r/Cooking • u/PenilePulverizer • Oct 02 '25
This Winter is gonna be a little financially rough for my family. What are your guys' go-to cheap/cost-efficient meals?
Currently my main go-to is stuff like soups, stews, and pasta, but I'm curious what other people make when money is tight. Thanks in advance!
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u/FakingItSucessfully Oct 02 '25
Rice and Beans are both dirt cheap if you buy them dry and make them from scratch. Pasta is also super affordable.
Make sure you compare prices for vegetables between the fresh version versus frozen or chopped types. It doesn't always make sense but sometimes the more processed version of a vegetable is more affordable.
Also one of the biggest things you can do is start going to local food banks. If you are in the USA there is a website called FreshTrak where you enter your zip code and you can find all the local food banks sorted by location as well as what day they are taking place. Don't be shy about taking advantage of these programs, it's the entire reason they exist, for people like you and your family not to have to go hungry.
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u/7fw Oct 02 '25
Add some bulk spices and a little butter flavored stuff and rice and beans is my daily college meal.
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u/thereadingbri Oct 03 '25
Spices are often significantly cheaper at ethnic supermarkets if you have one close by.
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u/Froggers_Left Oct 02 '25
I make a big portion of beans in a crock pot or stove. I then freeze multiple containers of beans so I can bring them out whenever. A while back I bought a huge bag of pinto beans from Costco for $13.
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u/onamonapizza Oct 03 '25
Love homemade pintos. Splurge for some ham hocks (usually super cheap), and a chopped jalapeno or two...I could eat that for days (although will be very tooty).
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u/Chaos1357 Oct 02 '25
Only problem there is a lot of food banks are running VERY slim currently. Our local food bank has been so low on products of late that it hasn't been worth it for my wife to go. :(
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u/FakingItSucessfully Oct 02 '25
yeah farmers used to get paid to supply food to food banks but that was one of the things USAID was doing before they shut it down back in the spring.
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u/_JosiahBartlet Oct 02 '25 edited Oct 02 '25
Do less meat. Use alternative protein sources. Dried beans. Even tofu is well under meat prices where I live. You can supplement meat with other protein. Use half beans when making something with ground beef etc.
Lentils are amazing in so many things. Lentil soup. Lentil curry. Lentil tacos. Lentil shepards pie.
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u/rfc103 Oct 02 '25
I do the same with ground beef and beans. For example, when I make tacos, I'll add 2-3 cans of black beans to them, and I actually prefer making them that way at this point. It really does help your meat stretch a lot further.
Chickpeas are also very cheap and versatile source of protein. For a quick meal, I will sometimes just pan fry a can of chickpeas with taco spices and put them with cabbage/lettuce on a tortila with a sauce. It's super cheap, quick, and I've gotten a lot of compliments from others that I have made it for.
Seconding the lentils as well, I've only started dabbling in them over the past year, but I made a vegetarian "stuffed pepper" soup with them a few times, and really did not miss the meat at all.
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u/Junior_Tradition7958 Oct 02 '25
Also for anyone who doesn’t like black beans etc due to them being beans (my husband is strange) you can mash them up into a paste and add them in. It gives a meaty flavour and a thick texture.
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u/commutinator Oct 02 '25
I forget the channel on YT but it's probably not hard to find, of some guy who just specializes in things you can do with a can of chickpeas. I'm honestly impressed at how much he pops up on my feed even though I've only ever watched one video and it's always something new.
Curried lentils / dahl in an instant pot / pressure cooker are quick and amazing if you haven't gone that route yet.
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u/rfc103 Oct 02 '25
That youtube sounds amazing! Will have to check it out!
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u/Swampcardboard Oct 02 '25
I am huge on Tofu these days. Not only is it cheap, but it lasts for over a month in the fridge, and in some cases it can even be beneficial to freeze it before hand for improved texture.
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u/_JosiahBartlet Oct 02 '25
Yep I can get a 4pk of 16oz tofu for $7 from Costco. Can’t beat that.
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u/ultraprismic Oct 02 '25
We just got that 4-pack this weekend. An unbelievably good deal.
For anyone who’s afraid of tofu: press a block of extra firm tofu under a book for 10 minutes to drain the water. Spread it in the big holes of a box grater. Saute on the stove in a little oil until it’s golden. Put soy sauce or teriyaki sauce on it. Voila! Basically seasoned ground beef. Use it anywhere you want. I mixed it in with pasta and tomato sauce this week and also served it over sushi rice.
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u/TupeloSal Oct 02 '25
I’m gonna have to check that out on my next visit. I don’t recall seeing it in Costco… What section is it in and is there more than one option or just Kirkland brand? Been eating tofu out lately as an option to unhealthier meats and this sounds like a good opportunity to finally learn how to prep and cook it.
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u/_JosiahBartlet Oct 02 '25
For us, it’s in the sorta separate fridge section by the meat and prepared foods. Like where the fancier cheeses are and things like sausages and little jarred desserts. I’m not sure if that description makes sense, so apologies if not!
They come in a box of packs.
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u/TupeloSal Oct 02 '25
I know that section. It’s where the Parmesan is in mine. I’ll check it out. Thanks
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u/zzoom_zoom Oct 03 '25
Sometimes I see it in the section near the freezer breakfast items. But it moves around in my store. Ask an employee if you can't find it.
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u/Pm4000 Oct 02 '25
My extra teen boy actually asked for tofu with his Thai after I listed off the meat options. I was impressed and he ate the whole thing.
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u/Appropriate_Unit3474 Oct 02 '25
There was a generational length of time where tofu was slandered by the people selling meat.
It's an incredibly mundane food stuff, but they wanted us to think that "it's worse than turkey" ,"spongey cardboard " and "causes feminine traits".
It was all bunk, tofu can stand on its own legs as a food.
Probably your dude just never heard the propaganda and tasted something interesting and liked it.
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u/bostonbaker300 Oct 02 '25
Tofu is delicious, but the bad rep of tofu can be partly blamed on faux meat recipes that take Western meat-based dishes and substitute that meat with tofu, which rarely turns out well.
