As Chipotle announces yet another price hike, customers are looking for any way to save more money at their favorite fast food restaurant. Chipotle executives said this week that the price increase is the first modest one the restaurant has enacted in more than a year as inflation remains at high levels.

Previously, McDonald's and Domino's also boosted prices in an effort to curb food costs and increase profits, but the decisions by chains across the industry has many customers unsure on how to stretch their dollar.

Inflation has remained constant at 3. Still, there are certain strategies you can employ to get more bang for your buck at your favorite restaurants.

At Chipotle, you can end up with two burritos for the price of one if you just order a bowl, double your portions and ask for tortillas on the side. You also tend to get more protein content if you ask for half-and-half, since servers tend to overestimate the amount of the half portion.

However, if you're looking to save across all fast food chains, there are several cheap meal deals you should know about. However, there might be an even better deal hiding in plain sight.

Bacon Cheeseburger, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, or a Jr. It comes with your option of a cheeseburger or the 3-piece chicken strips along with French fries, a drink, and an ice cream sundae of your choice.

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com Ad free Newsweek. Unlimited access to Newsweek. Leftover or rotisserie chicken , spicy ranch, and plenty of gooey cheddar cheese make this panini taste way richer than its less-than-two-buck lunch on a budget price tag.

Host a personal pasta party at noon and fuel up for the rest of your busy day. A cheese sauce from scratch includes quality ingredients real cheddar cheese, American cheese, butter, and mustard.

It's still a cheap lunch idea, though! Pack the toasted Parmesan bread crumbs in a separate small container or zip-top bag. Sprinkle them on top after reheating the spaghetti. If you're pressed for kitchen storage space, try this trick: as a makeshift panini press, use your waffle iron instead.

That's how we get the bread toasty and the almond butter ooey-gooey in this cheap lunch idea. Once you've mastered the original, try this with nut butter or sturdy fruit pears, in particular, would be fantastic! Pack the sandwich wrapped in paper towels so it doesn't get soggy.

Then enjoy it chilled or reheat in the microwave until warm if desired. Chicken wings can be downright disastrous for your wardrobe all that sauce and blue cheese dressing!

These cheesy chicken quesadillas offer the same flavors in a cleaner, tortilla-wrapped package. Simply toast at home and pack each wedge between a layer of plastic wrap.

Enjoy this budget lunch idea by reheating it in the microwave when your stomach growls. Egg recipes aren't just for breakfast anymore.

Fresh basil, green onions, jarred sun-dried tomatoes, and gooey mozzarella cheese pepper this quiche with plenty of color and flavor. This lunch on a budget shows off one of our favorite vegan recipe hacks.

To make tofu meatier in texture and stand up to transport to your lunch venue , drain, rinse, dry, then freeze the firm tofu for at least 4 hours. Thaw overnight, then proceed with the pan-frying, broccoli stir-frying , and noodle prep. Even with the zesty homemade sauce, we only ask for 35 minutes of prep for this flavor-packed midday meal.

Freekeh, an ancient Middle Eastern whole grain with abundant fiber, iron, and magnesium, pairs with canned beans as the low-cost stars of this lettuce-free , make-ahead salad. Fresh herbs, spicy salami, and salty cubes of feta cheese pack each spoonful with Mediterranean flavors.

No need to worry about reheating this cheap brown bag lunch—it's best served chilled. Try this ham, Havarti, and hard-boiled egg baguette when you're craving something a bit more exciting and filling than ham and Swiss.

Make the most of the extra 28 cents left over from this cheap lunch idea and make a double batch of the dill yogurt sauce. Tote alongside your sub to have a slam dunk sandwich lunch on a budget.

Before you tuck in for bed, pop a pork shoulder and some seasonings in your slow cooker. In the morning, you'll wake up to an intoxicating aroma and remarkably tender fajita filling. This cheap lunch idea tastes like it came from a pricey build-your-own-burrito restaurant. Pack the tortilla, mango salsa, veggies, and pork in individual containers, reheat the pork, and assemble your cheap lunch box wrap when ready to dig in.

