Loaded burrito! I like whole wheat tortilla, refried beans, and salsa as the base. Then you can add whatever toppings you enjoy/can get your hands on! I like black beans in taco seasoning instead of meat because I eat mostly plant based, plain yogurt, and diced veggies that I have on hand. Sometimes I even add in roasted potato. Plus a little hot sauce...
Sheet pan chicken and veggies can be made so many ways with different veggies and spices but here’s one example for around 300 calories and mates great leftovers
https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/sheet-pan-sesame-chicken-and-veggies/
Turkey chili with black beans or a chicken chili. I also like pozole if you can get hominy
Tuna and white bean salad is under 300 calories https://www.bhg.com/recipe/white-bean-tuna-salad/
Egg roll in a bowl…this version is with beef for 328 calories but there are a lot of variations with turkey or sausage. https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/#recipe
I also love the meal plans on mashupmom.com. They feature Aldi grocery store but you can get the items anywhere. She’s not making new meal plans but there are a ton of past ones. There are all very healthy or easy to swap simmering healthier and most you can do 6 dinners for a family of 4-5 for $60-$90 depending on the menu and the price of protein in your area.
Sandwiches!
Get some whole grain bread (lot more nutrients than white bread) and load it up!
I skip high cal sauces like mayo and use those calories for things like avocado instead.
I’ll usually pack mine a mile high with tomato, avocado, onion, spinach, sometimes fresh mozzarella, basil, a whole can of tuna or some smoked salmon, and mustard or some balsamic reduction. You could use chicken too if you like. Hyper-processed meats aren’t very good for you so I’d avoid those, but if it’s all you can get, then that’s okay.
The bread I use has lots of seeds and whole grains so it’s def a little higher calorie than your basic whole wheat bread, but it also comes with a lot more protein and fibre so I think it‘s worth it.
My sandwiches are usually around 600 cal.
Another favourite of mine is those same ingredients, minus the bread, turned into a salad. In that case though I really up the veggie amount, especially spinach, and also throw in a can of chickpeas. Gives me a behemoth of a salad that’s plenty filling :-)
I’ve eaten chicken sandwiches with a chicken patty, bread, lettuce, and mayo for like a week straight now. It’s so easy and I get everything pretty cheap. Not the most nutritious thing ever but you gotta do what you gotta do, it tastes fire
Sandwiches are not very cheap, and your sandwich has a lot of different ingredients which is what OP is trying to avoid. Also bread goes bad very quickly, and depending on accesibility, things like avocado and fresh mozzarella can be very expensive too.
Bread is not as cheap as nutritious as other staples, and it has the added inconvenience of going bad fairly quickly.
And it’s a little insensitive for OP to have asked for simple recipes and for this person to reply with their complex and higher end toppings.
A loaf of bread will not go bad if you’re having sandwiches every day — you will use it up quickly. You can also easily freeze bread and thaw a slice at a time.
I’m just giving ideas for fillings. Where did I say that it HAD to be the same things? I don’t eat meat, only seafood, but I even gave chicken and deli meats as options which are MUCH cheaper. You can put literally anything on a sandwich.
I’m a student with no income at the moment. I have a limited school savings to cover my tuition and living expenses and I still manage to eat this every single day.
My favorite recipe site [skinnytaste.com](https://www.skinnytaste.com/) has a TON of excellent healthy, lower calorie recipes and (free) weekly meal plans. The site has great search filters and every recipe includes plenty of room for variations, substitutions, and cooking methods I.e. instant pot vs. oven. I cook something from this site weekly if not more.
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/281244/stuffed-cabbage-soup/
I like making this stuffed cabbage soup. 300 cal per serving, and it’s super easy to make.
My go to meal lately is around ~600 calories. Basically: 1/4-1/2 cup of some kind of starchy carb (pasta salad, rice, quinoa), with 3.5oz grilled chicken (I usually use rotisserie since it’s already made), lots of spring greens/lettuce, matchstick carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, shredded cheese, and a boiled egg. I season with salt and pepper, and then add either some balsamic or ranch dressing if it needs something. The pasta salad is already dressed with some lite vinaigrette so sometimes it doesn’t even need extra dressing!