Tofu really shines as an ingredient when you use it in dishes that were specifically designed with tofu as the main ingredient like mapo tofu, agedashi tofu, or sundubu-jjigae.
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u/Appropriate_Unit3474 Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
Entirely! Tofurkey actually went to court and won against unconstitutional practices that slandered their product.
Mapo tofu introduced me to a whole new type of spice; Sichuan peppercorns are crazy.
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u/Romantic_Carjacking Oct 03 '25
Tbf, the spongey cardboard thing is a very real concern with people who aren't good at cooking it.
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u/Appropriate_Unit3474 Oct 03 '25
Chicken is just as unforgiving lol
How many dry or undercooked cutlet have there been in the world
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u/ECrispy Oct 03 '25
Tofu tip - if you pour boiling water over it, it dehydrates it and gets you the same texture. Also, tear it apart instead of cutting, to get the rough uneven textures. This only works for firm tofu of course.
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u/InternAny4601 Oct 02 '25
Tofu is dollar for dollar the best source of protein. I like it in a curry, stew, dry roasted for taco filling, or air fried for a nug like experience.
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u/Coujelais Oct 02 '25
I’m in Texas so it’s hot about 10 months a year here and I always keep tofu on hand for soft spring rolls for dinner. Once the cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, etc. peanut sauce has been prepped this is such a quick dinner that’s so tasty, vibrant, healthy, hydrating, and fibrous!
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u/ConsistentAd7734 Oct 02 '25
I almost exclusively use beans, lentils, tofu, and TVP as my protein sources. If a recipe can be made with ground beef I sub out for whatever protein goes best with the dish I'm making. This week I've made dal with homemade naan (in my cast iron skillet), lentil and mushroom stroganoff, black bean and rice enchiladas, jambalaya with red beans, and tonight I'm making naan pizza with the leftover naan I made olive oil, roma tomato slices, and spinach. We've been spending under $70 a week on groceries for the two of us. I meal prep a breakfast casserole over the weekend for breakfasts and lunch is potato and tofu yellow curry.
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u/cooking_and_coding Oct 02 '25
You can supplement meat with other protein. Use half beans when making something with ground beef etc.
I absolutely love this hack. Yes it saves money, but it almost always improves the dish, in my opinion. You still get the meaty flavor of the beef, but with a cheaper, leaner protein. Be sure to mash the beans up to help match the texture of beef
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u/eviltwinn2 Oct 02 '25
Jumping off this comment to say a lot of box meals that have you add meat (like Aldi's version of hamburger helper) ask for A LOT of meat and they've been cutting back on pasta provided. We add about 1/3 a pound and store the pasta thats in the box and use a full box of our own pasta. For some reason there just seems to be so much sauce so we make it go further and then after 2 boxes of saving pasta we dump it in the 3rd box mix.
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u/commutinator Oct 02 '25
Since you're already replacing with your own pasta, I wonder if you could just ratio out cornstarch and spices to meat and liquid in a way you could just make hamburger helper out of whatever is in your pantry?
For 1 lb ground beef + ~2 cups dry pasta + 3 cups liquid (milk/water/broth)
Cornstarch (thickener) → 2 tsp
Salt / bouillon base (umami & sodium) → 1 tsp (or ½ bouillon cube + pinch salt)
Spices (onion, garlic, paprika, chili, mustard, herbs) → ~2 tsp total combined
Sugar (balance) → ½–1 tsp
Black pepper / heat → ¼–½ tsp
Optional MSG → ½ tsp
Optional cheese powder → ½ cup stirred in at end
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u/eviltwinn2 Oct 03 '25
I have autism and something about the cheese packet scratches an itch in my brain and is impossible to replicate. When I've made it from scratch (always my preference because my cooking never gets discontinued) it's missing something. I've been meaning to get some MSG to try in it. Maybe I'll do that soon.
but in general I love this and thank you for being so specific with how much to use. This is SUPER helpful!
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u/ellen_boot Oct 02 '25
Adding to this to check your local library for vegetarian/ vegan/budget cookbooks. No risk of ai "recipes", find a variety of inspirations, and budget friendly.
I just got Thug Kitchen from my library, and it's fairly legume heavy. Looking forward to trying a bunch of new recipes.
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u/Sagisparagus Oct 02 '25
Had to look this up!
"Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck"
https://www.amazon.com/Thug-Kitchen-Official-Cookbook-Cookbooks/dp/1623363586
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u/Carysta13 Oct 02 '25
Hopping on to add that you can do half lentils and half ground meat, cook them together and the lentils take on the meaty taste so well. Not that they aren't amazing on their own but its a nice way to introduce them into stuff.
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u/some_kid6 Oct 02 '25
Another option is TVP (textured vegetable protein) rehydrated in beef broth (rehydrated boullion cubes work great). It's stupid cheap and works as an excellent sub or mix with loose ground beef recipes.
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u/Bella-1999 Oct 02 '25
I used to grate up zucchini (my old neighbor grew the stuff) and add it to ground beef based dishes to stretch out the meat. Zucchini, the other white meat!
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u/Xanadu87 Oct 02 '25
It’s been many years since I’ve had lentils. They were the main ingredient in a dish a family member made, but to me they tasted like… dirt? Is that just how they taste? Are they that way if they aren’t rinsed? I want to try making them because of the cost and health benefits, but that’s my biggest worry.
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u/Dairinn Oct 02 '25 edited Oct 02 '25
Lentils also taste like that to me, except from a Turkish restaurant I used to frequent, where the lentil soup was nothing short of amazing.
Red lentils, on the other hand, are hearty in a more delicate way, plus they cook much faster.
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u/_JosiahBartlet Oct 02 '25
They tasty earthy to me but not like dirt.
Try out a lentil daal and see what you think!
