9 Cheap Dinners for One Person on a Budget

A cheap base is not always the whole dinner. Pasta may still need tuna and vegetables, while a potato needs a filling. Those additions affect both the price and the work waiting for you after a long day.

These nine cheap dinners for one person on a budget include ingredient quantities, estimated costs, equipment, and cooking times. Six make one dinner; three make two portions. Choose the amount that suits your appetite and give any second portion a place in tomorrow’s plans.

For breakfast and lunch options as well, see these cheap meals for one person.

About the prices: These are illustrative ingredient-cost estimates in U.S. dollars, including the listed sides and a small pantry allowance. See the sample prices and checkout-cost explanation below. Times are estimates; follow package directions and check doneness.

Quick Dinners for One

1. Loaded Black Bean, Corn, and Salsa Potato

Yield: 1 dinner. Estimated ingredients: $1.40. Active / total time: 5 / 12–20 minutes. Equipment: microwave and microwave-safe dishes.

You need: one 10 oz russet potato, half a 15 oz can drained black beans, 1/3 cup frozen corn (2 oz), and 2 tablespoons salsa (about 1 oz).

Scrub and pierce the potato. Microwave for four minutes, turn, then continue in one-minute intervals until the center is fork-tender. While it rests, microwave the corn according to its package directions; stir in the beans and heat until steaming.

Split the potato, add the hot filling, and spoon over the salsa. If the filling does not fit, serve it alongside the potato. Save the other half-can of beans for the tortilla skillet.

2. Peanut Vegetable Noodles With Egg

Yield: 1 dinner. Estimated ingredients: $0.90. Active / total time: 10 / 15–20 minutes. Equipment: saucepan, strainer, and bowl.

You need: 2 oz dry spaghetti, 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (2.5 oz), one egg, 1 tablespoon peanut butter (16 g), 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon oil.

Cook the pasta and vegetables, allowing each its package cooking time. Drain into a strainer. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat with the oil and scramble the egg until the white and yolk are firm.

Mix the peanut butter and soy sauce with 1–2 tablespoons hot water in your bowl. Add the noodles, vegetables, and egg; toss, adding another spoonful of water if needed.

3. Tomato Chickpea Skillet With Toast

Yield: 1 dinner. Estimated ingredients: $1.60. Active / total time: 10 / 15–20 minutes. Equipment: skillet.

You need: two bread slices, half a 15 oz can drained chickpeas, half a 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup frozen vegetables (2.5 oz), 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

Toast the bread in the dry skillet and remove it. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring, until the vegetables are cooked according to the package and the sauce is thick enough to spoon onto toast. Add a splash of water if it dries out. Serve immediately so the bread stays firmer.

4. Tuna Tomato Pasta for One

Yield: 1 dinner. Estimated ingredients: $1.80. Active / total time: 10 / 15–20 minutes. Equipment: saucepan and strainer.

You need: 2 oz dry pasta, 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (2.5 oz), one drained 5 oz can tuna, half an 8 oz can tomato sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning.

Cook the pasta and vegetables according to their package directions. Reserve a little cooking water, drain, and return them to the saucepan. Add tuna, sauce, and seasoning; warm until steaming, loosening with cooking water as needed. Bread and cheese are optional and excluded from the estimate.

Dinners With a Little More Cooking Time

5. Chicken Thigh, Potato, and Carrot Sheet-Pan Dinner

Yield: 1 dinner. Estimated ingredients: $1.90. Active / total time: 10 / 35–45 minutes after thawing. Equipment: oven, sheet pan, and food thermometer.

You need: 6 oz fully thawed boneless chicken thigh, 6 oz potato, 3 oz carrot, 1 teaspoon oil, and salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces, toss with oil and seasoning, and arrange beside the chicken. Roast, checking from about 25 minutes. The chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) in its thickest part, and the vegetables should be fork-tender.

If the chicken finishes first, transfer it to a clean plate and continue cooking the vegetables. Thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator before using this timing.

6. Cabbage, Sausage, and Potato Skillet

Yield: 1 dinner. Estimated ingredients: $1.00. Active / total time: 10 / 25–35 minutes. Equipment: covered skillet.

You need: 6 oz potato cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 2 oz sliced fully cooked smoked sausage, 4 oz shredded cabbage, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 cup water.

Cover and cook the potato with the water and oil until nearly fork-tender, about 10–15 minutes. Add water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Uncover, add sausage and cabbage, and cook until the vegetables are tender and the sausage meets its package reheating instructions. Allow roughly another 5–10 minutes.