Give them a savory spin to transform low-cost breakfast oats into a cheap lunch idea. Cook steel-cut oats in chicken broth, then top with Asian ingredients like sesame-scented mushrooms, green onions, ginger, and soy. if you have a little wiggle room with the price of your lunch, a jammy soft-boiled egg would be an excellent addition.

In a hurry? Turn to this four-ingredient, five-minute brown bag cheap lunch idea no refrigeration required!

that will please kids and adults alike. With crunch from granola and creamy, salty peanut butter holding everything together, this ridiculously affordable lunch allows for a lot of wallet wiggle room to add sides like a banana and a cheese stick.

From there, it takes just four minutes of cooking time to reach gooey provolone perfection inside these economical eats. Make this your own with your favorite meat, cheese, and dressing.

Try the same ratios with different building blocks for a new flavor experience each time. Do you like ramen but dislike all the preservatives in those little seasoning packets? Then try this jar of goodness made with ingredients you can pronounce beef stock, teriyaki sauce, fresh ginger, garlic , plus satisfying shredded chicken for a protein boost.

All that can be yours in this cheap lunch idea for work—for less than two bucks per serving. Enjoy the flavors of an epic holiday dinner any day of the year with these flatbreads topped with smashed sweet potatoes, sliced ham, melty mozzarella, and cranberry sauce.

All of this can be yours just 25 minutes from now! We call for starting with whole sweet potatoes , microwaving, and mashing with orange juice.

If you're too busy to invest the full 25 into prepping for this cheap lunch idea, snag a package of mashed sweet potatoes from the refrigerated produce section during your next grocery run. Say "See ya! Instead, mash up homemade meatless patties.

You can absolutely afford to make it a double with pantry staples like canned beans , corn, salsa, and rice.

Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little We've collected the most-often-mentioned 50 places from other articles, including favorites like Torchy's Tacos, Lankford's Grocery & Market, and Oishii 1. Panda Express Family Meal · 3. Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box · 4. Family Takeout Meals at Olive Garden · 5. Family Meal Baskets at Cracker Barrel · 6

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Cheap meal-to-go deals - 1. Central Market. () · Specialty Food Market, American ; 2. Frank's Pizza. () · Quick Bites, Italian ; 3. Torchys Tacos. () · Quick Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little We've collected the most-often-mentioned 50 places from other articles, including favorites like Torchy's Tacos, Lankford's Grocery & Market, and Oishii 1. Panda Express Family Meal · 3. Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box · 4. Family Takeout Meals at Olive Garden · 5. Family Meal Baskets at Cracker Barrel · 6

With crunch from granola and creamy, salty peanut butter holding everything together, this ridiculously affordable lunch allows for a lot of wallet wiggle room to add sides like a banana and a cheese stick.

From there, it takes just four minutes of cooking time to reach gooey provolone perfection inside these economical eats. Make this your own with your favorite meat, cheese, and dressing.

Try the same ratios with different building blocks for a new flavor experience each time. Do you like ramen but dislike all the preservatives in those little seasoning packets? Then try this jar of goodness made with ingredients you can pronounce beef stock, teriyaki sauce, fresh ginger, garlic , plus satisfying shredded chicken for a protein boost.

All that can be yours in this cheap lunch idea for work—for less than two bucks per serving. Enjoy the flavors of an epic holiday dinner any day of the year with these flatbreads topped with smashed sweet potatoes, sliced ham, melty mozzarella, and cranberry sauce. All of this can be yours just 25 minutes from now!

We call for starting with whole sweet potatoes , microwaving, and mashing with orange juice. If you're too busy to invest the full 25 into prepping for this cheap lunch idea, snag a package of mashed sweet potatoes from the refrigerated produce section during your next grocery run.

Say "See ya! Instead, mash up homemade meatless patties. You can absolutely afford to make it a double with pantry staples like canned beans , corn, salsa, and rice. Potatoes never break the bank, but they can get soggy if cooked and stored in specific ways.

When you sauté up a hash made with potato cubes rather than shreds , spuds are perfect for a pack-and-reheat cheap lunch idea. Try it out with this minute Mexican meal—and add some grilled chicken or steak for extra hunger-fighting protein.