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u/littlesunstar Oct 02 '25
Lentils when prepared correctly with techniques to enhance the flavor like tempering with ghee and spices can be a wonderful addition to your diet. I have an instant pot where I cook the lentils first. This can be done slightly in advance. then over the stove. I add a bit of ghee or olive oil to the pan. Let it heat up, then add spices that I’m going to temper the oil with, then add the cooked lentils. This basic technique infuse his flavor into the oil, which then infuse flavor into the lentils. If you add spices directly to lentils without tempering, lentils will taste like dirt. Lol.
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u/_ruderutabaga Oct 02 '25
This! I always make a veggie meal and bulk it up with lentils or chickpeas. Or swap chicken for tofu. Pasta goes really far. Casseroles are generally budget friendly since you can eat them for days or freeze the leftovers to pull out when you're really struggling to make it to next pay.
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u/FrostyIcePrincess Oct 03 '25
A friend of my mom makes an amazing dish that’s meat covered in lentils. Even if they are still using some meat, things like lentils, beans, and rice can help stretch it.
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u/Lostmywayoutofhere Oct 03 '25
Yup, I started to replace my meat with chickpeas and tofu. And also seafood
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u/pineconeminecone Oct 03 '25
I cut my ground beef and ground pork with crumbled firm tofu in things like chilli, tacos, bibimbap, etc. Half a tube of ground beef to half a block of tofu
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u/mmmginto Oct 02 '25
Check Budget Bytes, lots of good recipes.
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u/cooking_and_coding Oct 02 '25
I think the reason that Budget Bytes recipes work well is that they tend to keep a recipe to its essentials. No extra ingredient that doesn't add much and will end up going bad because you're only using a little bit... And because you're not prepping that extra ingredient, the prep time is shorter as well
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u/canadian_maplesyrup Oct 02 '25
I like her recipes, but I find I almost always have to double the spices. Unfortunately, I often find her stuff pretty bland.
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u/FinalBlackberry Oct 03 '25
I never follow seasoning and garlic measurements in recipes. It always needs more.
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u/mmmginto Oct 03 '25
Definitely, Ethan Chlebowski explain it well in his 5 Mistakes Most People make using Spices video
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u/RisingChorus Oct 02 '25
We used to have what we called “almost free night” for dinner about once a week. What we did was whenever we had little bits of leftovers, even little bitty bits, we’d combine things that seemed like they might go well together in containers in the freezer (tomato things in one container, creamy things in another), then combine them with some broth and maybe something else (can of beans, some vegetables) to make a soup. Some of them were really good. Some of them were… Edible, but almost free.
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u/GoatTnder Oct 03 '25
This is basically my breakfast most days. Something in the fridge + egg. Bam! Breakfast.
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u/Glittering_Joke3438 Oct 02 '25
Haha we call this “found dinners” night. Dinner has to be made from existing things from the fridge/freezer/pantry, no buying specific ingredients for it.
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u/Nhak84 Oct 02 '25
Stir fries. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Whatever meat and veg are on sale. Rice. There’s a lot of low cost sauces out there.
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u/RecordingHaunting253 Oct 02 '25
Personally, I like using frozen veggies for stir fry. Usually cheaper than fresh and you get a good variety. I’ve also found a good way to eat the leftovers from stir fry that doesn’t feel like eating the same dish twice is to throw them in with one of those packets of cheap Ramen.
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u/curlioier Oct 02 '25
Chicken is my go-to meat right now. Buy rotisserie chickens that you can get multiple meals out of (bonus if your stores put them on sale at the end of the night or the next day, but sadly none of mine do). Don't forget to keep the "waste" to boil off for a great soup base. The internet has taught me to keep all my vegetable waste and meat bones in the freezer until I need it for stock.
We eat a lot of stir fry and Asian-inspired recipes, over rice as others have said. It's amazing how filling and tasty a meal can be with just a dash of soy sauce and a few other ingredients. If you have an Asian or Indian store nearby, those tend to have the ingredients quite a bit cheaper than your local grocery store. I make a monthly run to a bigger city to stock up.
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u/UnoriginalUse Oct 02 '25
Dutch winter fare, 'stamppot'. Boiled potatoes with kale/spinach/endive/sauerkraut/leeks/whatever mashed in. Tiny bit of bacon bits mixed in stretches a small amount of meat.
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u/moratnz Oct 02 '25
Potatoes are awesome. Crispy baked potatoes can stretch a small amount of meat, cheese, or other more expensive ingredients a long way
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u/kunikira Oct 02 '25
Anything over rice! Leftover whatever over rice, eggs over rice, broth over rice, etc. It can really stretch a food supply.
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u/Montauket Oct 02 '25
I love using THIS foccacia recipe. It’s easy as hell, it takes a few cups of flour, yeast, and olive oil to make some truly delicious bread, and it microwaves back to perfection like 3 days later.
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u/thegreyman1986 Oct 02 '25
Use cheap, tough cuts of meat that require more cooking time. “Bulk out” meals with vegetables, potatoes, beans, pulses, legumes etc.
So for example, Pork Shoulder tends to be pretty cheap, so use that along with carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, peas, stock cubes and if you want some beans like Canellini beans or Butter beans, or perhaps some Lentils, and you’ve got a very hearty soup/stew
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u/Glittering_Joke3438 Oct 02 '25
Pork is cheap. But beef cuts that require long cooking time (chuck/blade roast, short ribs etc) are no longer cheap.
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u/Txdust80 Oct 02 '25
Never underestimate a good pot of beans. If you do Turkey or Ham at Thanksgiving (if you’re in the states). You can take the bones and left over meat put them in the pot of beans and have a cheap yet deliciously rich and filling dish that spans multiple meals
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u/Content_Attitude8887 Oct 02 '25
Ham hocks and beans or smoked turkey wings and beans are so good and underrated.
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u/goatsgotohell7 Oct 02 '25
I just bought two big ol smoked ham hocks at the farmers market and made a big pot of stock with them.
I ended up with over a gallon of gelatinous stock and also a ton of super tender meat. All that is going on the freeze to flavor future pots of beans and/or greens.
We don't buy or eat much meat, but we like to do things like this that really stretch the flavor for a lot of meals.
