Best $12 I ever spent on a Sunday meal prep

Honestly last Sunday was a rough one. I had like $20 left for the week and zero energy. Threw some dried lentils, a half bag of carrots, and some sad celery into a pot with some garlic powder. Made this huge pot of soup that lasted me through Wednesday lunch. I swear it tasted better every day. Added a splash of vinegar on the last bowl and it was legit restaurant quality. Anyone else got a dirt cheap recipe that saves your week when money gets tight?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_piper24d ago

Oh absolutely, the "sad celery and garlic powder" combo (classic broke meal energy) hits different when you're down to your last $12. I once made a "refrigerator clearance chili" with a can of kidney beans, some questionable ground turkey, and a spoonful of cocoa powder that looked like a crime scene but tasted like a hug. The vinegar trick is genius though, I've been using a squeeze of lemon on my sad bean soups and it's like a cheap magic trick.

park.robin24d agoMost Upvoted

Cocoa powder in chili is just chocolate with extra steps. You're basically describing a muddy spoonful that tastes like mild regret. And lemon on bean soup just makes it taste like you ran out of ideas, not like you discovered a secret ingredient.

martin.paige20d ago

Man, that cocoa powder trick is real! I started throwing a pinch of instant coffee in my chili years ago when I was broke and it does the same thing, makes everything taste deeper without costing extra. A little acid and a little bitter really do stretch a cheap meal into something you actually look forward to.