14 "Low-effort, High-Reward" Meals To Prepare When You Want To Save A Little Bit Of Cash
I'm someone who really enjoys eating at home — especially due to my always being money-conscious. However, with grocery prices being so high, sometimes buying ingredients and making an entire meal can get kind of pricey. I came across this Reddit thread where people were sharing their low-effort, very inexpensive meals they whip together when they're either trying to save a dollar or are short on cash. Here are some of the concoctions people shared.
1."Ramen noodles."
"I even temper in eggs and cracked pepper to make a whole Carbonara-esque experience."
2."Hotdogs, baked beans, and rice. I've heard it called several names, but my parents called it 'beanies & weenies.'"
3."American style goulash with hamburger, tomato sauce, and elbow macaroni. I am fully aware this is totally inauthentic from the Hungarian version, but I don't care, it's good
"My grandmother threw in corn and sometimes peas. So good."
4."Toast bread, smash it down, put on pizza sauce and cheese and broil for personal pizza."
5."Frying hotdogs in corn tortillas like taquitos."
6."Microwave noodles and a random collection of meat and veggies left over from other things aren't enough for a full meal."
7."Noodles and nothing got me through college. Boil some pasta, and add a spoonful of butter and some leftover parmesan packets from a pizza delivery. If I were feeling adventurous, I’d throw some red pepper flakes in there — a solid $0.30 dinner.
8."Poor Man's Stew. One pound hamburger cooked in a large electric frying pan with 4-5 potatoes sliced up into chunks. Sprinkle in salt and pepper. It feeds four people for $10 or one person for three days."
9."Polenta with boiled potatoes with butter and a slice of cheese."
10."Many nights in college I could only afford tortillas and cheese so I would make myself quesadillas. It’s still a go-to for me when I can’t think of anything else to make."
11."Spam and couscous! I also love heating it for leftovers, even though I've had coworkers act disgusted when I tell them what it is."
12."Kraft mac and cheese with tuna and broccoli mixed in."
13."My grandmother's cheese spaghetti. I grew up in Puerto Rico. I don't know where she got this recipe, but she would make regular spaghetti, add in some tomato sauce, and butter, and use Kraft cheese slices, and that was the bomb."
14."I buy chicken sausages, chop them up, and cook them with eggs. Best combo."
Do you have an easy, inexpensive meal that you like to whip up? If so, share it with me in the comments below!
