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30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By My absolute cheapest meal is mujadara. Well browned onions, lentils, rice, s&p. It's so much more than it sounds.

No_Weird2543 , Bryan Alexander Report

Final score:

129points

POST

Ziggyc 1 year ago

Sounds amazing

25points

"Keeping your fridge, freezer, and pantry stocked with affordable essentials is probably the number one thing you can do to save money on food," bargain hunter Haley, who has been running the Cheap Recipe Blog since 2011, told Bored Panda.

"While every person's list will vary, some of my favorite low-cost staples include frozen fruits and vegetables, oats, eggs, beans and lentils, rice, pasta, ground turkey and ground beef (purchase frozen to save money), and low-cost produce (carrots, celery, bell peppers, bananas, apples, etc)."

Haley said that if you have a well-stocked pantry with various spices, sauces, and cooking oils, these few ingredients can be used to make all sorts of meals.

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Google "I have these ingredients".

You'll get a ton of websites that will help you put something together.

I was down to potatoes and flour. And this how I learned about gnocchi! Turned into one of my fav things.

SunnySamantha , Gábor Molnár Report

Final score:

121points

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Rebekah Krause 1 year ago

I have just discovered there is a romaine lettuce and pecorino omelette!

19points

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Canned tuna mixed with mayo on toast. Served with a pickle spear

blueberrykola , Bert Wagner Report

Final score:

104points

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Eva Kašu 1 year ago (edited)

THIS. You can add some fresh onion, if you have some.

33points

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Beans! I've been leaning on pintos a lot recently and have come to really appreciate them. Served with a bit of cotija cheese, a garnish of cilantro and it's really good, but you can get much more fancy with them also.

One thing I learned the 'hard way' is to plan for those lean times by adding some pantry staples every time I go shopping to make sure I have enough of those important building blocks available for quick, easy, and inexpensive meals.

OutWithCamera , goblinbox Report

Final score:

103points

POST

Wilson. 1 year ago

Pantry stocking in flusher times is such a good idea. Must start doing this!

33points

8dogsinatrenchcoat Report

A lot of success in filling up plates without spending a ton of money boils down to preparation. "For me, it's all about two things: shopping at the right grocery store and planning my meals out," Haley explained.

"I typically do most of my grocery shopping at ALDI and other discount grocery stores. While it's more convenient to go to the higher-end grocery store just down the road, I make it a point to almost always shop discounts."

"While weekly meal plans work for a lot of people, I find it easier to meal plan about 3 days in advance. In any case, meal planning helps prevent last-minute (and potentially costly) decisions like grabbing prepared food at the grocery store or getting takeout," the foodie highlighted.

I've found baked potatoes to be a great cheap, easy, filling, tasty meal. You can dress them up a ton of different ways with whatever you have around, but honestly some days I just throw one in the microwave with a little of whatever vegetable I have (a handful of frozen broccoli from a giant bag I got for cheap, usually) and it's good to go.

Also, as others have said, seek out your local food bank! There is absolutely zero shame in getting help, the whole point is to keep you and yours fed without judgment. If you don't know of one, try calling 211... in most places in the US, that'll connect you with the United Way, and they can hook you up with a whole variety of local resources.

Final score:

96points

POST

TotallyNOTaFox 1 year ago (edited)

Potatoes are in fact better than Rice or Pasta when it comes to the nutrition / saturation ratio, they really are a good base vegetable in times of a tight budget

5points

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Peanut noodles! Ingredients are peanut butter, soy sauce, and pasta, plus some things to jazz it up if you've got them.

For the sauce, mix roughly equal parts of PB, soy sauce, and water, adjusting the ratio to taste. If I have them, I add red pepper flakes, garlic powder and ground ginger, a few drops of sesame oil, and sesame seeds, but it's also decent without. You just put it on cooked pasta and voila! I like it with steamed frozen broccoli. In an ideal world, you'd have spaghetti, fettucine, or linguine for the pasta, but any shape is fine.

mickier , Stacy Spensley Report

Final score:

89points

POST

Loverboy 1 year ago

I used to do something similar with packaged ramen, really good.

22points

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By My fave one is egg and chips. It's fried eggs and English style chips but you can do fries it doesn't matter. My English mom used to make it growing up so it's super comforting and it's delicious and cheap

lhayes238 , su-lin Report

Final score:

79points

POST

Pittsburgh rare 1 year ago

It's a classic comfort food in Spain

22points

Reddit user GetFreeFromFood, the person who started this discussion, said the response to their post has been amazing. "I'm so glad I could compile a list that helps more people too," they told Bored Panda.

