Healthy & Yummy Recipes For CHEAP That You've Probably Never Tried Before

From an actual broke New Yorker in their 20's

This isn’t just instant ramen, box of Annies Mac n cheese, cans of soup, butter noodles, or plain rice and beans. I mean, all of that is cheap and fine—and something I eat regularly, don’t get me wrong—but these recipes are little more flavorful and will leave you full and quite satisfied, if I do say so myself.

I’ve been broke, sufficient, and broke again throughout my 20’s. From a college student in New York City, to being a freelance writer, to being employed, and fully-unemployed, I’ve learned how to cook affordable meals along the way that I actually enjoy and I thought I’d share them here in case anyone needed some inspo.

To keep it simple, these will all be lunch/dinner recipes for 1 person.

• The perk to all these meals is that they don’t require any fancy gadgets, just a stove with a pot, pan, and air fryer or oven!

• No prior cooking skills required as these are all pretty damn easy to make.

• I don’t like washing dishes so a lot of these are quick, easy clean up, and mostly bowl recipes.

• Note: I only shop at Trader Joe’s and local produce stands for affordability, so prices may vary considering where you buy ingredients.

1. Salmon Poke Bowl

What You’ll Need:

• Barbecue cut salmon fillet. ($6-$9)

• Jasmine rice (or whatever rice you prefer) (Bag $3.99)

• Edamame ($3.00)

• Cucumber ($1.99)

• Avocado ($1 each at stand or bag of 4 for $5.99 from TJ’s)

• Soy Sauce (I use low sodium) ($3.79 bottle)

• Olive Oil ($7.99 bottle)

• Salt

• Garlic Powder

• Chili flakes

• Dry Seaweed Snack (optional) ($0.99)

• Mayo with Sriracha (Good optional sauce topping if you have it already!!!)

1. Make half a cup of rice. I will not provide my cooking instructions because I think it might be considered sacrilegious or controversial but it works every time. It’s rice.. like everyone should know how to make rice. Read the package instructions if you need help.

2. Prep your salmon. I like to cut mine into cubes. Keep the skin on. it gets crispy and delish. Toss them in LIGHT olive oil. don’t go crazy now. Add salt and garlic powder. You can add “Salmon seasoning” prep if you have it, I know a lot of ppl do. Or add a little soy sauce in this step if you want—I do when I substitute salmon for tofu to make it crispier.

3. Place salmon on baking sheet and cook in oven for 20 min at 375. Or air fryer (preferred method) for 12 min at 375.

4. While all that good shit is cooking time to chop up your cucumber and avocado. I use whole avocado cuz why wouldn’t I. I say add as much cucumber and avocado and edamame as you want! I buy ready-to-eat, shelled, edamame from trader joes. If you buy it frozen ones just boil them before you put your rice in, I don’t know.

5. Ok time to plate uppppp. Rice > Salmon > Veggies > Chili Flakes (you forgot about this didn’t ya) > Soy Sauce

6. Eat it

2. ‘Burrito’ Bowl

What You’ll Need:

• White Rice (I use Jasmine cuz that’s all I buy) (Bag $3.99)

• 1 can of Black beans ($0.99)

• white or red onion ($0.50 or 2 for $1)

• Avocado (2 for $1 at stand or bag of 5 for $5.99)

• Tomato (Bunch for $2.99)

• Lime ($0.99)

• Salt

• Chili Flakes

• Protein of your choice (optional if you can afford it)

• Salsa (optional if you have it)

1. Make your 1/2 cup of rice in salt. No elaboration needed from prior recipe.

2. Chop a good amount of onion. I just eye it, maybe like enough to fit in my hand.

3. Cut up your avocado and tomato slices now too, why not, the knifes out.

4. Dash of olive oil into a large pan on medium high heat.

5. Toss your onions in. Let them cook down for a bit and turn to low.

6. Drain the can of black beans otherwise it will be too watery, and then add them to the pan. Heat up. I usually add a DASH of salt here and a hearty amount of chili flakes (cuz I like them).

7. Plate up! Rice > Beans > Avocado > Tomato > dash of salt if you want more > Lemon or Lime squeeze all over

8. If you happen to have jalapeño, cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chips, salsa or any other toppings that would compliment well, THROW THEM IN! You’re lucky you have ingredients. Add that shit. ;) ENJOY.

3. Chickpea Curry W/ Fried Tofu

What You’ll Need:

• 1 can of chickpeas ($0.99)

• Curry (I prefer red curry for this recipe but choose your fave) ($3.79 bottle)

• 1/4 firm or extra firm tofu ($1.99 block- 4 servings)

• Olive Oil ($7.99 bottle)

• Salt

• Chili Flake

• Sautéed Onion (optional)

1. Pat dry your tofu.

   1. If you prefer crispy tofu, lightly coat in olive oil and place in air fryer on max heat, occasionally turning over for total of 25 min.

