Need more tasty meal ideas that don’t break the bank? This blog series offers just that!
Whether you are trying to get out of debt, or simply living a frugal lifestyle, these ideas can help you eat healthy, yummy foods on a budget.
I have dedicated today’s post to EGGS!
Eggs are filled with protein and can be prepared into a variety of delicious meals. You can pair eggs with a number of healthy options as well; from spinach to peppers, even avocados and tomatoes! The list goes on and on.
A 12-pack of eggs can cost anywhere from $3 to $8 depending on the quality and where you shop. For one person, eating 3 eggs per meal, that is 4 meals costing as low as $0.75 to $2 per meal. The cost will go up depending on the meal, but it starts out incredibly low.
This variety of egg-based meals can be prepared for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. While eggs are often thought of as a breakfast item, they are really great any time of the day. That is the beauty of this versatile ingredient!
Here are the options for cooking and eating eggs:
1. Scrambled Eggs
Eat them plain with salt and pepper, or spruce it up with Veggies, Cheese, and/or Meat! We enjoy adding a combination of the following:
- Peppers – Bell peppers are great if you can’t handle the heat, like me. If you love it spicy, use jalapenos, habaneros, or another hot pepper.
- Lunch meat, cut up into small pieces (ham, turkey, roast beef – use whatever you have on hand).
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Cheese
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Hot sauce
- Spinach
2. Fried Eggs, over easy/medium
If you like the yolk a little runny, this goes great on a piece of toast. I enjoy dipping the toast in the yolk!
For the avocado lovers out there, add a fried egg to your avocado toast to make it more of a full meal.
A fried egg is also an amazing addition to a burger. If you haven’t tried this before, I HIGHLY recommend it. I thought it sounded weird before I tried it, and now I’m obsessed.
It’s hard for me to eat a burger without a fried egg added now!
Of course, I can’t leave out the classic breakfast option: fried eggs with bacon & hash browns!
3. Fried Eggs, over hard
If you aren’t a fan of runny yolk, just fry it on both sides for a little longer.
Fried egg sandwich: Pop the yolk while it’s cooking and fry it on each side until fully cooked. At the same time, toast two pieces of bread. Butter the toast and then put the fried egg on it, butter sides in.
I like eating this for lunch with some soup!
4. In a burrito
Breakfast burritos are delicious any time of the day, in my opinion. We generally use all the same ingredients as in our scrambled eggs (above), plus hashbrowns if we have them.
Mix it up and add sausage, bacon pieces, or ham! Again, the name of the game is keeping costs low, so use whatever you have on hand.
We also plan out our meals so we can use the meat in multiple dishes. Buy a pack of bacon to eat in a burrito and with scrambled eggs. You don’t need a lot of bacon when you are making a meal and combine with eggs and veggies.
(Bacon lovers, please don’t attack. I realize eating bacon is not about need; it’s about want, and you always WANT a lot of bacon. Please just try to understand my frugal mindset here! haha)
5. Breakfast sandwich
McDonald’s, Starbucks, or your local diner/cafe. Breakfast sandwiches can be found in all shapes and sizes.
But nothing beats a homemade breakfast sandwich, made to order!
Everything tastes better when it’s homemade with love.
I prefer to use an English muffin and a fried egg, with sliced ham. I’ve seen it done with croissants for the bread, or you could use toast. Substitute the ham for sausage or bacon (or both).
Increase the healthiness factor by using 100% whole wheat English muffins. You can also add tomatoes, avocado, and spinach!
6. Egg Salad Sandwich
This is a simple, yummy sandwich and one of my faves! All you need is bread, mayo, salt and pepper, and boiled eggs. Mash the boiled eggs up with a fork, mix with mayo and salt and pepper, then spread on bread.
Add lettuce for an added little crunch!
Again, if you love avocado, replace the mayo with mashed avocado and add red pepper for flavor. This is a healthier and unique spin on the egg salad sandwich. Spread it on bread or eat it like a dip with crackers!
This is a great option for on-the-go lunches.
7. Omelets
Omelets are similar to scrambled eggs, but take a little more skill to cook. Unlike scrambled eggs, omelets can be a bit fluffier. Mmmmm!
They are a great option for a quick, easy breakfast!
As with many of these meals, there are multiple ways to cook omelets. Here is the simplest way that I’ve found:
- Start by warming the pan on medium heat with your oil (we collect bacon grease and use that).
- While that is warming, mix your eggs with a fork, add a splash of milk (we use almond milk), and seasonings in a bowl.
- Once the pan is hot, cook any veggies and meat in the pan.
- Add in the egg mixture once your veggies and meat are cooked.
- As the eggs cook, pull up the sides and let the excess runny egg mixture pour to the bottom of the pan by tilting the pan slightly. (You can also put a lid on the pan to help the eggs cook all the way through.)
- This step allows for easier flipping.
- Do not mix or scramble the egg mixture.
- After most of the egg is cooked through, use a spatula to flip the entire omelet and cook on the other side. This should only take a few seconds, since most of the egg and other ingredients are cooked.
- If you are adding cheese, do so right after flipping the omelet and let it melt.
- Finally, fold your omelet in half and flip once more to make sure it is cooked all the way through.
Enjoy!
8. Frittatas or Quiche
You can prepare these ahead of time, freeze, then reheat later, which makes them great options for busy mornings.
For a simpler version, try out this recipe for Omelet Breakfast Cups! All it takes are eggs, tater tots, milk, cheese, and your chosen toppings (ham, peppers, onions, etc).
I’ve personally tried this recipe and they turned out great. We froze them and reheated each morning in the microwave. It saved a ton of time and they were a super filling breakfast!
Related Post: How Eating Healthy Will Actually Save You Money
These next options are often better suited as SNACKS than meals:
9. Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are a great healthy snack alternative. Instead of a granola bar or cookies for your mid-morning snack, eat a boiled egg and you’ll have the energy you need to make it to lunch!
Add boiled eggs to a salad to make it into more of a meal!
10. Deviled Eggs
If you are up for putting in a little extra work, deviled eggs are a delicious snack. There are a ton of recipes out there for how to prepare the yolk mixture, so you can make it different each time. Play with the options and experiment with it to find your perfect combination.
Alright, now go buy a pack of eggs and get started on your low-cost meal plan!
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