Anyone can make a cheap meal; making one that tastes good and that is still relatively healthy is the real challenge!

But considering the skyrocketing costs of groceries and everything else, it’s good to be concerned with how to prepare a cheap meal not just every once in a while but how you can do this for all the meals you eat.

The first thing to think about when making a cheap meal is how you can cut down or cut out the most expensive ingredients or items in that meal.

Usually this will be meat but it can be some type of produce or something else.

Cutting out or cutting down this item is only half the plan when making a cheap meal; you usually need to use something else to bulk it up and fill you up. For instance many casseroles make the basis for an affordable dish but usually call for a lot of chicken, sausage, or something else. Get into the habit of doubling up the rice or noodles or vegetables in these dishes and cutting in half the amount of meat you use. Add vegetables that you think would taste good even if the recipe doesn’t call for it. As an example if you have a casserole that is rice, chicken and cheese, then broccoli would probably be a good addition as broccoli and cheese are usually good together. Peas or cauliflower is also an idea for this type of dish. This type of cheap meal is usually very filling as well as being affordable.

Vegetarian dishes also make the basis for a variety of cheap meals. Stuffed peppers are almost always going to be more affordable than stuffed pork chops! A vegetable stir fry over noodles or rice is also very affordable and filling. Eggs as a main dish can also be nutritious and part of a cheap meal. Who says you can’t have an omelet or poached eggs for breakfast? A few slices of toast and maybe a slice of fruit for dessert and you have a very filling meal for just a few dollars if even that.

When it comes to making a cheap meal for lunch this is where you can also get creative. Think of the leftovers you have and how they might be incorporated. If you have fajitas one night, pack the leftovers in a sandwich bag and a tortilla shell in another and the next day, reheat the ingredients in the microwave for a rolled sandwich. A few bits of leftover steak can be sliced thin and added with lettuce, tomato and sour cream for another great rolled sandwich idea. A cheap meal like this means that you’re only spending a few pennies for those additional ingredients and making the most out of the meals you’ve already had. So be creative and give it some thought and you might find that you enjoy your cheap meal even more than any other you’ve had!