Cook Once for Two Dinner Portions

These quantities make two planned portions. Divide the finished food before serving, then refrigerate tomorrow’s portion promptly. If you need a larger serving, adjust the yield and cost rather than counting food you will eat tonight as tomorrow’s dinner.

7. Small-Batch Red Lentil Tomato Rice

Yield: 2 dinners. Estimated batch / portion: $2.30 / $1.15. Active / total time: 10 / 30–40 minutes. Equipment: covered 3-quart saucepan.

You need: 2/3 cup dry long-grain white rice (125 g), 2/3 cup dry split red lentils (130 g), 3 cups water, three-quarters of a 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (5 oz), 2 teaspoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder.

Rinse the rice and lentils. Combine with water, oil, and curry powder; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently until the rice is almost tender, checking after 15 minutes. Add water if the pan dries before the rice softens.

Add tomatoes and vegetables. Simmer uncovered, stirring, until the rice is tender and the vegetables meet their package cooking directions. The lentils should soften into a thick sauce. Allow another 5–10 minutes, adjusting water to avoid scorching.

8. Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili With Rice

Yield: 2 dinners. Estimated batch / portion: $2.70 / $1.35. Active / total time: 15 / 35–45 minutes. Equipment: two saucepans.

You need: 8 oz sweet potato cut into 1/2-inch cubes, one drained 15 oz can black beans, three-quarters of a 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup dry white rice (90 g), 2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 cup water for the chili.

Cook the rice with the water quantity and timing on its package. In the other pan, combine the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until the sweet potato is fork-tender, checking after 20 minutes and adding water if needed. Uncover to thicken. Divide both the rice and chili between two portions; rice is included in the cost.

9. Bean, Corn, and Tortilla Skillet

Yield: 2 dinners. Estimated batch / portion: $2.70 / $1.35. Active / total time: 10 / 15–20 minutes. Equipment: skillet.

You need: six small corn tortillas, one drained 15 oz can black beans, 1 cup frozen corn (6 oz), half a 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and up to 1/4 cup water.

Cut the tortillas into strips. Simmer the beans, corn, tomatoes, oil, and seasoning, adding water as needed, until the corn is cooked according to its package. Fold in the tortilla strips and cook for another 2–3 minutes until softened. Divide between two bowls.

How the Dinner Cost Estimates Work

These are illustrative ingredient-used costs in U.S. dollars, based on the sample prices below rather than current store quotes. Each includes the listed sides and sauces, plus a $0.10 pantry allowance per portion for oil and small amounts of dried seasoning. Optional toppings, energy costs, tax, and delivery are excluded.

Batch totals are rounded to the nearest $0.10, then divided by the stated yield. Replace the sample prices with yours when planning a shop. Cooking times are estimates; follow package directions and the doneness checks in each recipe.

In the sample prices, 2 oz of dry pasta costs about $0.19. The tuna, vegetables, sauce, and pantry allowance bring dinner to about $1.80. The useful comparison includes everything you plan to eat. If another recipe needs bread or rice to make your intended portion, add that cost too.

Start with pantry staples you can use in several meals, then buy the fresh ingredients needed to finish your chosen dinners.

Use One Can of Beans and One Can of Tomatoes Across Four Dinners

Choose your dinners before buying packages. A compact grocery list for one person helps keep that first shop manageable.

Store Tomorrow’s Dinner Safely

Follow FoodSafety.gov’s food handling guidance: refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C). Divide cooked food into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly at 40°F (4°C) or below; do not leave a pot out until completely cool.

Use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days or freeze them sooner if plans change. Reheat to 165°F (74°C), checking the center and stirring where possible. A dish that sat out too long does not become safe simply because you reheat it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Cheapest Dinner in This List?

Peanut vegetable noodles are about $0.90 under these sample assumptions. Your cheapest choice may be different: using ingredients already open can require less new spending than buying several packages for a lower-priced recipe.

Which Dinners Make One Serving Without Cooked Leftovers?

The potato, peanut noodles, chickpea toast, tuna pasta, chicken dinner, and sausage skillet each make one planned portion. You may still have unused ingredients, such as half a can of beans, so give those a next use.

Is Cooking Two Portions Always Cheaper?

It saves a cooking session, but food savings depend on eating the second portion. Choose one serving when tomorrow is uncertain, or freeze the extra promptly. A weekly meal plan for one on a budget can help you assign it a specific night.

Choose a Dinner You Can Finish and Repeat

Start with the recipe that fits tonight’s time, equipment, and ingredients. Check its full portion cost, then decide where the remaining food will go. That second decision is what turns a cheap dinner into a grocery purchase you actually use.