Payday is a few days away, there’s nothing in the fridge and everyone is hungry. Before you order takeout or make another grocery run, look again. Most kitchens have enough for a real dinner hiding in the pantry and freezer.
These 10 meals use shelf-stable staples like pasta, rice, canned beans and tomatoes, plus a few eggs or frozen vegetables if you have them. Each one costs about $1 a serving or less at current Walmart and ALDI prices.
Check These Spots First
- The freezer. Frozen vegetables, bread, tortillas, leftover rice and that last bag of chicken are all dinner starters.
- The pantry. Pasta, rice, oats, canned beans, canned tomatoes, broth, peanut butter and ramen.
- The fridge door. Soy sauce, salsa, mustard, ketchup and dressings can turn plain ingredients into a sauce.
- The spice rack. Garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and dried herbs make cheap food taste like a plan.
An Easy Pantry Dinner Formula
Pick one from each group: a starch, a protein, something saucy and something green. A few combinations that work:
- Rice + black beans + salsa + frozen corn
- Pasta + canned chickpeas + crushed tomatoes + frozen spinach
- Tortillas + refried or black beans + cheese + any leftover vegetables
- Ramen + an egg + soy sauce + frozen peas
- Potatoes + eggs + cheese + onion, cooked into a hash
10 Meals From the Pantry
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
They’re listed from least to most expensive per serving.
1. Tomato & Butter Rice
Rice simmered in tomato sauce and broth until rich and savory. Add a can of beans to make it a meal.
Time: 30 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $1.49 from Walmart, $1.51 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.37 to $0.38
2. 10-Minute Soy & Garlic Noodles
Noodles tossed with soy sauce, oil and garlic powder. Ten minutes, five ingredients, and almost certainly already in your kitchen.
Time: 10 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $0.82 from Walmart, $0.81 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.40 to $0.41
3. Classic Spaghetti with Marinara
Pasta and a can of crushed tomatoes, with onion, garlic and dried herbs if you have them.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $3.72 from Walmart, $3.86 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.62 to $0.64
4. Veggie Fried Rice
Leftover rice, eggs and a bag of frozen vegetables. Soy sauce does the rest.
Time: 20 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $2.59 from Walmart, $2.62 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.65
5. Bean & Cheese Quesadillas
A can of beans, a few tortillas from the freezer and whatever cheese is left.
Time: 15 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.22 from Walmart, $2.89 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.72 to $0.80
6. One-Pot Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
Two cans of chickpeas and a can of tomatoes, seasoned with cumin and paprika.
Time: 40 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $4.42 from Walmart, $4.79 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.74 to $0.80
7. One-Pot Vegetable Lentil Soup
Dried lentils keep for months in the pantry and turn into six bowls of soup.
Time: 50 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $4.75 from Walmart, $4.79 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.79 to $0.80
8. Easy Chickpea Curry
Canned chickpeas and tomatoes simmered with curry powder. Serve over rice.
Time: 25 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.44 from Walmart, $3.50 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.86 to $0.88
9. One-Pot Tomato & Herb Pasta
Pasta cooks right in tomatoes and broth with dried herbs, so it’s one pot and done.
Time: 20 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.79 from Walmart, $3.55 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.89 to $0.95
10. Easy Instant Ramen Upgrade
A pack of ramen becomes a real meal with an egg, a little garlic and any greens on hand.
Time: 15 minutes · Serves: 2
Cost: Ingredients – $2.38 from Walmart, $2.04 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.02 to $1.19
Build a Backup Shelf
Keep a few of these on hand and an empty fridge never means an empty table:
- Pasta and long-grain rice
- Canned black beans, chickpeas and kidney beans
- Dried lentils
- Canned diced and crushed tomatoes, plus tomato sauce
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Ramen noodles
- Peanut butter and oats
- Frozen mixed vegetables and frozen spinach
- Flour tortillas in the freezer
- Soy sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and dried oregano
Our 15 pantry staples guide has the full list, and our free pantry staples checklist makes it easy to see what’s running low.
Pantry Dinner Questions
What can I make with just pasta and canned tomatoes?
A simple marinara: cook a little onion and garlic in oil, add the tomatoes and dried herbs, simmer while the pasta cooks and toss together. Our spaghetti with marinara walks through it.
Can I make a filling dinner without meat?
Yes. Beans, lentils, chickpeas and eggs are all filling and cost less than meat. The chickpea curry and lentil soup are both hearty enough for the whole family.
How long do pantry staples last?
Dry pasta, rice and dried beans keep for a long time when stored airtight in a cool, dry place. For canned goods, follow the date on the can and toss any that are bulging, leaking or badly dented.
What if I really have nothing?
Local food pantries and food banks can help, often the same day. Calling 211 or visiting Feeding America’s food bank finder is a good place to start.
