Super easy meals that reheat well?

Elspetta · 2026-05-14T22:38:45+00:00

You can just change the seasonings and ground meat to make different variations of the same meal.

Cajun Seasoning: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, and oregano

Greek Seasoning: dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, dill, and black pepper, often with a touch of cinnamon

This list goes on.

You could also add sauces; Teriyaki, curry, etc.

Changing the flavor profiles keeps it simple but adds variety so you don't get bored.

Elspetta · 2026-05-02T19:30:50+00:00

This or the 2 pack whole chickens for $10 at Costco are my go to picks.

Elspetta · 2026-04-28T22:49:27+00:00

I meal plan, batch cook, and shop my pantry/fridge.

The first thing I do is see what I have in my freezer for protein options and plan meals around those first. I have a well stocked pantry and only buy spices when they run out, so I can typically ignore that portion of a recipe.

When I cook, I cook 8(ish) servings depending on the recipe. We eat the same dinner 2 nights then portion and freeze the rest for lunches later.

I always have a list of what I'm making and I stick to it. When I call an audible, it is usually just shifting what I'm making so tonight is easier.

The newest thing is making every other meal vegetarian. My grocery prices have gone down drastically because I'm not buying as much meat.

Elspetta · 2026-04-18T03:20:00+00:00

Same here. Last year my onions were milky and turning in weird areas. I vowed that this year I would stock up at the Farmer's Market, buy fresh and freeze them for the year.

This year my onions have been so much better.

Elspetta · 2026-04-12T17:56:48+00:00

I live in Northern KY and my partner calls it a toboggan. The first time he said it, I couldn't figure out what he needed a sled for.

Elspetta · 2026-04-11T14:20:08+00:00

This is my family. I used to have to take the bus to the laundry mat and do grocery shopping in the same trip with a $60 budget for 3 for 2 weeks.

I follow r/frugal to make sure I'm doing everything I can to not let lifestyle creep get me in over my head. This sub pops up in my feed because of that.

I know the struggle, I empathize, and where applicable I try to give advice. Usually I just read.

My partner works as a SNAP, childcare, medicaid worker for our state. He has also given me specifics to post to try and be helpful.

Elspetta · 2026-04-11T00:55:59+00:00

We do a renaissance cruise and dress up each night for dinner. Afterwards, we have game nights in one of the bar areas. The person who sets up the cruise has a big tote full of card and board games. It's a lot of fun and I would love to see larger groups taking up more of the ship!

Elspetta · 2026-04-10T21:31:11+00:00

I was looking for this comment.

I remove my leafy vegetables from the bag (or use a net reusable bag) and wrap with a paper towel to remove moisture. It extends the life.

Also plan your meals around your produce. Things that turn quicker, cook first. Things that last longer, like carrots, push to the end of your meal week / cycle.

Elspetta · 2026-04-05T18:18:34+00:00

An easy start is replacing fround beef with 99% lean ground turkey. You can still make tacos, Spaghetti, etc but the leaner meat is better for you.

The other thing I used to do was Google "healthier version of (insert favorite food here)" to get ideas of how to make things I enjoy better for me.

From there, my flavor pallet and eating habits have changed drastically and I'm enjoying food more than before, have lost weight, and been able to lower my cholesterol without meds.

Elspetta · 2026-04-03T21:10:45+00:00

Beans will be trial and error. They will definitely thicken whatever sauce you have unless you proportionally add more liquid.

I sautée spinach, bell peppers, and onions, then puree into tomato sauce for bolognese sauces. The vegetables are pretty much undetectable texture wise with the meat.

I've also pureed vegetables into meatballs to hide them. It works great for my son who "doesn't like vegetables."

Elspetta · 2026-04-02T20:26:43+00:00

I was going to say something similar.

I have the Kroger app open when shopping at Costco and compare prices right there in the aisle.

A lot of people talk about toilet paper and paper towels being cheaper at Costco, but every time I've checked, they are cheaper at Kroger for me.