   2. If you don’t want crispy tofu, drizzle olive oil in your pan and begin frying on medium heat until your tofu until turning slightly golden. (if you’re using diced onion, add to pan of olive oil in this step)

2. Drain your chickpeas and add to the pan with optional sautéed onion and potential tofu. Turn to medium low. It will release water, so let it cook out. Usually like 5-10 min.

3. Add your curry sauce, and mix all of it together. Make sure the chickpeas soak up the sauce and cook in it. Cook on low for about 10 minutes. I cook on higher heat for 5 minutes because I’m usually shaking hungry at this point and can’t wait any longer.

4. Add a PINCH of salt, and load up the chilli flakes if you like spicy.

5. If you made the tofu in the air fryer: Throw the tofu in the pan when done and mix all together.

6. Toss in a bowl and ENJOY!

4. Greek Salad

What You’ll Need:

• Chickpeas ($0.99)

• Cucumber ($1.99)

• Tomato (Bunch for $2.99)

• Kalamata Olives ($2.99)

• Low Fat Feta (higher calcium) ($1.99)

• Greek Dressing ($4.00)

• OR: Olive Oil and Lemon dressing - cheaper alternative

• Chicken, Salmon, Tuna, or Steak (Optional)

1. This one is super straight forward. Chop up your ingredients, as much as you please, and toss it in a bowl.

2. After buying this produce and 4 cans of chickpeas, I can typically make 4 salads from this.

4. Tuna Salad (The Garbage Salad)

Context: I call this the “Garbage Salad” because I just toss whatever ingredients I have in the fridge on top of a bed of lettuce with canned tuna! But I’m writing down my typical and favorite version of this salad. Feel free to add whatever produce and ingredients you have that are about to go bad and you want to eat!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 can of tuna in olive oil or water ($0.99)

• 1/2 can of white beans ($0.99)

• Half bag of butter lettuce (or lettuce of your choice) ($2.99)

• White onion ($1.00)

• Capers ($3.99)

• Cucumber ($1.99)

• Green olive slices ($3.99)

• Fresh Chopped dill ($3.00)

• Tablespoon of mayo (optional for creaminess/I use vegan mayo)

• 1 table spoon of white vinegar (ONLY if you’re opting out of capers)

• 1 Lemon wedge

• Italian vinaigrette ($3.49)

• Lots of black Pepper

• Red pepper flakes

• Optional ingredient ideas:

  • dill pickles

  • croutons

  • tomato!

  • avocado

  • chickpeas

  • feta

  • mozzarella

1. Again... this one is also super straight forward. don’t over think it haha.

2. In the bottom of the bowl, add your one tablespoon of mayo, a splash of caper juice from the jar (or white vinegar if you skip the capers), Lots of chopped dill, like go crazy, chopped white onion, pinch of salt, TONS of pepper, chilli flakes and tuna. Mix together fully.

3. Add the white beans, cucumber, olives, capers, lettuce and/or all the other ingredients you wanna add.

4. Drizzle the LIGHTEST amount of Italian dressing. I literally just do a splash or equivalent to 1-2 tablespoons. But if you find it’s too little, add more. Just start small, please.

5. Squeeze the lemon wedge.

6. Give it a good toss and bon appetite.

5. Top Ramen Supreme

What You’ll Need:

• Instant Top Ramen (Flavor your choice, I choose Chicken) ($0.99)

• 1/4 Firm or Extra Firm Tofu ($1.99 block- 4 servings)

• Olive oil (or sesame, avocado, vegetable oil to cook tofu)

• 1 egg (I stopped buying eggs lol, but this is good to add if you have eggs) ($???)

• Hot sauce of your choice

• Bone Broth ($3.49)

1. Instead of filling up a pot of water, add your bone broth. Even though I buy chicken flavor ramen, I usually use beef bone broth because it’s cheaper for some reason… But up to you. Bring that broth to a boil, no lid -cause it’s shallow.

2. Pat dry your rectangle of tofu.

   1. If you prefer crispy tofu, lightly coat in olive oil and place in air fryer on max heat, occasionally turning over for total of 25 min. I don’t recommend soy sauce to coat the tofu cuz this is a HIGH sodium meal, but you do you, boo, if ya want.

   2. If you don’t want crispy tofu, drizzle olive oil in your pan and begin frying on medium heat until you're tofu until turning slightly golden. (Secret: I like to add half of the chicken flavor seasoning packet to the tofu when cooking, but if that sounds gross to you, then don’t do it lol)

3. Add your noodles to the broth and cook for however long it cooks? Until tender. Like 5 minutes.

4. Towards the end of the noods cooking, crack and egg in there if you’re doin the egg route. It’ll cook in like a min.

5. Add your seasoning packet, hot sauce, and then stir it up.

6. Pour into a bowl and add your tofu. Yay.

6. High Protein Tomato “Pasta” Dish

This one is a personal fav. Sounds crazy, but hear me out.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 can of Chickpeas ($0.99) (Note: Feel free to use chickpea noodles. I know that’s all the rage right now, but I can’t afford it and prefer straight up chickpeas).

