100 Cheap Meals for When You’re Broke
When you hear about cheap meals, you might think they’re boring and tasteless. But that’s far from the truth.
Cheap meals can be really good! And they’re perfect for when you just don’t have much in the food budget.
I’m always looking for meals that help me stretch my dollars further. That’s why I put together this roundup of 100 cheap meals for when you’re broke.
This roundup isn’t about eating only plain mashed potatoes or filling yourself with cabbage for weeks on end. I tried to pick a variety of recipes that would taste good and appeal to different palates.
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Tips to make cheap meals
You can often adjust meals to make them better suited to your budget, so don’t pass on a meal below just because it seems too expensive to put together at first glance.
There are many ways to work around a meal to make it more economical.
Use what you have on hand instead of buying new ingredients. I’ve substituted different pastas, rices, and meats for each other because I already had them at home.
Substitute ingredients with a cheaper alternative. Sometimes I’ll use dried herbs instead of fresh ones. I’ll use spinach in recipes that call for arugula. I use store brands instead of well-known name brand items.
Leave out ingredients that don’t add much to the recipe. I don’t care to eat bell peppers, so I leave them out of recipes that ask for them. I also leave off parsley, cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds in they’re not essential to a recipe.
Buy items whole and cut, dice, or shred them yourself. I buy carrots and onions whole and then dice them by hand or in a food processor. You can shred cheese purchased cheaper in block form.
Buy what’s on sale. I’ve used different white fish than a recipe calls for because one kind was on sale.
Cook larger batches to make multiple meals. Buy larger or bulk sizes of ingredients to make a larger batch of the meal. You don’t have to cook as often either.
Freeze extra servings to make them last longer. Don’t let leftovers go to waste. Put anything you don’t eat in time in the freezer. Then unfreeze it and eat it when you want an easy reheatable meal.
Chicken
Photo courtesy of Spoonful of Flavor
One pot creamy chicken pasta - Spoonful of Flavor (pictured)
Creamy chicken and bacon pasta - Recipe Tin Eats
Crockpot orange chicken - The Frugal Girls
Crispy baked chicken thighs - Joy Filled Eats
Photo courtesy of Spend With Pennies
Cheesy chicken casserole - Spend with Pennies (pictured)
Slow cooker teriyaki chicken and rice - Damn Delicious
Healthy white chicken chili - Foolproof Living
Instant Pot chicken cacciatore - Dishes Delish
Photo courtesy of Well Plated
Thai chicken curry - Well Plated (pictured)
One pot chicken leek and sweet potato - Neil’s Healthy Meals
One pot Mediterranean chicken - Neil’s Healthy Meals
Broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken - Courtney’s Sweets
Photo courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction
Lemon garlic chicken with potatoes - The Spruce Eats
Crock pot BBQ chicken thighs - Jennifer Banz
Baked hoisin chicken - Rasa Malaysia
Homemade chicken noodle soup - The Forked Spoon
Photo courtesy of Delicious on a Dime
Healthy white chicken enchiladas - Delicious on a Dime (pictured)
Keto chicken pot pie - Jennifer Banz
Spinach stuffed chicken breasts - Basil & Bubbly
Skillet garlic chicken and rice casserole - Yellow Bliss Road
Pork
Photo courtesy of A Spicy Perspective
Best slow cooker carnitas - A Spicy Perspective (pictured)
Triple pork fried rice - A Spicy Perspective
Kielbasa and cabbage skillet - Budget Bytes
Best broccoli salad recipe - DIY Candy
Sausage and mushroom pizza - Inspiration Kitchen
One pan Tuscan pork chops - Sweet C’s Designs
Pork and peanut dragon noodles - Budget Bytes
Pan-seared sriracha and lemon pork chops - Maebells
