Although it can seem overwhelming, meal prepping is the secret to saving you time and slashing your grocery bill in half. By choosing recipes that utilize inexpensive ingredients, you can save big on your weekly food bill. Not to mention that you’ll have food ready the minute you are hungry. Pro tip: group together recipes that utilize similar ingredients so you don’t have any leftover ingredients.

This vegan baked oatmeal combines two affordable breakfast staples– oats and bananas. They are blended together to create a yummy batter that tastes like a breakfast cake. It has an almond butter center, but feel free to use peanut butter to cut down on costs, and it’s topped with cheap frozen berries. When you’re ready to eat, just slice off a piece, microwave and enjoy!

Get the Vegan Baked Oatmeal with Berries recipe from Greenletes.

“Incorporating plant-based protein options such as chickpeas into your diet is a great way to decrease the cost of your groceries,” says Nicole Addison, RD, owner of Nourished by Nic. “This smashed chickpea salad is a great make-ahead option and is the perfect addition to sandwiches, salads and wraps,” she adds.

Get the Smashed Chickpea Salad recipe from Nourished by Nic.

“What’s more budget-friendly than canned beans and veggies?” says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Plant Based with Amy and Master the Media in Stamford, CT. “I like to whip up a big batch of soup, then portion it out for lunches and dinners for the week,” Gorin says.

Get the Vegetarian White Chili recipe from Plant Based with Amy.

“Oats are such a high-fiber, budget-friendly and versatile ingredient to keep in your pantry,” says Leanne Ray, MS, RDN of Healthyish Appetite. “I like to buy them at Costco for even more savings, and use them in overnight oats, baked goods, energy bites and homemade granola,” Ray adds.

Get the Strawberry Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk recipe from Healthyish Appetite.

The humble and affordable chickpea is the star of this simple jarred salad. Combined with sun-dried tomatoes (but feel free to use fresh tomatoes to save money) and artichokes, this prep-ahead bean salad will fill you up at lunch or dinnertime.

Get the Chickpea Artichoke Salad Jars recipe from Kelsey and Cooper's Kitchen.

“Falafel is a fantastic meal prep recipe that’s full of flavorful, affordable ingredients like beans and oats! These freeze well and can be prepped in advance,” says Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD of It’s a Veg World After All. Not to mention carrots are an inexpensive and long-lasting veggie.

Get the Baked Curry Carrot Falafel recipe from It's a Veg World After All.

“Prep this easy green lentil coconut curry and rice ahead of time for a quick weeknight dinner,” says Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, Cooking for one expert and owner of Nourish Nutrition Blog. “It takes just 30 minutes to prepare with pantry basics, and it’s easy to scale for multiple servings,” Clyde adds. Plus, lentils are an inexpensive protein that are definitely underutilized.

Get the Green Lentil Coconut Curry recipe from Nourish Nutrition Blog.

“This is a great make-ahead dish that reheats well,” says Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD. “And tofu is cheaper than chicken breasts, which are traditionally used for recipes like this,” notes Morford.

Get the Tofu Parmesan recipe from Mom's Kitchen Handbook.

“These vegan breakfast burritos are the perfect budget meal prep recipe, especially with the price of eggs these days,” says Alex Caspero MA, RD, owner of Delish Knowledge. “These keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, or wrapped in foil and placed in the freezer for 2-3 months.” Caspero says.

Get the Vegan Breakfast Burrito recipe from Delish Knowledge.

“A great budget-friendly meal prep recipe for any time of year, this Caribbean Red Beans and Rice is made with pantry staples like canned kidney beans and white rice and paired with crispy, fresh massaged kale,” says Jackie Akerberg, author of The Clean Vegan. “It holds up perfectly in the fridge all week long for easy grab and go lunches,” Akerberg notes.

Get the Caribbean Red Beans and Turmeric Rice from Jackfruitful.

Amplify your traditional spaghetti sauce with inexpensive ground turkey. This recipe has plenty of veggies, including cheap canned tomatoes. And the best part is that you can make a huge batch and freeze the leftovers for a quick weeknight pasta dinner.

Get the Simple Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce recipe from Lemons + Zest.

Who doesn’t love to wake up to a batch of banana nut muffins? With bananas being less than $0.25 per fruit (seriously, what else can you get for a quarter these days?), these simple prep-ahead muffins are an inexpensive breakfast treat that the whole family will enjoy.

Get the Banana Nut Muffins recipe from Delish.

This hearty pasta dish combines two inexpensive kitchen staples–pasta and frozen spinach. You’re going to be so happy you prepped this classic pasta dish ahead of time, especially when you’re craving some comfort food after a long day.

Get the Stuffed Shells With Spinach recipe from Delish.

Is there anything better than a warm bowl of soup in the winter? How about one that is made with inexpensive green peas and cooks in 20 minutes in the Instant Pot? No, we didn’t think so.

Get the Instant Pot Split Pea Soup recipe from Delish.

Cabbage is one of those sturdy winter veggies that doesn’t get the love it deserves. It’s crispy, satisfying and the perfect vegetable to add to a make-ahead casserole. This recipe also includes budget-friendly canned tomatoes and rice. To make it even cheaper, sub in crumbled tofu for the beef.

Get the Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole recipe from Delish.

If you’re craving Mexican food, don’t pick up the phone for takeout. Make these incredibly simple 5-ingredient tostadas instead. With affordable canned beans and corn tortillas, these are satisfying for your tummy and wallet.

Get the Black Bean Tostadas recipe from Delish.