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I work a lot and the last thing I want to do when I get home is cook for an hour. For the longest time I've been eating the TV frozen dinners. These things are usually a little more expensive than most other meals. They aren't that healthy either so I've been looking for some new ideas. I saw precooked chicken/steak meals that can be heated up on a skillet or microwave that go for $2.00 which is cheaper than the TV dinners I usually buy. They probably aren't healthy either. For all of those single people out there, what's the cheapest meal that is very easy to make? I'm not a big health nut so I'm not overly concerned with how healthy the meal is overall. I could probably get an even better deal if I get a really large pack of something at a store like Costco. The only issue is making sure to eat everything before it expires. Oh, and while I know that Ramen Noodles are very cheap, I'm not a big fan of those meals and definitely not healthy to be eating them every day.
The best bet is to cook up a few one pot or skillet meals on the weekend and heat them up with a salad when you get home from work each evening. The quality, health and cost will be as cheap as you can get and the time involved is usually doable. At least you will know what all the ingredients are and how much and more important, how the dish is prepared. It's all about planning ahead and executing the plan.
I am single and HATE cooking for myself. I try to make a casserole type thing on Sunday (my favorite is a cheeseburger pie, using Bisquick). It gets me several meals.
chili and baked potato. Hearty, easy and relatively healthy. if you dont want to make it try it from the dollar menu at Wendys. Just dont get the sour cream, cheese and butter to fatten it up too much.
Also - think about a crock pot. Just basically throw a bunch of ingredients in the morning before work and come home to a hot meal. Google crock pot recipes.
Buy boneless/skinless chicken breast whenever it is on sale, and cut it up into several single serving size pieces, and put each serving into separate baggies, and freeze it. I usually buy around 6 - 10 lbs myself.
Then whenever you feel like eating chicken, defrost several pieces, and then grill it in a pan, with veggies, such as mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and onions.
I usually grill around 3 days worth of chicken at a time, and eat one serving that day, and put the rest into a Tupperware container, and put it in the fridge, to have over the next 2 - 3 days. I just reheat it in the microwave, and it tastes great.
Sometimes I'll mix in pre-cooked pasta into the pan as well when I'm grilling the chicken. The pasta tastes great with the chicken, and adds carbs to the meal.
Before adding anything else to the pan, I always cook the chicken first until it turns completely white, then I'll add the vegetables into the pan. I also recommend covering the pan while the chicken is cooking to keep everything moist. If the chicken cooks for too long without covering the pan, it tends to taste dry.
I also add several segments of fresh garlic (chopped up) while it is cooking to add flavor.
Another one of my favorites is sweet potatoes (as a side dish). I'll purchase an extra-large one, and pre-cut it into small segments, and then microwave it on high for 10 minutes. It tastes great, and I can eat it over 2 - 3 days, by storing the leftover in the fridge, and reheating in the microwave.
And another favorite is pasta. I cook the entire 16oz box, so I can have it for around 4 meals. Cooked pasta reheats great in a microwave.
Whenever I make a mixed salad, I make it in a huge colander, so I make enough for around 4 - 6 meals. Then I put it in a Tupperware container, and put it in the fridge.
So, in a nutshell ... determine what foods you like to eat ... then prepare multiple servings of it, and store it in the fridge to have it the rest of the week. It is probably the easiest and cheapest way to have good food.
And I recommend purchasing a lot of Tupperware containers for storing foods, and also getting the square shaped Pyrex/Corning ware type casserole dishes with lids to reheat your cooked food in a microwave.
I was also going to suggest baked potatoes. Five-pound bag for three bucks or so. Throw a couple in the microwave, five minutes later you've got cheesy buttery baconbitted goodness.
As a single guy, the crock pot is a life saver. You can control exactly what you put in the meal (low sodium, low fat, whatever). One 6 quart crockpot meal can last for days. I've noticed my gas bills went down a bit not heating the oven or stovetop, and the electric bill had no effect. Plus there are thousands of recipes out there. Crock pots rule.
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if you dont want to make it try it from the dollar menu at Wendys. Just dont get the sour cream, cheese and butter to fatten it up too much.