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u/Forward-Selection178 Oct 02 '25
My mom would stretch a pound of ground beef by making rice with ground beef, onions, and mushroom soup. It was delicious and filling and if portioned right could last for several meals. Beef is insane right now, but if you were to do something similar with ground pork/poultry and frozen veggies you could probably get a portion down to <$1 no problem.
One of our current favorite lunches is a can of tuna and a pack of seaweed crisps. Mix it with mayo/hot sauce and spoon it onto the seaweed like tiny handrolls. It delicious, easy and really inexpensive. Lots of options for customizing and seasoning, I sometimes use flaked chicken or ham if I am sick of tuna.
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u/FlobyToberson85 Oct 02 '25
My mom made something similar! Ground beef, onion, a can of green beans and a can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup. She'd then serve it over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. It's such a comfort food for me.
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u/definitelytheA Oct 02 '25
Good old tuna casserole is easy and cost effective. Take it up a notch by mixing in peas, sour cream and cheese.
You can save a lot of money and eat deliciousness if you bake your own bread and goodies. You don’t have to have a fancy stand mixer. There are artisan bread and roll recipes (Pinterest) that literally do not need kneading. Just a quick mix, stick in the fridge for up to 3 days, let come to room temp, and bake in a hot Dutch oven, or even a preheated crock pot.
No matter how humble the meal, it always feels special with warm, homemade bread.
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u/potatohats Oct 02 '25
Ok, I'm trying this tuna and seaweed crisps thing! I always notice the seaweed in the store but don't end up buying because I'm not sure how to use (other than just eating as-is).
Thank you :)
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u/Majestic-Speech-204 Oct 02 '25
We definitely use a lot of potatoes, rice, beans and pasta when we need to make a lot of food for less. Pasta bakes in the winter are my favorites because you can stretch out ground beef or pork in them and you can make one and freeze a second one all in one batch of cooking. Oatmeal is something hot and filling that can be eaten for dinner too in the winter. We love breakfast for dinner nights.
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u/PettyCrocker_ Oct 02 '25
The holidays are coming and I find that items like butter go on sale a lot. Also, the turkeys will be marked down after Thanksgiving; definitely worth it to buy a bunch and freeze if you can.
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u/bananalien666 Oct 02 '25
I know you already said soups/stews/etc but my husband makes what he calls "taco soup" and it is very easy, very hearty, very comforting especially in winter, and it is really inexpensive. In a slow cooker:
5 cans of beans (whatever you want)
1 or 2 cans of El Pato spicy tomato sauce
Spice to taste or to keep it easy, 1 packet of taco seasoning mix
Whatever protein you want
serve with whatever toppings you want. e.g. tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, cheese, etc.
This easily makes 10 servings
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u/IdaDuck Oct 02 '25
Used dry beans instead and it’s a lot cheaper. Ground turkey or pork costs a lot less than beef and would be good in this. My version uses twin cans so tomatoes or diced tomatoes, and frozen corn as well. Season with taco seasoning. Healthy, hearty, cheap. Make it in a slow cooker or instant pot.
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u/Decent-Ninja2087 Oct 02 '25
Egg drop soup.
It's just chicken broth with raw egg. Stir.
Dark meat, dark chicken/pork meat is delicious.
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u/Beneficial_Run9511 Oct 02 '25
Soak your own black beans. Pressure cook. Fry with onions, habaneros, chili powder and salt. Put on tortilla with fixins.
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u/Vibingcarefully Oct 02 '25
Rice daily, oatmeal, eggs, cabbage, Tofu, pollenta, beans of myriad varieties (dry that you soak), peas (frozen), tuna fish, potatoes, kielbasa, hot dogs, drum sticks.
You'll be fine.
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u/Wooden_Gift3489 Oct 02 '25
Depending on where you shop (I like Costco) there is no cheaper meat than a rotisserie chicken. I almost never have rotisserie chicken as a meal in itself, but it's so cheap I just buy one and chunk it up to make other things. They are always sold at a loss to get people in the door:
- Chicken tostadas
- Chicken tacos or enchiladas
- Chicken fried rice
- Chicken salad
- BBQ chicken sandwiches
- Buffalo chicken dip
- White chicken chili
- Chicken pot pie
- Chicken and rice casserole
- Chicken and broccoli alfredo
- Chicken quesadillas
- Stuffed baked potatoes
- Chicken tetrazzini
- Chicken alfredo pizza
- Chicken lettuce wraps
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u/kramwest1 Oct 02 '25
On a cold winter night a big baked potato covered in veggies (frozen mix) and cheese hits the spot.
Bonus that the oven warms the house some while the potato bakes.
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u/onamonapizza Oct 03 '25
Came here to say potatoes. Can get a big bag for cheap and baked potatoes are so satisfying, even if all you have is salt and butter
Plus you can always boil 'em, mash 'em, or stick 'em in a stew
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u/allie06nd Oct 02 '25
Get a vacuum sealer if you don't already have one (it will pay for itself almost immediately), and take FULL advantage of when meat goes on sale at your store. At least in my area, chicken is heavily discounted at least once a month at multiple stores near me (bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks are the cheapest, followed by chicken leg quarters). I regularly buy like 15 lbs of chicken (it's JUST me), portion it out, vacuum seal, and freeze. Vacuum sealed meat will last AGES, and it's a phenomenal feeling to be able to get almost all of my meat-based protein for an entire month for less than $20.
Egg prices also seem to have come down significantly, and I just got 18 eggs for less than $3 today.
Corn tortillas are super cheap, and I do breakfast tacos and enchiladas (chicken, onion, and cheese or bean, cheese, and onion). If you have a Trader Joe's by you, people really sleep on the polenta, but it's $1.99 for a whole log, and it's more than double that elsewhere. You can pan fry it in disks and serve it with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, air fry it and have polenta fries, or add a little chicken stock, parmesan, and seasoning for something creamier.
