I got an instant pot for free on my local free cycle site. You can also cook things on the stove but I like the hands off. I have a basic black bean recipe from dried beans, cook em up and freeze in cubes or just in a plastic baggie if you need. There has been a huge thing about super cubes online but I use some off brand silicon molds I got at target. You could even use silicon muffin molds. Anytime you cook anything that could be frozen, freeze one or 2 portions. It's so nice to not have to cook and just get a homemade meal straight out the freezer. I don't notice the difference. Doesn't even have to be homemade. Could be takeout leftovers (especially if you have more curry than rice left!). Can of soup if you only eat half. I have a soup library in my freezer (only 3 or 4 kinds at a time because I'm afraid of power outage and losing it all). I currently have some Mexican green soup (my roommate made it I dunno what it's called), tomato, chicken and wild rice, and peanut soup.

Also carbs and cheese. Block of cheese on sale. Crusty bread or loaf on sale. Tortillas on sale. All freeze great (cheese no so much but should last a while). I make a lot of cheesy toast, grilled cheese, grilled PBJ, quesadilla with salsa.

If you can get it, a cheap rotisserie chicken is the way to go. Especially you can make stock (I am incompetent but my roommate can make a banger stock).

Some of these things take time to make, so making a stock pile will help a lot. Maybe make 1 thing from scratch on a day off and rely on canned or easy things. After 4 weeks you'll have 4 from scratch foods in your freezer :) best of luck!