My neighbor insisted I could make a whole pot of chili for under $5, so I tried it with a can of beans, a can of tomatoes, and some spices from the dollar store.

It actually fed me for three nights and tasted way better than I expected, so has anyone else got a super cheap recipe that turned out surprisingly good?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayden4661mo ago

Three nights of chili from a can of beans and tomatoes? That sounds like a week of sad, repetitive meals. You're basically just eating seasoned mush at that point. Spending a few more bucks on some real meat and fresh veggies makes a world of difference in taste and nutrition. Calling that "way better than expected" just shows how low the bar was set. Cheap is one thing, but that's just punishing yourself for no good reason.

hannahw3026d ago

Add some smoked paprika and a can of corn to that chili, it makes a huge difference without costing much extra. I keep a bag of frozen onions and peppers in the freezer for exactly these situations.

hannahw301mo ago

Exactly, like hayden466 gets it. I tried a cheap pasta thing with just butter, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon from a plastic bottle. It sounded so sad but honestly, it slapped. Sometimes you just need to eat and those basic pantry meals really come through. It's not about being fancy, it's about making something okay with what you've got.