Budget cooking
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Buy a five-dollar rotisserie chicken for a cheap, tasty protein source.
It is an awesome deal and tastes good.
2 people, independently
Make fried rice with brown rice, cayenne, taco seasoning, olive oil, frozen broccoli, and eggs.
It is tasty and very cheap.
one person who lived it
Use only a small pinch of dried seaweed in ramen.
It expands ; using too much can absorb all the broth and create an overwhelming amount of seaweed.
one person who lived it
Use one cube or packet of bouillon for every half pound of pasta when making homemade mac and cheese.
It provides a subtle but good flavor.
one person who lived it
If you cannot afford to buy salt and pepper, take free packets from fast-food restaurants.
They are provided for customers and no one will ask about it.
one person who lived it
cheap, salt, buy, sauce15
Incorporate an egg by poaching it in the broth, scrambling it in, cracking it directly into the bowl, or adding a boiled or fried egg at the end.
Mix cooked, drained noodles with the seasoning packet, sliced Slim Jims, and crushed Fritos chips; use leftover chips as scoops.
It results in a meal that is still under a buck.
one person who lived it
Fry an egg over-easy to serve the runny yolk as a sauce for noodles.
It brings the meal together and is delicious with noodles.
2 people, independently
Use reusable master stock to flavor soups and other dishes, which imparts more flavor as you reuse it.
Reusing it over time adds deeper flavor to dishes.
one person who lived it
Make homemade Chinese-style noodles by kneading flour, salt, egg, and water, then rolling and cutting into strips.
It is quick, easy, and very cheap per serving.
one person who lived it
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Buy store-brand popcorn kernels and pop them in an air popper for a cheap snack seasoned with a little butter and salt.
It creates a cheap snack.
one person who lived it
Keep ginger in the fridge as it is cheap and lasts a long time.
It's cheap and lasts a long time
one person who lived it
Use ground turkey to make pasta sauce, taco meat, sloppy joes, or gravy.
It is a cheap option.
one person who lived it
Use cheap plant proteins like tofu, chickpeas, and lentils.
They are fairly cheap and packed with iron.
one person who lived it
Choose Kirby brand black beans over Goya for better taste.
Kirby is considered the best canned bean on the market and worth the extra cost.
one person who lived it
Purchase rotisserie chickens from big box stores like Costco or Sam's Club as a decent bargain since they are loss leaders and already cooked.
They are loss leaders for the store.
one person who lived it
Drain most of the broth and mix in peanut butter, soy sauce, and sriracha (or hot sauce) to create a Thai-inspired dish; add vinegar if it tastes too heavy.
3 people, independently
Add garlic powder, pepper, or garlic salt for extra seasoning.
Garlic salt is versatile for those without a full kitchen.
2 people, independently
Add meat proteins such as ground beef, ground turkey, sausage, ham, or hot dog slices to stretch the meal.
4 people, independently
Add textured vegetable protein (TVP) to most sauces.
It meshes wonderfully with them.
one person who lived it
Incorporate an egg by poaching it in the broth, scrambling it in, cracking it directly into the bowl, or adding a boiled or fried egg at the end.
5 people, independently
ramen, flavor, add, much31
Slip a raw egg into boiling stove-top ramen to poach it until soft-boiled with a runny yolk.
When cooking two blocks of ramen, use only one chicken flavor packet.
Using two packets provides way too much salt.
one person who lived it
- Use half of the seasoning packet when preparing ramen.1
Slip a raw egg into boiling stove-top ramen to poach it until soft-boiled with a runny yolk.
The runny yolk adds great flavor.
2 people, independently
- Poach an egg in simmering ramen broth by spooning the liquid over it until the whites are cooked.2
Add protein sources like beans, rice, hot dogs, eggs, or tortillas to ramen to increase satiety.
Ramen has no protein and doesn't really stop me from being hungry.
one person who lived it
Add about a teaspoon of almond butter to ramen for a Thai-like flavor and added protein.
Adds protein
2 people, independently
- Scramble eggs, cut them up, and add them to ramen for extra protein.1
- Add roasted peanuts to basic ramen.1
23 more on this
Add a pinch of green herbs like chives, cilantro, or green onions to ramen.
It improves the dish.
one person who lived it
Mix milk into ramen for improved taste.
It's better than it sounds.
one person who lived it
Save beef and chicken bones in a freezer bag to make umami-rich broth for ramen.
The combination of beef and chicken flavors creates a very umami taste.
one person who lived it
Add vegan mayo (such as Vegenaise, Just Mayo, or Trader Joe's light mayo) to ramen for a creamy texture without eggs.
It tastes like regular mayo but lacks the egg smell, making it suitable for those who dislike eggs.
one person who lived it
Use Itsuki Foods ramen kits to get an authentic, restaurant-quality taste at home.
They taste like authentic ramen found in restaurants.
one person who lived it
Cook ramen with beef broth, canned vegetables, and chili seed oil for a hearty meal that can be portioned out.
It comes out amazing and allows you to pack up several meals' worth of food.
one person who lived it
Add soft-boiled egg, corn, leftover meatloaf, and processed cheese to ramen.
creates a nutritious breakfast-style meal
one person who lived it
Toss frozen shrimp into the dish near the end of cooking to prevent them from becoming rubbery.
Cooking them too long makes them rubbery very fast.
one person who lived it
Store ramen in a cool, dry place to prevent the oil in the fried noodles or seasoning packets from going rancid or attracting bugs.
The oil can go rancid, especially if stored somewhere warm.
one person who lived it
Add Marutomo Dashi Powder sachets to the broth.
It is a major improvement for flavor.
one person who lived it
Save unused ramen seasoning packets in a container to use as bouillon or soup base for other meals.
It provides good seasoning for dishes like mac and cheese, baked chicken, or gravy while reducing waste on the noodles themselves.
one person who lived it
Put garnish packets from ramen, such as nori or egg bits, on rice.
It keeps things interesting, especially during camping.
one person who lived it
Squeeze lime juice into spicy shrimp-flavored ramen.
It makes the flavor even better.
one person who lived it
Cook eggs in the same water used for boiling noodles.
For extra utility savings.
one person who lived it
Stretch expensive proteins like chicken, shrimp, or vegetables by adding them to ramen rather than eating them alone.
You need far less protein when making ramen with it, balancing cost savings with fresh ingredients.
2 people, independently
Add Tabasco sauce with habanero mix to elevate the flavor of ramen.
It brings the dish to another level.
one person who lived it
Use dried soba, udon, or vermicelli noodles with bonito soup base or instant Pho bases for a non-fried alternative.
Non-fried noodles are much more palatable.
one person who lived it
Replace cheap Maruchan ramen with Shin Ramyun for better quality.
It tastes better and is spicy.
one person who lived it
Boost ramen flavor budget-friendly with sriracha, green onions, sesame seeds, or dehydrated onions/garlic.
These ingredients provide a great flavor boost and are cheap.
one person who lived it
Use Swiss or German Fonder seasoning on French fries as a ramen seasoning alternative.
It reminds the user of ramen seasoning.
one person who lived it
Throw dried nori, kimchi, and mushrooms into ramen for umami flavor and probiotics or prebiotics.
They provide umami flavor and probiotics/prebiotics.
one person who lived it
Seek out refrigerated fresh noodles at Asian stores for superior chewiness.
The chew factor is described as exceptional.
one person who lived it
Wait until you are very hungry before eating ramen to improve the perceived taste.
Hunger enhances the flavor experience.
one person who lived it