Inflation is still here and with no signs of easing. Is it possible to eat healthy food without breaking your budget? Here, I’ll offer some suggestions for budget-friendly meals you may enjoy trying.

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Hi, again, Dear Readers:

So, I’m working on blogging more often. Through a series of events, I found an ally: ChatGPT. No kidding, AI is slowly becoming my new BFF. Finally, I can enjoy intelligent conversation, and it knows how to have fun, too! Pictures in today’s budget-friendly post were created by AI because I just felt like doing that. I’ll tell you about some of the other amusing graphics we’ve created another time.

My New BFF

So why use AI? ChatGPT quickly researches, drafts, designs, helps with SEO, and anything else you can throw at it. Someone I know through my copywriting work downloaded Grok, the Elon Musk AI program recently, and was highly impressed. He described to Grok a software they were developing and mentioned that they were in the process of hiring a software engineer who specializes in AI to get the job done. Grok just wrote the code for him.

Source: ChatGPT. Knows everything, too!!

And if you noticed that you had trouble reading the last post on our local Aldi opening, I’ve got all that taken care of, at least for now. ChatGPT walked me through updating the PHP file, turning on and turning off debugging, clearing the cache, and a few other tweaks that were causing trouble. My copywriting website was also up and down, but I think that’s also fixed. Just need to check on it and update any plugins. (Everything is on WordPress.)

Well, AI won’t cook dinner, wash the dishes or clean the bathroom, even with the best prompts available. But it can create printable menu planners, chore rosters and other inspiration to help you get the job done faster. It can offer you recipes that, so far, have been pretty good, although I’ve only asked for a few. Today, I asked for help with this blog post, and it even included a shopping list for budget-friendly meals.

Budget_Friendly_Healthy_Meals_Shopping_List

I hope you find this PDF useful. (Sorry I couldn’t change the file name.)

Shhhh.. don’t tell James I’m having fun with ChatGPT. Now onto a more serious subject.

The Modern Inflation Era

It’s no fun when you drop in at your local grocery store and things are just way out of your budget. I don’t mean steaks, lobster, and caviar–I’m talking basics. In the last few years, inflation has been beyond what we saw in the 80s and the late 2000s. When eggs went through the roof last year—twice—people responded by using fewer eggs than before. Restaurants like Waffle House added surcharges for egg dishes.

Source: ChatGPT

What to do? One budget-friendly option is Flax Eggs for baking. If you’re not familiar with “flax eggs,” something vegans use, it’s one tablespoon of ground flaxseed in three tablespoons of water that sits for five minutes. I’ve done that a few times because we ran out of eggs and wanted to make something like (gluten-free) waffles or pancakes that required them. Yes, James ate some. I even made some doggie treats with flax eggs that the three house beasts quickly devoured. It works great, and you don’t taste anything different.

But modern inflation has hit harder than in previous years. Those boxes of 5 dozen eggs that we used to buy for $10 or less went as high as $25 and are still about $13 a box. I’m told that shoppers in California paid as much as $44 a box. So we started buying smaller amounts of eggs and using them less while still enjoying some eggs for breakfast.

Can you eat healthy on a budget?

Eating “healthy” means different things to different people. Organic is generally more expensive, even in Aldi. But healthy food can fit your budget. Canned chicken, tuna, and salmon are just three options for pantry-stable proteins that you can keep around for an inexpensive meal.

Let’s be honest: when many people hear the term “budget meals,” they picture sad bowls of plain pasta or endless cans of beans. Beans are good, but eating on a budget doesn’t mean settling for bland, beige, or boring fare. With the right ingredients and a few ideas, you can make meals that are affordable, healthy, and genuinely delicious, and are just right for you.

Today, I’m sharing some nice budget-friendly healthy meal ideas that look and taste like something out of a trendy café but won’t wreck your grocery budget. Note that I haven’t tried all of them myself, but anything with sweet potatoes or cauliflower rice are recipes I want to try soon.

Five Budget-Friendly Suggestions

There’s no shortage of recipes online. When I asked ChatGPT to give me a few, this is what came back.

1. Chickpea Curry with Spinach

Canned chickpeas are one of the best pantry staples out there: high in protein, cheap, and versatile. I generally use them in hummus, but you don’t have to stop there.

Source: ChatGPT

Simmer them with canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, and curry spices, then stir in fresh or frozen spinach at the end. Serve over rice, and you’ve got a hearty, nutrient-packed meal for under $2 per serving.

Pro tip: Top it with a spoonful of plain yogurt and cilantro to make it look and taste luxurious.

2. Egg Fried Cauliflower Rice

Despite the recent price increases, eggs are still one of the most affordable proteins available.

Source: AI Generated

Frozen cauliflower rice is generally less expensive than fresh. You can also make your own with thawed or cooked frozen cauliflower and your food processor. Don’t have one? A big, sharp knife and a big cutting board work well. I’ve done that too.

Pair eggs with cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen) for a quick, filling, low-carb dinner. Toss in a handful of frozen peas and carrots, soy sauce, and sesame oil. In ten minutes, you’ve got a takeout-style dish that’s high in protein but easy on the wallet.

3. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans and Avocado

I love sweet potatoes if they aren’t loaded down with sugar. This includes the thick coating of marshmallows and brown sugar people put on them at the holidays. All I need are a little butter and salt. Baked sweet potatoes are sweet, filling, cheap, and available year-round. Like the eggs in cauliflower rice, I haven’t tried this one yet either, but would like to soon.