"I learned to cook cheap from my grandmother and it's stuck ever since. When I feel the urge to eat out, I look at this list and it helps me realize I can make something similar at home for a lot cheaper, and still reach my goals to eat healthier."

Haley of the Cheap Recipe Blog added that there are a couple of techniques and tools that are very useful in a budget-friendly home kitchen.

"I save my vegetable scraps (ends of carrots, outer onion peels, broccoli stalks, etc.) in a freezer bag. When I get enough, I use those scraps to make vegetable broth which can then be used to make soups, stews, and other dishes. I simmer the vegetable scraps with water and spices on the stovetop for up to an hour to make a flavorful broth," she explained.

"Slow cookers are also great for making affordable and healthy meals. Specifically, I routinely do freezer clean-outs, combining different meats, vegetables, and sauces to make slow cooker meals. For example, I had some frozen chicken thighs, bell peppers, and black beans to use up. I combined these with some prepared salsa and spices. After the chicken was cooked, I shredded it, returned to the slow cooker, mixed it all up, and used the meat as a taco filling. Freezer clean-out plus a delicious meal all in one."

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By White rice + black beans is my favorite cheap/healthy meal. Add some tomatoes and cilantro, and avocado if you can afford it, drizzle lemon or lime juice and you have a super filling and delicious meal for super cheap (except the avocados lol)

thehauntedhead , Francheskastein Report

Final score:

79points

POST

Jj321 1 year ago

Beans and rice is on of my favorite quick meals, eating it now, lol. I add cheese, salsa, sour cream and avocado if I have them. I have a kid that is allergic to rice, so I don't "cook" it, I use pre-made, so it is super quick.

18points

#10

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Lentil and carrot soup. So tasty and good for you, but extremely cheap.

RegularJane33 Report

Final score:

74points

POST

Libstak 1 year ago (edited)

Barley soup mix with carrots, peas or potatoes, whatever you got in left over Veges to chock is up.

17points

#11

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By other peoples comments are better but so you dont feel hungry in the "breaks" between your (real) meals: oatmeal. so filling. add some lineseeds for fibre, omega3 and a bit more chewiness

Radiant_Butt444 Report

Final score:

69points

POST

Loverboy 1 year ago

See, I understand this, but I'm an absolute child and cannot stand oatmeal.

52points

#12

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Butter noodles

MossIsking , Engin Akyurt Report

Final score:

69points

POST

Sue User 1 year ago

With some cheese.

19points

selkiebeast , American Heritage Chocolate Report

#13

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Pantry 'chili'- cans of beans, diced tomatoes, corn, tomato paste and green chilis if I have 'em.

Saute onions in cumin & chili powder, then add beans, then rest of it. Simmer for a bit, but usually tastes better next day.

Final score:

68points

POST

Loverboy 1 year ago (edited)

Dad would make this, just somewhat cajun and over rice. don't even need to be broke to enjoy

18points

#14

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Mustgo soup, all the leftovers you have in the fridge and some broth of your choice or just some Mater sauce

CapinCrunch420 , Navada Ra Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Sue User 1 year ago

We called it leftover stew.

18points

#15

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Potatoes are cheap. French fries are tasty!

The_last_trick , Jay Gajjar Report

Final score:

61points

POST

Eva Kašu 1 year ago

PO- TA- TOES - fries, boiled with butter and salt, mashed, baked or so-called ´french potatoes´ (pre-boiled potatoes with sausage and egg altogether baked in the oven)

33points

#16

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Maximize your beans, lentils, carrots, potatoes, and eggs as meat substitutes. Curry with any of those can help stretch it. Or bbq sauce.

Early_Reply , Cats Coming Report

Final score:

56points

POST

Loverboy 1 year ago

I wouldn't go so far as to say bbq sauce

15points

AnythingButChicken Report

#17

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Savory pancakes - - you can put anything in ‘em and/or anything on ‘em

Final score:

54points

POST

Speedgoat 1 year ago

How does one make a savory pancake? Never heard of that, clue me in.

17points

#18

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Baked beans on toast

livingruncliff , Nik Report

Final score:

53points

POST

Loverboy 1 year ago

Add some cheese and you're golden. Literally.

17points

#19

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By pinto beans and cornbread was my great grandmother's go to during the depression. It is one of my top comfort foods. Make a pot of dried beans and experiment.

assistanttothefatdog , jeffreyw Report

Final score:

53points

POST

Suutashi 1 year ago

This is one of my family's favorite meals . We just get a big can of Lucky's pinto beans with pork and a box of cornbread muffin mix. The only other thing we might need is a small tomato and sweet onion diced for toppings. Once the muffins are baked and cooled, we crumble the muffins into a bowl and top with the beans. So warm and filling.