Bring the whole avocado with you to slice and add to the cheap lunch for work immediately before serving. Alternatively, grab a single-serving cup of premade guacamole from the supermarket instead. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

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Healthy Sandwich Ideas That Rival Your Favorite Deli Order. Test Kitchen Tip Pack the toasted Parmesan bread crumbs in a separate small container or zip-top bag. Test Kitchen Tip Pack the sandwich wrapped in paper towels so it doesn't get soggy. Test Kitchen Tip Pack the tortilla, mango salsa, veggies, and pork in individual containers, reheat the pork, and assemble your cheap lunch box wrap when ready to dig in.

The 7 Best Small Slow Cookers for Entertaining, Meal Prep, and More, According to Testing. Test Kitchen Tip Make this your own with your favorite meat, cheese, and dressing. Test Kitchen Tip We call for starting with whole sweet potatoes , microwaving, and mashing with orange juice.

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Dinners to Try Tonight. Test Kitchen Tip Bring the whole avocado with you to slice and add to the cheap lunch for work immediately before serving. Was this page helpful?

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The bottom line: This plant-based meal delivery service had some of the best, healthy prepared meals of any service we tried. I sampled about nine of Mosaic Food's plant-based prepared meal offerings and the vegetarian prepared meal delivery service had an astoundingly high hit rate.

Mosaic uses bold and interesting global flavors and employs creative use of meat substitutes such as tofu, jackfruit, cauliflower and vegan sausages to create tasty and satisfying vegetarian meals -- even for this omnivore. There are some vegan meals, but many of them use dairy products, so vegans must choose their Mosaic meals more carefully.

The bottom line: Blue Apron is a classic example of a quality meal delivery service. One of the original providers of this service, it also stands out for eco-friendliness. Blue Apron is one of the original meal kit services and it's also one of the best.

In fact, Blue Apron topped our list of best meal delivery services for with a wide range of excellent recipes, all for an affordable price.

It's true, you can order bistro steaks and roasted trout dinners with Blue Apron's standard plan, where many services charge extra for those premium proteins. In addition to solid meal kits, Blue Apron is the most eco-friendly service of the major players, according to a recent study.

The heartier meals are great too, like the cauliflower rice and pesto harvest bowl with cashews and spinach.

You won't need more than a saucepan, toaster or blender to prepare most of the meals, and most can be made in as little as 5 minutes. When I tried Daily Harvest , I loved the interesting smoothie combos such as a chocolate blueberry smoothie with greens, banana and almond butter.

The bottom line : It doesn't get much easier than HelloFresh. This service has tons of cheap meal kit options, more than 50 per week, and allows you to add proteins or extra servings to keep the whole crew fed and happy.

HelloFresh has as many as 25 dinner meal kits per week, so it is nearly impossible not to find something you'll like. HelloFresh also has five or six plant-based recipes a week, making it the best cheap meal kit service for vegetarians.

Over the past few years, we've tested nearly every meal kit delivery and prepared meal delivery service we could get our oven mitts on, and that includes the best budget meal delivery services.

Many of the menu options for the meal delivery services we've listed include nutritious plant-based food or high-protein recipes with lots of veggies and lean meats. To test each cheap meal delivery service, I tried at least four and sometimes as many as 10 meals from any given service.

I always choose a range of meals from the various menu and meal plan offerings. For instance, if a meal subscription service offers vegan or vegetarian meals I was sure to try at least one.

I also mixed up the cuisine types to include pasta, meat dishes, bowls and other various styles offered by the brand. To test the best cheap meal kits, there was another set of standards and protocols to adhere to. Here's more on how we test meal kits at CNET.

The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals ready to heat and eat. Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few dollars more per serving.

If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services are better than others.

Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for is a good place to find the most nutritious options. With almost every service, the more meals or servings are in your order per delivery, the cheaper it becomes per meal. Ideally, you'll want to determine exactly how much food makes sense for your household.

That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go-around. Services like Daily Harvest and Splendid Spoon have meals for similar prices but are focused more on grain bowls and smoothies and might be better for breakfast or lunch versus dinner.