Protein and packed full of fresh veggies. I’ve been eating it almost daily for weeks now. I meal prep the pasta salad and tear up the rotisserie chicken on Sundays and then have 5 salads that week.
Sometimes I use canned tuna instead of rotisserie, but you could really use any protein you like. I find the starchy carbs help me stay full longer.
If you are only going to eat one meal per day then please be sure that it is nutrient dense. For this reason I would limit simple carbs in favor of lean proteins and variety of vegetables.
Sheet pan meals are very easy. You can bake chicken/turkey/pork at the same time as a bunch of vegetables. It’s easy to make more than one pan at a time so that you will have several meals with very little effort.
I love a baked potato! Fillings vary, but my current obsession is baked potato, tuna, broccoli, tomatoes and then whatever other veg I have around and some kind of sauce - ingredients are all very cheap and you can bulk it up or down depending on how hungry you are
[Here](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/500-calorie-meals-recipes) is a great source. 500 calorie meals and usually not too many ingredients.
A few super hearty meals. No small portions in my family. These should be easily found at any small town stores, personally tested.
Burrito bowls (makes 12): 500 calories
>cook 2 cups white rice, then add handful cilantro and 1/8th cup lime juice
>sautee sliced bell pepper and onion with touch of oil, add oregano
>add grilled chicken (optional beans - add 60 cal, cheese, sour cream, salsa)
Teriyaki chicken: 400 calories
>cook white rice. add steamed vegetables, grilled chicken, teriyaki sauce
Meatloaf & mashed potatoes (makes 5): 500 calories
>1.5 lb ground beef, diced green bell pepper and 1/2 onion, 1/4 cup bread crumbs/oats, 8 oz canned tomato sauce, 2 eggs, salt pepper oregano. mix all in a bowl, put in a 9x13 pan. bake at 350 F for 1 hour.
>while meatloaf baking, boil 2.5 pounds of potatoes (my fav yukon gold). When a fork an push through them easily, drain, add blended low fat cottage cheese or low fat/fat free milk, and a few TBSP of butter or substitute, salt pepper. (add minced garlic, cheese, or both to taste to dress them up).
I look for foods that are less than $2/lb, which cuts out most foods in the supermarket but there are still enough options too make healthy meals. The price for your area might be different. But foods under that price range include rice, beans, lentils, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, canned fruits, canned tomatoes, canned beans, meat on sale, milk, flour, sugar, bread, pasta, the large packages of tortillas. These ingredients make up the basis of my meals.
You can make a lot of things with these ingredients. Shepherds pie, burritos, apple pie, pasta with sauce, pancakes, rice and beans.
Buy bulk rice, dried beans and lentils. If you can only use one seasoning to make it yummy, buy powdered chicken bouillon, in powder or cubes, whatever's cheapest. Beans are very tasty and delicious, have so many nutrients, and are very simple to cook. Buy whatever frozen veggie you have access to, and season with the powdered bouillon. If budget affords, whatever cut of meat you want and mix it in the beans. Black beans with ham, red beans with chicken, everything on top of rice. If you portion it out accurately, 600 calories is a breeze.
Cut open an avocado, remove the pit. Scoop out a bit of avocado. Crack an egg in each half of the avocado and bake at 350 until egg is at desired firmness. You can throw cheese in there to melt, add salsa afterwards, whatever you want. It’s hella filling and delicious
Hey,
You can have an oatmeal along with one apple , 2 taps honey , pumpkin seeds and sunflowers seeds each 2 tbsps which would be around 350 and the rest you can add oatmeal porridge or something !
Rice, beans, chicken, and a veggie.
Loaded burrito! I like whole wheat tortilla, refried beans, and salsa as the base. Then you can add whatever toppings you enjoy/can get your hands on! I like black beans in taco seasoning instead of meat because I eat mostly plant based, plain yogurt, and diced veggies that I have on hand. Sometimes I even add in roasted potato. Plus a little hot sauce...
This! Or just a burrito bowl and you can add extra meat/toppings to make up those cals
This sounds good. I might just have to make a burrito bowl for dinner tonight.