16points

#20

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Ramen + PB + sriracha basically feels like poor man's pad Thai. Even better if you have an egg to put in

zombienugget , laura limsenkhe Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Kookamunga 1 year ago

My poor times Ramen was to throw a few raw eggs in the boiling water and some Tabasco.

12points

#21

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Rice bowls. Throw together whatever left over meat and vegetables you have left in the freezer, add sauce, and go. There's so many different ways to make it it never gets old. If you're not in the mood for rice, add beans and salsa instead and make burritos.

coffcat , reyvenshots Report

Final score:

49points

POST

MAL 1 year ago

And it works for any meal. Breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner burrito.

11points

#22

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Rice, eggs, whatever beans or veg is left over, top with hot sauce

gaimanite , Lum3n Report

Final score:

47points

POST

Rick 1 year ago

Yes. Scrambled eggs with any leftover mixed in.

10points

#23

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Frittata using whatever odds and ends I have. Or a regular quiche if I have a box of pie crust in the fridge. If I have frozen hash browns, then a hash brown crust quiche! :)

Jenr619 , Subagus Indra Report

Final score:

45points

POST

and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 1 year ago

Hash brown crust quiche sound AMAZING

31points

Mabelbabel 1 year ago

Sliced white bread crust is good too. If you've got some cheap stale sliced white bread, cut the crusts off, brush it with melted butter, margarine or oil and squish it into a muffin tin, one slice does one muffin case. Make up an omelette like mix-beaten egg, stir in some shredded cheese if you have it, chopped up ham or sausage, onions, peppers, whatever veg you've got in the freezer etc. Fill up the bread case then bake for 15 min. It's lovely if you've got left over cooked potatoes too, almost like a Spanish omelette.

4points

Auntriarch 1 year ago

Sounds better than pastry!

3points

Alex Boyd 1 year ago

Yeah I need to try that.

0points

Laura Zaini 1 year ago

my dad used to throw in all the veggies he grew, so delicious

1point

9 animals and counting 1 year ago

Eggs ate expensive.

0points

GingerSchnapps3 , Eaters Collective Report

#24

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Pasta salad, sometimes I just add a can of green beans and a can of corn, both drained, fresh herbs, if I have it (basil, cilantro, mint, whatever's in the fridge) and some Italian dressing, garbanzo beans, if I have it. The best part, the longer it sits, the better it gets, so it's good as a leftover, and it's filling

Final score:

45points

POST

Rebelliousslug 1 year ago

Pasta with Italian dressing, salami cut into cubes, provolone (or your favorite alternative), black olives is great and good for several days

14points

#25

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By I always have flour and baking items on hand. If I needed to I could make a variety of breads. Pancakes are popular, but I also like dumpling stew. For dumpling stew I flavor some water with pepper and chicken bouillon, then make drop dumplings with flour, salt, pepper, and any other spices I want. After I spoon the dumplings in to the boiling water, I add a dash of milk to cream up the soup, but you can keep it thin if you need to. Basically, if you added chicken, it would be chicken and dumplings.

RenKyoSails , Theme Photos Report

Final score:

44points

POST

Öz Deniz Boro 1 year ago

Caremelise some onion put in 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste and chilli pepper. Add some boiling water and cubes of your stale bread. Add some oregano and mix well. Cheapest most enjoyable recipe to have.

11points

#26

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Soups from the leftovers. One main stock can be split for different spices and proteins. It can serve as is or further watered down as the basic broth for a variety of (yes I’m saying it) ramen.

Dad-Baud , Cook Eat Report

Final score:

37points

POST

Nathan Wolfe 1 year ago

Keep a steady hand of this broth on hand. Depending on the type of broth, it could be watered down as mentioned or add a roux and simmer down to a gravy. Old chicken drippings works fantastic for making a nice broth.

0points

Patternsonpatterns Report

#27

Tortillas, cheese, eggs

Final score:

36points

POST

Donna Lambert 1 year ago

I do flour tortilla peanut butter sandwiches... Add jam, banana... Whatever...

8points

#28

Chili is my thing. I keep a ton of different canned (and dry) beans on hand at all times. Almost always have a random can of tomatoes. Just made it two days ago and had no idea I had everything. If I have enough different beans I don't even add meat. I play with different seasonings.

brightdeadlights Report

Final score:

33points

POST

jdtimid123 1 year ago

I usually try to keep canned whole tomatoes. You can always chop it up if you need diced, but you can't always put it back together again if you need it for something else.

3points

#29

I always stock up on Lentils when I can. I can usually also get carrots and celery for pretty cheap , and I have no problem living off of that combination together for a week or two. They cook up well in my rice cooker and make for a pretty filling meal.

