Cheap Pantry Meals When You Have “Nothing” at Home

We’ve all been there. Staring at the pantry shelves, looking in the fridge multiple times at 4:00 PM wondering what to make for supper when we haven’t been grocery shopping in a while. If you have some basics on hand, you can throw something together that will fit the bill. I will talk more about some good staples to keep stocked in your pantry in a bit. Here are some cheap pantry meals when you have “nothing” at home…

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Potato Hash

Ingredients:

Potatoes

Onion

Oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Dice the potatoes and fry in oil with diced or sliced onion until potatoes are golden and onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Diced bell pepper and mushrooms make a nice addition if you have them, also cheese to sprinkle on top would be a treat.

Garlic Butter Pasta

Ingredients:

Pasta

Butter or oil

Garlic powder or minced garlic

salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta in boiling water until done to your liking. Drain pasta. If using minced garlic, remove pasta from the pot, add minced garlic with a little butter or oil in the bottom of the pot. Sauté gently, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the pasta back into the pot and stir to mix garlic throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a little cheese on top if you have any. If using garlic powder, leave the drained pasta in the pot, add seasonings and a sprinkle of cheese if you have any and would like to.

Tuna Pasta

Ingredients:

Pasta

Can of tuna

Mayo or oil

Peas or canned veggies

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Directions:

Cook pasta until done. If using frozen veggies, add them to the pasta water when pasta is nearly done. Drain. Open the tuna and drain off the water. (This can be reserved for pets). Mix tuna and mayo or oil with pasta and veggies. Season with salt and pepper.

Peanut Butter Banana Wraps

Ingredients:

Tortillas

Peanut butter

Bananas

Directions:

Spread peanut butter on tortillas. Peel bananas and wrap in peanut butter tortillas. Can be eaten as a wrap or sliced into coins before enjoying.

Pancakes for Supper

Ingredients:

1.5 C Flour

3-1/2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 TBSP Sugar

1.5 C Milk

1 Egg

3 TBSP oil

Directions:

Stir together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mix and stir till combined. Do not beat the batter, that will make the pancakes tough, not light and fluffy. Pour batter by the spoonful onto hot, lightly greased heavy pan (I use cast iron). Cook until little bubbles form and break on the surface of the batter and the underside is golden. Flip. Cook a couple minutes more until done. Additions if you have them: Chocolate chips (a real hit with kids), blueberries, peeled, diced apple and cinnamon. Sliced banana and peanut butter make good toppings too.

Fried Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Eggs

Bread

Butter or mayo

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Fry eggs to your liking (over hard or over easy).

Spread mayo or butter on bread and put egg into sandwich. Season with salt and pepper. If you have cheese that would make a nice addition.

Ramen Upgrade

Ingredients:

Package of Ramen noodles

Egg

Veggies (frozen or canned)

Directions:

Cook Ramen according to package. If using frozen veggies, put them in the pot the same time you put the water on to heat. Either boil the egg separate or poach in the Ramen broth. A little minced onion and sprinkle of cheese make great additions.

Apple Toast

Ingredients:

Apples

Bread

Cinnamon

Sugar

Cheese (American is nice, but any will do)

Directions:

Peel and core the apples. Slice into rings. Place an apple ring on each piece of bread. Sprinkle with mixture (about 50/50) of cinnamon and sugar. Place a slice of cheese on top (or sprinkle shredded cheese on top). Bake in 350* oven until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. (about ten minutes or so).

S.O.S.

(“Stuff” On a Shingle)

Ingredients:

Milk

Flour

Butter

Dried beef or hamburger, ham, spam-any kind of meat you like or just whatever you have on hand. Also eggs can be used instead. If you have neither eggs nor meat, you can make it plain with some veggies.

Bread or crackers or buscuits/rolls or Cooked rice.

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Take 1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick) and melt into a saucepan. Add 1/4 cup flour and whisk until flour is absorbed and smooth. Slowly add 3-4 cups of milk (if you don’t have 3-4 cups of milk you can substitute some of it for water, but it should be mostly milk). And whisk while on low heat until roux has thickened to a white sauce. Traditionally, S.O.S. is made with dried chipped beef. But add whatever you have/want. Break up whatever meat you want to add and/or slice boiled eggs into sauce. Add any veggies you want. Serve sauce over crushed crackers, toast, biscuits or rolls or cooked rice.

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Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice (leftover works great for this recipe)

Eggs

Soy sauce

Frozen, canned or fresh veggies

Directions:

Scramble eggs. Sauté Veggies in a little water or oil in separate pan. Add cooked rice and stir until heated through. Add eggs. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

Pasta

Canned crushed/diced tomatoes or tomato sauce

Garlic Powder/Onion powder

Salt, pepper

Italian seasoning

Directions:

Cook pasta ’till done. Add tomatoes (if using diced tomatoes, drain first before adding). Heat, stirring on low until hot. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. A sprinkle of cheese is nice too if you have it.

Poor Man’s Soup

Ingredients:

Broth or water

Leftover meat and/or canned beans

Frozen veggies

Diced potato if you have any

Salt, pepper, seasonings

Rice or pasta

Onion and garlic (if you have it)

Directions:

If you have onion and garlic, peel and dice onion, peel and mince garlic. Sauté onion in a bit of oil or water until translucent. Next add garlic, being careful not to burn it. Poor in the broth or water and season with salt, pepper and spices. Add diced potato and cook util fork tender. Add any leftover meat you have or canned beans, drained and rinsed and veggies. Simmer until hot and flavors are incorporated. Serve with cooked pasta or rice.

Cheap staples to keep stocked in your pantry

With these basic, cheap staples on hand, you can make nearly every meal I just listed and more:

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Flour

Sugar

Oats

Rice

Pasta

Canned Beans

Canned tomatoes/tomato paste

Potatoes

Peanut butter

Frozen vegetables

Oil

Salt, pepper and spices

Eggs

Canned tuna

I hope this list of cheap pantry meals when you have “nothing” at home was helpful and inspirational. For more frugal meal ideas check out my video on how to make Easter dinner for under $40. And my post on How to feed a family of 4 for $75/week with a Free printable menu and shopping list.

Helpful budgeting tools:

Cash envelope binder

Extra cash envelopes