[USER]

I have someone visiting me for two weeks, and I’m trying to plan ahead. She has a big appetite and eats a lot, so I want to make sure there’s always something ready to eat.

I’m looking for meal ideas that are on the healthier side (not super strict, just generally balanced) but also affordable and budget-friendly.

Ideally, I’d like recipes or dishes that are easy to make in larger portions, store well in the fridge, and don’t require expensive ingredients.

I’m not necessarily aiming for super low-calorie meals — just options that feel a bit healthier than fast food or frozen dinners.

I’d really appreciate suggestions for meals, snacks, or even prep strategies that have worked for others in similar situations.

I enjoy cooking, but I don’t want to be in the kitchen all day every day, so any time-saving tips would be great too!

Thanks in advance!

[Jill]

I’d take her to the store so she can buy extras that she wants. Or maybe she’d like to make a few meals for the family?

[Nick]

Potentially for two weeks you focus on cost savings as a higher priority than healthy. Obviously still eat the healthier cheap options but if you have to choose one or the other go with cost savings.

Your family can go back to normal after.

Maybe one meatless meal a day. Breakfast for dinner one night a week.
Don’t make meat the main course.

Like soups and casseroles can stretch meats.

[Fran]

I would cook what you normally do. If she complains or says anything, kindly let her know that she is welcome to shop and cook whatever she wants or she can sponsor meals out.

I visit my friends and family a lot and I always offer to cook or take them out.

We usually do a combination of these.

Since I stay for free, I always want to contribute.

[Loretta]

Veggies soups with beans, fried rice with veggies and eggs, quesadillas, tuna with pasta

[Rosa]

If you cut up a bunch of fruits and veggies…and maybe a yogurt based dip she could always have something to snack on.

Anything with chickpeas…

lots of cooked chicken…and tons of roasted veggies…

with a nice assortment of pita bread or wraps…yummy and filing.

[Wallen]

* Pulled chicken in a crockpot:
chicken, ranch packet, franks red hot (or a milder sauce) – cook for 4 hours, shred and put on buns.

* Kale Caesar salad is super cheap and healthy:
rinsed kale, olive oil, anchovy paste, parmesan, pepper, salt, and lemon juice

* Sauteed chickpeas with garlic, salt and pepper (cheap side and nutritious)

* California medley casserole with chicken:
medley veggies, mushroom soup, garlic, pepper, sour cream and chicken baked in the oven – can top with cheese if you desire

* Eggroll in a bowl:
ground chicken/beef/or turkey, mixed with a bag or two of cabbage mix. Sauté on stove and throw in ginger, garlic and soy sauce.

* Chicken noodle soup with rotisserie chicken:
chicken, carrots, celery, egg noodles, water and chicken bouillon (very easy in instant pot)

* Cheese quesadillas (can be healthier with low carb wraps)
* Coney dogs (those are cheap and you can use low carb buns)
* Goulash-
elbow noodles, sauce, meat and veggies of your choice
* Split Pea Soup- makes a lot!

1 bag of split peas, pepper, salt and a ham bone in the instant pot or on the stove

* Lentil Soup-
1 bag of lentils, black beans, carrots, celery, onion, carrot, chicken broth, bay leaves, salt, pepper, garlic. In instant pot or on stove.

* Hamburger green bean cream cheese casserole (just mix together after cooking hamburger and bake-top with cheese if desired)

[Skylar]

Most hispanic dishes are cheap and easy to make if youre into alot of beans and rice.

Eggs and cut up hotdogs, bean and cheese burritos, caldos and pozole can be very filling.

Baked Corn tortilla chips topped with red or green salsa and cheese (you can top with any choice proteins) etc.

[Suzy]

Any protein heavy meals that are affordable, like any meals with beans, chickpeas, lentils will help fill everyone up! (and they’re healthy)
So, maybe a falafel bar night?

Where you set out the ingredients and everyone makes their own falafel wrap?

The rotisserie chicken idea is good too, where night one you eat the chicken with a carb dish, then night two, you turn it into chicken noodle soup/bone broth.

[Cindy]

If this person is your husband’s relative, then this is his problem, not yours. Cook your normal food and don’t stress about it.

If he doesn’t like it, then he can come up with a solution.

[Lisa]

You can get a boxed pasta salad mix and double it. Add a bag of peas, cherry tomatoes cut in half, diced cucumbers and olives.

Add some canned chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken.

It’s filling, makes plenty for a family for 1-2 days, keeps well in fridge and is fairly economical.

She can dip and add crackers as she pleases.

[Lynn]

If she’s going to be with you for 2 weeks I would make the grocery shopping trip a fun adventure, yes, take her grocery shopping with you.

Plan menus together, pick out snacks etc.

together, and maybe she’ll contribute at check out?

I’ve shopped with my friends and we make it so fun!

[Cindy]

Ask her to message you some of her favorite breakfast and lunch items, dinner meal ideas she’d love to have while she’s visiting, as well as some items she’d like to enjoy for snacks and drinks (water, coffee, tea, juice, etc) – explain you’ll be going out to do some shopping and you would love to pick up the things she enjoys too, so she can feel right at home and enjoy a beautiful stay with the family!!

[Heather]

My suggestion would be to bulk up your normal meals by adding in more vegetables and or Beans, lentils, chickpeas.

I’d also make up a huge pot of thick filling soup and served 1/2 prior to main meal or can be eaten when feeling hungry during the day.

Pumpkin soup always a winner, as cream is expensive sub in coconut cream.

However a straight up thick Vegetable soup is always going to be yummy and filling.

Use no brand chicken noodle soup packs as the base. No brand vegetables mix, no brand pasta, any other vegetables that you what to throw in.

I grate unpopular vegetables as then they are disguised in the soup and make the soup thicker when cooked.

All meals I’d put hidden veggies in by grating
Spaghetti with garlic bread
Lasagna served with salad / chips

Stir fries served with noodles or rice
Butter Chicken served with rice and homemade naans
Sausages, chips, gravy and serve of vegetables
Sausage rolls

I’d make some cheap biscuits and cupcakes and have them ready for morning or afternoon tea.

Fruits are good however can be wasted unless served.

When I do morning tea or afternoon tea I make up individual plates for husband and guests

Typically for four people I’d use one orange one banana one apple one pear piece of slice or cupcake.

Otherwise I find everyone eats the sweets and don’t touch the fruit so it’s an expensive waste of food.

I also sub out a cuppa for soup and fruit snack.

[Author]

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