Finding it hard to buy easy cheap meals with the inflation on most foods at the store? These easy cheap meals stay under or around $20 and will provide variety.
Unfortunately, as the market grows, food has become increasingly expensive. Feeding a single person is one thing, but finding easy cheap meals to provide for a family is another.
When trying to cut back on costs, the goal should not only be to save money. It should also be to get food that will be nourishing and provide a healthy balance.
Not only that, but a lot of people find it tiring to eat the same thing every day so having a variety is super important too.
These five easy cheap meals will cover the most important and main food groups that will make sure your body is getting the proper vitamins and nutrients.
On top of the dishes below, there are several others that are cheap and easy along with versatile ingredients that can be used for any dish.
If you have any allergies or dietary restrictions, please be cautious when picking out groceries. Make sure that the food has been handled with your limitations in mind.
The goal is less to hit every food group each meal, and more to incorporate each one throughout the day.
Sometimes, it’s not about what you take away from your diet but what you add.
With that in mind, these are the five easiest meals to prepare while also being reasonably cheap.
Especially if you are making food for a family or multiple people, these meals are perfect for accommodating a large group.
#1 Tacos
Tacos are affordable and very customizable for everyone because each person puts them together based on how they like them.
They are a great way to add protein and veggies to your day, and with all of the extra ingredients, you and your family or friends can keep going back for more.
The possibilities truly are endless.
Choose between a soft shell or a hard shell, soft shells are perfect straight out of the package whereas you can heat up the tortillas with a little bit of oil and make them crispy.
You can put virtually any meat or protein inside, like turkey, beef, pork, or chicken.
Not a fan of meat? No problem! Fill the space with black beans, pinto beans, or refried beans.
You’ve got carbs and protein down, and you’re still in the process of assembling!
Moving on to dairy, there are a bunch of types of cheeses you could add, and for extra creaminess, sour cream.
Our favorites are cheddar cheese and white cheddar cheese~
There is such a variety of toppings that you can’t possibly go wrong with tacos.
Speaking of, veggies like lettuce, onions, radish, and cabbage really bring out the flavor. And of course, it wouldn’t be a taco without tomatoes, olives, or avocados!
That’s a lot to put on just one taco, so you can mix and match with two or three depending on how much you can eat and the size of the tortillas.
If you don’t want all solid ingredients, you can make guacamole to put on top, or pico de gallo and salsa.
There are also plenty of sides that go very well with tacos such as tortilla chips, bean dip, and then guacamole and salsa which we covered earlier.
#2 Spaghetti
Spaghetti is another great option for larger groups because the recipe is easy to multiply and each person determines their own serving.
Because the ingredients are so simple, the overall price of this meal is quite cheap when comparing it to other dishes that use a wider variety of additional pieces.
A classic and simple dish of spaghetti includes pasta, marinara sauce, parmesan cheese or another type of cheese, meatballs, and occasionally, butter.
Many of the individual elements can be found in bigger sizes at your local grocery store and can therefore feed several people without an issue.
On top of a simple recipe and not many ingredients, spaghetti does not make much time to make and you can make it very quickly.
This is a great dish for a large group that does not need a lot of preparation or time spent getting it together.
#3 Sandwiches
Sandwiches take even less preparation than spaghetti or tacos and also provide a variety of vitamins and nutrients depending on what you put in the sandwich.
There are tons of different types of bread and meat and fillings that you can include, and anything you don’t use can be stored in the refrigerator to use for another day or another purpose.
Additionally, depending on your preferences, there are just as many condiments to choose from like mayonnaise and mustard.
They are most commonly known for being a lunch option because they are easy and quick to make. If you are going out, sandwiches can be packed and brought with you, because they don’t need to be heated up or cooled down.
Unless, of course, you like your sandwiches heated up or very cold.
If that is the case, we would recommend bringing a cooler or some type of insulator to help maintain that temperature.
Even if you aren’t planning on packing it up to go somewhere, sandwiches can be lightweight and won’t fill you up to the point of feeling sluggish.
However, if you are looking for something to keep you sustained until your next meal, sandwiches are still a great option!
The super simple fix to this is to add more to your sandwich. Whether that be another half of the sandwich, more meat, or more veggies is up to you.
The possibilities are truly endless, and you can eat a sandwich for any meal! Just change the ingredients and there you go!
Speaking of changing a sandwich to any meal, a common adaptation that you may have seen in many fast food establishments is a breakfast sandwich.
#4 Omelets and Breakfast Foods
Many stereotypical breakfast foods like eggs, potatoes, toast, and fruit substantially contribute to ensuring your body has the right nutrients to function properly.
The saying that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is true.
It can be hard to recognize, but your muscles are severely weaker in the morning before you’ve had food compared to the rest of the day.
The best way to get back on track is to eat some protein. This could be in the form of eggs or bacon, just as long as it’s something you like and can enjoy.
Just like the other easy cheap meals on this list, the process of putting these foods together is quite simple and does not take much time.
If you’re ever on a time crunch at home and don’t know what to eat, an omelet could fill you up enough with a piece of toast and maybe some hashbrowns.
It’s not morning anymore? So what! That does not mean that you need to stop eating breakfast foods.
A meal you would normally eat at breakfast time will still give you energy and fulfillment even at a different time of the day. In fact, sometimes it tastes even better because it’s unusual to eat during the afternoon or at night.
Ingredients like eggs, hashbrowns, toast, butter, and others are relatively cheap and come in bigger sizes so you can eat them again and again.
Take some time to sit down after making this meal fresh. That way you can enjoy it to the fullest. This specific meal is not recommended to be taken to be eaten somewhere else. Depending on what you make, it can get quite messy.
This next recipe includes a couple more steps than the others, so it is important to have the necessary baking ingredients already present.
If you are having trouble selecting just the essentials, this Baking Essentials List will help you!
#5 Chicken Parmesan
A bit fancier than the others, chicken parmesan is a cheap and straightforward recipe that is perfect for a sit-down dinner or something to make for your guests.
It is very filling and provides a great amount of protein, so it can be a sustainable dish on its own.
Not enough? Need to add more? Other sides like salad pair well along with slices of bread or veggies.
Pasta is also another option for those who know they will still be hungry afterward, and they can add marinara sauce for extra flavor.
However, it should be noted that any extra sides like pasta and marinara sauce may add more to the original price point. It is up to you to determine whether this is something you want to avoid or not.
If you do end up making this dish, it will not disappoint!
But, that could also be said for any other dish we have listed above.
Want to relax? This Rainbow Paradise Cocktail is the perfect drink to add to your meal!
With that said, we have concluded our list of easy cheap meals. They will still provide you with proper nourishment and can be served to large groups of friends and family.
All of these options are fairly easy to make and fall under a similar price range. If you have any other suggestions that we have not thought of, list them in the comments below!
With how much inflation has increased the price of necessities like food and gas, sometimes it can be difficult to find ingredients that are within budget.
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