![]() ![]() You can often adjust meals to make them better suited to your budget, so don’t pass on a meal below just because it seems too expensive to put together at first glance. This means that I may receive compensation when you click on a product link or purchase an item linked on this site. I tried to pick a variety of recipes that would taste good and appeal to different palates.ĭisclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This roundup isn’t about eating only plain mashed potatoes or filling yourself with cabbage for weeks on end. That’s why I put together this roundup of 100 cheap meals for when you’re broke. I’m always looking for meals that help me stretch my dollars further. But that’s far from the truth.Ĭheap meals can be really good! And they’re perfect for when you just don’t have much in the food budget. If you're cutting carbs, try tweaking this cauliflower fried rice recipe with those key ingredients and it will be just as fantastic.When you hear about cheap meals, you might think they’re boring and tasteless. Is it any wonder why? You can leave the bacon out if you don't eat meat (or don't have meat). ![]() The basic recipe is eminently riffable, but Chowhound Executive Editor Hana Asbrink's heart belongs to this spicy bacon and kimchi fried rice recipe. Rice is a truly great grain, and can do so much in the kitchen (including dessert) - but if you've made a relatively plain rice as a side, the leftovers are even better turned into fried rice. ![]() While it may not boast the health benefits of whole grains, it's a filling and affordable way to add heft to many meals. Why we like it: Uncooked rice is generally fairly cheap (more so if you buy bags labeled "medium grain" or "long grain" as opposed to varieties like jasmine and basmati), especially if you buy larger size bags it also has a long shelf life, so don't worry about not going through it fast enough. ![]() In addition to dipping things in any of the above for a grown-up Lunchables sort of affair, you can use hummus as a sandwich or wrap spread, or even in place of mayo in egg salad. Have a little spinach or fresh herbs about to wilt? Throw them in too (like in the spinach and basil hummus recipe above). Homemade hummus is easy to make with canned chickpeas, but if you're fresh out, try making black bean hummus, white bean hummus or even red lentil hummus. This may seem basic, but hummus is always satisfying, and pretty healthy as long as you add lots of fresh veggies for dipping along with your pita. If you want to cook them from dried, remember you'll need to soak them overnight first. Why we like it: Beans and legumes are another great plant-based protein when it comes to cost, dried beans will almost always cost less per serving than canned, but you may prefer to pay a bit more for the convenience of precooked. If you don't want to have to think about swaps, though, these healthy banana muffins are similar but call for more common ingredients (and you can use regular all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat if AP is all you have). And if you have whole oats and almonds in your pantry, you can grind both into flour in a food processor (just don't blend the almonds too long or you'll get nut butter, which is another nice thing to make at home). All out of maple syrup? Honey works just as well here. No chia seeds to make a chia egg? Substitute 2 tablespoons water plus 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil - or just ¼ cup of carbonated water. Substitutions: Don't have coconut oil? Use another neutral vegetable oil instead. Also, they're much easier than homemade bagels. Sweetened with maple syrup and topped with granola, they're a real treat that you can feel really good about eating (and giving to your kids). Instead of adding butter, eggs and refined sugar and flour to the batter, the mashed bananas mingle with coconut oil, a chia egg, and oat and almond flour, plus cocoa powder for the chocolate boost. Prefer baked goods for breakfast? There's no rule that says you can't eat banana bread for the first meal of the day, but for a less sugary option that's also vegan and gluten-free, try this chocolate banana crunch muffin recipe. This vegan recipe doesn't cancel out their benefits with tons of added sugar either. Why we like them: Bananas are affordable (if you don't buy organic, they average 57 cents per pound) and famously high in potassium - and you can use them even when they're a little overripe instead of tossing them out (and wasting money). ![]()
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