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As the cost of living surged in 2022, the number of Americans facing financial hardship has also jumped. 6 in 10 United States adults (including more than 4 in 10 high-income consumers), live paycheck to paycheck.
Interested in how people get through difficult times, Reddit user GetFreeFromFood made a post on r/EatCheapAndHealthy, asking folks on the platform, "What are your favorite 'end of the month/broke 'til payday' meals?"
"Groceries are scarce [and I'm] waiting on payday," they wrote. "What are you making that's relatively healthy with what you have left? I know what everyone has left differs, just trying to get ideas that may be helpful for more than just my family!"
And the call was answered; thrifty cooks happily shared their budget meals. Continue scrolling to check out the best-sounding ones and don't miss the talk we had with Haley, the person behind the Cheap Recipe Blog for more ideas. You'll find it in between the entries.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Grilled cheese and tomato soup will always be a favorite of mine.
RELATED:
#2
My absolute cheapest meal is mujadara. Well browned onions, lentils, rice, s&p. It's so much more than it sounds.
"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.
#3
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.
Rebekah Krause 1 year ago
I have just discovered there is a romaine lettuce and pecorino omelette!
#4
Canned tuna mixed with mayo on toast. Served with a pickle spear
#5
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.
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.
#6
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.
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
#7
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.
#8
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
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."
#9
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)
#10
Lentil and carrot soup. So tasty and good for you, but extremely cheap.
#11
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
#12
Butter noodles
#13
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.
#14
Mustgo soup, all the leftovers you have in the fridge and some broth of your choice or just some Mater sauce
#16
Maximize your beans, lentils, carrots, potatoes, and eggs as meat substitutes. Curry with any of those can help stretch it. Or bbq sauce.
#17
Savory pancakes - - you can put anything in ‘em and/or anything on ‘em
#19
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.
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.
#20
Ramen + PB + sriracha basically feels like poor man's pad Thai. Even better if you have an egg to put in
Kookamunga 1 year ago
My poor times Ramen was to throw a few raw eggs in the boiling water and some Tabasco.
#21
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.
#23
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! :)
#24
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
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
#25
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.
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.
#26
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.
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.
Cardboard Dino 1 year ago
the ham bone in a spiral ham or the bones of a rotisserie chicken can make ham or chicken stock. you start with the original meal then you can save leftovers to add to your soup or chop up the ham and make ham Mac and cheese and chicken salad with the leftover chicken.
#27
Tortillas, cheese, eggs
Donna Lambert 1 year ago
I do flour tortilla peanut butter sandwiches... Add jam, banana... Whatever...
#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.
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.
#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.
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".
#30
Ramen with an egg and frozen veggies
Pasta, jarred pasta sauce, frozen veggies and shredded cheese
What do you think ?
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.
Load More Replies...
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.
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 $5 each and it’s always something awesome like steaks or chops or shrimp or fish, so I would always stock up during 5 for 5 and eat fancy food for a month!
Load More Replies...
jdtimid123 1 year ago
You can't make something out of nothing, unfortunately. But you can make a decent pot of soup for cheap (if you buy the bulk items by weight each veggie is usually less than a dollar here, and you can use the ends you won't eat to make a cheap stock). If you are routinely getting to the point where you have nothing at all, you might consider going to your local food bank. Otherwise, it's always good to try to grab an extra container of staple items like rice, beans and canned or frozen veggies when you shop at the start of the pay period, that way you have a little extra for when things start getting tight. Even a small, 1$ 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.
Load More Replies...
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Load More Replies...
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).
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.
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.
JayBizzle1977 1 year ago
Want to eat really good on the super cheap? Look up recipes by formerly incarcerated individuals. They are incredibly creative.
Sheila Carty 1 year ago
heat up a can of navy beans, add a can/pouch of tuna. Simple and quick.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Load More Replies... 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.
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 $5 each and it’s always something awesome like steaks or chops or shrimp or fish, so I would always stock up during 5 for 5 and eat fancy food for a month!
Load More Replies... jdtimid123 1 year ago
You can't make something out of nothing, unfortunately. But you can make a decent pot of soup for cheap (if you buy the bulk items by weight each veggie is usually less than a dollar here, and you can use the ends you won't eat to make a cheap stock). If you are routinely getting to the point where you have nothing at all, you might consider going to your local food bank. Otherwise, it's always good to try to grab an extra container of staple items like rice, beans and canned or frozen veggies when you shop at the start of the pay period, that way you have a little extra for when things start getting tight. Even a small, 1$ 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.
Load More Replies... 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Load More Replies... 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).
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.
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.
JayBizzle1977 1 year ago
Want to eat really good on the super cheap? Look up recipes by formerly incarcerated individuals. They are incredibly creative.
Sheila Carty 1 year ago
heat up a can of navy beans, add a can/pouch of tuna. Simple and quick.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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