Meal Prepping on a Budget

Meal prepping on a budget

Whether you are heading to the grocery store every week or every month, your bills can start to add up if you are not careful. Being mindful of what you are putting into your cart can really pay off in the long run. Make sure you have a plan before you go into the grocery store. This will ensure that you are only getting what you came for.

Meal Prepping to Save Money

Aside from simply being mindful and having a list, another way to save money is by meal prepping. Meal prepping has become increasingly popular over the years and for good reason. This is a great way to save money and avoid eating out regularly. Meal prepping ensures that you will have a ready made meal available at home, making you less likely to go out to eat.

Prepping your meals at the beginning of the week saves you not only money, but time. Not only are you preparing the food in advance, but you are taking away the stress of having to think of what to make after a long and stressful work day.

We know meal prepping can sound daunting at first, but we assure you it’s easier than you think. This can be a fun way to try new things that you might not have in the past. All it takes is a few easy and cheap recipes to get you started. Here are three cheap meal prep recipes for you to try for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast: Overnight Oats

For this breakfast recipe we are keeping it simple. Overnight oats is a classic breakfast that is easy and cheap. At the beginning of the week, you can prepare these, and do the final step the night before to enjoy in the morning.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup oats
  • ½ cup milk of choice
  • Optional topping ideas:
  • Fruit
  • Nuts
  • Nut butter
  • Honey
  • Cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. At the beginning of the week, prep mason jars or other cups by adding oats. Top with any dry toppings of your choice.
  2. The night before, place milk and any other toppings in the jar.
  3. Mix ingredients together and pop into the fridge overnight. Enjoy with a spoon in the morning!

Lunch: Ground Turkey Stir Fry

Lunch is a great way to keep your energy levels up throughout the day. It’s important to make sure you are getting protein, healthy carbs, and veggies with this meal. This turkey stir fry is a balanced meal that is great for your health and your wallet.

Sauce Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tbsp water

Stir Fry Ingredients:

  • 2 bell peppers
  • 4 green onions
  • 2 large handfuls of spinach
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil of your choice
  • 2 cloves of minced garlic
  • 19 oz ground turkey
  • 5 cups instant brown rice

Instructions:

  1. Mix together all ingredients for sauce in a bowl. Continue mixing until all ingredients are dissolved.
  2. Chop bell pepper and green onions.
  3. Heat the skillet and add cooking oil. On medium heat, add ground turkey and garlic. Cook until turkey is browned and cooked all the way through. (8-10 mins)
  4. While turkey is cooking, start rice and cook according to the package.
  5. After turkey is cooked, add chopped bell peppers and green onions. Cook for about two minutes and then add spinach.
  6. When spinach is wilted all the way, pour the sauce over the skillet and stir.
  7. Place stir fry on top of a bed of brown rice and store in the fridge until ready to enjoy.

Dinner: Loaded Sweet Potatoes

Looking for a flavorful dinner that is still healthy? This recipe for loaded sweet potatoes is cheap, simple and still good for you.

Ingredients:

  • 5 sweet potatoes (one for each day of week)
    1 can of corn
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 pack of taco seasoning
  • Cooking spray

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and spray a large cookie sheet.
  2. Poke holes all over sweet potatoes with a fork and spray them with cooking oil.
  3. Once preheated, place sweet potatoes in the oven on a cookie sheet. Cook for 40 minutes.
  4. While potatoes are baking, add onions and pepper to a skillet. Cook on medium until cooked. (6-7 mins)
  5. Add the can of corn and the can of beans. Cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add a packet of taco seasoning and stir. Set the skillet on low and wait until the sweet potatoes are done.
  7. When sweet potatoes are soft enough to mash with a fort, take them out of the oven to rest.
  8. Cut sweet potatoes in half and top each with a hearty serving of veggies.
  9. Package each sweet potato in individual containers and store in the fridge.
  10. Heat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.