I’ve also developed a slow cooker chicken soup recipe that makes around 7 servings and comes out to around $1.50/serving. I’ll make a big batch of that at the beginning of the week and take it to work for lunch each day.

alshazara2 Report

Final score:

29points

POST

Helen Bennett 1 year ago

... and put a bunch in the freezer. We cook soup in decent-sized batches and freeze it in two-person portions, reusing supermarket ready-made soup pots. My husband generally complains at the time then later says "I'm so glad we did this".

14points

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#30

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Ramen with an egg and frozen veggies

Pasta, jarred pasta sauce, frozen veggies and shredded cheese

TelephoneTag2123 , Nagesh Badu Report

Final score:

28points

POST

Majungasaurus 1 year ago

Honestly an egg dropped in instant ramen can be so good. I lived off that (plus lots of hot sauce) for a while.

9points

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#31

Black bean quesadillas! Black beans cooked with onions and garlic and any seasoning you want, melted cheese and tortillas 👌 cans of black beans are cheap, LOADED with fibre and protein, and you can add as much cheese as you want, and you can use either one tortilla folded or two tortillas depending on carb intake 💖

ropadope23 Report

Final score:

10points

POST

#32

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By I keep bulk lentils and can beans for this. You can make chili, you can add pasta like macaroni and frozen veg for a "pasta e fagioli" of sorts. Can't go wrong with can tuna and rice w a lil soy sauce if u got it or just salt and pepper. Applesauce is cheaper than eggs so i keep a big jar on hand to make pancakes with other pantry staples. In general i only get shelf stable nondairy milk from Costco (im lactose intolerant) so I have enough for a carton every two days and I'm not worried about price fluctuating (its always like 16 bucks for a case of 32 oz cartons). I keep oats in my pantry so soy milk oatmeal (good protein).

When all else fails. Buy a single potato, bake it in the microwave.

Solid_Wish , Luigi Rosa Report

Final score:

9points

POST

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#33

A favorite in our family I can usually throw together out of the freezer and pantry Staples- cheap chicken Parm- take chicken tenders or chicken patties, even chicken nuggets in a pinch (we have a small child so these are staples) and add marinara and some cheese on top and bake. Add some pasta and a bag of frozen veggies or canned if you have it. If we want to be extra fancy I take some bread and make "garlic bread" by buttering the bread and sprinkling garlic powder on it and throwing it in the oven until crispy. It's so easy but always a favorite.

One other thing I like to make to use things up is loaded nachos. Usually we end up with leftover chicken or beef after a meal so I'll shred it, add taco seasoning, pour some tortilla chips on a pan, add cheese, add the meat. Then I like to serve it with whatever I have on hand, sour cream, salsa, can of corn, can of olives, lettuce, tomato are some we do often. Just whatever we have on hand.

jmsspring Report

Final score:

9points

POST

RMA 1 year ago

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#34

I always keep pasta sauce and dry pasta in the pantry. I try to also buy ground beef in 5 lb packages (less expensive per lb if you buy in bulk). Then I divide it into 1 lb portions, Seal in freezer bags, and tuck 2-3 in the bottom of the freezer where I’ll forget about them until this kind of emergency. Same with chicken breasts.

You can get store brand pasta sauce with sausage in it for about $1.50 most places, and the pasta should be about $1-2 as well. I like thicker noodles that feel more filling.

TealBlueLava Report

Final score:

9points

POST

Sinkvenice 1 year ago

Is pasta really that expensive in the US? In the UK, a supermarket's own brand pasta can be as cheap as 20p for about 500g.

3points

Aromatic_Flounder727 Report

#35

I got a 25 lb bag of rice for $11 so we have a lot of fried rice. Whatever veg you have maybe an egg maybe some
Leftover pork chops. Garlic onion. Salt pepper
Soy sauce.

Potatoes and onions are
Damn cheap. I’ve been making scalloped and au gratin potatoes it’s pounds
And pounds of tasty food for like $2. Great for breakfast. Hash browns from whole potatoes is awesome too. Use a box grater and wring them out with a towel then fry in a pan with salt and pepper. Doesn’t taste like a cheap meal at all.

Final score:

9points

POST

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#36

I usually go for a cheap puttanesca. I try to keep some olives, capers and anchovies in my fridge (I don't use them for anything else so they last a while) and a jar of minced garlic so all I need to get is some pasta and a can of tomatoes. It's pretty cheap and easy, plus it can be frozen easily as well

Plus if you have any spare vegetables, some beef broth or some mince meat then it stretches even further and is super tasty. The way I make it when going cheap isn't the 'proper' way to make puttanesca but it's still very tasty for how little it costs

myxylpyxl Report

Final score:

9points

POST

Majungasaurus 1 year ago

Anyone ever read A Series Of Unfortunate Events?

