The increasing cost of living can make finding cheap lunch ideas that still pack plenty of flavour hard. You might be wondering how to eat cheap in Australia with seasonal and local ingredients and if it's even possible. You've come to the right place!

Often, a new recipe can become a keeper in your kitchen. Whether you’re looking for easy cheap work lunches to make meal prep a breeze or something a little more romantic you can whip up to impress your special someone, we’ve gathered some of the best cheap meal ideas to keep things fresh and tasty in your kitchen.

Shopping on a budget does not have to mean eating repetitive and bland meals, and we wanted to put together this article to show you just how easy it can be. These recipes will help you keep your cheap dinner ideas healthy and fresh while bringing something unexpected to your kitchen table.

Why meal prep is important

Meal prepping often works out cheaper than cooking individual meals, so it's a good idea to introduce meal prepping into your weekly routine. By cooking many meals at once, you can buy ingredients in larger quantities. This is especially true for items you use more infrequently in the kitchen, such as spices, sauces and condiments. Not to mention, having meals on hand makes it easy to avoid ordering takeout when cooking seems like a chore. Simply pull out a delicious, microwave-ready meal, and enjoy your meal, without the meal delivery regret.

If your food budget is tight at the moment, preparing easy cheap work lunches in advance can be beneficial; with that in mind.

With no further ado, keep scrolling for our top five cheap lunches.

Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Gouda

Soup often comes to mind when thinking about cheap lunches; it is the perfect work-from-home option when you feel like a warm and soothing meal without the fuss. You can use a Nutribullet or food processor to blend your soup after oven-baking the ingredients. Then, by whipping up a big batch of soup, you can have your lunch ready to go by simply popping it in the microwave. Add a serving of bread and butter, and voila!

Find the full recipe here.

Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Rice Bowl

If you want to keep your budget lunch and cheap dinner ideas healthy and refreshing, this may be the perfect recipe. This recipe is vegan, so whether you follow a vegan diet or are just looking for a change, this delicious meal will suit you. This recipe involves cooking sweet potato in the oven and using a handy food processor to make the cauliflower rice. The result is a very satisfying midday meal.

You can see the full recipe here.

Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips

This recipe is a perfect solution for anyone searching for cheap dinner ideas for two people or more and grabbing a scoop of delicious slow-cooked beef has never been easier. It’s cooked with a delightful spice blend combining cinnamon, allspice and cloves to give it a unique and wholesome taste and aroma. When it comes to cheap meal ideas, a slow cooker is a handy investment. Plus, it allows you to cook a large amount and package it up for later.

You can take a look at the full recipe here.

Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

This delicious crock pot teriyaki chicken is the perfect meal to whip up on a Sunday, ready for the week ahead. This meal is delicious and filled with stir-fried veggies, a homemade teriyaki sauce, and rice, and involves very little cooking.

Find the full recipe here.

Everyday Air Fryer Chicken Salad

This might be the perfect recipe for those days when you are in a rush and don’t have time to prepare a full meal. By utilising an air fryer, this salad can be whipped up in no time. Within 20 minutes, you can pop the chicken in the air fryer and prepare a salad! As a bonus, this recipe is also dairy and gluten-free. The chicken is flavoured with cumin, oregano, garlic powder and paprika. Yum!

Find the full recipe here.

That’s a wrap on our top 5 cheap meal ideas for your next lunchtime meal prep. We hope that this blog has inspired you to make magic in the kitchen, incorporating unique ingredients and flavours into your everyday life while sticking to a budget.

FAQs

Q. How to eat cheap in Australia?

Admittedly, food prices are relatively high compared to other countries worldwide. However, there are still ways to stick to a budget:

Plan your meals — planning your meals helps to avoid waste and saves you money as you bulk buy ingredients.
Shop at discount supermarkets — supermarkets such as Aldi or Costco often offer lower prices on ingredients.
Buy in bulk — sometimes, large quantities of items such as rice or pasta can be significantly cheaper.
Try to eat vegetarian sometimes — meat can be pretty expensive in Australia, so eating a vegetarian meal once a week or so can help bring down your grocery budget.

Q. What are the cheapest protein sources in Australia?

Chickpeas, canned tuna, lentils, tofu and chicken breast are some of the cheaper protein sources available in Australia.