Best ever slow cooker pulled pork - Good Cheap Eats
Ham and cheese foldovers - Good Cheap Eats
Beef
Photo courtesy of Fifteen Spatulas
Slow cooker beef ragu with pappardelle - Fifteen Spatulas (pictured)
Slow cooker Korean beef - Damn Delicious
Slow cooker beef tips - The Recipe Critic
Vegetable beef soup - Foolproof Living
One pan taco macaroni and cheese - Yellow Bliss Road
Slow cooker butternut squash lasagna - Foraged Dish
Photo courtesy of Salt & Lavender
Easy beef bowls - Salt & Lavender (pictured)
Stuffed peppers - Spend with Pennies
Ground beef stroganoff - The Anthony Kitchen
Budget shepherd’s pie - Divas on a Dime
Instant Pot lasagna - Pressure Cooker Recipes
BBQ beef stew - Healthy Recipes Blogs
Photo courtesy of The Wicked Noodle
Chuck roast with balsamic and Dijon - The Wicked Noodle (pictured)
Beef hash - Add a Pinch
Mini shepherd’s pie - Tablespoon
Beef and bean burritos - The Pioneer Woman
Stuffed cabbage rolls - Food
Weeknight mini meatloaves - Ready Set Eat
Turkey
Photo courtesy of Joy Filled Eats
Terrific turkey taco chili - Joy Filled Eats (pictured)
BBQ turkey biscuit casserole recipe - DIY Candy
Spinach and feta turkey meatballs - Budget Bytes
Turkey sausage pasta with vegetables - Taste of Home
Turkey meatball and kale soup - Woman’s Day
Photo courtesy of Our Balanced Bowl
Turkey taco quinoa skillet - Our Balanced Bowl (pictured)
The juiciest turkey burgers - I Wash You Dry
Turkey skillet dinner - Art from My Table
Unstuffed pepper bowls - Cooking Classy
Garlic butter turkey meatballs - Delish
Photo courtesy of The Blond Cook
Turkey sloppy joes - The Blond Cook (pictured)
Instant Pot Thai turkey meatballs with rice noodles - Delish
Wild rice and leftover turkey soup - The Seasoned Mom
Turkey hash - Epicurious
Turkey meatloaf - Skinny Taste
Saucy turkey tacos - Culinary Hill
Seafood
Photo courtesy of Dinner at the Zoo
Honey garlic salmon - Dinner at the Zoo (pictured)
Seafood rice skillet - Budget Bytes
Sriracha buttered shrimp - Inspiration Kitchen
Chili lime salmon - The Recipe Critic
Pasta with garlic, oil, and anchovy sauce - Epicurious
Italian tuna and brown rice salad - Skinny Taste
Pasta with mussels, garlic, and parsley - Splendid Table
Pasta with sardines and tomatoes - Killing Thyme
Easy canned tuna pasta - Salt and Lavender
Oven-baked tilapia - Delish
Spinach and ricotta cheese stuffed manicotti pasta shells - Julia’s Album
Vegetarian
Photo courtesy of Two Peas & Their Pod
Vegetable soup - Two Peas & Their Pod
Vegan chickpea curry - Hurry the Food Up
Lentil and kale soup - Girl Heart Food
Five cheese ziti al forno - Dinner Then Dessert
Pasta alla Norma - Leite’s Culinaria
Spicy quinoa and black beans - Bowl of Delicious
Zucchini quesadillas - Smitten Kitchen
Chilaquiles brunch casserole - Smitten Kitchen
Photo courtesy of A Family Feast
Straw and hay pasta - A Family Feast (pictured)
Creamy mushroom fettuccine - Pinch of Yum
Black bean chili - Gimme Some Oven
Fried rice - Gimme Some Oven
Pesto pasta salad - Cookie + Kate
Hearty spaghetti with lentils and marinara sauce - Cookie + Kate
Quiche - Sally’s Baking Addiction
Grilled corn quesadillas - Taste and Tell Blog
Photo courtesy of Simply Quinoa
Slow cooker lentil sloppy Joe’s - Simply Quinoa
Orzo pasta with tomatoes, basil, and parmesan - Inspired Taste
Easy tomato soup - Inspired Taste
Curried tofu with rice - Taste of Home
12-minute scrambled tofu fried rice - Kitchen Treaty
Italian dinner frittata - Betty Crocker
Classic egg salad sandwich - Add a Pinch
Coconut curried golden lentils - Minimalist Baker
In putting together this roundup, I’ve come across so many recipes that I’m now dying to try! Those dragon noodles are first on my list followed by the straw and hay pasta.
I have lots of dinners ready for the next few weeks with this list. I hope you find just the recipe you’re looking for and eat well even when you’re broke!