3points

#37

mashed potatoes quesadillas! I saute onions til they're soft, then I add chopped potato and enough water to cover them & let them boil/soften. Mash up the potato/onion mixture, then make a quesadilla with the potato mix & some cheese! soo filling and tasty.

also big pots of soup, chili, rice, lentils.

budgetbytes has some good cheap meals

jalf126 Report

Final score:

9points

POST

Sue User 1 year ago

Sorta like perogiies ( mashed potato in dough )

4points

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#38

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Creamy mushroom ramen! Boil 250ml of water in a pot, throw in the ramen packets, stir. Add the entire can of Campbell’s Creamy Mushroom, stir thoroughly. Throw in your ramen noodles and keep stirring so it doesn’t stick to the pot. Once the noodles are cooked cover the pot with a lid and let sit for 5 mins.
A quick recipe that can be split into 2 servings!

Sometimes i add pan fried dumplings or fried egg

handbaujzed , Ella Olsson Report

Final score:

8points

POST

LK 1 year ago

The description sounds nothing like the image I'm seeing. I would love the recipe for the food in the image. https://www.wpr.org/spicy-eggplant-and-tofu-bowls

4points

#39

Flat Breads

It takes a bit of work, but you just need flour, salt, water, and a bit of oil/butter for a frying pan. There are a bunch of simple recipes on line. No leavener needed, but can be added if you want. They freeze well and can go with just about anything.

dhusk Report

Final score:

8points

POST

Ken Beattie 1 year ago

I love the yoghurt flat bread recipe. This recipe works fine: https://www.cookitrealgood.com/easy-yoghurt-flatbreads/ If you want to make a tastier flatbread you can mix cheese and garlic into the dough. Other stuff like spring onions and spinach work ok too.

1point

#40

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By I try to keep chicken thighs in my freezer. Boneless and skinless, just for convenience. Take two of em, cook two cups of rice, fry the chicken with a yellow onion, and mix the whole thing with a can of mushroom soup. This is all stuff I usually have on hand, and it’ll last me several days, highly recommend! It’d be good without the chicken, too, imo; very tasty sort of porridge.

NottaBought , Serious Eats Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Loverboy 1 year ago

Baked chicken on top of rice is so good, especially if you bake it all together. The rice picks up the chicken flavor, chicken becomes tender.

4points

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#41

30 "Broke 'Till Payday" Meals That People Swear By Mash up a Can of Chickpeas, Mayo, mustard, seasoning, and if you have any green veggies; it’s a good “chicken” salad. That’s been my Go-to broke or not because it’s so easy and so cheap and an easy depression meal when you need something comforting and healthy

Eaysonle , https://www.flickr.com/photos/petitepics/2230184978/in/photolist-23aWVPW-JzKrxr-4BNwAg-2nXvdEc-21x8ahu-MuzJs-ngz1Ac-6zDRYJ-dFYhKR-JDFQ9m-ajY7EN-ajY7PC-6FMaMr-uDLALY-pCdFTe-s5AxJE-c9bL7s-4p5hi9-awP799-6WV8YQ-e3tcPq-9wWSbe-8hNA6X-tLTzYd-9HJ48G-8yam8Y-8yakMW-2hiKntp-bpUNf6-2opopPP-6cWU4N-HJ2Yyw-Tqc6CT-2hXeaGU-8yakPS-8yakNj-eSvPTA-N5xn-2nMtfLC-6FcHDw-7P7Nik-dR69mm-2mgTj7L-6uz5Yy-2kS5F3Y-aePVm5-Fbj2Hf-XV6hRa-aeQKUY Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Terry Butler 1 year ago

I've been doing this "chik'n salad" for months now. I cook the chickpeas with the seasoning first. It makes it easier to mash up. Lasts 3-4 days in the fridge.

4points

Affectionate-Skin361 Report

#42

Aloo Gobi, an Indian curry made from cauliflower and potatoes. Delicious.

Final score:

7points

POST

and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 1 year ago

SO GOOD, I love aloo gobi!

1point

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#43

Grits and a can of low calorie Progresso soup with a spicy flair to it (Jambalaya, Gumbo, Chili).

Make the grits, heat the soup, and pour the soup over the grits.

Delicious, micro/macro nutrient healthy, and cheap.

You can easily substitute the grain as you choose.

sllh81 Report

Final score:

7points

POST

#44

I tend to make cottage pie. I usually have some random vegetables around to mix into a pound of ground beef and top with mashed potatoes. Depending on how you prepare them, mashed potatoes don't have to be unhealthy.