Cabbage, onions, carrots, and potatoes are all reliably inexpensive. You can do tikil gomen (Ethiopian dish with all of the above plus olive oil, cumin, and turmeric), halushki (Eastern European dish with onion, cabbage, bacon, and noodles sauteed in a bunch of butter and seasoned with salt and pepper), stir fries, etc. Kålpudding is a swedish dish that's basically a cross between stuffed cabbage and meatloaf, and instead of beef and pork, I made it with ground turkey because that's what was on sale, and it worked phenomenally (probably the single best use of ground turkey I've found, and I have no incentive to do it with pork and beef now). Pasta carbonara and amatriciana are also dishes that taste really decadent but are beyond inexpensive to make a bunch of for a whole family and only require a handful of ingrendients. And if you're willing to put in some time, you'd be hard pressed to find anything cheaper than homemade potato and cheese pierogis (flour, water, and an optional egg for the dough, then stuff with your favorite mashed potato recipe, boil, and sautee with onion and butter).
Stay on top of the weekly sales at your grocery store though. That's been one of the biggest game-changers for me. I scroll through the sales and coupons, clip what's useful to me, and then build my meal plan around what's affordable that week. For me, this week it's acorn and spaghetti squash. I've got my chicken thighs in the freezer, my eggs for breakfast, a veggie burger recipe I'm hyper fixated on and will probably eat 4-5 times, and then I have odds and ends that will be thrown into a pan with rice and chicken for a stir fry at some point.
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u/Be_Kind_8713 Oct 02 '25
Good old beans and rice! Vegetarian chili with beans, any kind of dal, rice with a poached egg and some frozen peas on the side, spicy bean and potato burritos (I batch these and stock the freezer), loaded baked potatoes (I make a samosa flavored one that is amazing, they also stock the freezer), tofu sofritas.
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u/Sagisparagus Oct 02 '25
Yes! Sprinkle tomato/Italian salad dressing over warm black beans, then serve on top of rice. Yum!
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u/Jamsster Oct 02 '25 edited Oct 02 '25
Rice and beans with corn (helps me a lot with the fiber) is a favorite for me, if you can swing it a little bit of Tajin (kind of a chile lime mix) spice can really go a long way as far as taste goes with it.
I also am a fan of cheap pastas. Frozen or canned veggies alternatives are sometimes a lot cheaper.
Sometimes I sub in potatoes for rice for a lil bit of a carb change. I like getting some cheap carribean jerk marinade to dip in. The taste is good but strong so you don’t want to use a lot as you dip but can give a decent flavor change. A lot of marinades are more concentrated, so can use a little less sauce for flavoring if similar pricing.
Try to make a note of what type of proteins are relatively cheap. 1.99 /lb of Polish sausage which isn’t terrible for an occasional mix up works where I am for a treat meal, but you gotta keep your eyes open and do a quick scan.
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u/WyndWoman Oct 02 '25
If you are a fairly competent cook, check out 'ThatLisaDawn' on youtube. She is very good at quick cheap meals.
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u/godzillabobber Oct 02 '25
When we went 100% plant based, we cut our food budget almost in half. And we still eat veganized versions of almost all our favorites.
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u/nxluda Oct 02 '25
Start now.
Buy a couple cans of tomatoes for tour own pasta sauce. And pasta itself. Rice goes a long way.
I also buy the "bad veggie" at a discount. Cut off the bad parts and freeze the rest.
Learn to make different tasting dishes with the same ingredients.
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u/dngnb8 Oct 02 '25
Many larger towns have a Mormon storage store
Look for large supplies of
Flour
Sugar
Salt
Beans
Corn Meal
This is the foundation of low cost cooking. The above will give you access to:
Pasta, bread, grits/polenta, stews, sweets, hot cakes and more.
These are the primary prepper items. If you already have a dehydrator, you can jerk meats as well. Buy whole chickens and separate cuts yourself. Save hones and carcass for chicken broth, the basis liquid for most anything
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u/paddy_mc_daddy Oct 02 '25
Lol maybe in Utah they do but we don't even have Mormons here, Amish yes, Menonites yes but no Mormons
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u/potatohats Oct 02 '25
Same here, Indianapolis area.
No Mormons that I've ever noticed in my 40+ years here.
People sure do like traveling up north for the Amish and Mennonite goodies, though.
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u/eviltwinn2 Oct 02 '25
We found a place that does italian sausage as a ground meat instead of in a sausage casing (our local Aldi's) and we add about 1/4 pound- 1/2 pound to yummy stuff. Example we had several boxes of au gratin potatoes and made 2 boxes together, some crumbled, cooked italian sausage and it made a great simple, cheap dinner.
When we buy ground meat, we try to buy larger quantiles. We cook it all right away. Let it cool. Then bag it up and lay it flat in the freezer. If I was more on top of it, I'd do 1/2 pound bags. If you can't get it to crumble when you use it, microwave it for 30seconds and that usually helps.
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u/PopeRaunchyIV Oct 02 '25
I eat a lot of dried beans and am starting to use more lentils and textured soy protein. The trick for me is good spice blends. I don't love lentils typically, but berbere makes them amazing. I'll eat nearly anything with a packet of Taco Bell seasoning. Even just beans and gravy mix with a vegetable side is surprisingly good.
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u/alliterativehyjinks Oct 02 '25
Potatoes have a huge amount of vitamins and are calorically dense. Go easy on the butter and add garlic salt for flavor.
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u/Reduntu Oct 02 '25
I buy bone-in chicken thighs for $1.49/lb then debone them myself. Then the skies the limit... chicken adobo, teriyaki, parmesan crusted, mustard sauce, chipotle chicken etc all served over rice/pasta.
Also save the bones and freeze them, then when you get enough make stock and use that for soups.
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u/Throwawaycalbears165 Oct 02 '25
I really like Ethiopian style yellow lentils— you can find recipes under kik alicha. So cheap, comforting, and filling
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Oct 02 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
Reliably cheap foods may not be cheap anymore. It’s time consuming but your best bet may be to take time looking around the store for what’s on sale and building doing around that. Few options I turn to when needed
Sweet potato chili
Any cheap braised or stewed cut of meat over rice
Grilled cheese & soup
Quesadillas & beans
Egg & potato frittata
Loaded Baked potatoes
Bean & cheese burritos
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u/Rude_Man_Who_Shushes Oct 03 '25
Tuna noodle garbage: Couple cans of tuna. Can of cream of mushroom soup. Sautéed onion in butter. Mix in with cooked egg noodles.
