Are you searching for cheap healthy meals that you can make quickly and incorporate into your healthy lifestyle? Well, you’re in luck! Read on to discover a list of eight delectable, affordable, and healthy recipes that you can try at home!

Contrary to popular belief, sticking to a healthy diet and making nutritious, low-fat, low-calorie meals doesn’t have to be a hassle for you. Many people believe that if they follow a healthy diet, they will eventually end up spending a lot on creating low-calorie meals. Meanwhile, some people simply don’t have the time to prepare healthy meals. It’s why they tend to stick to ordering in cheap fast foods or resort to making a quick, unhealthy sandwich with manufactured food items and sauces.

However, if you use the right ingredients, you can surely create some truly scrumptious cheap healthy meals. The trick is to be conscious of what you’re putting in your body and ensure that you prepare your food in a healthy manner.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some affordable and healthy meals that you can prepare quickly and without much hassle!

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11/14/2024 06:14 am GMT

8 Delicious and Cheap Healthy Meals

Here are eight delectable and cheap healthy meals that you can prepare for yourself and your loved ones while trying to stay fit and healthy:

1. Artichoke and Eggplant Rice

This hearty eggplant and artichoke rice meal is tasty, cost-effective, low-fat, and low-calorie. You can prepare a large batch and even eat the cold leftovers the next day.

Here’s how you can prepare this dish:

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants, cut into chunks
• 400g of paella rice
• 1 finely chopped large onion
• A small pack of parsley, with finely chopped stalks and picked leaves
• 2 175g packs of chargrilled artichokes
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 ½ pack of low-salt, organic vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
• 1 juiced lemon
• 2 teaspoons of turmeric
• 60ml of olive oil
• 1 lemon cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.
2. Fry the eggplant chunks in the pan until they are nicely colored on all sides.
3. Add another tablespoon of oil if the eggplant pieces catch too much, and then remove and set them aside.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and lightly fry the onion for 2 to 3 minutes until it softens.
5. Throw the garlic and parsley stalks into the mix and cook for a few minutes.
6. Stir in the rice and spices until everything is coated nicely.
7. Heat the mixture for another 2 minutes and then add half the stock and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan.
8. Put the artichokes and eggplant into the mixture and pour the rest of the stock as well.
9. Cook the dish for about 20 more minutes until the rice is thoroughly cooked.
10. Chop the parsley leaves and stir them in with the lemon juice.
11. Put the prepared dish into bowls and decorate them with lemon wedges on the side.

Cool Beans Salad

This protein-rich dish is an ideal cheap, healthy meal. The basmati rice adds a rich and unique flavor to the refreshing salad, while the dressing provides it some much-needed tang.

Here’s how you can make some delicious cool beans salad:

Ingredients

• 1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups of cooked basmati rice
• 1 can or 15 ounces of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 ½ cups of thawed frozen corn
• 4 sliced green onions
• 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• ¼ cup of red wine vinegar
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/ teaspoon of pepper
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1/4 cup of minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Take a small bowl and mix the vinegar and oil with the minced garlic, sugar, and spices.
2. In a large bowl, put the basmati rice, beans, corn, sweet red pepper, and green onions. Mix them well.
3. Pour the dressing into the bowl and mix the salad.
4. Top the salad with the minced fresh cilantro and serve.

3. Chili, Lime and Cashew Fish Fingers

If you are a fan of crunchy fish fingers and chips, you’ll be immensely pleased to know that you can create a healthy, low-fat version of this classic comfort food.

Here’s how you can make delicious fish fingers:

Ingredients

• 500g of firm white fish fillets, cut into 2cm-thick strips
• ½ cup of plain flour
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 4 medium Sebago potatoes cut into thick chips
• 2 cups of fresh breadcrumbs
• Olive oil cooking spray
• ½ cup of finely chopped unsalted cashews
• 2 teaspoons of finely grated lime rind
• 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• Green salad to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 390 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Put the flour on a large plate and coat the pieces of fish in it while shaking off the excess.
3. Prepare an egg and milk mixture in a shallow bowl and dip the fish pieces in it one by one.
4. Combine the lime rind, cashews, breadcrumbs, and chili in another bowl or plate and coat the fish fillets in the mixture.
5. Refrigerate the coated fish.
6. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
7. Arrange the potato slices on one tray, spray them with oil, and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Put the coated fish in a single layer on the other baking tray and spray the fillets with olive oil.
9. Bake the dish with the potatoes until the fish is golden and cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
10. Serve the fish and chips on top of freshly-made green salad.

Easy and Quick Chicken Hummus Bowl

If you’re looking for a cheap healthy meal, nothing beats a quick and easy-to-make chicken and hummus salad bowl that you can have for lunch or dinner. It’s a hearty meal that you can throw together in under 10 minutes. Here’s what you need to prepare this delectable salad:

Ingredients

• 1 cooked chicken breast, sliced at an angle
• 200g of hummus
• 150g of baby spinach, chopped roughly
• 200g pouch of cooked mixed grains
• 100g of pomegranate seeds
• 1 small lemon, juiced and zested
• 1 small avocado, halved and sliced
• 2 tablespoons of toasted almonds
• ½ red onion, sliced finely

Instructions

1. Mix two tablespoons of hummus with half of the lemon juice, the zest, and enough water to prepare a drizzly dressing.
2. Divide the cooked grains into two shallow bowls and drizzle the dressing on top.
3. Mix the grains and then top them off with a handful of spinach.
4. Pour the remaining lemon juice over the avocado halves, and add one half to each bowl.
5. Divide the pomegranate seeds, almonds, onions, chicken, and the remaining hummus between the two bowls.
6. Gently mix everything right before eating.