Baked beans mixed with a little bit of ground beef and rice tastes amazing and is very filling.

Also, consider freezing extra portions of meals or storing away some canned food when times are good so you can have something ready for the tight months. Even a 50 cent can of green beans can make a side dish you otherwise wouldn't have. You can build up a good stock surprisingly quickly, especially if you tend to have leftovers that just sit in the fridge for days. Freezing them immediately instead of storing them until they go bad is instant savings.

OkraGarden Report

Final score:

6points

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#45

A tub of miso goes a long way. I have been making mine with about a tablespoon of miso paste (a little more, I don't level it), half a tablespoon or so of soy sauce, a splash of rice vinegar, a drop or 2 of sesame oil, some chili garlic paste, a little white pepper, and some onion. I boil water and put it in a small bowl or large mug and mix everything in. I've been taking it to work in a sauce cup with everything then justdumping it in my mug as the water boils. Surprisingly filling.

Just miso and soy sauce is pretty good. Everything without the chili garlic paste is excellent. Everything but the miso is something I already have on hand. A tub of miso lasts months and isn't very expensive for the number of portions you get. I ordered mine online but if you have access to an Asian grocery store it's probably a much better deal

ichosethis Report

Final score:

6points

POST

#46

So, about once a month, I purchase some bell peppers with the intent of making stuffed bell peppers. However, the ingredients are different every time as I just use a lot of leftovers in them. Things like:
Leftover Chinese food, the rice is already cooked and flavored, and the chicken chunks can be cut up into smaller bites.

Leftover Mexican anything! Honestly, anything good on a taco is great in a pepper.

Any cut up veggies for snacking laying around, chop those bad boys up tiny and add some nutrition to your meal!
Need a lil more protein: add a can of beans to the mix!

Any leftover spaghetti? Definitely add any meatballs or hamburger meat, not sure about the leftover noodles, but I’m not above it!

Top it with any leftover cheese in your fridge, even cream cheese will delight you! Cover with foil and cook in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes!

Last time I topped mine with leftover homemade salsa when they came out of the oven and they were *chef’s kiss* magnificent!

Greatest part: You’ll never recreate the ingredients exactly each time, which enhances their flavor and enjoyment even more for me! The point is: you’ve got a brilliant meal in your fridge, and with just a few dollars: the peppers just bring it all together!

talk_show_host1982 Report

Final score:

6points

POST

#47

It’s pretty awesome how easy it is to amp up ramen. Use left over meat, veggies and the packets. Two packets feed four of us when we add add stuff to it.

marthamoxley Report

Final score:

5points

POST

#48

Sardine pasta. Get some tinned sardines in tomato sauce, couple of cloves of garlic (if you have, garlic powder if you don't), heat it up in a pan and then add some cooked spaghetti. It's not to everyone's tastes but it's a saviour to me when I'm dirt broke

innerrpeace Report

Final score:

4points

POST

#49

Tuna burgers- 2 cans of drained tuna, 1 egg, enough breadcrumbs to bind it. Add in whatever you have around for seasoning- could be some finely chopped carrot and/or onion, garlic powder, hot sauce, thyme and oregano. You could take it in an asian direction and put in some soy sauce, chili flakes, chili powder and cumin. Cook in a med hot non stick pan for about 3-4 min on each side.

Agnaolds Report

Final score:

3points

POST

Sue User 1 year ago

Mom would make fish cakes - with pollack instead of tuna and add potatoes.

1point

#50

Lawn weed salad! I pick dandelions, plantago genus greens, chickweed, violet greens, and ground ivy, and I’ll even pick some fresh sprouted tree leaves from maples and elms. I’ll also pick daylily shoots, mugwort sprouts, and amaranth greens to fry up in some butter or blanch for mixed greens and use like spinach.

Oatmeal pancakes are better than regular pancakes! A flax egg, chia egg, or combination of both work great as an egg substitute, and I love winter squash’s shelf life, and roasted butternut blended up makes an amazing pancake! Milk powder keeps great and is perfect for those times when you might want it for baked goods but only have enough for a few morning coffees. I used to love buttermilk powder for this too but I always have yoghurt in the fridge I sub for buttermilk anyway. Also frozen WILD blueberries will make the best pancakes that no one will know is a struggle meal!

Pantry sushi! Canned fish but especially sardines, rice I wash less thoroughly if I don’t have sushi rice, and fridge staple veggies that last a long time like turnips and carrots. If you don’t have nori quickly blanched whole cabbage leaves are a great wrapper and add yet another veggie! I love making spicy “tuna” with any canned oily fish.