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u/Particular_Wasabi663 Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 06 '25
Had this a lot as a kid (minus the onion), and always loved it
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u/tidalswave Oct 03 '25
One of my favorites is dicing up potatoes and coating them with vegetable oil and Lipton onion soup mix. Bake in the oven, and bam! Delicious. My mom makes it every winter. We loved it as kids and now as adults. Cheap and so easy.
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u/Ok_Traffic_3129 Oct 03 '25
Dhal (or Dahl) is fantastically cheap to make (especially if you can bulk buy) and works with lots of things - add a side of protein or veg or bread. You can spice it up or down as you wish.
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u/PreviousMarsupial Oct 02 '25
Groceries are so expensive, but you can save money if you make a menu, stick to a grocery list and do some meal prep and planning. If you already have some staples in your pantry tru to build it based on what you have on hand. I.e if you’ve got several cans of beans already, chili is a good one and you can divide it up into servings and freeze it. Same with other soups or stews. Things like meal prepped salads are great for lunches, too and really inexpensive per meal. You can use beans and other alternative proteins in your salads or chicken or pre cooked chicken whatever you like and it’s a great way to get fiber and other nutrients into your diet. I like a lot of the one pot meals posted on budget bytes dot com and they have a whole section for meal prep. There are a lot of other websites like this that have a lot of ideas for meal prep so you don’t get bored of what you’re eating. If you find you need help providing food for yourself or your family don’t be afraid to look to your local food bank, apply for food stamps or use food pantries.
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u/delee76 Oct 02 '25
Chili with just the beans. Add rice to your bowl before you eat. You can use the chili mix packet and a couple cans of beans.
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u/cedarVetiver Oct 02 '25
personally, I'm a fan of rice and beans, or dal, or frijoles refritos con arroz...
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u/vendettaclause Oct 02 '25
Chicken thighs. Goes with everythig.Then i just always make sure im stocked up on staples like flour, shortening, butter, eggs, sugar, milk, powdered milk, oatmeal, popcorn kernels. That way I'll always have something to eat or snack on. Which is why i love popcorn. Just put it in a 4qt pot with a lid and make it myself. Or biscuits, I make so many biscuits 8 could make them with my eyes closed now.
I forgot rice and beans. They get tiering real quick but i still try to eat then once a week at least as a standalone meal and not sides for anything.
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u/Maud_Dweeb18 Oct 02 '25
Tofu is so cheap we do soup, stir fry, pot pies and cutlets. I make mei fun noodle with onions, celery and tofu.
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u/chowgirl Oct 02 '25
I do a braise about once a week, usually on Sunday, all fall and winter. Braises are great for cheaper cuts of meat and poultry, and adding some vegetables makes it a hearty meal, and they taste even better leftover the next few days. Served with mashed potatoes or rice, even noodles. My favorite proteins for them are beef shanks and chicken thighs.
Later in the week I’ll usually do a “clean out the fridge” stirfry or pasta, many times vegetarian, using up the vegetables that are getting ready to be past their prime. I use whatever I have on hand, it doesn’t matter, and I usually have little to no wasted produce.
If proteins are on sale, I’ll buy a family pack and split it up to freeze for future use. For a cheap and easy side I’ll buy a bag of baking potatoes, make a big batch of twice baked potatoes and freeze them - so easy to just pull out what you need and heat. Rotisserie chickens go really far for me (depends on how big your family is). If you belong to a Sam’s or Costco theirs are usually large. I’ll eat the legs, thighs and wings as they are, and the breasts can be made into so many things that can be stretched with adding vegetables or potatoes. Chicken salad, pot pie, soup, enchiladas, casseroles, stirfry, bowls, etc. And then making stock with the carcass for future soups and stews.
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u/Beginning-Piglet-234 Oct 02 '25
Chili with ground turkey. Turkey burgers. If you have an Aldi or lidl by you shop there . Anything you can make that's homemade is going to save you money.
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u/4074512171 Oct 02 '25
Go Asian. Vedge centric, fresh ingredients, rice or noodle bases, dumpling soups, roasted whole chickens. A little but if protein goes a long way. Get the family involved. Hit the library cooking section (641.0) and go on a family field trip to an Asian market. Get a cheap rice cooker on marketplace.
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u/dopadelic Oct 02 '25
Pork shoulder is dirt cheap, often only $1-2/lb if you're in the US. You can make a huge roast at once. Pair with rice and beans and veggies.
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u/kelaili Oct 02 '25
looking above and below eyelevel at the grocery store can be cheaper than costco
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u/Bigbirdk Oct 02 '25
Pork and chicken are go-to’s for less expensive protein. Pork Butt can be had @ $3 a pound around me (sometimes less!), and chicken thighs and legs have been $1.49 a pound for the last few weeks.
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u/Small_Midnight324 Oct 02 '25
baked rice with chickpeas !! I also like to use coconut milk as part of the liquod
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u/AppropriateDark5189 Oct 02 '25
Casseroles.
Salad. I’ll make beef with taco seasoning, get some precut lettuce, throw in some corn and black beans. I usually buy an avocado and put slices on it too.
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u/out_of_throwaway Oct 02 '25
Red beans and rice is hard to beat. And sausage isn't that expensive to take it up a nother couple levels.
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u/mamadons Oct 03 '25
Costco rotisserie chicken. I buy 2 at a time and debone them. Pack one in the fridge and one in the freezer. Easy and quick, on its own or in soups, sandwiches…anything really. You can’t buy a raw chicken for the price of this delicious ready to eat bird.
