Frequently Asked Questions

HomeMealHacks is a budget-friendly recipe website dedicated to helping you cook delicious meals for under $3 per serving. Every recipe includes cost breakdowns, nutrition info, and step-by-step instructions designed for real home cooks.

We calculate costs based on average US grocery store prices at the time of publishing. Prices may vary by region, season, and store. We round up to account for price fluctuations so you can trust that the actual cost is at or below what we list.

Yes. Every recipe is tested in a standard home kitchen with common grocery store ingredients before it goes live on the site. We also include tips for common substitutions and troubleshooting in each recipe.

Focus on budget staples like rice, beans, lentils, pasta, eggs, and in-season vegetables. Plan your meals around what's on sale, buy store brands, and cook in batches. Our grocery list guide has a complete $50/week shopping plan with recipes.

Eggs, canned beans, lentils, chicken thighs, and ground beef are consistently the most affordable protein sources. Chicken drumsticks and whole chickens are also great value. Check out our budget protein recipes for inspiration.

Almost always, yes. A home-cooked dinner typically costs $1.50-$3.00 per serving compared to $8-$15 for takeout or fast food. Even factoring in time and energy costs, cooking at home saves most families $200-$400 per month.

Start small with 2-3 recipes per week. Choose recipes that share ingredients to reduce waste, invest in a set of reusable containers, and dedicate 1-2 hours on Sunday to batch cooking. Our meal prep guide walks you through the entire process.

Absolutely! We include substitution suggestions in most recipes. Common swaps include chicken thighs for breasts (thighs are cheaper and juicier), any short pasta shape for another, and canned beans for dried (just adjust cooking time).

Every recipe page has a serving adjuster. Click the + or - buttons next to the serving count and all ingredient quantities will automatically scale up or down for you.

Most cooked meals last 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in airtight containers. Soups and stews often taste even better the next day. We include specific storage tips on each recipe page.

Many of our recipes freeze well for up to 3 months — especially soups, stews, chili, and casseroles. We note which recipes are freezer-friendly and include thawing and reheating instructions.

You can make most of our recipes with just a large skillet, a stock pot, a sheet pan, a cutting board, and a sharp knife. A slow cooker is a great second investment — you can find them for under $20 and they make hands-off budget meals incredibly easy.

A slow cooker is ideal, but many of our slow cooker recipes include stovetop or oven alternatives. A Dutch oven can often substitute — just cook on low heat for a shorter time and check for doneness.

A sharp chef's knife. It makes prep faster, safer, and more enjoyable. You don't need an expensive one — a $15-$25 chef's knife that you keep sharpened will outperform a dull $100 knife every time.

Every recipe page has a Print button at the top of the recipe card. Clicking it will print just the recipe — ingredients, instructions, and cooking times — without the rest of the page.

We publish new recipes and blog posts regularly, typically several times per month. Subscribe to our newsletter to get notified when new budget-friendly recipes go live.

We love hearing what you want to cook! Head to our contact page and select 'Recipe Request' as the subject. We prioritize requests that fit our budget-friendly mission — meals under $3 per serving.