As a broke college student, your resourcefulness is always your friend. So why not look for meal ideas that cost you $5 or less? Here you will find quick and easy lunch ideas using only Dollar Tree items (items vary depending on your location). I bet you never would never have guessed you could eat like this from a dollar store.
Bumble Bee
If you’re on the go, a little spice will be sure to kick you into high gear. Included with a spoon and crackers, this meal is a sure-fire winner.
Chicken Salad
Like the tuna, the chicken salad comes with everything you need in a convenient travel- ready pouch. To add an extra kick to your lunch, lemon juice and pepper is a good flavoring method.
Make Your Own Pizza
This pizza toppings are completely customizable to your preference, but for a solid and cheap pizza, pepperoni this would be what I would use. To give the pizza an extra something, you could also top it with veggies from the freezer aisle or canned mushrooms.
Chinese Food
Let’s face it, Chinese food sounds good 99 percent of the time. But does $12 for some rice and two sides sound good? Never. Rice, being a starch, will help keep you full. And these spring rolls are just delicious.
When My Lunch Only Cost $2
Weird combination, but I was craving something sweet and savory. I was disappointed they didn’t have any frozen White Castle burgers when I got to the store this time, but I decided to try these fast bite ones instead. They heat up quick and beat spending $3 on a Whopper Junior. The bananas need to sit for a short amount of time after taking them out of the freezer (otherwise it’s like eating ice), but they’ll satisfy your sweet tooth.
Crinkle Cut Fries & More Fast Bites
Fast Bites also has a BBQ sandwich and chicken sandwich, the perfect pair to crinkle cut fries. Don’t forget the mustard and ketchup — Dollar Tree has that as well.
Veggies and Pork Loin
Corn and asparagus have always have been my go to, but you can add any side of veggies that you’d like to this bone-in pork loin chop. Add some mushrooms, seasoning, and grilled onions, and you got yourself dinner.
Light Lunch Smoothie
Sometimes you just want to make your lunch super light. On a hot day or after an intense work out, a smoothie is just the ticket for you. Choose any base liquid you like. If your Dollar Tree sells spinach or kale, then you’ve got the perfect power smoothie sure to make your day better.
Fish and Vegetables
Fish and veggies always make a great easy combo. Fry it or bake it up with some lemon pepper seasoning and bam! Lunch is served.
Burritos
Everything you need to create delicious rice and bean burritos is conveniently all in one box. It makes eight tacos, so either freeze them for easy leftovers or share with all your friends. I am not a huge bean person, so I substituted with ground beef, but this kit is great either by itself or as a base for new and exciting flavors.
Food shouldn’t have to be expensive to make a nice meal. These quick ideas might just be the answer to what’s for lunch or dinner next week.