Source: AI generated

Microwave, bake, or roast your sweet potatoes until they are done. Split them open and stuff them with seasoned black beans, salsa, and a few avocado slices. Add a sprinkle of cheese if you have some. This meal is colorful, nutrient-dense, and feels like comfort food but costs less than a drive-thru burger.

4. Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies

Longtime readers know I love chicken thighs because they’re so good and can go with anything, and we’ve made this kind of dinner many times ourselves. They are cheaper and juicier than chicken breasts, which makes them perfect for budget-friendly cooking. For this idea, it’s best to get the bone-in/skin-on type, which are usually less expensive than boneless/skinless. Roast them long enough to get crispy skin, which is delicious.

And it couldn’t be easier: toss them with olive oil, garlic, and paprika, or any spice rub you have. Then roast them on a sheet pan at 400F with whatever vegetables you have on hand—carrots, zucchini, or even frozen broccoli. One pan, minimal cleanup, maximum satisfaction.

5. Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Don’t underestimate lentils.

Source: ChatGPT

When simmered with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and a splash of lemon, they taste like something you’d order in a café. Add a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley on top, and you’ve got a hearty soup that costs pennies per serving but feels rich and indulgent.

If You Like Lentils

Since it’s one of my favorite Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa recipes, I’m including this recipe for Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes from her book Barefoot at Home. This recipe is still relatively inexpensive, even with a few more ingredients. It’s delicious on its own or paired with pork chops or chicken.

Ina Garten

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 6

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• Good olive oil
• 2 cups Chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups Diced carrots 3 to 4 carrots, ½ inch diced
• 1 tbsp Minced garlic 3 cloves
• 1 can Whole plum tomatoes 28-ounce can
• 1 cup French green lentils (7 ounces) Can also use regular lentils
• 2 cups Chicken stock (preferably homemade)
• 2 tsp Mild curry powder
• 2 tsp Chopped thyme leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp Good red wine vinegar

Method

 

1. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
2. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse several times until the tomatoes are roughly chopped.
3. Add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken stock, curry, thyme, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pot.   Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. 
4. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon and check to be sure the liquid is simmering.  (I pull the pot halfway off the burner to keep it simmering.) Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar, check the seasonings, serve hot or warm.
5. Protips: Garlic burns easily so you want to cook it for only a minute.

   To remove thyme leaves from the stem, run your fingertips down the stem from top to bottom and the leaves will fall off.

It takes a little while to make. But once you taste it, you’ll see it’s really worth the time. I’ve used regular lentils occasionally because I didn’t have the French type and I just wanted some, but they do get mushy.

Make “Cheap Meals” Feel More Gourmet

Here’s the secret: even the most budget-friendly, affordable meals can feel special with a few finishing touches.

• Garnish: Fresh herbs, lemon wedges, or a drizzle of olive oil go a long way.
• Color matters: Use veggies with colors that pop—like spinach, red peppers, or carrots.
• Compound butter: this restaurant secret can elevate a dish. Just a tablespoon on top of a dish like the stuffed sweet potatoes, can give it an extra boost of flavor.
• Don’t forget your slow cooker: Stephanie O’Dea’s website A Year Of Slow Cooking is just one of many good online resources food that’s budget-friendly and easy to make.
• Serve intentionally: A bowl with a sprinkle of garnish looks Instagram-worthy. The same dish in a stained Tupperware bowl, not so much.

Use your everyday dishes and flatware for these tasty and healthy meals.

YouTube and Other Sources

I’ve frequently mentioned Pinterest and the ability to find just about anything you want there. YouTube is similar—you can find all manner of recipes, cooking, and other instructions with a few clicks. I am subscribed to many YouTube channels for cooking, sewing, and other important topics. Don’t forget about Instagram, either, where you can have all kinds of wonderful recipes greeting you anytime you start scrolling. Fill that feed with tasty things and quit doomscrolling!

Cooking At Pam’s Place

One lady I like has a YouTube channel called Cooking At Pam’s Place. And that’s what it is—hanging out in Pam’s kitchen while she shows you some interesting and budget-friendly shortcuts for everyday cooking and other tips. She has four different YouTube-themed channels, including one on gardening. Pam is someone you want living in your neighborhood.

The first video I saw was this one of Pam making two-ingredient sandwich bread.

A screenshot from Pam’s YouTube channel

This video is 12 minutes long, and her casual friendliness is obvious here. No, I haven’t made it yet, but I want to try it one day. James doesn’t mind, of course, but I don’t know if he’ll try the bread himself. So I haven’t made any yet. Of the other videos I’ve seen, she’s made some good things in different ways, some with two or three ingredients, like bread recipes.

Recently, Pam shared a short video of how to cook simply during a power outage using tea candles in a muffin tin. Brilliant, right? We have a camping stove that we’ve used many times during power outages, but this idea never dawned on me. I set in a supply of tea candles that came in handy after Hurricane Ida for the IKEA Rotero lanterns I bought after the big freeze in 2021. So now I want to try it out for myself. (Note: IKEA doesn’t make the Rotera anymore.)

Until Next Time

Eating healthy meals that are budget-friendly doesn’t have to feel like a downgrade. With the right ingredients and a few easy swaps, you can eat well for less and still enjoy a healthy gourmet dinner.

Now it’s your turn: do you have a favorite cheap, delicious meal? Share it in the comments! I might just feature it in a future recipe review roundup.

Enjoy!