Red Lentil, Chili, and Chickpea Soup

If you’re looking for a hearty, filling, and healthy meal, you must try this rich red lentil and chickpea soup. This flavorful dish has got a kick to it thanks to the chili flakes.

Here’s how you can prepare this mouthwatering soup:

Ingredients

• 850ml vegetable stock or water
• 140g of red split lentils
• 200g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 400g can of chopped or whole tomatoes
• 1 chopped red onion
• A large pinch of chili flakes
• 2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 4 tablespoons of 0% Greek yogurt
• A small bunch of roughly chopped coriander

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chili flakes in it for a minute or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aroma.
2. Add the chopped red onion and olive oil into the mix and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the vegetable stock, red split lentils, and tomatoes.
4. Bring the stock to a boil and then let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the lentils soften.
5. Use a stick blender to make a rough purée of the soup, and then add the chickpeas into the mix.
6. Heat the soup gently, season it, and stir in the chopped coriander.
7. Put the soup in a bowl and top it with 0% Greek yogurt.

6. Cobb Salad Wraps

The best thing about these healthy and mouthwatering tortilla wraps is the homemade light and refreshing dressing. The bacon, avocado, tomato, and blue cheese also add abundant flavor to this cheap, healthy meal.

Here’s how you can prepare this meal:

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sliced and cooked chicken breast
• 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• ½ cup of chopped avocado
• 4 shredded romaine leaves
• 4 warmed whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
• 1 thinly sliced celery rib
• 2 tablespoons of chopped ripe olives
• 1 sliced green onion
• 2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese
• 1 chopped medium tomato
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 minced garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon of dill weed
• 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the avocado, bacon, celery, chicken, onion, cheese, and olives.
2. Prepare the dressing in another bowl by combining the honey, lemon juice, garlic, dill weed, mustard, salt, and pepper. Top it with some oil.
3. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss the mixture.
4. Put the romaine on each tortilla and top it with 2/3 cup of chicken mixture.
5. Sprinkle the topping with tomatoes and then toll up the tortilla.

. Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken and Vegetables

This is easily one of the most popular healthy meals out there. It’s an easy-to-prepare recipe that provides you with a burst of flavor and is well-loved by both meat and veggie lovers.

Here’s how you can make lemon and herb roast chicken and vegetables:

Ingredients

• 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 ¾ pounds)
• 1 pound quarter pieces of small, red-skinned potatoes or sweet potatoes
• 2 medium carrots, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium red onion cut up into ½ inch wedges
• 2 stalks of celery, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 halved lemon
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Put the oven rack in the top-most position and preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss the potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, salt, pepper, and olive oil together and put it on a rimmed baking tray in a single layer.
3. Roast the veggies until they are slightly brown and the potatoes begin to soften. It might take about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to turn them over after 10 minutes.
4. Rub the chicken breast skin with some oil and sprinkle the poultry seasoning and about ½ teaspoon of salt on it.
5. Once the vegetables begin to soften, place the chicken breasts on top of them and roast until the skin is nice and golden brown.
6. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. It should take about 20 to 25 minutes to reach the internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Remove the cooked chicken breasts and let them rest for a few minutes,
8. Squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon on top of the roasted veggies and then top them with chopped parsley.
9. Use a sharp knife to cut the bones from the chicken and slice the meat.
10. Serve the chicken and roasted veggies by topping them with some thin lemon wedges made from the other half of the lemon.

8. Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry

Are you struggling to beat your potato craving while sticking to a healthy diet? Well, if you want a cheap healthy meal made of potatoes, you must try this chicken and sweet potato curry.

Here’s what you need to prepare this healthy meal:

Ingredients

• 4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into large chunks
• 500g of sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped roughly
• 125g of spinach
• 2 tablespoons of curry paste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water for 5 to 7 minutes until they are tender. Drain well and set them aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet and then add the chicken and onion to it.
3. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes until it’s browned and cooked through.
4. Stir in the curry paste and cook the mixture for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes into the mix and cook the curry for another minute.
6. Pour about 100ml of boiling water into the pan.
7. Let the curry simmer for 5 minutes before adding the spinach and cooking it for another 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
8. Fold the potatoes into the mix and heat them through.
9. Pour the curry into a wide serving bowl and serve it with brown rice.

The Bottom Line

It can be a bit overwhelming to find recipes of cheap, healthy meals hidden among the plethora of recipes made with expensive foods touted as healthy options. If you want to prepare some truly affordable meals that are healthy and delicious, try the aforementioned dishes. These meals are refreshing and incredibly easy to make. Plus, since they taste so good, they will make it easier for you to stick to a healthy diet!