Meal planning can not only save you time, but also money, as you will be less likely to buy fast food on the way home for a hungry, impulsive purchase. Although it seems easier said than done, with a few adjustments to your daily or weekly routineyou’ll be surprised how good you and your wallet feel.
Read: How to get cash back on your everyday purchases
8 Great, Healthy, Inexpensive Meals
Eating healthy can feel more like a guideline than a rule when temptation is around every corner. However, with a little thought and execution, you can save big and I feel better. Here are eight cheap, healthy, and achievable meals for less than $3 per serving:
- Vegetarian stir-fry
- Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Ham, cheese and apple pastries
- Spicy Ground Beef Lettuce Wrap Tacos
- Cauliflower Alfredo with Zoodles
- Roasted Potato and Black Bean Breakfast Burrito
- Noodles with peanuts, green onions and cucumber
- Gyro Falafel Stuffed Pitas
1. Vegetarian stir-fry
This is an easy, light recipe that can be made and assembled with whatever you have in the fridge or pantry. You can also change it up each time you make it, depending on your ingredients or your current budget.
Here is a simple recipe to prepare six servings:
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced (optional for spices)
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 cups of broccoli
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons coconut brown sugar (or regular brown sugar)
Simply add olive oil and all your vegetables to the pan and cook for two to three minutes. Mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour it over the vegetables. Cook until the sauce thickens. You can serve this stir-fry over rice or with a protein of your choice.
2. Sweet potato stuffed with chili
If you have a chili recipe you love, or just a brand of canned chili you prefer, this meal is quick and easy. Best of all, it costs about $1.50 per serving.
Here’s what you’ll need to serve four:
- 2 cups chili (homemade or canned)
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 1 cup diced onion (optional for serving)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
Bake your sweet potatoes on a baking sheet for about 40 minutes at 400 degrees. Once finished, take them out, open them and pour in the chili. You can add regular or light cheese if you like, as well as diced onion.
3. Ham, cheese and apple pastries
Flavorful with a touch of sweetness, these homemade hot pockets are easy and usually a big hit with the family. They also cost less than $2 per serving and can be frozen.
Here’s what you’ll need for eight pastries:
- 1 package thawed frozen puff pastry (2 sheets)
- 2 cups diced lean ham
- 2 cups grated cheese of your choice
- 1 large apple, peeled and diced
- Dear
Lay out your pastry sheets and cut them into eight equal pieces. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place eight pieces. Brush with olive oil then layer your ham, cheese, apple and finally, add a drizzle of honey. Place another square of puff pastry on each pocket. Coat your pockets with oil, seal the edges with a fork and use the fork to poke a few holes in the top for ventilation. Cook until golden and soft.
4. Spicy Ground Beef Lettuce-Wrapped Tacos
Everyone loves taco night, but here’s a cheap and healthy way to do it. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce
Simply cook the ground meat and add the seasoning packet. Lettuce will be your taco shells. You can add your favorite toppings such as onion, peppers, avocado or whatever you like as an option.
Pro Tip: Monitor store promotions to see if ground beef is on sale for additional savings. You can also try replacing it with a less expensive ground protein you can find – perhaps plant-based chicken, turkey, or tofu.
5. Cauliflower Alfredo with Zoodles
Cauliflower is versatile and a great way to lighten the calories and cost of a classic Alfredo sauce. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 cups uncooked cauliflower
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard (or Dijon)
- 1 cup of milk of your choice
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper to taste
Throw everything into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. If you have one, use an immersion blender to pulverize until smooth. A regular blender will also work just fine. Serve over your favorite pasta or roasted vegetables.
6. Roasted Potato and Black Bean Breakfast Burritos
You can’t go wrong with a breakfast burrito. They are very easy to make and can be modified as you wish. Here are some suggestions to reduce the price to less than $3 per person for four people:
- 2 to 3 potatoes
- 4 eggs
- 4 large tortillas
- 1 can of black beans
Cut your potatoes into small pieces and place them on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes in your oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Next, scramble your eggs and cook them to your liking. You can then assemble your burritos with all the ingredients. Feel free to add cheese, guacamole, tomatoes or hot sauce, whatever you might have in your fridge or pantry.
7. Peanut, Scallion, and Cucumber Noodles
Delicious, spicy and made in 10 minutes, these peanut noodles are incredibly healthy and inexpensive to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 cloves of garlic
- pinch of sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons of hot water
Cook your noodles according to package directions, then remove two tablespoons of hot pasta water. Take the hot water and add it to the rest of the ingredients. This will melt into a delicious sauce. Add it to your noodles and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds or crispy chili oil.
8. Falafel Gyro Style Stuffed Pitas
Falafel pitas are hearty, healthy and full of flavor. They cost about $1.75 per serving. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 package of frozen (or homemade) falafel balls
- 1 package of whole wheat pitas
- Topping options: tomato, cucumber, red onion, tahini, hummus, hot sauce, feta cheese
Simply reheat the falafel balls and pitas, then stuff the pita shells with whatever you want on your gyro.
Final takeaway
Planning always helps when organizing cheap, healthy meals, especially when trying to keep costs down. Here are some tips and points to remember:
- Most recipes are adaptable to your budget limits or dietary restrictions.
- Once you find recipes you like, try stocking up on pantry staples and common ingredients that could be used for multiple meals.
- Be sure to expand your recipes throughout the week with leftover sauces or soups reused or frozen for later rainy dates.
- Try to stick to your shopping list when you’re at the grocery store and only buy items that match the recipes you have planned.
- Fresh produce is always great, but a good way to cut costs and food waste is to buy canned produce, especially if it’s store brand or you have a coupon for something.