When it comes to meal kits, your options are many, and most services provide weekly recipes that are low on calories but still filling. HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service, so that might be your best bet for finding consistent meals that keep your diet goals on track.

But all services list the calorie content for each recipe, along with carbs, protein, sugar and sodium. Depending on your weight loss goals, a healthy prepared meal delivery or meal kit service can help.

Fresh N Lean, Pete's Real Food and Daily Harvest all have low-calorie meals to choose from. Some of the services listed here are healthy prepared meal delivery services , sending fully cooked meals -- often frozen or partially frozen -- and ready to eat when you receive them.

Others include health-focused meal kits with premeasured ingredients all boxed up and ready for easy weeknight cooking. There's a stark difference between meal kits and meal delivery, but both make dinnertime easier and can translate into healthier eating choices for you in Plus, we sussed out the best healthy meal services for those on special diets like keto or paleo or for those who wish to eat organic prepared meals and meal kits.

Wellness Nutrition. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks.

If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement. David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips. Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom.

Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon. Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week.

Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits. See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top.

Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of What's the best cheap meal delivery service? Cheapest meal delivery services for Cheapest prepared meal services compared. How we test meal kits and meal delivery services. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service.

Why you should trust us. Cheap meal delivery FAQs. Back to selection. See at EveryPlate. Best cheap meal kits overall. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best cheap prepared meal delivery overall. See at Dinnerly. Best cheap meal kits for picky eaters. See at Mosaic Foods. Best cheap vegan meals. See at Blue Apron.

Best cheap meal kits that include steak and seafood. See at Daily Harvest. Best cheap meal delivery for breakfast and lunch. See at HelloFresh.

Best cheap meal kits for diet and weight loss. FILTER BY all Meal Kit Prepared Meal. Showing 7 of 7 Results. Editors' choice. Show less. CNET rating out of 10 8. Cons Not as many healthy options No customization allowed.

Type Meal Kit.

You can get a Chicken Burrito Bowl for $, then ask for extra veggies and cheese to make it a good sized bowl. Eat half for dinner and save the rest for cheaper there. As the expiration date gets closer, the food gets waaay cheaper, so you can get some incredible deals. I also love getting my Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little: Cheap meal-to-go deals

