Don’t Have Time and Money? Here are Cheap Meals To Make In Under 1 Hour
Let’s face it. Not all of us have a crazy amount of money to spend on lavish lunches and dinners. Neither do we all have a lot of time in our day due to our busy schedules. Even when we want to make cheap meals every week, it is challenging. Be a student or a struggling corporate employee, we are all constrained by time and money.
As tempting as it may sound, you may be craving some McChicken from McDonald’s. You buy fast food in a heartbeat because it is quick, easy, and cheap. You rather spend a few bucks to get food instead of cooking because you think fast food is cheaper than cooking.
However, you should look at other options. Your health is important, so you should look into meals that are easy to make and full of nutrition. When you do your research and plan your meal, you can actually shop and save in the long run. In such situations, the best way forward is to look for easy, healthy, and cheap meals that can be made in less than 1 hour.
Top 8 Meals You Can Start Making
There’s no end to the list of quick and easy-to-cook food options. The only thing that helps you shortlist some is the availability of ingredients. You can choose from various featured options if you are looking for cheap meals that get ready in less than 60 minutes.
1. Cool Beans Salad
The first option on our list is a cool bean salad. It is one of the most well-liked salads among all cheap meals you can get primarily due to the simple and easy process.
It is filled with essential protein for our bodies and gives adequate energy to function for the day. You can eat it whenever you like, wherever you want. You don’t even need to cook. It is super fresh and helps you get through the day.
2. Chipotle Chicken Chilli
Another excellent option for cheap meals is a good old Chipotle Chicken Chilli bowl. This is a great meal for people who like a kick in their food. It is spicy, tangy, and has a fair share of protein in it as well. After trying a chipotle chicken chilli, you will never think about other easy-to-make food options.
The meal consists of smoky chipotle peppers, shredded chicken, and red beans. It is enough to fill your stomach and satisfy your taste buds, just like any other meal would. And yes, it is cheap and easy to make as well.
3. Mini Black Bean Turkey Burgers
Everyone loves burgers. Wherever you go around the world, you will find their own unique version of the classic meal. People looking for cheap meals will find it rather appealing, especially since you will be able to make it reasonably quickly, and it would taste almost as good as a regular burger.
It can be cooked in the pan, in the oven, whichever you prefer. All it takes is some simple ingredients, and you have your meal ready. For burger lovers, this delicious meal is something you can’t ignore.
4. Slow Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja
One of the best combinations in the world is chicken with rice. Coupled with some vegetables, very few people will refuse to eat this. This delish creation is super juicy, tender, and a treat to your taste buds.
This meal requires chicken, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and unique, authentic spices. All you need to do is to slow-cook the chicken and stew it with the rest of the components of this delicious dish, and your food will be served in less than an hour.
5. Chicken and Lime Soup
After discussing different cheap meals, let’s look at a soup option. This soup is no ordinary bowl of soup. It is filled with ingredients like chicken that will fill up your stomach. This way, you will not feel hungry in the following 4-5 hours minimum.
Another significant factor why this dish is so great is because of its freshness, lightness, and amazing aroma. The primary ingredients involved in this dish are shredded chicken, vegetables, fresh cilantro, and finally, juicy and tangy lime.
6. Greek Pasta Bake
If you are done with American options, here is a Greek meal that is super easy, healthy, inexpensive, and will ultimately give your taste buds a fantastic moment of happiness. This dish is a must-try for people who love pasta. The meal involves some of the most simple and easy-to-find ingredients that, when infused together, create a meal unlike any other.
There is little of a cost in making this dish, too. The components are easy to find in your local supermarket and will give you a delicious afternoon.
7. Chicken Jambalaya
We all love food that reminds us of home. Most people looking for cheap meals that are healthy and easy to make at the same time are students living in dormitories who, every once in a while, feel like going to their homes.
Chicken Jambalaya is simple and easy and brings out some of the best tastes you have ever had in any food item. With items like rice and chicken, you won’t have to worry much when making this amazing dish.
8. Curried Chick Peas With Spinach
After so many cheap non-vegetarian meals, we also have a vegetarian option. It is only sometimes necessary to go for items like chicken and fish if you want a meal full of nutrients, which costs significantly less and takes less than an hour to cook.
You can do that with vegetables and still end up with amazing food on the table that leaves every jaw in the room dropping to the floor. The primary ingredients involved in making this meal are chickpeas, spinach, and some spices, and that’s it.
Ready to Start Your Meal
If you are looking for easy, simple, healthy, and cheap meals that take no more than 60 minutes, then you have a wide variety of items at your disposal. We promise that you will not have to trade taste for cheap or healthy. Please try at least one thing from our list.
