Budget meals that hit the spot, every time 🍝

Necessity is the mother of invention, amiright?

Necessity is the mother of invention, and that expression couldn't be truer in the case of budget meals. Whether it's elbow macaroni with butter and black pepper or a potato chips omelet, you can't tell me these meals people made when they used to be broke don't belong on a fancy food truck menu or in everyone's lunch rotation. (Though, to be fair, the fried bologna sandwiches on the list do look to be a bit of a splurge!)   Try Budget Friendly Recipes! In a brand new interview with Vogue Philippines, Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician H.E.R. opened up about her Black and Filipina American identity, including her favorite Filipino dish and after-school snacks. I honestly can't remember the last time I got so hungry reading a celebrity interview. (And if you're so inspired, check out our favorite Filipino recipes here.)   With the cost of eggs (and many other kitchen staples) not going down anytime soon, learning how to cook on a budget is more important than ever. Thank goodness for people like  24-year-old Jenn Lueke, who are dishing out budget meal planning tips that'll leave both your wallet and stomachs satisfied. Two big tips of hers? 1.) Don't go to the grocery store without knowing what you're going to buy and what meals you'll cook, and 2.) Don't overcomplicate things when meal planning; start with a protein and build from there. Read the post for the rest of her tips.   If you've ever been to a Japanese or Asian grocery store, then you know that Japanese snacks absolutely dominate at engineering delicious flavor combinations and snackable textures. In fact, the overwhelming selection of tastiness can be overwhelming. Thankfully, Jen did the hard work for you and has listed out 21 of the best Japanese snacks out there. If you've got good taste, your favorite might've made it onto the list too!   Chefs live and die by certain rules of the culinary world — but rules are made to be broken, right? Especially when breaking them tastes so good. If using bacon in a carbonara sauce and using unwashed rice doesn't tip you over into an unhinged rage, then read on for a selection of chefs' favorite cooking "sins."   Some unconventional food combinations are so good, they're institutionalized into culinary norms (lookin' at you, chili and cinnamon rolls). But what about pairings like peanut butter and cheese, or pizza crust and soda? Our intrepid writer Hannah did the experimenting so you don't have to. Read on for her honest ratings.   If milkshakes are your thing (and honestly, whose are they not?), then you need to check out these jaw-dropping creations from the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen. Some people love an over-the-top bloody mary complete with a fried chicken leg — as for me, I'll take a milkshake with a slice of key lime pie over that any day!   Hosting dinner for more than a couple of people can be fun — but also a giant time suck, if you're not using the right tools. Thankfully, the right appliances to cut your prep time in half exist, and you can check a bunch of them out here.    Honey Soy-Glazed Salmon Brigadeiros Garlic Butter Steak Tomato Basil and Mozzarella Chicken Chocolate and Strawberry Tart Italian-Style Bolognese (Ragú) Zesty One-Pot Shrimp Pasta Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake BuzzFeed, Inc. 111 E. 18th St. New York, NY 10003 We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a small share of sales from the links in this email. View our privacy notice and cookie policy Unsubscribe