Helping Plate original 20 min Often under $6
Vegetable egg fried rice
Cold leftover rice, eggs, and frozen mixed vegetables become a fast one-pan meal in about 20 minutes.
See ingredients and swaps
Helping PlateMake more with what you have All affordable recipes Free pantry meal finder Helping Plate original 
Helping Plate original
Helping Plate original
Helping Plate original
Helping Plate original
Helping Plate original
Helping Plate original1 2 3
What can I make with what I have?
Choose a few ingredients already in your kitchen. We’ll rank affordable recipes that can help you turn them into a meal—without requiring an account.
Step 1
What do you have?
Pick any staples, then add anything else separated by commas.
Step 2
17 meals to consider
Choose an ingredient to rank the collection, or browse the newest recipes below.
Helping Plate original Helping Plate original 35 min Often under $7
Black bean and potato skillet
Crisp-edged potatoes, black beans, and tomatoes make a filling meatless skillet from inexpensive everyday ingredients.
See ingredients and swaps Helping Plate original 25 min Often under $9
Creamy tuna and pea pasta
Canned tuna, frozen peas, and pasta become a quick creamy dinner without canned soup or heavy cream.
See ingredients and swaps Helping Plate original 30 min Often under $7
Smoky chickpea and tomato stew
Chickpeas and canned tomatoes simmer into a filling one-pot stew with an optional handful of frozen spinach.
See ingredients and swaps Helping Plate original 45 min Often under $8
One-pot tomato lentils and rice
Brown lentils, rice, and canned tomatoes simmer into a hearty meatless meal made almost entirely from shelf-stable ingredients.
See ingredients and swaps Helping Plate original 40 min Often under $7
Banana peanut butter baked oatmeal
Ripe bananas, oats, and peanut butter bake into six soft breakfast squares that can be made ahead and reheated.
See ingredients and swaps 30 min $7.14 when source was updated
Beef and cabbage stir-fry
A fast skillet dinner that stretches half a pound of beef with inexpensive cabbage and carrots.
See ingredients and swaps 30 min $9.41 when source was updated
Creamy Cajun chicken pasta
Pasta and tomatoes turn one pound of chicken into a complete, creamy four-serving dinner.
See ingredients and swaps 70 min $12.30 when source was updated
American goulash
A large pot of tomato, beef, vegetables, and macaroni that produces six generous servings.
See ingredients and swaps 25 min $6.76 when source was published
Southwest chicken skillet
Rice, beans, salsa, and cooked chicken make a flexible skillet meal with very little preparation.
See ingredients and swaps 35 min Featured in an under-$10 collection
One-pot sausage and rice
Smoked sausage, bell pepper, tomato, and rice cook together in a single covered pot.
See ingredients and swaps 40 min About $5 when originally published
Black bean enchilada casserole
Corn tortillas, two kinds of beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and optional cheese form a filling layered casserole.
See ingredients and swaps 10 min Fast pantry meal
Ten-minute tostadas
Crisp corn tortillas and warm refried beans create a quick base for whatever toppings are available.
See ingredients and swaps 25 min $3.81 when originally published
White bean and spinach soup
Cannellini beans, frozen spinach, and tomatoes make a simple, nourishing soup with very little preparation.
See ingredients and swaps 310 min Slow-cooker pantry meal
Slow-cooker white chicken chili
Chicken, white beans, green chiles, and cream cheese cook into a large, mild slow-cooker chili.
See ingredients and swaps 30 min Part of a $5-dinner collection
Flexible cabbage stir-fry bowls
Ground turkey, cabbage, carrots, and a simple sweet-savory sauce become a filling bowl when served over rice.
See ingredients and swaps Helping Plate original 18 min Usually under $10
Quick canned salmon patties
A can of salmon becomes four crisp, tender patties with one egg, simple binders, scallions, and pantry seasonings.
See ingredients and swapsMake the results useful
Start with the ingredients that need to be used first
Pick the main ingredients
Select foods that should shape the meal, such as rice, beans, eggs, potatoes, or canned fish. You do not need to enter oil, salt, or every seasoning.
Use the filters
Choose a time limit or dietary preference when you need a smaller list. “Match any” is best when your kitchen is running low.
Check the swaps
Each recipe includes substitutions and a pantry-box plan. Treat the result as a flexible starting point rather than a rigid shopping list.