Easy Ways to Cook on a Budget

If you think you’re using too much of your budget on takeout food or restaurant meals, you’re not alone. The average American spends $232 every month on meals they don’t prepare.¹ And your pizza delivery or run to the drive-thru usually happens when you’re really hungry, unprepared and short on time. With a busy schedule, work deadlines and family commitments, you might be thinking with your stomach, not your wallet.

A great way to save money on food is to stock your kitchen with things you’ll actually cook at home without a lot of fuss. Use our tips to make cooking on a budget super simple.

1. Make something out of nothing

We’ve all been there — you get home, you’re famished, you search your kitchen, and you find nothing to eat.

Resist the urge to order delivery by getting resourceful. Some of the most cheap healthy meals to make are hidden in plain sight. A can of tuna? Sure. Some frozen vegetables? Definitely. You may not see it right away, but you have lots of creative (and tasty) options for cooking on a budget right in your own pantry.

2. Plan for leftovers

When you prepare food at home, you’re bound to have leftovers. That’s good news for your budget because you’re getting more meals for your money. Leftovers can be eaten the next day or frozen and enjoyed in the future. Plus, they can be repurposed into completely new meals so you don’t get tired of eating the same thing for three days in a row.

3. Buy a rotisserie chicken

You already know that you can save money by cooking from home. But when you have a rotisserie chicken on hand from your local grocery store, home cooking doesn’t have to be completely from scratch. Grabbing a rotisserie chicken is as quick as picking up fast food, and it’s an easy staple for cooking on a budget. Taco Tuesday? Shred some chicken and pile it into a tortilla. Pasta night? Add it to your sauce for some extra protein. The possibilities are almost endless (and they’re easy on your wallet!)

4. Use one-pot solutions

Cooking for a family on a budget might make you think of scrubbing endless pots and pans after your meal. That alone might tempt you to spend money on takeout food. The solution? One-pot recipes help you make affordable meals on a budget without creating lots of dreaded cleanup. There are tons of cost-effective dinner ideas for soups and casseroles using traditional one-pot stovetop and oven recipes. But kitchen tools have come a long way when it comes to convenience. Here are some ideas for those small appliances you might have in your cabinet:

• Slow cooker. All you do is add some basic ingredients to your crockpot in the morning, and by evening, dinner is served. From pot roast to chili (and even dessert), slow cooker meals are so delicious and inexpensive that you might delete all your meal delivery apps for good. Plus, you can make enough food to freeze and eat later, saving you time and money on future meals.

• Pressure cooker. Ideally, when you’re making your meals at home, you’re planning ahead while cooking for less money. But sometimes you need a quick solution for dinner (and you still don’t want to wash a bunch of pots and pans when you’re done). That’s where your pressure cooker comes in handy. It’s completely possible to create comfort foods, pasta dishes and veggie-packed meals on short notice and for much less money than a restaurant outing. You might even have leftovers to look forward to when you’re done.

• Air fryer. Craving some of your favorite restaurant meals? Save money cooking them from home in your air fryer. From fries to pies and everything in between, an air fryer can help you prepare popular dishes that feel like a splurge without draining your wallet.

5. Shop smart

The best way to beat takeout temptation is preparation. Figure out your grocery shopping budget, map out your meals and stick to your plan. When you do walk the aisles, make sure you aren’t hungry, and only buy what’s on your list. Shopping with a big appetite and no plan is a recipe for disaster.

Make sure you buy enough essentials to keep your kitchen stocked for those times you need a quick meal. Also, explore the prices at wholesale clubs — annual memberships average around $50 and might save you money if you buy in bulk.²

Plan to succeed

You can learn how to cook on a budget with a little planning and practice. You may find that your food choices and your bank account feel a little healthier when you commit to making cheap, delicious meals in your own kitchen.

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1. https://www.thesimpledollar.com/save-money/dont-eat-out-as-often/
2. https://bethebudget.com/wholesale-clubs-worth-it/