Potatoes baked in foil keep in the fridge for a bit and can be used in recipes that ask you to boil potatoes before cooking them a second way, like homemade fries, mashed potatoes, potato dinner rolls, Greek lemony roast potatoes, potato salad… my fav dish from this is to slice the potatoes 1/2 inch thick and make oven nachos with them, I always have cubes of refried pinto or black beans in the freezer, and frozen corn (make sure it gets the most contact with the pan in the oven so they get nice and charred!)

I used my frozen beans to make a cheesy pasta sauce and add some frozen corn I blackened for a bit in a cast iron, it’s southwestern black bean pasta!

bhd420 Report

Final score:

3points

POST

Ample Aardvark 1 year ago

You really need to know what you're doing if foraging!

7points

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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Rasa is a photo editor at Bored Panda, they have a college degree in photography and are currently studying sewing. Ever since childhood Rasa was interested in visual arts, including painting, photography, knitting and so on. When not at work or studying they like to knitting, cooking and spending quality time with their cats.

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What do you think ?

POST

ЛеснойКороль(Forest King)️‍ 1 year ago

i don’t like beans so i guess i’m screwed :/

7points

RP 1 year ago

Me neither (nor lentils) but I'm learning to cook them in ways where I can't taste them/feel them. If you really over cool lentils or red beans until they are mush, they add a lot of fill to a pasta or curry dish without being noticable.

1point

Kenny Kulbiski 1 year ago

Agreed! As long as there is a dumpster to dive in I'm not eating beans.

1point

Jonathan Nichols 1 year ago

Yep👍

0points

barbiegirl 2100 1 year ago (edited)

I don't like beans but one time when i first moved into my old apartment my former roommate and I ate refried bean and cheese quesadilllas. I never had them again but was really hungry. That was when dollar tree only cost a dollar. So it only cost 3 dollars.

0points

R Dennis 1 year ago

I buy splurge items when they are on sale. So, when money used to get tight, we raided the freezer and ate like kings.

7points

Sarah Schumm 1 year ago

There’s this chain called “Lucky” that does this “5 for 5” sale where if you buy 5 of the selected things they are $5 each and it’s always something awesome like steaks or chops or shrimp or fish, so I would always stock up during 5 for 5 and eat fancy food for a month!

2points

N Miller 1 year ago

So the title of this post is along the lines of "Broke till payday", implying that these are the fallback meals you have when you have nothing else in the kitchen. Except almost all these are just part of my regular menu.

5points

Ba-Na-Na 1 year ago

This post assumes I have a lot on hand to begin with…

3points

jdtimid123 1 year ago

You can't make something out of nothing, unfortunately. But you can make a decent pot of soup for cheap (if you buy the bulk items by weight each veggie is usually less than a dollar here, and you can use the ends you won't eat to make a cheap stock). If you are routinely getting to the point where you have nothing at all, you might consider going to your local food bank. Otherwise, it's always good to try to grab an extra container of staple items like rice, beans and canned or frozen veggies when you shop at the start of the pay period, that way you have a little extra for when things start getting tight. Even a small, 1$ bag of rice will last one or two people a couple of meals. Also, trying to find ways to reuse leftovers helps stretch your meals a little farther. Hope things get better for you.

1point

Bon Jour 1 year ago

I just recently lost 40 pounds. It was so easy because I just ate like you would 150 years ago. Beans, rice, carrots, etc..... I was full, satisfied and never craved anything. The weight just fell off. We eat so badly in America. Everything is processed and of course our portion sizes.

2points

Lord of the laserprinter. 1 year ago

Grandma, poor soul. As she got older Her mind somehow got stuck in Germany’s post war hungry years. Us kids in the seventies, hungry as only kids can be after running around all day would get newspaper soaked in flour and salt, because that is what was available in 1946. Or a husk of dry bread to chew when we clamored for something sweet. It works, believe me. It was so long ago, but I do understand what they went through all those years ago.

2points

jdtimid123 1 year ago

Fried potato sandwiches. Made like it sounds: slice potatoes to desired thickness, fry them up on both sides till browned, then put mayo on your bread, layer the slices on top of that and season to taste before putting the other slice of bread on. It's one of my favorite foods.

1point

Green Tree 1 year ago

Corn tortillas are a staple in my house. They are inexpensive and last a long time in the fridge. Heat some up in a dry cast iron pan and top with just about anything and you have a good meal from odds & ends for pennies. Some of my fav combos: refried beans & diced onion, veggie scambled eggs, potato & cheese, fish sticks & lettuce or cabbage

1point

Aisling Raye 1 year ago

I want to upvote this a hundred more times. Corn tortillas can be used to stretch out pretty much any ingredients you have on hand and they keep really well (which is a big selling point for me since I live alone) I basically live off of oddball variations of nachos during the summer months when it's too hot to deal with cooking whole meals. Cut up some corn tortillas to fry and top with just about anything bean or veggie related.

