10 Meals to Make When You’re Low on Food
In the hustle and bustle of life, we all find ourselves with a low pantry and limited meal options. However, the challenge of creating satisfying and delicious dishes with what’s available can be exciting. Whether you’re a college student on a tight budget or facing unexpected circumstances, here are 10 meals to make when you’re low on food.
We all want to make meal prep as easy as possible, particularly if you have limited food inventory. These are easy dinner options, or they could substitute for a quick breakfast or lunch. With our busy schedules, weeknight dinners get to be pretty hectic. Take the stress out of meal planning and preparation by using any of these recipes.
1. Pantry Pasta Delight
When your options are limited, turn to pantry staples like pasta, canned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. Mix and match to create a simple yet satisfying pasta dish. Types of Pasta to Stockpile For Emergencies
Mark likes meat with most of his entrees. You may want to add some ground beef or chicken breast. If you’ve run out of your usual cheese, check the fridge for some parmesan for a unique flavor treat.
2. Rice Bowl Extravaganza
A versatile and budget-friendly option, rice bowls can be customized with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Combine rice with canned beans, veggies, and a flavorful sauce for a filling meal. Chicken and Rice Casserole
There are different varieties of rice and most any variety will work but have different textures. I’ve used white beans, black beans, and pinto beans for this meal option. To add some flavor, consider onions in the mixture. A unique veggie option would be some sliced sweet potatoes.
3. Egg-cellent Breakfast for Dinner
Eggs are a fantastic protein source and can be transformed into various dishes. Try scrambled eggs with veggies, a classic omelet, or even breakfast burritos for a quick and nutritious dinner. Three Easy Ways To Make Hard-Boiled Eggs
4. Frozen Vegetable Stir-Fry
Raid your freezer for a mix of frozen vegetables and stir-fry them with soy sauce and your preferred protein (tofu, chicken, or beef). Serve over rice or raman noodles for a speedy and nutritious meal. Roasted Broccoli Recipe
5. Soup from Scratch
Utilize leftovers and pantry staples to create a hearty soup. Throw in vegetables, beans, whole grain options, and any protein you have. Season with herbs and spices for a comforting bowl of goodness. The Best Lentil Soup Recipe Beans and cornbread, chili and crackers.
6. Cheesy Quesadillas
Transform tortillas and cheese into a quick and delicious quesadilla. Add any available ingredients like canned beans, corn, or leftover meat for extra flavor. 15 Ways To Use Cheap Potatoes
7. One-Pan Wonder
Simplify your cooking process with a one-pan or one-pot dish. Combine protein, vegetables, and seasoning on a baking sheet or skillet for an easy cleanup and a tasty result. The Best Overnight Breakfast Casseroles
You may not have much meat available, but if you do, consider using a meat that may be at the back of your your fridge or freezer like salmon, sausage, pork chops, chicken thighs,
8. Oats Overload
Don’t reserve oats just for breakfast. Create savory oat bowls by topping cooked oats with sautéed vegetables, a fried egg, and a drizzle of sauce for a unique and filling meal. What to Do with Steel Cut Oats Besides Oatmeal
9. Simple Sandwich Creations
Jazz up your usual sandwiches by experimenting with different combinations. Use whatever bread, spreads, and fillings you have, creating a customized masterpiece with minimal effort. How To Make Egg Salad Sandwiches
If you’re wondering what to do with that avocado that’s starting to look pretty ripe, slice it or mash it up for a fun and unique add-on. If you’re low on bread, why not make a sandwich like lettuce wrap? We all need more fiber from veggies, so lettuce can fill the bill in a pinch.
10. DIY Pizza Party
Turn your kitchen into a pizzeria by using tortillas or pita bread as a base. Top with tomato sauce, cheese, and any available toppings for a fun and creative meal. Tortilla Pizza For Two
If you want to put those tortillas to use with another meal option, try homemade tacos. We like ours with shrimp and lemon or lime juice as a topping. Mark likes his with some sour cream too.
How can I maintain a balanced and nutritious diet on a tight budget?
Focus on incorporating a variety of foods into your meals. Use affordable staples as a base and supplement with small amounts of fresh produce, protein, and dairy when possible. Don’t forget to explore local farmer’s markets for budget-friendly produce.
How can I plan meals effectively with limited pantry options?
Embrace meal planning by creating simple menus based on the ingredients you have. This reduces food waste, ensures variety, and helps you make the most of your available resources.
More Tips
- 10 Reasons to Visit Your Local Food Pantry for Help
- 10 Types of Beans to Keep in Your Pantry
- 20 Reasons to Keep Honey in the Pantry
Final Word
When you’re low on food, these meals provide a delicious solution without breaking the bank. Get creative, embrace improvisation, and savor the flavors of these budget-friendly dishes! Don’t be afraid to check all those fridge, freezer, and pantry shelves, you may have overlooked savory items that add fun and flavory ingredients to meal prep. May God Bless this World, Linda
Copyright Images: Making Omelets Depositphotos_70264171_S by Dbvirago, Baking and Cooking Depositphotos_113824194_S by Tommyandone, Baking Ingredients Depositphotos_76320017_S by Cook_inspire
Linda,
Did I miss beans and cornbread? My preference is for Navy or Pinto beans. Cheap, easy, filling. Same for chili and cornbread.
Hi Ray, yikes! I need to add that one, thank you!! Linda
Timely advice! Lots of people got snowed in on our island over the last few days and many didn’t have even a minimally stocked pantry. I’m always shocked at how so many people are totally dependent on regular grocery shopping. At least we didn’t lose electricity this time so I thought it was pretty luxurious. Several people with appropriate vehicles have been offering to run supplies for people but our road wasn’t quite accessible enough so a neighbour came to stay because she had very little food at her house and was almost out of wood for heat. I’ve been using this as a lesson on why you need to have food storage! I was thinking it might be good for the emergency preparedness group to get together with the food bank and come up with ways to stock up even when you don’t have money. These are good recipes for using the kind of things often available from the food bank.