• 1/4 firm or extra firm tofu ($1.99 block- 4 servings)

• Tomato sauce of your choice. I like this one. ($3.99)

• Salted butter ($3.49)

• Garlic powder (or fresh garlic if you have it, big bucks)

• Salt

• Pepper

• Chili flakes

1. Drain your chickpeas

2. Pat dry your 1/4 tofu (This is a substitute for ricotta cheese)

3. In a large pan, add a table spoon of butter and melt on medium low heat.

4. Add your chickpeas and cook for a bit, I don’t know. I like to wait until they turn kind of golden (?). So maybe 5-10 minutes.

5. Toss in your tofu. Mash it up with a spatula or crumble it in. It will look and taste like ricotta cheese.

6. Turn the heat down (to avoid splatter) and add your sauce. I usually use 1/3 of the jar of the one I buy.

7. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Then turn the heat back up and let the chickpeas and tofu soak up the sauce for about 5 minutes at least. It’s important the chickpeas cook in the sauce.

8. Add more butter (like a tablespoon or 2) during this time and keep stirring.

9. Turn the heat off, pour in a bowl or plate, and enjoy. :)

7. Zucchini & Rigatoni

This is also great stored in the fridge and cold for leftovers in the summer!

What You’ll Need:

• Green and Yellow Zucchini ($3.00)

• Pasta of your choice (I prefer Rigatoni) ($0.99)

• Green peas- Fresh pea stocks or shelled & frozen ($1.79)

• Lemon ($1.00)

• Basil (Optional- best if you have basil plant always growing lol)

• Salted Butter (optional) ($3.49)

• Olive Oil ($7.99 bottle)

• Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Chili Flakes

• Parmesan Cheese Or Mozzarella Cheese (optional- I personally avoid lactose lol)

1. Bring water to a boil. Toss in some sea salt in there if ya like.

2. While the water is boiling, chop up half a green and half a yellow zucchini into slices then fourths. Or keep them as discs. Whatever you prefer, it’ll all cook the same. Save the other halves for another day.

3. Slice a lemon wedge or two for later.

4. If you bought fresh bean stocks, then good for you. I like you. Chop them up about an inch long or bite size for better eating. If you bought frozen peas…… It’s okay, it’s okay. Just boil them before the pasta and fish them out or heat them up in the pan with shallow water before the zucchini sauté.

5. Boil that pasta! (like 1/4 bag) Follow in the instructions. I like to cook longer than normal because I like soft pasta. so what, sue me.

6. While pasta is boiling, heat up a large pan to medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

7. Add your zucchini pieces and peas. Make sure they evenly get coated in olive oil to cook best. Stir along the way.

8. Sprinkle garlic powder, and chili flakes over the zucchini and peas when the zucchini starts looking cooked to your liking. I like it like this. Little dark, little bendy, ya know?

9. Strain your pasta.

10. Turn heat to low and add your pasta into the pan.

11. Add a little more olive oil or salted butter (you choose), squeeze some lemon, add salt and pepper to your liking.

12. Add cheese and/or basil last if you have it! All done. Enjoy. <3

8. Breakfast for Dinner - Tofu Scramble, & Air-Fried Potatoes

Or make this for breakfast too lol. I don’t eat breakfast so this would normally be a dinner dish for me, since it is big.

Side note: I’ve added ground Impossible meat to this dish as a third side when I had left overs and didn’t know what to do with it. Just an idea if you also have ground beef, ground poultry, or vegan meat that you want to use before it goes bad.

Also— lately i’ve been subbing the baby potatoes with half a sweet potato with butter. But wanted to share the original meal here. Just a suggestion.

What You’ll Need:

• half a block of firm or extra firm tofu ($1.99 block)

• About 1 Cup of baby potatoes or 4-5 baby potatoes ($3.00 per bag)

• Olive Oil ($7.99 bottle)

• Non-Dairy Milk (I use soy) ($2.99)

• Salt

• Tumeric

• Pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Chili Flakes

• Paprika (optional)

• Hot sauce (Optional but smart)

1. Prepare Potatoes First. Wash those little suckers real quick, then cut them into bite-sized pieces (1/2s or fourths depending on the size of potatoes).

2. Add the potatoes to a bowl and toss to coat in drizzle of olive oil and seasoning of your choice—I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little paprika.

3. Toss into the air-fryer at 400 for 18-20 minutes or until golden, flipping halfway through.

4. But while those taters are cookin’— heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat on the stove of yours.

5. Mash the tofu in the pan with a spatula or fork, or crumble it with your hands if you like that way idk. Cook the tofu, stirring often, until the excess water has evaporated.

6. Drizzle a splash of milk. Sprinkle salt, turmeric (for yellow coloring), and garlic powder on the tofu. Cook and stir the now seasoned tofu for about 5ish minutes.

7. Plate up your “egg” scramble with side of potatoes. Add hot sauce or a piece of toast if you like!

That’s all I can think of for now. Bye.