1point

Colin 1 year ago

Champ - mashed potatoes and scallions

1point

Tim Nicebutdim 1 year ago

Back when I was a poor vegetarian student I used to mix baked beans with beanfeast (dehydrated fake mince (tvp) with dehydrated vegetables), throw some chilli powder in and serve with rice a pot full would last me 4-5 days (assuming my meat eating house mates didn't cadge it off me).

1point

Beks Czar 1 year ago (edited)

Generic brand peas, tuna & mac n cheese. That was one of my mom's goto cheap meals when I was a kid. I don't have it often but if I ever feel like it, I'll use Kraft (ooooh fancy) and white albacore and corn. Don't like peas anymore. ----- I should add that I don't run out and buy these ingredients for the end of paycheck meals because all 3 are going up in price. If and when I have the money, I stock up sometimes knowing how shelf stable they can be for those lean times.

0points

️Crystal️ 1 year ago

Shouldn't have read this while hungry... And I am allergic to half of this stuff!

0points

Coraline Hsieh 1 year ago

Spaghetti with marinara sauce

0points

Aisling Raye 1 year ago

You'd be surprised how long you can survive on a carton of eggs, some corn tortillas, and jar of salsa if you have to.

0points

JayBizzle1977 1 year ago

Want to eat really good on the super cheap? Look up recipes by formerly incarcerated individuals. They are incredibly creative.

0points

Kerry 1 year ago

A gherkin?

0points

Sheila Carty 1 year ago

heat up a can of navy beans, add a can/pouch of tuna. Simple and quick.

0points

RP 1 year ago

Learning that, aside from my cheese habit, 90% of my diet is apparently poverty food. What no one mention here is also pizza (or a European variation where the dough is made of just oil, water, and flour if you don't have yeast). Make the base yourself and you don't need much in the house for topping. If cheese is low, you can stretch it with some greek joghurt for extra moisture. I also go for hard and strong cheese in a pinch because you need a lot less to get a good kick

0points

Sarah Schumm 1 year ago

I used to make dollar store fish tacos: the dollar store sold this fish in a bag you could microwave, a bag of limes, a bag of tiny avocados, a big stack of tortillas and hot sauce. Then I’d get a bunch on cilantro and a cabbage for $1 at the farmers market at the end of the day. The most expensive thing was the fish. Also it was a really good dollar store.

0points

Lynne Hammar 1 year ago (edited)

My grandmother knew so many ways to make potatoes, including "creamed potatoes" with little pearl onions, sprinkled with parsley🤤 ... she also made "salmon croquettes" which she fried in a cast iron pan.

0points

Miss Frankfurter 1 year ago

Tuna and peas mixed with mushroom soup without the water added.

0points

Bjarne McDonald 1 year ago

Got married when we didn't have a ton of money, and we liked to have 18 guests, which was what we could seat in our flat. Made lentils and carrots soup for starters with homemade bread from the neighbors. Then leg of lamb over potatoes with salads - mother in law sponsored the lamb. And a ice cream and fruit dessert with cookies baked by a friend. My dad bought some wine. Maybe 20 $ per person, but a lovely party that everyone still takes about.

0points

CatWoman1014 1 year ago

When I’m struggling or just lazy I’ll make chicken and rice soup. It’s literally a can of chicken -not drained- , rice, and seasoning. When you cook the rice add the chicken and about 2 cups of water. Let it boil and simmer for 5-10 mins. I’ll add carrots, onions and garlic as well if I have it available.

0points

POST

ЛеснойКороль(Forest King)️‍ 1 year ago

i don’t like beans so i guess i’m screwed :/

7points

RP 1 year ago

1point

Kenny Kulbiski 1 year ago

Agreed! As long as there is a dumpster to dive in I'm not eating beans.

1point

Jonathan Nichols 1 year ago

Yep👍

0points

barbiegirl 2100 1 year ago (edited)

0points

R Dennis 1 year ago

I buy splurge items when they are on sale. So, when money used to get tight, we raided the freezer and ate like kings.

7points

Sarah Schumm 1 year ago

2points

N Miller 1 year ago

5points

Ba-Na-Na 1 year ago

This post assumes I have a lot on hand to begin with…

3points

jdtimid123 1 year ago

1point

Bon Jour 1 year ago

2points

Lord of the laserprinter. 1 year ago

2points

jdtimid123 1 year ago

1point

Green Tree 1 year ago

1point

Aisling Raye 1 year ago

1point