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6 Cheap and Easy Meals To Get You Through Your 20s

Adulting can be hard - trying to juggle many things all at once often makes us live off take-out food and instant noodles. But you don't have to! Here's a set of cheap and easy meal ideas to set you on a path towards becoming a master chef of your household.
6 Cheap and Easy Meals To Get You Through Your 20s
6 Cheap and Easy Meals To Get You Through Your 20s
Anna at SideChef
Content Creator. Bitten by curiosity bug. Obsessed with words. Fuelled by coffee. Powered by Google. Love cheese, chocolate, and cherries. Don’t judge your taco by its price.
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Anna at SideChef
Content Creator. Bitten by curiosity bug. Obsessed with words. Fuelled by coffee. Powered by Google. Love cheese, chocolate, and cherries. Don’t judge your taco by its price.
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Cooking doesn't have to be expensive. There are a lot of cheap and easy recipes that you can make right in your kitchen. If you're living on a tight budget or just starting out in your cooking journey, then these recipes are for you!

We will share 6 of our favorite cheap and easy types of meals and give you some recipe ideas for each one in this roundup. These recipes are basic, but they can be spiced up and tailored to your tastes. So don't worry - even if you're a beginner cook, you can make these dishes!

The Handy Stir-Fries

Think about stir-fries as a cooking method rather than a recipe. Once you master simple combinations, you will be able to make incredible stir-fried dishes! Here are some key points to remember when making your stir-fries:


  • Use a wok. Always season your wok!

  • If you don't have a wok, then use a large pan.

  • Make sure that your pan is hot before adding oil. Then, add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

You Can Wok It Out!

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Then it's all about the endless combinations you can make stir-fries with. We made a beginner's foolproof stir-fry formula you can save.

Basic Pasta Recipes

Pasta is another meal you can quickly master in your early 20s. And it doesn't have to be too complicated or expensive when it comes to the ingredients either! You can create the most delicious pasta dishes that will impress your friends using just a handful of ingredients you might already have in your pantry! Don't let fancy Italian names like Cacio e Pepe or Aglio e Olio scare you.

Cacio e Pepe is simply pasta with cheese and pepper.

Aglio e Olio is just garlic and olive oil.

Both are incredibly easy to make and delicious

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Sheet Pan Meals

One sheet pan meals are your new best friend. They are perfect for when you want to make a quick and easy meal with little to no cleanup.

And the best part is that you can pretty much make any combination of ingredients into a one-sheet pan meal! Just throw everything onto one baking sheet, roast it in the oven, and voila.

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Beans and Carbs = Healthy and Cheap

A combination of beans and carbs makes endless healthy and cheap recipes you can make any day of the week.

There are endless possibilities for this yummy combo - you can make simple rice and beans dishes or get more creative with recipes like black bean soup, lentil soup, or quinoa chili.

The best part about these recipes is that they are not only healthy and cheap, but they are also easy to make!

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Omeletes and Frittatas

You will never skip breakfast again if you master basic omelets and simple frittatas. They are both incredibly easy to make and can be tailored to your taste.

Omelets are a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you have in your fridge. And frittatas are perfect for when you want to feed a group of friends or want to have leftovers for the next day's breakfast or lunch.

Both omelets and frittatas can be made in under 20 minutes. Are you convinced yet?

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Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

A well-made grilled cheese sandwich is one of the most comforting meals out there. And it's so quick and easy to make! All you need is some bread and cheese. Throw it in a pan, grill it until the cheese is melted, and enjoy.

But grilled cheese sandwiches can also be spiced up with the addition of some simple ingredients. Add a slice of ham or tomato, or get creative with different types of cheeses and even some berries if you feel adventurous.

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We hope you enjoyed this collection of cheap and easy recipes to get you through your 20s well-fed and satisfied!

These recipes are perfect for when you're short on time or living on a tight budget. But just because they're cheap and easy doesn't mean they're not delicious!

So get cooking, and enjoy your meal!

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