“It’s fast, easy, super cheap, and requires minimal clean-up.

Plus, it doesn’t heat up the kitchen too much when it’s already really hot outside.”

So recently, when Reddit userSouthEmergency7292asked, “What’s your go-to cheap and easy meal?”

A person is holding a long grocery receipt beside a shopping cart filled with fresh produce and other groceries

I was keen to see the responses.

Here are some of their best suggestions, along with some added tips and prices!

Chili, cheese, and Fritos.

A close-up of a baked Mexican casserole dish topped with melted cheese, ground beef, beans, tortilla chips, and chopped green onions, with a wooden spoon on top

Classic Texas staple."

Also, you don’t need to use Frito’s “Generic corn chips are fine.”

u/fazrare57

“Came here to say this.

Three pieces of cornbread on a white plate, next to a jar of light-colored beverage, possibly coffee or tea, on a plain background

Tent with foil and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Uncover and brown the cheese if you like.

Let it cool and serve with salsa or sour cream.

A close-up of a breakfast burrito cut in half, filled with scrambled eggs and cheese, placed on a wooden surface next to hash brown patties and a slice of tomato

It’s high calorie, though; you could eat an entire bag of Fritos this way.”

“Salsa Verde chicken.

Season up some chicken breasts.

Two mini pizzas on a wooden board. Each pizza has a variety of toppings including cheese, vegetables, and possibly meat

A fajita seasoning works well.

Put in a slow cooker.

Cover with a jar or two of a quality salsa verde.

A bowl of tri-color rotini pasta mixed with tuna chunks and green olives, accompanied by a fork on the side

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Pull out the chicken breasts and shred them, or pull them apart with a pair of forks.

Cook for another 1 to 2 hours.

A close-up of a plate of spaghetti aglio e olio with finely grated parmesan cheese on top

it’s possible for you to add cheese, sour cream, or guacamole when serving.

If they’re frozen, nuke them for a couple of minutes to thaw.

Place them in a shallow glass casserole dish.

A bowl of white rice and beans, served on a decorative plate with a floral border, placed on a red woven tablecloth

Serve with sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce.

Beans, sausage/bacon/ham, salsa, onion, tomato, cheese, etc.”

u/Dragon_wryter

“Eggs, salsa, and cheese make a good breakfast taco, too.

Close-up of a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with sliced beef and sautéed onions on a wooden surface

it’s possible for you to add meat if you have it.”

u/retailguy_again

“I use Mexican-style chorizo and eggs for those burritos.

The chorizo is dirt cheap, which is good between jobs.Here is what we use.”

A bowl of spaghetti topped with a rich meat sauce and sprinkled with grated cheese. A fork is resting in the dish

“Chili without meat added is very cheap and not unhealthy, and it’s super good!

Just buying canned chili ($2.16) is very cheap too!

“English muffin pizzas.”

Bowl of ramen noodles with broccoli, mushrooms, green onions, and carrot garnish on a wooden board with red chopsticks

I bake mine until the cheese is caramelized around the edges and the pepperonis are crispy.

I also like shredding fresh basil onto them.

It’s good shit!”

A white bowl filled with scrambled eggs sits on a marble countertop

u/robo-dragon

“Bagels and frozen Naan also work really well!

(Thaw the Naan first.)”

“Chicken thighs, rice, and zucchini.

Probably $2/serving, but that’s likely on the high side.”

u/zNaturalLilDoll

“Chicken thighs are so underrated.

I have an instant pot, and I steam them.

They fall off the bone after 25 minutes.

You’re able to cook a full pack at a time, and they’re moist.

They reheat as well as when they’re fresh.

I like making rice and gravy with them and a green vegetable like broccoli or peas.

Sometimes, though, I get those Tastybite packages with the tikka masala instead when they’re on sale.

u/PJKPJT7915

“Roasted zucchini is my fave.

Here are a couple of tips:

Season with salt after it comes out of the oven.

Do nice big pieces, like 1-1.5 inches.

Tuna, mayo, peas, black olives, rotini pasta.

“Velveeta shells and cheese with either tuna or hamburger added.

If I do tuna, I like adding microwave-steamed broccoli to it.

Bonus seasoning at the end with Tony Chachere’s.”

About $3 with about 350 calories and 25g protein, 40g carbs, and 15g fat.

Surprisingly, it only has about 1000g sodium, too.”

“Spaghetti with garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and butter.”

“Zatarain’s Dirty Rice with ground beef or really whatever leftover meat I have in the fridge.”

“Beans and rice.”

u/nothingforless

“This is mine.

I cook them on the stovetop until they are bubbly.

Then, after removing them from heat, I add a splash of red wine vinegar.

I make white rice in the rice cooker.

It’s fast, easy, super cheap, and requires minimal clean-up.

Plus, it doesn’t heat up the kitchen too much when it’s already really hot outside.”

“Whole chicken in the crock pot.

Then you boil the chicken overnight in the crock pot and make soup the next afternoon.”

I cook it for 2.5 hours in an instant pot.”

Boom: delicious Philly Cheesesteak."

It tastes like steak and is almost as tender as a filet mignon.

Try it; it is only cheap because of cultural stigma.

It is really easy to befriend and order straight from a rancher on Facebook."

“Spaghetti O’s with meatballs:$1.23a can.

Cheap, fast, easy clean up and filling.”

u/DICHOTOMY-REDDIT

18.

“Cream of Mushroom soup and crackers.

Heat it up and let the crackers soak up the excess liquid.

Lots of protein and very filling for less than $1.”

“One of my easy go-to’s is spaghetti and meat sauce.

u/zSunshine_Adorable

“So easy.

“Pork chops with Shake ‘N Bake.

I’m fucking 40, and those fuckers are just as delicious as they were when I was 9.

Add some mac and cheese, and you will have a tasty meal.”

Incredibly cheap but incredibly good.

I eat it with hot sauce.

It’s literally its own meal, at like 30 per pack.”

I top it with Sriracha, vinegar, boiled egg, and spinach or sprouts.

Probably my favorite meal.”

22.“Toast.

And if you’ve got other food prepared, spread it on toast.

Spread some on toast.

Chinese or Indian food?

Spread some on toast.

Spread some on toast.”

u/MagicSPA

Get bread for toast for as cheap as$1.

23.And finally, it may seem simple, but…“Good eggs.

Making eggs is easy.

“For scrambled eggs, watch some YouTube videos on how to get fluffy curds that aren’t overcooked.

For fried eggs, some people like crispy edges, and some like soft edges.

I like over medium, soft edges.

But again, once you get it down, it’s quick and easy in the morning.

And then there are all the ways to add cheese and all the other things.

I also like flipping them with the pan, not a spatula.

I’m pretty sure that makes them better.”

RavenousAutobot

More tips: “For scrambled eggs, add one half shell of milk per egg.

Put a little bit of butter in the pan, and cook low and slow.

You must be gentle with scrambled eggs.

You just need to occasionally pull the cooked layer off the bottom of the pan with a spatula.

But you are not making an omelet, so also see to it to keep them moving gently.

Serve it a little bit loose; it will firm up on the plate.”

u/DickDastardly404

The cheapest eggs are about$2.68for a dozen.

Submissions have been edited for length/clarity.