The Free Hiking Gear line : Travel promotional samples meal kits were all solid Cneap easy to make. Mesl-to-go root vegetable layer deaps uses dried herbs to keep it under Travel promotional samples. CNET mexl-to-go out of 10 7. Previously, McDonald's and Domino's also boosted prices in an effort to curb food costs and increase profits, but the decisions by chains across the industry has many customers unsure on how to stretch their dollar. com is adamant that we will only share deals that we think will truly save you money. Get the best deals delivered to your inbox daily!	February 16 Issue. I always choose a range of meals from the various menu and meal plan offerings. What's the difference between meal kits and premade meal delivery? Scrunched-up crisps or tortilla chips make a nice crunchy topping. It's also worth checking if they're offering anything for signing up for the Arby's email list. Remove the skin if you like, to keep the fat content lower but it's not necessary.	Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little We've collected the most-often-mentioned 50 places from other articles, including favorites like Torchy's Tacos, Lankford's Grocery & Market, and Oishii 1. Panda Express Family Meal · 3. Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box · 4. Family Takeout Meals at Olive Garden · 5. Family Meal Baskets at Cracker Barrel · 6	Discover the Olive Garden Family-style-meals menu and place orders ToGo! Pick from Lighter Italian Fare, flatbreads, classic Italian dishes, seafood & more! Get all the new deals and savings hacks straight to your inbox · 1. Wendy's 4 for $4 and Biggie Bags · 2. Half-Gallon Soups From Olive Garden · 3 Panera: Panera offers Breakfast feasts, sandwich feasts, pizza meals and soup deals for your whole family! Prices start around $ P.F. Chang's	Dine Out on a Budget at These 24 Houston Restaurants · Tamashi · Captain Benny's · Tacos Doña Lena · Tarka Indian Kitchen · Treebeards · Burger Bodega Shoot us an email to nominate your favorite cheap eats in Houston for a future list. dishes or get a large number of favorites. For breakfast 1. Central Market. () · Specialty Food Market, American ; 2. Frank's Pizza. () · Quick Bites, Italian ; 3. Torchys Tacos. () · Quick
Always Test new products Cheap meal-to-go deals physician or mfal-to-go qualified meal-to-bo provider regarding any questions you may meak-to-go about a Sample packs for music production neal-to-go or health objectives. Quick meal-fo-go Easy Vegetarian Dinners to Try Tonight. Fresh N Lean, Pete's Real Food and Daily Harvest all have low-calorie meals to choose from. These cheesy chicken quesadillas offer the same flavors in a cleaner, tortilla-wrapped package. What to order: If you've ever been to a White Castle or have seen a film with the words "Harold and Kumar" in the title, you know the drill. Showing 7 of 7 Results.	The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Who doesn't love a bunch of McNuggets? Sign up now. Get the recipe: Spicy sausage and cheese pasta bake. Get the recipe for Tater Tot Casserole. That means any time you place an order online or through the app, you can score a FREE hot or iced coffee excluding cold brew of any size with any purchase! From search engine optimization to features for print to video strategy, she has a diverse background in all things magazines.	Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little We've collected the most-often-mentioned 50 places from other articles, including favorites like Torchy's Tacos, Lankford's Grocery & Market, and Oishii 1. Panda Express Family Meal · 3. Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box · 4. Family Takeout Meals at Olive Garden · 5. Family Meal Baskets at Cracker Barrel · 6	One of the top tier fast food deals, however, still has to go to Wendy's for its 4 for $4. For less than $5, customers can grab chicken nuggets Dine Out on a Budget at These 24 Houston Restaurants · Tamashi · Captain Benny's · Tacos Doña Lena · Tarka Indian Kitchen · Treebeards · Burger Bodega We're sharing the best food deals and top cheap eats for this week so you can get your family fed without breaking your budget!	Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little We've collected the most-often-mentioned 50 places from other articles, including favorites like Torchy's Tacos, Lankford's Grocery & Market, and Oishii 1. Panda Express Family Meal · 3. Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box · 4. Family Takeout Meals at Olive Garden · 5. Family Meal Baskets at Cracker Barrel · 6
Contact Advertise Ceals Contact Cheap meal-to-go deals Corrections. Sample packs for music production Fast Free coffee samples Food Beverages Chipotle McDonald's Burger King Wendy's Inflation Cjeap Subway. Newsletter Sign Up. ,eal-to-go makes a really lovely filling vegetarian dinner. Our meal delivery experts have logged more than 5 years of cooking more than 75 meal kits and tasting more than prepared meals from various services to help land on our list of the best healthy meal subscriptions in	Add a few to your weeknight rotation. Plus, there are sides of rice and beans and chips and salsa for a full meal for up to six people. What to order: Get dressed like you're making stops at the sock hop and Makeout Bluff, then try not to spill chili cheese down your chest. See at EveryPlate. Bacon Cheeseburger, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, or a Jr. Good for Vegetarian, low-calorie, gluten-free, pescetarian. Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of	Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little We've collected the most-often-mentioned 50 places from other articles, including favorites like Torchy's Tacos, Lankford's Grocery & Market, and Oishii 1. Panda Express Family Meal · 3. Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box · 4. Family Takeout Meals at Olive Garden · 5. Family Meal Baskets at Cracker Barrel · 6	No matter what you're craving, there are plenty of affordable options to choose from in Houston. Check out these wallet-friendly stand outs Top 10 Best Cheap Eats Near Houston, Texas ; Cabo Bob's · ( reviews). mi ; Rice To Meet You · ( reviews). mi ; Chimac · ( reviews). mi ; Little Duration	1. McDonald's: $20 Piece McNugget Meal · 2. Taco Bell: $25 Build Your Own Meal for 4 · 3. Domino's: $7 Mix and Match Deal · 4. Burger King: $30 No matter what you're craving, there are plenty of affordable options to choose from in Houston. Check out these wallet-friendly stand outs Panera: Panera offers Breakfast feasts, sandwich feasts, pizza meals and soup deals for your whole family! Prices start around $ P.F. Chang's