c/cheap-weeknight-meals

The $2 can of beans I snubbed saved my whole dinner plan

Last Thursday I was staring at an empty fridge with like half an onion and some sad celery, and I almost ordered takeout. Then I remembered a can of chickpeas my sister left here back in March that I kept pushing to the back of the cabinet. I mashed em with the onion and a scoop of peanut butter and soy sauce over some rice I had, and it tasted way better than it should have. Who else has a pantry item they've been ignoring that turned out to be a solid weeknight fix?

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gavine41•1d ago

My $3 immersion blender turned soup into a ceiling mural

Grabbed a clearance immersion blender from the scratch and dent bin last Tuesday because my regular one died mid-lentil soup. Seemed fine for the first minute, then the plastic shaft just gave up and the blade part dropped into the pot. Before I could react, it spun pureed soup straight up like a fountain. Red-orange lentil goo all over my white ceiling, the cabinets, and my glasses. Took 45 minutes and half a roll of paper towels to clean. Lesson learned: check if the shaft is actually welded to the motor housing before you trust it. Has anyone else had a kitchen gadget fail in a spectacularly messy way?

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williams.robert•1d ago

Stop adding raw onion to ground beef, it ruins the whole thing

I keep seeing folks toss diced raw onion straight into the pan with cheap ground beef, and then they wonder why the meal tastes off. Last Tuesday I made tacos for my family using a 93 cent pack of ground chuck, and the onion bits stayed crunchy and sharp while everything else got mushy. You have to sweat the onion in oil for about 4 minutes first, until it turns clear, before adding the meat. That extra step brings out the sweetness and lets the onion melt into the sauce instead of fighting it. My neighbor watched me do it and said he'd never thought about it, but now his taco Tuesday actually tastes like a restaurant. Anyone else have a similar fix for a cheap staple that everyone gets wrong?

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robinc66•4d ago

Took me 10 years to realize I was overcooking my rice the whole time

So I grew up thinking rice was just something that took 30 minutes and always came out a little sticky or mushy depending on the day. I'd rinse it, throw it in a pot with double the water, and babysit it like a nervous parent. Then last fall my neighbor across the hall in my apartment building in Columbus saw me fighting with a pot and just goes, "You use the finger trick, right?" I thought she meant poking the rice to see if it's done. No. She meant put your index finger on top of the rice and add water up to your first knuckle. That's it. No measuring cup. I tried it that night and my rice came out perfect for the first time in my adult life. I'm 42. I honestly felt a little cheated. Has anyone else had one of those kitchen basics that everyone else somehow knew and you just never got the memo on?

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skyler_kim15•4d ago

TIL the dollar store has frozen veggie mixes for 3 bucks

Stopped in one on a Tuesday after work, the one by the bus depot, and they had bags of mixed peppers and onion for way less than the big chain. Has anyone else started checking their dollar store for frozen stuff instead of the regular grocery aisle, or is it just mine that's decent?

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ryanburns•4d ago

Hit $2.14 per serving on a pasta bake, is that even worth bragging about?

I was tracking our dinner costs for a couple weeks in March and this baked ziti with frozen spinach and leftover sausage came out to $2.14 a plate. That feels like a win until I think about the time it took, 45 minutes with preheating and layering. I see people post these 10 minute meals at $1.50 and wonder if we're wasting effort for a few cents. Is the real milestone hitting a price floor, or just getting something edible on the table after a 9 hour shift at the diner?

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juliaa25•5d ago

Boxed pasta vs homemade dough, I flip flopped after a Tuesday night disaster

I used to swear by making fresh pasta every week, like rolling it out at 6pm after work with flour ALL over the counter. Then last month a batch turned into glue because my kitchen was too warm and dinner got pushed to 8:30, so we ate cereal. Now I keep three boxes of elbows and shells in the pantry and only do fresh when I have a weekend afternoon free. The cost difference is maybe 4 dollars, but my sanity is way better. Are you guys team boxed or team homemade when the clock is ticking, or do you have a middle ground trick?

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the_olivia•5d ago

Frozen veggie stir fry beats fresh for weeknight speed, at least for me

Last Tuesday I was rushed after work and had a bag of frozen mixed peppers and onions in the freezer plus some leftover chicken. I tossed them in a hot pan with soy sauce and garlic while the rice cooker did its thing, and dinner was done in like 15 minutes flat. Fresh veggies always go bad in my fridge before I use them, so I end up throwing money away, but frozen ones are like a dollar a bag and last forever. Has anyone else found frozen versions of certain things work better for their schedule, or am I just lazy here?

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