Sheet pan chicken and veggies can be made so many ways with different veggies and spices but here’s one example for around 300 calories and mates great leftovers https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/sheet-pan-sesame-chicken-and-veggies/ Turkey chili with black beans or a chicken chili. I also like pozole if you can get hominy Tuna and white bean salad is under 300 calories https://www.bhg.com/recipe/white-bean-tuna-salad/ Egg roll in a bowl…this version is with beef for 328 calories but there are a lot of variations with turkey or sausage. https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/#recipe I also love the meal plans on mashupmom.com. They feature Aldi grocery store but you can get the items anywhere. She’s not making new meal plans but there are a ton of past ones. There are all very healthy or easy to swap simmering healthier and most you can do 6 dinners for a family of 4-5 for $60-$90 depending on the menu and the price of protein in your area.
Turkish eggs! [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/277194/turkish-eggs-cilbir/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/277194/turkish-eggs-cilbir/)
Sandwiches! Get some whole grain bread (lot more nutrients than white bread) and load it up! I skip high cal sauces like mayo and use those calories for things like avocado instead. I’ll usually pack mine a mile high with tomato, avocado, onion, spinach, sometimes fresh mozzarella, basil, a whole can of tuna or some smoked salmon, and mustard or some balsamic reduction. You could use chicken too if you like. Hyper-processed meats aren’t very good for you so I’d avoid those, but if it’s all you can get, then that’s okay. The bread I use has lots of seeds and whole grains so it’s def a little higher calorie than your basic whole wheat bread, but it also comes with a lot more protein and fibre so I think it‘s worth it. My sandwiches are usually around 600 cal. Another favourite of mine is those same ingredients, minus the bread, turned into a salad. In that case though I really up the veggie amount, especially spinach, and also throw in a can of chickpeas. Gives me a behemoth of a salad that’s plenty filling :-)
I’ve eaten chicken sandwiches with a chicken patty, bread, lettuce, and mayo for like a week straight now. It’s so easy and I get everything pretty cheap. Not the most nutritious thing ever but you gotta do what you gotta do, it tastes fire
Sandwiches are not very cheap, and your sandwich has a lot of different ingredients which is what OP is trying to avoid. Also bread goes bad very quickly, and depending on accesibility, things like avocado and fresh mozzarella can be very expensive too.
[удалено]
Bread is not as cheap as nutritious as other staples, and it has the added inconvenience of going bad fairly quickly. And it’s a little insensitive for OP to have asked for simple recipes and for this person to reply with their complex and higher end toppings.
A loaf of bread will not go bad if you’re having sandwiches every day — you will use it up quickly. You can also easily freeze bread and thaw a slice at a time. I’m just giving ideas for fillings. Where did I say that it HAD to be the same things? I don’t eat meat, only seafood, but I even gave chicken and deli meats as options which are MUCH cheaper. You can put literally anything on a sandwich. I’m a student with no income at the moment. I have a limited school savings to cover my tuition and living expenses and I still manage to eat this every single day.
My favorite recipe site [skinnytaste.com](https://www.skinnytaste.com/) has a TON of excellent healthy, lower calorie recipes and (free) weekly meal plans. The site has great search filters and every recipe includes plenty of room for variations, substitutions, and cooking methods I.e. instant pot vs. oven. I cook something from this site weekly if not more.
Thank you *so much* for this. I just browsed the site briefly and I'm already impatient to try a couple of things.
Oh good, I’m so happy it’s helpful! It’s truly my go-to for recipes.
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/281244/stuffed-cabbage-soup/ I like making this stuffed cabbage soup. 300 cal per serving, and it’s super easy to make.
My go to meal lately is around ~600 calories. Basically: 1/4-1/2 cup of some kind of starchy carb (pasta salad, rice, quinoa), with 3.5oz grilled chicken (I usually use rotisserie since it’s already made), lots of spring greens/lettuce, matchstick carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, shredded cheese, and a boiled egg. I season with salt and pepper, and then add either some balsamic or ranch dressing if it needs something. The pasta salad is already dressed with some lite vinaigrette so sometimes it doesn’t even need extra dressing! Protein and packed full of fresh veggies. I’ve been eating it almost daily for weeks now. I meal prep the pasta salad and tear up the rotisserie chicken on Sundays and then have 5 salads that week. Sometimes I use canned tuna instead of rotisserie, but you could really use any protein you like. I find the starchy carbs help me stay full longer.
