"Even now, in my 30s, I still crave it from time to time."
Recently, I asked the parents of the BuzzFeed Community to share their go-to "cheap & easy" meals that feed every mouth at the dinner table. The results sound as tasty as they are creative:
1. Taco Soup
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"One absurdly lazy 'home-cooked' meal we make is taco soup. I make it with four cans (chili, beans, diced tomatoes, corn) and two packets (taco seasoning and ranch seasoning). If I'm feeling fancy, I add a can of diced green chiles. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream (or plain yogurt), and lime juice."
—facebook_10156072121225107
2. Potato "Pizza"
"I learned it from my mom. You sauté yellow onions, or if you have a texture issue with those, go right to slicing and frying potatoes. Slice extra thin to reduce cook time, and once the potatoes are cooked through (almost see-through), dump them in a can of tomatoes (stewed or diced). Then, you start layering shredded mozzarella and pepperoni, either regular or turkey. Put the lid on and let it simmer as the pepperoni warms and the cheese melts. It feeds an army!"
—leah050691
3. "Dragon Stew"
"It's something my mom always made growing up, at the end of the week or month when there's not a lot left, and money is tight. Take a pound of whatever meat you have (ground meats usually work best) and brown them in a skillet. Then dump them along with any veggies you want to add (canned is what I usually use) and two cans of crushed tomatoes. Add a tablespoon of garlic salt, a sprinkle of pepper, and any other spices or herbs you want. If all you have is packets of, like, stew mix or chili mix, these work well also. Leave the crockpot on low for six hours."
—theshelbinicolelawrance
4. Dal Khichdi
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"I'm Indian. So for me, it would be dal khichdi. Super easy to make. The base ingredients are the same, but you can fine-tune it to what you want. You can make it less spicy and more spicy and flavorful. Make it plain. Add in veggies. Or serve it with any other humble yet solid side dish, and that's a happy, filled-up tummy."
—surimahadevan119530
5. Lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole
"A pound of ground beef, half a head of cabbage (sliced to preference), about a cup and a half of rice, and a can of crushed tomatoes.
Brown the ground beef and cook the rice. I like to sauté the cabbage a little bit, too. Then, mix everything in a casserole dish, season to taste, and bake for about 20 minutes at 350ºF. ... I make batch meals all the time, which are probably my favorite, making me at least six servings."
—meaganhibbert1
6. Tomato Noodle Soup
"$4 box of red pepper tomato soup from Trader Joe’s and a $3 bag of gluten-free spiral rice noodles from Walmart, and you can easily make at least three or four meals. I usually cook enough at a time for one serving, and it fills me up until the next meal, and I can eat off of one box of soup and a bag of noodles for about a week and a half. I’m someone with gluten intolerance, and gluten-free foods have gotten ridiculously expensive, but this costs less than $10 and lasts me for a while, so I definitely recommend it."
—hamhamham4545
7. Homemade Hamburger Helper
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"One pound cheap hamburger, one onion, chopped, one cup of raw macaroni, two cans Campbell's mushroom soup, a dash Worcestershire sauce, dash soy sauce. Cook hamburger and onion, drain off all grease, and cook macaroni in salted water just shy of done. Add macaroni to the meat along with undiluted mushroom soup (only Campbell's, NO store brands) with salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly, sprinkle with parsley, and it will feed six to eight small children. Usually ready in 20 to 25 minutes, too."
—Anonymous, 76
8. Tuna Casserole
"A bag of egg noodles, two cans of cheddar soup, two cans of tuna, one can of peas, milk, and butter. You can feed a family of five with some leftovers at the end."
—gottaluvthemonkey
9. The TikTok Tortilla Wrap Hack
"To utilize leftovers, we typically do this on Thursday nights, and anything can go in these: leftover chicken, taco meat, veggies, rice, beans, lunch meats, etc. Every tortilla is unique and tailored to the person making it. We have those with chips, a side salad, or whatever is handy."
—thia_m
10. One-Pan Chicken Drumsticks
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"Five dollars for a pack of 12 chicken drumsticks. Seasoned, chopped potatoes with rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (about four dollars for a five-pound bag) and mixed vegetables (five dollars) are all thrown into the oven. This meal is so quick and easy and also lasts a while! One of our family staples."
—koryehc
11. Cowboy Casserole
"Two pounds of ground turkey or any ground meat, browned and mixed with two packets of taco seasoning, two cans of Ro-Tel, and two cans of pinto beans before reducing the liquid. While the meat mixture thickens, prepare two boxes of cornbread in a bowl and set them aside. Once the moisture is reduced, pour the meat mixture into a 13x9 dish, sprinkle four to six ounces of shredded cheese, and spread the cornbread mixture over the cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for around 40 minutes until a toothpick in the cornbread comes out clean. My family loves it, especially my daughter. It also serves as a good base for modifications."
—Anonymous, 41
12. Chicken Caesar Wraps
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"It's basically shredded rotisserie chicken mixed with Caesar salad (the bagged kind is great because cheese and dressing are included) and wrapped in a large tortilla. Great when it's too hot to cook or those busy summer days when there's no time to prepare anything."
—Anonymous, 43
13. Zesty Pineapple Chicken
"Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and cook in a nonstick pan with equal parts pineapple juice and Italian dressing. We add garlic and onion powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. We serve chicken over white rice or noodles when it is fully cooked. During the summer, we often marinate chicken breasts in the same marinade mixture and grill outside on our charcoal grill. It's a cheap, easy, and somewhat quick dish that our young kids (and us adults) go back for again and again."
