Budget Friendly Meals I Cooked While Homeless and Living in a Van: Cheap Recipe Ideas

This year, I faced homelessness, jail, police discrimination, and even survived a tornado caused by Hurricane Helene. Through it all, I kept going by cooking budget-friendly meals in my van—a small but powerful way to stay hopeful.

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Recipes for Everything i cooked ⬇️

Cook-Out Style Char-Grilled Chicken Sandwiches (0:39)

Season thin chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Grill on a hot pan for 1-2 minutes per side, then add BBQ sauce and sear for 1 minute each side. Toast buns and assemble with mayo, BBQ sauce, pickles, and lettuce.

Steak Ramen (1:35)

Cook eggs (3-5 minutes) and set aside. Sauté broccoli stems, green onion bottoms, ginger, and garlic in oil. Add 8 cups broth, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and simmer. Cook steak, slice, and set aside. Add ramen noodles and broccoli tops to the broth. Assemble with steak, eggs, noodles, and toppings like sriracha, sesame seeds, and green onions.

Chick-Fil-A Style Nuggets (2:48)

Cut chicken into chunks and season with salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika. Coat in egg wash and seasoned flour. Deep-fry in 375°F oil until golden brown. Serve with fries, BBQ sauce, or ketchup.

Giant Meatball Sub (3:55)

Season meatballs (2.5 lbs ground beef) with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Sear, then simmer in a tomato sauce made with canned tomatoes, garlic, sugar, and oregano. Toast baguette, add meatballs, sauce, and fresh parsley to assemble.

Blueberry Green Tea Lemonade (5:02)

Brew 4 cups green tea, sweeten to taste, and cool. Simmer blueberries with sugar until thickened, then blend. Strain fresh lemon juice. Mix tea, blueberry syrup, and lemon juice with ice to serve.

Big Mac-Style Burger and Fries (5:57)

Make sauce with mayo, mustard, relish, onion juice, ketchup, and spices. Cut and air-fry russet potatoes. Smash seasoned beef patties and cook on a hot griddle. Assemble burgers with sauce, lettuce, onion, and buns. Finish fries with salt and garlic powder.

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