91 recipes to make when you're broke (2024)

FAQs

What to cook when you're broke? ›

Basic pantry items: Bread, flour, sugar, leavening, seasonings, coconut oil, olive oil, lard, peanut butter and jam, homemade granola, cornmeal, oats, whole wheat, rice, dried beans, lentils and split peas, several varieties of pasta, pasta sauce, home canned tomatoes, fruits and vegetables.

Pasta is one of the cheapest and most filling pantry staples you can buy, and that's exactly why it's the perfect food to feed to a crowd! Plus, everyone loves a good pasta dish. Grab yourself a buffet server warming tray so you can pop your cooked pasta inside and keep it warm all evening long!

What is the best food to have during a recession? ›

Build up your emergency fund, pay off your high-interest debt, do what you can to live within your means, diversify your investments, invest for the long term, be honest with yourself about your risk tolerance, and keep an eye on your credit score.

If we ate cereal and milk for breakfast, a PB&J and an apple for lunch, and protein-enriched pasta with store-brand marinara and a couple of carrots sticks and broccoli or green beans for dinner, we could get by on $10.34 per day.

Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.

Oatmeal, rice, beans, bread, and other starches are filling and will keep you full until your next meal. Beans and rice are also super versatile foods, and you can take them and transform them into easy meals you will actually enjoy!

Mini casserole-style meals like a layered taco bake, shepherd's pie, chicken and rice, and tater tot casseroles are affordable, filling, and freeze well. Hearty beef and bean chili is one of my favorite meals to batch cook. It reheats beautifully and tastes even better!