Struggle Meals

What do leftover rice and ramen noodles have in common? They're both cheap AF and can be upgraded into a real meal with the help of one simple addition - an egg.

There's no easier way to save a few bucks than by buying dry. Beans and barley can be turned into a week's worth of chicken chili, salad or mushroom risotto with this important, and free, ingredient - water.

You don't have to spend $17 on a plate of bucatini to enjoy your favorite carb. For cents on the noodle, you can make spaghetti with sweet tomato sauce, broccoli spaghetti, and zucchini fettuccine - bottomless breadsticks not included, but you'll forget all about them anyway.

Don't let breaking down a whole chicken scare you. Sure, it's strange to look at, but every part of this bird can be used to make struggle meals for the week, starting with chicken lettuce cups and buttermilk fried chicken.

What can you make with pizza dough other than, well, pizza? Meet the adult Hot Pockets and cinnamon rolls you didn't know you could afford to make yourself, until now.