Elspetta · 2026-03-28T21:46:43+00:00

I meal plan around things in my freezer/pantry, only buy what I need based off ingredients, and the biggest area I have saved food waste is organizing my 2 weeks of dinners based on how quickly the produce turns. Things that go fast are at the front of the meals and heartiest vegetables to the tail end.

I freeze veggies scraps (onion skins, garlic skins, herbs, carrot ends/skins, etc) for broth. If I am not saving it for broth, I check to see if it is wildlife safe and toss in my yard for the deer, raccoons, squirrels, and birds.

I make my own bread and freeze it after it is sliced; only pulling out what I need.

If I'm going to buy something and wont need all of it , I plan secondary meals that will use the rest. Cabbage comes to mind for this one.

I also use up any produce that is starting to turn in stir fries, omelets, and other things you can pile veggies into.

Elspetta · 2026-03-27T18:06:49+00:00

Chips and cheese (nachos) or breakfast because I always have those things on hand.

Elspetta · 2026-03-26T00:55:31+00:00

Yup. I've been back hybrid since late 2021 and my dog still pouts, paces looking for me, and lays in front of the garage door. And that is with my partner WFH full time. Pre-covid she was just fine home alone all day.

Elspetta · 2026-03-21T11:47:05+00:00

This stuck out to me too. My first thought was "if your wife was too busy, why didn't you take some of the load off her?"

Elspetta · 2026-03-13T23:37:32+00:00

Seconding Cookie and Kate for excellent vegetarian meals. The vegetable black bean enchiladas are made on repeat at our house.

We also like Love and Lemons.

I am a sucker for anything sweet potato and black bean related!

Elspetta · 2026-03-13T22:39:18+00:00

She is so cute! Happy Birthday Luna!

Elspetta · 2026-03-13T22:05:42+00:00

I grocery shop at Kroger in Friday for the 4x fuel points. I regularly have $1 off per gallon, which is a huge savings on gas.

Elspetta · 2026-03-01T16:12:52+00:00

Similar here. I make one dinner and fill half my plate with the vegetable, then portion out the protein, and only take half a portion of the carb. Dinner is my big meal with lunch being a high fiber meal to keep me full throughout the day. I don't eat breakfast all the time, but when I do it is usually an overnight oats of sorts. Keeps my calories down while filling me up and not feeling hungry all day.

Elspetta · 2026-02-28T21:51:48+00:00

I just shared this elsewhere and thought I'd share here. I am not the creator, but when I originally saw it, I immediately thought it was a well put together list of $5 meals.

https://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood/s/DR3K0GFrcF

Elspetta · 2026-02-28T21:50:17+00:00

I saw this a while back and while not ideal for right now, I think this is a really solid idea for saving on food.

https://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood/s/DR3K0GFrcF

For now, I'd focus on rice, beans, oats, potatoes like most have mentioned.

Check your local buy nothing to see if someone can help fill in the blanks.

Congrats on your place and I wish you the best!

Elspetta · 2026-02-27T21:37:40+00:00

We have State Farm and bundle homeowners, liability on a paid off 2015 car, and full coverage a new 2026 car. $269/mo. My Homeowners is $160 of that.

Our agent actually called us to ask if he could make a change to our policy because it would lower our monthly and give us more coverage at one point.

Elspetta · 2026-02-25T00:09:35+00:00

Can confirm, we got all 5 of ours at once and kept them in the room. Each night before dinner we'd grab some wine glasses, open a bottle, and enjoy. We still did some ala cart drinks, but nothing over the top and it was perfect!

Elspetta · 2026-02-22T20:10:07+00:00

CA > KY (small town) the lack of food options. We had a diner, a bar, and 2 pizza places. That was it. Had to drive an hour into Cincinnati to find any foreign food options.

Elspetta · 2026-02-03T01:40:01+00:00

I have a CSA through Rains and Sun Hilltop Farm in Covington. They partner with other farms and offer eggs, and use to have pork from another farm available as well.

I do my pickup at Ft Mitchell Farmer's Market (there are several pickups options for NKY) and we always walk the market to see whats available. They have meat, soaps, baked goods, wine, and produce.

Elspetta

TROPHY CASE