choice of toppings.”
Five.
“Zucchini Lasagna: Slice the zucchini and layer with your favorite pasta sauce (pesto, tomato, etc.). Add cheese and heat in the oven for 20 minutes.”
6.
“Mujadhara! Recipes vary from family to family, but this Lebanese classic with lentils and rice is warm, flavorful, comforting and filling. This recipe is great, but crispy.” Onions shouldn’t be optional, they give the dish that extra pop.”
7.
“Tuna fritters. Tinned tuna, 1 egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix in a bowl and fry like crispy tuna pancakes. Absolutely delicious and nutritious for CHEAP is.”
8.
“Honestly, when in doubt, I make a veggie burrito bowl. I add canned black beans and corn to my grains (rice, quinoa, etc.). I also like to add bell peppers and sweet potatoes.”
9.
“I like to buy a rotisserie chicken and use it in my meal (I often eat the chicken over two nights in a salad, but it can be used in many ways). Boil the meaty pieces in a cheesecloth bag for a few hours in a large pot of water.”
Ten.
“My family’s favorite low-cost, fuss-free meal is chili-topped baked sweet potatoes. It sounds a bit dubious, but don’t knock it until you try it. Homemade canned chili is served with this. You can get protein, veggies, and all the satisfaction from your favorite chili toppings in one cozy meal.
11.
“Vegetable soup! The ingredients cost a maximum of $10 to $15, and I eat about 5 to 6 servings. As a chef, I make a living from this (laughs).”
12.
“Add lentils and veggies to ground meat dishes. I’ve been doing this for years with sloppy joes, tacos, meatloaf, etc. I’ve been adding protein, fiber and veggies to my kids’ diets to boost their nutritional content.” Spinach helps hold the meatballs together. Ground carrots, celery, bell peppers and onions add flavor to the meatloaf. No one is wise to chop lentils with ground meat and seasonings.
13.
“It’s not the most balanced meal, but it’s definitely filling and delicious. Spaghetti with white onions and fresh garlic, cooked in olive oil. Add to the sauté, sometimes I add black pasta, if you keep the olives in the fridge (and they’ll be there forever) you probably already have them in your cupboard and can buy them in bulk cheaply. It also takes only 10 minutes to make.
14.
“Frittatas — with leftover protein and veggies, you can cook it all in one pot and stick it all in the oven.”
15.
“Chicken and dumplings! Made from scratch, it works great with leftover chicken broth, bones in bone broth, and can easily feed a large family or can be portioned and frozen for multiple meals.”
16.
“As an Indian, I really appreciate rice. It’s so cheap, you can literally eat it every meal. Breakfast: Fried egg with egg yolk, rice and soy sauce. Leftover rice, soy sauce/sesame oil, eggs, whatever meat you have on hand (or none!) Dinner: canned chickpeas and spices (chana masala) over rice! A good meal comes from rice.”
17.
“Loaded Baked Potatoes! Baked potatoes and topped with as many fillings as you like. Taco Baked Potatoes with Ground Meat, Onions, Jalapenos, Sour Cream and Avocado. Greek Baked Potatoes with Feta Cheese, Chickpeas and Carmata Olives. Curry baked potatoes and curry powder, peas, chickpeas…there are many options you can do based on what you have at home. Remember: seasonings and spices are your friends (especially when adding flavor to sour cream!).
18.
“Buy a cheap bag of dried pea/bean/lentil mixture, soak overnight, then add basic curry spices and paprika (honestly, add whatever you like that goes well with curry). Cook for a few hours by adding some form of fat (coconut milk or butter) to the curry during cooking. Or add some frozen veggies (really., whatever you’ve got, or a one-time sale. Look, it’s an under-$5 meal that lasts multiple dinners. And it’s delicious.
19.
“Sweet Potato Taco Boat. A sweet potato (or russet, especially sweet) roasted whole with the skin on (400 degrees for about 50 minutes), opened and topped with taco seasoned black beans, salsa, sour cream and cheese. ..so delicious, incredibly healthy (loads of vitamins and fiber!), and pretty fuss-free.”
20.
“I take a package of hot dogs and cut them into small bite-sized medallions. I put them in a pan, give them a little color on the edges, and then add them to a large-sized jar of sauerkraut (about Then simmer everything together until warm. I will eat dinner..”
twenty one.
“I love making this pasta dish with red peppers and kidney beans. Boil the pasta and kidney beans together until al dente, then add thinly sliced red peppers in a sauté pan over medium heat with oil and paprika. Place the beans and pasta in a frying pan and coat, season with salt and, of course, voila! Delicious, cheap, very nutritious and ready in about 15 minutes.”
twenty two.
“Macaroni and cheese mixed with tuna and peas. Also a one-pot meal.”
twenty three.
“Easy fried rice: 3 cups of cold cooked rice, 1 bag of frozen vegetables, 2 lightly beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables. Scramble eggs. Mix with vegetables, add rice and soy sauce, and cook until hot. Boom: Cheap and easy fried rice.
twenty four.
“Mix frozen cheese tortellini with frozen veggies and Italian dressing. Cover and refrigerate. Thaw by lunch for delicious cold pasta. Cheap, easy and great for kids lunches. It fits well.”
Do you have a favorite low-cost meal? Tell us all about it in the comments!