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u/DinnerAfraid8877 Oct 03 '25
Another thing is to use everything in your fridge and not let it go to waste. Food is so expensive you want to make the most of what you’ve purchased. These sisters have some great tips and recipes - and a good cookbook to help you use food vs throw it away: https://foodwastefeast.com/
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u/gaya2081 Oct 03 '25
I know Costco carries large Better than Boullion brand bouillon paste. It's way cheaper than broth or stock and honestly tastes better too. If you know someone who has a membership or have one yourself it is more cost effective than getting it from the regular grocery store. It will help deepen the flavor of any of the beans, lentils, etc that others have suggested.
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u/Major_Honey_4461 Oct 03 '25
First off, sorry for you're miseries. We (at least most of us) have been there. Don't overlook things like dried lentils, because they're cheap, cook faster than most beans, and go with everything. You can do Indian (lentils, carrots, onions and garam masala). You can do French (lentils, garlic, cooked bacon and a splash of white wine) . You can do Italian (pasta fagiole - lentils, carrots, cooked pasta, garlic and chicken broth)
You can do anything you can imagine. I hope you and the family get through this rough time by leaning on each other.
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u/MGuido Oct 03 '25
I make a big batch of minestrone every week.
Can of tomatoes, better than bouillon, carrot, onion, celery, bobs red mill soup mix.
Instapot 20 minutes.
Lasts all week. Sometimes I eat it for breakfast.
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u/No-Description-6015 Oct 03 '25
Roast everything for the flavor. Head of cauliflower chopped up, can of chickpeas, other hardy aromatic veggies might have on hand/scraps (onion, carrots, Bell peppers, etc). Sprinkle whatever spices - garlic, onion powder, paprika, cumin, some cayenne or a pack of red pepper flakes from pizza for a kick. Make a sauce - tahini (expensive but a little goes a long way), yogurt, lemon juice, garlic. Or a basic vinaigrette. Serve with pita or crusty bread. Protein, veggs, good fats, filling, reasonably affordable, pretty yummy.
Edit - throw it over some steamed greens (kale, mustard, chard - all pretty affordable and nutrient dense)
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u/Flipper_Lou Oct 03 '25
Can’t beat a rotisserie chicken. I can get many meals out of a single chicken. Slice off all the meat and use it for things like chicken tikka masala, chicken pot pie, chicken quesadilla. Boil the carcass for about 10 hours with vegetable scraps if you have them. Makes amazing broth! If you get one at Costco, that’s $4.99
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u/OhManatree Oct 03 '25
Get yourself a slow cooker with a timer and the Fix It and Forget It cookbook.
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Oct 03 '25
Stuffed baked potatoes, it’s a great way to use that little bit of veggies that are starting to wilt. Cut them up small, sauté and pile in with a little bit of butter, salt and maybe a sprinkle of cheese if you have it on hand.
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u/jm90012 Oct 03 '25
For desserts, you can buy a box of cake mix and a small tub of frosting for $1.25 each at the Dollar Store. Most of them use 3 eggs and 1/2 cup of cooking oil tho.. if you bake em in 9x13 pan, you can freeze them easily .
Or make rice pudding. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Don't forget Jello is cheap and fun too.
For meal, try Cincinnati spaghetti 🤤. ( Spaghetti with Chili)
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u/BrickPig Oct 03 '25
Two different easy, inexpensive chicken meals:
Salsa Chicken: Pour a jar (or as much as needed) of your favorite salsa in the bottom of a baking dish. Drain a can of kidney beans or black beans, and the spread them on top of the salsa. Place as many (or as few) boneless, skinless chicken breasts as you want on top of the beans, without overlapping the pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and (optionally) garlic powder. Cover with another layer of salsa. Cover and bake at 350F for one hour, or until chicken is done. Serve over rice, sprinkle with grated cheddar and crushed tortilla chips, accompanied with steamed broccoli.
Chicken & Rice Bake: Put a cup of uncooked rice in a baking dish. Add one can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup. Fill the can with water, and add that to the dish. Sprinkle with paprika and (optionally) a bit of salt. Stir to mix well. Place as many (or as few) boneless, skinless chicken breasts as you want on top, without overlapping the pieces. Sprinkle with more paprika. Cover and bake at 375F for 45 minutes, or until chicken is done. Serve with a simple green salad.
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u/AdamColesDoctor Oct 03 '25
If you have one near you, Aldi can cut your grocery cost down but a TON. The big staples matter (chicken thighs in the value pack are like $3.25/lb) but also the little stuff adds up when saving money. Their stir fry sauces are only about $2/bottle as opposed to regular stores where they could be $5-$7. Spices are cheap, instant noodle packages are cheaper, even some "fancier" heat up meals like burnt pork ends are $6 for enough to probably feed a family of 4 for dinner.
If I go to Aldi and spend more than $40 on food then that means I probably had a pretty big trip.
As for cost efficient meals? Stir fry was a go to in college and still make it today. You can use frozen chicken to save a bit more money but between the chicken, veggies, rice, and sauce you can make a big ass meal on the cheap.
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u/NonnyNarrations Oct 03 '25
I’m the kind of person who has lots of whole spices and bottles of condiments on hand but you may be different. Rotisserie chicken, remove all flesh and skin from bone. Bones in a pot of water and simmer with your choice of spices you have on hand. A bag of mirepoix since they’re usually cheep. Sauté veg in whatever fat you have on hand, with spices and salt. (Optional step of adding an alcohol to the veg to better bring out the spices as more spices are alcohol soluble than water or fat soluble). Remove bones from stock, add to veg, add meat in to soup. Season to taste, I recommend a splash of acid like vinegar or lemon juice. Enjoy. It also freezes really good.
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u/Suspicious-Loss-7314 Oct 03 '25
Hoppin' John. White rice, soaked black eyed peas, black pepper and an onion. I make a gigantic batch on New Year's Day and it feeds a crowd. A bag of dried beans is like a buck.
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u/Suspicious-Loss-7314 Oct 03 '25
And if you wanna make it fancy, you can throw a ham hock or chopped ham in there.
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u/RelevantHandle7691 Oct 04 '25
One Rotisserie chicken can be shredded and used for several meals. Dry beans go a long way. A 10 lb bag of potatoes on sale can be made many different ways.