Hi Alice, thank you for your kind words on timely advice. I’m always surprised to see the TV news people talking to people across snow banks when they ask when will the roads be cleared so we can go get food and water? Or is anyone going to deliver food and water to us? Yikes, you would think people realize if a storm is coming or not for that matter they would stock up food and water just to be prepared. When people are low on food they must be creative with what they have on their pantry shelves. Grocery prices are so high we have to buy more affordable food these days. I haven’t bought any meat in weeks if not months. It’s too expensive. We are using what we have in the freezer and canned meats. Or meatless dinners, it’s all good. Stay warm, Linda
Scrambled eggs with egg noodles and left over protein…… ham, cheese, sausage, ground beef, ham or turkey. Many of times it could be stretched to feed an extra mouth. Call it breakfast, add a salad, and call it dinner.
Hi Chris, great ideas, eggs and noodles can stretch meals big time. Leftover proteins are bonus add that’s for sure! Linda
Although we keep a pretty good stock of foods, this is a good reminder. We (as much of the country) have had an extended cold period. We simply don’t leave the house as much. It is great to have some suggestions of what to do with what we have. Even if we have food, it sometimes difficult to come up menus.
Thanks.
HI Diana, it is is hard to look in the pantry and say, hmmm….what should I fix tonight? I get it. I grew up poor so I can pretty much throw most anything together for Mark and I. We live pretty simple with simple meals. Life is good if we have food in the house. Stay warm, Linda
This is a great post. It’s very important we have the knowledge to fix a variety of meals. I noticed the shelves were bare in many places throughout the Walmart where I shop yesterday. They don’t seem to be short on employees, so don’t know if that’s the problem or if they aren’t getting shipments. Several of the departments had bare shelves. It’s concerning.
HI Paula, oh thanks for the head ups up the bare shelves in the Kansas Walmart. I wonder if it’s weather related? I will go check our Walmart here when I have a chance. Thanks so much! There’s been some really bad snowstorms lately! Linda
Growing up with parents who survived the Great Depression (both grew up during that time period, mom was 9 when it started and her father died when she was 10; dad was 13 when it started), I learned well to A) be stocked up all the time!! If mom could see the actual shelf in the pantry, she knew it was time to take stock and stock up! B) I learned how to stretch a small amount of food to feed a family or even the family and neighbors. The thing I think of most often for stretching food is gravy! We were never short of meat because we raised out own but there were times that it was easier to take a pound of ground beef and make a gravy for it to serve over mashed potatoes or biscuits or toast. Mom had planted asparagus and we were just waiting for enough spears to harvest for the whole family. Well, mom harvested (first harvest mind you) a total of 5-6 spears. Not nearly enough for the family! So, she cut those spears into bite-sized pieces, steamed them and made a white sauce (aka gravy) and we had that as a side dish over mashed potatoes with our meat. If someone called and said they were on the way to visit and it was about supper time, mom could take just about anything and stretch it to fit!
I am sure while growing up with such frugal parents that I was not a happy camper because of the frugality! Seems we were poor folk when it came to money, but we were very rich when it came to things like food (grew and put up our own) and land. Our clothing was generally homemade (sometimes from older clothing being made over) or hand-me downs. We wore things and used up things until there was no life left in them.
So, thinking back, it doesn’t surprise me that even though we had full freezers and canned goods, we still ate frugally. The only times I recall that our table was loaded to almost collapse were the holiday meals – then it was time to show our bounty: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter – all had loaded tables of food that mom and we girls put up! I also think that mom was proud of the Easter meal especially because that showed that there was enough food put up the previous year to allow a laden table.
Oh and please people – don’t wait until that time that you ARE low on food; you are snowed in; out of power – to make that plan. I know that all of us on this blog are prepared but our neighbors aren’t always. Teach them, help them. I have also created for myself, a cookbook of frugal meals. Some of the foods in the cookbook are things I can make from memory but in a stressful situation, I might forget the baking powder from the biscuits!! LOL! But then I would have ammo in the event of someone trying to take my food 🙂
HI Leanne, you know by now I love your comments, I grew up poor for real. But we didn’t realize we were poor. We didn’t raise our own beef which was a blessing for you to learn that skill!!! As I think back I can only imagine my mom trying to figure out frugal meals, she had no choice. And we didn’t know they were frugal, that’s how we ate. She always made biscuits and bread and cookies. She taught the four girls to cook and sew, we were blessed to learn that skill and canning. Life was good even though we had no idea how poor we really were. So you and I can cook and stretch any meal, my friend. Love it, Linda
I work in the shipping department for a large company, and I can tell you first hand that inclement weather has a huge impact on transportation! Lots of delayed & rescheduled pick ups impact the supply chain. This is likely why some grocery store shelves are empty, and a great reason to keep a stocked pantry! I buy more pet food way before I run out as well. Got to take care of our 4-legged family too! Thank you for all the great meal ideas, Linda – simple is better in my book too.
HI Lori, thank you for your words, my sweet friend. I really appreciate your insight on the transportation of everything we all need, not just food. I can’t imagine how stressful it must be to reschedule all the delays. Our weather seems to keep getting worse every year, snowfall, ice storms, flooding and winds just to name a few. You are so right this is why we must all stock up ahead of time. There is no guarantee that those shelves will always be full. I’m glad you mentioned pet food, a few years ago we all had trouble getting it. Yes, indeed I stock up way before I need dog food as well. Great comment, Linda