52 Ingenious Ways To Eat Healthy On A Budget
Chances are, for these past few months — or years — you've been cooking more than usual. That's why you'll love these smart, realistic, and creative recipes that prove cooking on a budget can actually be satisfying and delicious.
1.Vegan 3-Bean Chili
The recipe calls for a mixture of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans, but of course you can swap in whatever canned beans or grains that are already in your kitchen.
Recipe: Vegan 3-Bean Chili
2.Egg Pizza With Scallions
Feel free to use store-bought pizza dough to make this recipe a cinch to throw together.
Recipe: Egg Pizza With Scallions
3.Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala
This hearty chickpea masala is the perfect recipe for vegetarians and can be prepared spicy or mild, depending on your taste. The recipe calls for a splash of heavy cream, but you can use coconut milk to keep it vegan.
Recipe: Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala
4.Taco Pizza
This easy, kid-friendly dish starts with crescent roll dough on the bottom, then it's loaded with ground beef, cheese, and any of your favorite taco toppings.
Recipe: Taco Pizza
5.Bacon and Egg Toast Cups
This recipe uses baby kale to stuff the toast cups, but feel free to use spinach or arugula if kale isn't your favorite.
Recipe: Bacon and Egg Toast Cups
6.Baked Eggs With Roasted Vegetables
Feel free to use any hearty veggies you have on hand in place of the beets and radishes. Brussels sprouts, diced sweet potatoes, and carrots would all work well.
7.White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli
This creamy mac 'n' cheese is loaded with all kinds of good stuff, like white cheddar, broccoli, and seared chicken. Vegetarian? Leave out the chicken. Broccoli isn't your favorite? Feel free to substitute it with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Recipe: White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli
8.Caprese Grilled Cheese
This baby is everything you love about caprese and grilled cheese crammed into one delicious sandwich. Serve it with salad or soup, and you've got yourself a dinner that's both fancy and budget-friendly.
Recipe: Caprese Grilled Cheese
9.Chicken Noodle Soup
This recipe calls for a lot of basic ingredients you'll already have in the pantry. It makes six to eight servings too, so you can enjoy leftovers for lunch all week.
Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup
10.Dal
Dal is a timeless classic — and this version is an ideal starter if you've never made it before. You only need a handful of ingredients, and the whole thing only takes 20 minutes. The original recipe calls for red split lentils, but if you want to get more creative, add some French lentils, too.
Recipe: Dal
11.Black Bean Burgers
Black bean patties are one of the most popular alternatives to meat. They're also pretty easy to make.
Recipe: Black Bean Burgers
12.Caprese Balsamic Grilled Chicken
All you really need are five ingredients to whip up this family-friendly chicken dinner: any kind of boneless, skinless chicken, mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil, and balsamic vinegar.
Recipe: Caprese Balsamic Grilled Chicken
13.Tuna Melt
Grilled cheese meets tuna salad.
Recipe: Tuna Melt
14.Sweet and Spicy Glazed Chicken
This chicken recipe breaks down to only $4.83, and the all-purpose glaze — with paprika, brown sugar, and cayenne — is packed with flavor. Pair it with any greens you have handy!
Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Glazed Chicken
15.20-Minute Kimchi Fried Rice
Tangy, spicy kimchi (or Korean-style fermented vegetables) is another way to add a ton of flavor to a dish for not a lot of money. Keep a jar stocked in the fridge, then work it into fried rice, noodle bowls, or burgers.
Recipe: 20-Minute Kimchi Fried Rice
16.Classic Chicken and Avocado Burritos
When it comes to cheap and fast dinners everyone will love, it's hard to beat DIY burritos or tacos. Keep them simple with chicken, cheese, and avocado — or load up with all your favorite toppings.
17.Rice Bowl With Fried Egg and Avocado
Top it off with your favorite hot sauce and you're good to go.
18.Bibimbap
Bibimbap — a Korean staple that's a mix of rice + veggies + meat + sauce — is the perfect canvas for a budget-friendly dinner. In this vegan version, pricier meat gets swapped out for mushrooms.
Recipe: Bibimbap
19.Sheet Pan Blackened Tilapia With Veggies
Frozen fillets would work here too, if you need a cheaper option. For easy cleanup, line the sheet pan with foil or parchment paper first.
20.Southwest Turkey, Vegetable, and Rice Skillet
One-pan creamy goodness.
21.Creamy Tomato Shells
This recipe calls for only three ingredients, and you can always add a protein to the mix if you want.
Recipe: Creamy Tomato Shells
22.Chicken Pesto Bowl
Healthy, tasty, and cheap!
Recipe: Chicken Pesto Bowls
23.Zucchini Corn Quesadillas
Ready in 25 minutes, these quesadillas are a perfect spring dinner.