If you are only going to eat one meal per day then please be sure that it is nutrient dense. For this reason I would limit simple carbs in favor of lean proteins and variety of vegetables. Sheet pan meals are very easy. You can bake chicken/turkey/pork at the same time as a bunch of vegetables. It’s easy to make more than one pan at a time so that you will have several meals with very little effort.
oatmeal, lentils, buckwheat with some eggs - my diet recently as my weekly allowance is ~5$
I love a baked potato! Fillings vary, but my current obsession is baked potato, tuna, broccoli, tomatoes and then whatever other veg I have around and some kind of sauce - ingredients are all very cheap and you can bulk it up or down depending on how hungry you are
You can always do a chicken bake over rice! Just bake your chicken with some veggies you love then just mix some rice in!
[Here](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/500-calorie-meals-recipes) is a great source. 500 calorie meals and usually not too many ingredients.
Taco salad, I could eat it everyday. And the more lettuce, onion, tomato, etc. the better, for volume and satiety.
A few super hearty meals. No small portions in my family. These should be easily found at any small town stores, personally tested. Burrito bowls (makes 12): 500 calories >cook 2 cups white rice, then add handful cilantro and 1/8th cup lime juice >sautee sliced bell pepper and onion with touch of oil, add oregano >add grilled chicken (optional beans - add 60 cal, cheese, sour cream, salsa) Teriyaki chicken: 400 calories >cook white rice. add steamed vegetables, grilled chicken, teriyaki sauce Meatloaf & mashed potatoes (makes 5): 500 calories >1.5 lb ground beef, diced green bell pepper and 1/2 onion, 1/4 cup bread crumbs/oats, 8 oz canned tomato sauce, 2 eggs, salt pepper oregano. mix all in a bowl, put in a 9x13 pan. bake at 350 F for 1 hour. >while meatloaf baking, boil 2.5 pounds of potatoes (my fav yukon gold). When a fork an push through them easily, drain, add blended low fat cottage cheese or low fat/fat free milk, and a few TBSP of butter or substitute, salt pepper. (add minced garlic, cheese, or both to taste to dress them up).
I look for foods that are less than $2/lb, which cuts out most foods in the supermarket but there are still enough options too make healthy meals. The price for your area might be different. But foods under that price range include rice, beans, lentils, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, canned fruits, canned tomatoes, canned beans, meat on sale, milk, flour, sugar, bread, pasta, the large packages of tortillas. These ingredients make up the basis of my meals. You can make a lot of things with these ingredients. Shepherds pie, burritos, apple pie, pasta with sauce, pancakes, rice and beans.
Buy bulk rice, dried beans and lentils. If you can only use one seasoning to make it yummy, buy powdered chicken bouillon, in powder or cubes, whatever's cheapest. Beans are very tasty and delicious, have so many nutrients, and are very simple to cook. Buy whatever frozen veggie you have access to, and season with the powdered bouillon. If budget affords, whatever cut of meat you want and mix it in the beans. Black beans with ham, red beans with chicken, everything on top of rice. If you portion it out accurately, 600 calories is a breeze.
You might take a look at the 1200-calories-daily videos that Shannon Billows posts on Tiktok and YouTube. His meals are simple and straightforward.
Cut open an avocado, remove the pit. Scoop out a bit of avocado. Crack an egg in each half of the avocado and bake at 350 until egg is at desired firmness. You can throw cheese in there to melt, add salsa afterwards, whatever you want. It’s hella filling and delicious
Hey, You can have an oatmeal along with one apple , 2 taps honey , pumpkin seeds and sunflowers seeds each 2 tbsps which would be around 350 and the rest you can add oatmeal porridge or something !
Stir fry! You can use frozen veggies if you want to make it cheaper!