Budget Meal Prep — 20 Cheap Batch Recipes

By Mike Perry · editorial review (recipe selection and culinary technique) by AislePrompt Editorial — the per-portion nutrition figures are USDA-derived estimates and have not been reviewed by a Registered Dietitian

One-tap Instacart cart

Send this week’s ingredients to Instacart — every recipe below, aggregated into one cart at your preferred retailer.

Shop these recipes on Instacart →

Prefer to browse? Open the AislePrompt store on Instacart →

20 budget meal-prep recipes engineered around the cheapest shelf staples — dried beans, brown rice, pantry pasta, frozen vegetables, on-sale eggs, ground meat. All recipes are sized for batch cooking and designed to keep the Instacart cart affordable. For plant-protein bowls (tofu, chickpea, quinoa, lentil) at any price point, see vegetarian meal prep instead — this page sticks to the cheapest-per-portion math.

Nutrition disclaimer. Nutrition figures are sourced from USDA FoodData Central and are informational only — not a substitute for advice from a Registered Dietitian or physician.

Budget batch picks (1–20)

Shop these recipes on Instacart →

• 
  #1 Tamales Costarricenses

  1h · Costa Rican

  24g protein · 540 cal
• 
  #2 Chifrijo with Beans and Chicharrón

  40 min · Costa Rican

  28g protein · 780 cal
• 
  #3 Fish Stew with Root Vegetables

  55 min · Icelandic

  28g protein · 340 cal
• 
  #4 Rarebit Soup with Ale, Mustard and Cheddar Toasts

  45 min · Welsh
• 
  #5 Or Lam Luang Prabang Stew with Sakhan, Smoked Beef and Pea Eggplant

  1h 45m · Laotian

  36g protein · 420 cal
• 
  #6 Pozol Costarricense with Pork Shoulder, Hominy and Culantro

  45 min · Costa Rican

  32g protein · 430 cal
• 
  #7 Česnečka Garlic Soup with Shredded Beef and Rye Croutons

  2h 40m · Czech

  32g protein · 420 cal
• 
  #8 Anglesey Eggs with Leeks and Cheese

  1h · Welsh
• 
  #9 Leek and Potato Soup with Caerphilly

  50 min · Welsh

  8g protein · 260 cal
• 
  #10 Thukpa Himalayan Noodle Soup with Chicken and Timur Pepper

  55 min · Nepalese

  32g protein · 480 cal
• 
  #11 Kwati Nine-Bean Soup with Ajwain and Ginger

  1h 45m · Nepalese

  17g protein · 310 cal
• 
  #12 Gundruk ko Jhol Fermented Mustard Greens and Soybean Soup

  45 min · Nepalese

  9g protein · 190 cal
• 
  #13 Vigorón with Boiled Yuca, Crispy Chicharrón and Tangy Cabbage Slaw

  40 min · Costa Rican

  16g protein · 680 cal
• 
  #14 Crispy Patacones with Garlicky Black Bean Dip

  25 min · Costa Rican

  8g protein · 380 cal
• 
  #15 Tamales Costarricenses with Pork, Rice and Vegetables

  1h 40m · Costa Rican

  24g protein · 560 cal
• 
  #16 Sopa Negra with Poached Egg and Fresh Cilantro

  30 min · Costa Rican

  19g protein · 330 cal
• 
  #17 Gallo Pinto with Salsa Lizano and Fried Eggs

  25 min · Costa Rican

  18g protein · 480 cal
• 
  #18 Humarsúpa Icelandic Langoustine Soup with Cognac and Cream

  1h 25m · Icelandic

  26g protein · 430 cal
• 
  #19 Enchiladas Salvadoreñas with Seasoned Ground Beef, Boiled Egg and Curtido

  35 min · Salvadoran

  33g protein · 650 cal
• 
  #20 Casamiento Rice and Beans with Fried Eggs and Sweet Plantains

  28 min · Salvadoran

  17g protein · 490 cal

Common questions