Thirty affordable lunch options guaranteed to pique your interest
In the quest for delicious, affordable, and easy-to-prepare meals, we have compiled a list of budget-friendly lunch recipes that utilise pantry staples and require minimal cooking time. These recipes are perfect for those hectic days when you need a quick, nutritious meal without breaking the bank.
Quick and Affordable Lunch Ideas
Pasta with Canned Tomatoes and Frozen Spinach
Combine dried pasta, canned tomatoes, and frozen spinach for a fast, nutritious meal that can be ready in under 15 minutes. This mix uses pantry staples like pasta and canned goods, plus frozen vegetables for ease and affordability.
Baked Feta Pasta
Made with just a block of feta cheese, a pint of canned or fresh tomatoes, and pasta, this dish is simple, flavorful, and quick to prepare, perfect for a budget-friendly lunch.
Tomato and White Bean Soup
Using canned white beans, canned tomatoes, basic spices, and broth, this soup is hearty and uses common pantry items. It can be made quickly and is filling.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Canned tuna, dried pasta, and a few pantry staples like cream or soup base make for a comforting, easy dish you can prepare in minutes.
Chicken Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan
If you have frozen or canned veggies and chicken sausage, roasting them together on a sheet pan delivers a quick, low-effort lunch that's budget-friendly.
Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
A one-pot dish with ground beef, rice, canned tomatoes or broth, and seasonings, making use of pantry staples and quick to put together.
Quick Fried Rice
Using leftover or instant rice, frozen mixed vegetables, soy sauce, and eggs or canned protein, this meal comes together fast and cheaply.
Additional Pantry Staples
In addition to the recipes mentioned above, other pantry staples that support these recipes include rice, quinoa, couscous, canned beans and tuna, tomato sauce, cooking oils, and spices such as garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. Frozen vegetables and proteins extend variety and nutrition without breaking the budget.
More Quick and Affordable Lunch Recipes
Ciambotta Italian Vegetable Stew
A soft-cooked vegetable stew that is flexible in ingredients and stores well for multiple meals.
Shrimp and Tomato Pasta
A quick-cook pasta dish that uses frozen shrimp and a light sauce, making it budget-friendly and easy to clean up.
Turkey Roll Ups
Quick to make and store well for easy meals. They work well as a light lunch or paired with a small side.
Easy Potato Soup
One of those meals where one pot gives you several lunches. It uses pantry staples like potatoes, broth, and cheese.
Navy Bean and Ham Soup
A budget-friendly meal made with dried or canned beans and leftover ham. It's hearty without needing extra sides and can be portioned for multiple meals.
Ground Pork Tacos
Come together quickly with ground pork and a few pantry staples. They reheat well and work for lunch or dinner.
Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich
A special-feeling sandwich that uses leftover cranberry sauce and any melty cheese. It takes only a few minutes to make.
Chicken Nuggets
Fast, freezer-friendly, and use a short ingredient list. They can be baked or air-fried and are great for both kids and adults.
Broccoli Salad with Bacon
Can be made ahead and keeps its crunch for a couple of days. It pairs well with sandwiches or works as a full lunch on its own.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
A comforting, low-cost soup made with broccoli and shredded cheese. It can be portioned for multiple meals and uses up fridge staples.
Wet Burrito
A good way to stretch ingredients into something you actually want to eat. It works well with leftovers and comes together fast.
Frito Chili Pie
A quick and easy layered dish that offers a mix of crunch and warmth for lunch. It does not require expensive ingredients and holds up well for leftovers.
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
A slow-cooked, creamy, and rich dish that uses basic ingredients and can be portioned for work lunches.
Air Fryer Tuna Melt
Cooks up fast with minimal mess, using ingredients most people already have.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos in Crock Pot
Flexible and can use any toppings you already have. Leftovers reheat well and can be used for other meals too.
Crab Fried Rice
Works well with frozen or canned crab and leftover rice. It's a one-pan meal that doesn't take much time to pull together. The leftovers make a great next-day lunch.
These recipes minimise fresh produce reliance, reduce grocery trips, and can be made under 30 minutes, making them ideal for quick, economical lunches using items you likely already have at home.
- The pasta with canned tomatoes and frozen spinach, along with other recipes mentioned, are enhanced with pantry staples like rice, quinoa, couscous, canned beans and tuna, tomato sauce, cooking oils, and spices.
- The One-pot Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is a budget-friendly meal that utilizes pantry staples and can also be stored for multiple meals.
- Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a simple, affordable lunch recipe that uses leftover cranberry sauce and any melty cheese.
- When it comes to personal finance and food-and-drink, budgeting effectively means incorporating affordable, quick recipes like the Ground Pork Tacos into your lifestyle.
- The Chicken Nuggets are fast, freezer-friendly, and inexpensive, making them a practical option for both kids' and adults' lunches.
- In the realm of personal-finance, meal prep plays a crucial role in saving money as shown by the Quick Fried Rice recipe that requires leftover or instant rice, frozen mixed vegetables, soy sauce, and eggs or canned protein.
- Cooking affordable and easy meals like the Tomato and White Bean Soup, Shrimp and Tomato Pasta, and Turkey Roll-Ups contribute to maintaining a balanced food-and-drink budget within your lifestyle.