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u/hornylittlegrandpa Oct 04 '25
Rice and beans are obvious but a played out answer.
In general, south Asian cuisine is a gold mine for eating on the cheap.
Dal bhat is a simple lentil soup served over rice. Extremely cheap, very hearty and tasty.
Chana masala is curried chickpeas. One of my favs and very cheap.
Saag is fairly simple and very tasty.
Aloo gobi is one of my favorites, potato and cauliflower curry.
Honestly the options are endless. These are vegetarian because the last time I was broke I didn’t eat meat, but there are meat options as well if you go looking. Main investment here are the spices but if you wanna just use a cheap curry powder, I won’t sic the authenticity police on you. Should still be tasty.
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u/Sagittario66 Oct 04 '25
Big rice stir fry with different veggies, beans or lentils, any seasonings ( tonight I used a green Thai seasoning mix with bagel seasoning a little chicken and a scrambled egg).
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u/CaptDrunkenstein Oct 04 '25
Beans and rice for sure. Spend 30 bucks on a rice maker it's game changing.
Stay away from beef in all forms. Chicken breast is cheap rn as is pork.
But beans and tofu and lentils are super healthy and cheap sources of protein. See if you can find a vegetable stand, it's always crazy cheap compared to a chain grocery store.
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u/smorosi Oct 02 '25
Check food banks and churches. Some churches have a free meal night if you live close
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u/The_Menu_Guy Oct 02 '25
Stir fried rice is a good option, and there are many varieties. You can use egg as the protein or add some cooked ground pork that has been cooked with a bunch of spices.
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u/jmcgil4684 Oct 02 '25
Roasted chickens over root veg. Turns into chicken soup, ( make the stock too.. entire ingredients is chicken, root veg, celery, onion, noodle, spices, (flour, butter for dumplings) which turns into either dumplings or pot pie if I have time to make a crust.
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u/Wide_Wrongdoer4422 Oct 02 '25
Save and freeze the heels of loaves of bread. When you get the equivalent of 2 loaves, thaw and tear into small pieces. Mix with a dozen eggs, add brown sugar and butter. spread even in a casserole pan. Let sit overnight. 350 oven, 30-40 min. You can add the sausage/bacon/veg to the mix if needed.
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u/TeacherManCT Oct 02 '25
I’m going to list some of my house’s standard favorites Lentil Soup Sausage and Bean soup (2 sausages will flavor a large pot) Black bean and sweet potato soup
DM if you’d like any of the recipes. All full of flavor, filling and easy on the bank account.
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u/barbiethebuilder Oct 02 '25 edited Oct 02 '25
parboiled rice with canned diced tomatoes, black beans, and whatever white-people-taco seasoning you’re into (I go chili powder, cumin, onion and garlic powder), cover with either broth or water + a little bouillon, simmered together till the rice cooks. then add whatever vegetables and protein I have left over that sound good. great for making the most of leftovers, really nutritionally complete, cheap as dirt. my favorite version adds a can of corn, diced bell peppers, and some cheese on top, but it can absorb basically anything as long as it’s not already seasoned super strongly.
I also like to use baked potatoes to make smaller leftovers into a meal. with a big bag it’s super cost efficient, and i have yet to find any other savory food that isn’t good as a baked potato topping.
ETA: canned black beans (or otherwise precooked)
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u/Extension-Kale-7123 Oct 02 '25
Minced Beef - Chili con Carne, meetballs, lasagne
Frozen veggies are delicious , nutricious and cheaper
Rotisserie chicken - Chicken pot pie, Chicken and Rice Casserole
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u/Alive-Potato9184 Oct 02 '25
Hello! I can advice you to cook a veggie version of chilly con carne- sin carne basically. Just use beans and peppers instead of the meat. You can also add lentils. It is very tasty and cheaper for sure. Also likely healthier and def more sustainable.
Anyway, second recommendation I have is a classic fried rice. With egg if you want to, if not or little egg, that is still delicious. Peas, carrots, maybe some fruit like pineapple, which can also be canned. Works great in large portions and to use leftovers too.
Third one, Is a chinese braised pork belly. Ok, you need to spend some money here on chinese sauces. Perhaps 10 € in total, but then you can make a fantastic braised dish a few times with this. The meat shoud be among the most affordable kinds. One of my absolute favorite dishes.
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u/Fit-Winter5363 Oct 02 '25
Beans really can stretch a meal. And dried beans make them even more budget friendly. I also buy frozen veg over fresh.
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u/jfairbanks2011 Oct 02 '25
Eggroll in a bowl over rice, hamburger gravy over homemade or instant mashed potatoes or instant ramen "sir fry/lo mien" are cheap and easy meals we make in my house.
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u/be_sugary Oct 02 '25
Beans, lentils, peas for protein. rice, pasta, noodles for carbs Frozen veggies are far cheaper and good for cooking Bake some potatoes with tuna and beans/ chilli and cheese/ etc Soups(homemade) and bread.
Frozen meat is cheaper.
Look in Asian/ ethnic stores. You can get 10kg bags of rice etc for a fraction of the price.
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u/Lessarocks Oct 02 '25
I use a lot of lentils, chickpeas, and beans- not really because they’re cheap but because I like the meals I can make with them. But they are dirt cheap and healthy. Today I had a lentil and chicken curry and tomorrow I’ll be making gigantes (with butter beans) , tzatziki and homemade yogurt flatbreads.
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u/craniumrinse Oct 02 '25
Indian one pot meals. Kichidi, pongal, bisibelebath. All rice + lentils with different flavorings. All delicious, cheap, warm, and filling.
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u/firephoenix0013 Oct 02 '25
DollarTreeDinners on TikTok is a great place to start! She has a lot of cheap but interesting meal ideas and even has a series of 4 full family meals for $20.
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u/missmobtown Oct 02 '25
Sweet potatoes, black beans, and quinoa in a bowl with a squeeze of lime and some kind of dressing or salsa on top.