Recipe: Zucchini Corn Quesadillas
24.One-Pan Pizza Chicken
You had me at pizza.
Recipe: One-Pan Pizza Chicken
25.Super-Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad
Guaranteed to be just as good as your local salad bar, for half the price.
26.One-Pot Caprese Chicken Pasta
Ready in 35 minutes for the perfect weeknight dinner.
Recipe: One-Pot Caprese Chicken Pasta
27.Vegan Creamy Kale Pasta
Deliciously creamy, and without any meat or dairy.
Recipe: Vegan Creamy Kale Pasta
28.Greek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
A protein-packed vegetarian dinner.
Recipe: Greek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
29.One-Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac 'n' Cheese
Pretend your mac 'n' cheese is actually healthy by adding some broccoli to the mix.
30.Spicy Chipotle Buddha Bowl With Cauliflower Rice
Fast, budget-friendly, and healthy: What more do you need?
31.Chicken and Mandarin Salad With Simple Sesame Dressing
A super-fast summertime salad for your weeknight dinners.
Recipe: Chicken and Mandarin Salad With Simple Sesame Dressing
32.5-Ingredient Coconut Curry
The perfect option for your meatless Monday.
Recipe: 5-Ingredient Coconut Curry
33.Garlic Butter Capellini Pomodoro With Shrimp
34.Vegetarian Sheet Pan Zucchini Parmesan
A healthy-ish, delicious, and vegetarian take on the classic chicken Parmesan.
35.Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
If you want to add some meat, you can always brown some chicken and add it to the mix.
Recipe: Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
36.Burst Tomato and Zucchini Spaghetti With Avocado Sauce
The recipe calls for both whole wheat spaghetti and zucchini noodles, but you can skip the spaghetti if you want to go fully low-carb.
Recipe: Burst Tomato and Zucchini Spaghetti With Avocado Sauce
37.Amazing Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos
If you're looking for inspiration for your next Taco Tuesday, search no more.
Recipe: Amazing Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos
38.P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps
A great copycat recipe for the perfect night in.
39.Orzo With Spinach and Roasted Red Peppers
A super-straightforward weeknight dinner that you can serve with grilled chicken if you want some added protein.
40.Creamy Pappardelle Al Limone
Introducing your new favorite pasta sauce, made with nothing more than egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon.
Recipe: Pappardelle Al Limone
41.5-Ingredient Thai Green Curry
This recipe calls for tofu, broccoli, and sweet potato, but you can always swap in whatever protein and veggies you like best.
Recipe: 5-Ingredient Thai Green Curry
42.Lemon Parmesan Risotto With Peas
While this recipe tastes totally restaurant-quality, there's not much to it: Arborio rice, frozen peas, and chicken broth form the base of this creamy risotto.
Recipe: Lemon Parmesan Risotto With Peas
43.Sausage and Creamy Cajun Orzo Skillet
Orzo, sliced sausage, bell pepper, heavy cream, and a handful of spices are all there is to this Cajun-inspired skillet.
44.Pasta e Ceci (Italian Chickpea Soup)
This Roman-inspired recipe is made with canned chickpeas, your favorite pasta, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and a bunch of diced veggies.
45.5-Ingredient Chicken Tortilla Soup
Grab some chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, canned diced tomatoes, ranch dressing, and canned fiesta corn mix to make this heartwarming chicken soup with a Mexican flair.
46.White Bean and Artichoke Basil Toasts
Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy with this mixture of artichoke hearts, spinach white beans, and basil mashed into a creamy and savory spread.
47.Portobello and Poblano Fajitas
Don't let the ingredient list overwhelm you. All you really need to make these fajitas are portobello mushrooms, peppers, onion, and tortillas. Swap the avocado sauce for store-bought guacamole or diced avocado and you've got a delicious meal.
Recipe: Portobello and Poblano Fajitas
48.Spicy Lentil Nachos With 3-Cheese Sauce
Lentils are often used as a healthy staple — but they can also be gloriously indulgent.
49.Flourless Black Bean Brownie Muffins
Black beans in chocolate muffins might sound odd, but they get super creamy and batterlike — and it absolutely works.
50.Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce
You can also use coconut curry as a marinade for your meats. Here, the chicken marinates for two hours in a mixture of coconut milk, soy sauce, curry powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and fish sauce.
Recipe: Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce
51.Sun-Dried Tomato, Kale, and White Bean Skillet
Beans and greens = always worth reaching for.
52.Grilled Cheese and Cream of Tomato Soup
Cozy comfort in a bowl.
This article contains content previously curated by Hannah Loewentheil, Jesse Szewczyk, Marie Telling, Melissa Jameson, and Ailbhe Malone. It was compiled by Lavanya Narayanan.