—Anonymous, 33
14. Creamy Chili & Bean Dip
"Cream cheese on the bottom of a pie dish, covered with canned chili and a small bag of fiesta blend shredded cheese. Eat with your favorite kind of tortilla chips. This is my go-to when I need a quick, easy meal I can microwave when I don't feel like cooking. No, it's not 'healthy,' but no one complains!"
—Anonymous, 39
15. "SOS Toast"
"Two pounds of cooked ground beef mixed with two cans of cream of mushroom soup, slapped onto a piece of buttered toast. A simple and filling meal for a family of five. Even now, in my 30s, I still crave it from time to time."
—Anonymous, 33
16. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
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"Cooked spaghetti tossed in olive oil, chili, garlic, salt, and pepper. It sounds plain, but everyone wolfs it down."
—jborrett793
"Spaghetti aglio e olio is the best. Carby, flavorful, and a bit of heat. And it’s ready in 10 minutes."
—juliaw1
17. Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
"Cut up two links of kielbasa. One jar sauerkraut. One can of stewed tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Cook for about 20 minutes. While it’s cooking, heat some baked potatoes in the microwave. Super easy and delicious!"
—Anonymous, 40
18. Added-Value Cheese Ravioli
"Buy Dollar Store frozen ricotta cheese ravioli (two bags for $2.50) and a jar of any brand of marinara. Boil those up and add some broccoli, green beans, or collards on the side. Dinner for four, and it's all around seven dollars!"
—Anonymous, 27
19. Chicken Pot Pie
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"Buy one rotisserie chicken. Heat heavy whipping cream. Throw Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic in a saucepan until the cheese melts. Add shredded rotisserie chicken. Add one can of peas and carrots. Pour it into pie crust, the fridge section ones that unroll and have a top and bottom. Cook in the oven until done. Quick and easy chicken pot pie that my family loves."
—Anonymous, 34
20. Walking Tacos
"Put taco meat in an individual Doritos bag with a little shredded cheese and lettuce, if you're feeling healthy. Top it with sour cream and use a fork to eat it. Zero cleanup and super fast. Everyone loves them, adults and kids, and it only takes about 20 minutes to toss them together."
—Anonymous, 47
21. Pasta Carbonara
"All you need is pasta, eggs, Parmesan, and guanciale — or regular bacon. You buy the meat and cheese as blocks and don't need much meat for each to cook up. The cheese and meat keep well in the fridge for ages, meaning you can make it again and again. The plus side is the longest part of the cooking is waiting for the pasta to be cooked!"
—Anonymous, 30
22. Arroz con Pollo
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"I use a Dutch oven. It's very basic: leg quarters (usually cheaper to buy this way). I brown them a bit first, then remove and brown the rice with onions, garlic, and bell peppers (optional). Once the rice is browned, then I add the chicken and enough water to cover the chicken, then add some salt, and that's it. My family loves it, and there is never anything left over. It cooks fast in the Dutch oven and is great for family gatherings.
—Anonymous, 36
23. Pizza Lasagna
"Rotini noodles cooked al dente, hamburger and diced onion cooked, and pasta sauce. Mix that all together. Then, in a casserole dish, put a layer of that down, top with pepperoni and lots of cheese. Repeat the layer with pepperoni and cheese and bake that goodness until the top becomes golden brown."
—Anonymous, 35
24. Spaghetti with Texas Toast
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"Noodles and sauce only run about three dollars. I've looked a lot into simplified cooking lately, and I also enjoy frozen meatballs, which surprisingly are delicious, especially if you can wait out the oven. The meatballs are a bit pricier, like eight dollars, but it claims to be 11 servings. Even a basic Texas toast is cheap for multiple servings as well!"
—simplysarahish
25. Tagine
"Get ground chicken or turkey, pearl couscous, and a frozen veggie or canned chickpeas. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes, sour cream, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lime. It's my ultimate one-pot meal, and there are so many possible variations."
—Anonymous, 34
26. "Hot Dog Spaghetti"
"A meal that feeds my whole house is hot dog spaghetti. It's made with onion, minced garlic, hot dogs, a large can of crushed tomatoes, and a small can of tomato sauce. Sometimes, I add Ro-Tel to it."
—Anonymous, 51
27. Cheese Enchiladas
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"A really good enchilada sauce can be made with minimal ingredients like chicken stock, tomato sauce, and seasoning. We serve it with a side of Mexican rice and a salad. It’s filling and tastes great."
—radiantmagician98
28. Vegetarian Black Bean Bowls
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"The best cheap family meals use whatever you have. Our go-to is combining a legume, a grain, and a vegetable or two. For example, a couple of cans of black beans mixed with rice, crushed tomatoes, and frozen mixed vegetables seasoned to taste make for a great quick meal. Other options include lentils, marinara sauce, and pasta; pinto beans, quinoa, and bell peppers; and black beans, sweet potatoes, and zucchini."
—Anonymous, 30
29. Protein-Packed Garlicky Hummus Pasta
"A box of high protein or chickpea pasta with a tub of garlic hummus stirred with some pasta water. Add sautéed mushrooms and spinach or broccoli and enjoy. You can add chicken or vegan sausage for additional protein."
—Anonymous, 29
