With the cost of groceries continuing to creep up, social media posts with the hashtag #strugglemeals are mushrooming. Some accumulate long lists of derisive comments, disavowing a recipe’s qualifications as a struggle meal.
The discord lies in the fact that struggle is in the eye of the beholder. For some, it’s time or physical and emotional energy, and the emphasis there is on extremely pared-down recipes that require no planning and little cleanup. Things that come in a bag or box with prep so simple you don’t even need to read the instructions are preferred.
Others are looking to prioritize saving money, so they may lean more on from-scratch recipes that take more time, or more planning to reduce waste, but cost less per serving. Either way, nutrition often takes a backseat.
One might say an authentic struggle meal is not even designed; it is accepted. Whatever lies at the intersection of resources and willpower is what ends up on the table. There’s no shame in that. In fact, each culture has examples of sublime comfort foods that arose out of hard times: polenta, congee, scrapple, French toast. There are a few that are painfully no-frills but still with some nutritional value — a baked potato with butter comes closer to being the ultimate survival meal than most, and beans on toast at least has some fiber in it.
A few struggle meals, though, rise above the merely necessary, hitting those inherently treasured flavor points like salt, umami and heat despite being inexpensive and low-effort. Here is our definitive ranking of the most popular struggle meals, and our suggestions for an upgrade to help feed your body and soul.
7. Cheesy tortilla rolls
Don’t get me wrong — these may be at the bottom of this list, but every item here is a solid choice when the chips are down. If you’re looking to replicate the steamed texture of Taco Bell’s Cheesy Rollups for a fraction of the price, try sprinkling 1/4 cup of cheese on a tortilla when it’s flat, microwaving at 10 second intervals until the cheese is mostly melted, usually about 20 seconds total. You’ll be rewarded with a melty, squishy treat that’s just right for taking the edge off of that growling stomach.
The upgrade: Spread one side of your tortilla with just a little mayo and plop it mayo-side down in a hot skillet. Top with cheese and roll up when the bottom is nicely browned. That toasty crispness is well worth the extra couple of minutes, and dipping in salsa practically adds a vegetable if you do it right.
6. Hot dogs
In my experience, rent’s-due-dinner means either hot dogs or buns, but not both. They so often come in different-numbered packs, and it just never works out right. So, I present to you the realistic options of a hot dog on the last tortilla, or a grilled cheese made out of a bun. It might not look impressive, but the combination of nostalgia and cured alleged meat will carry you through.
The upgrade: A spoonful of leftover slaw for the dog, or some garlic butter and condensed tomato soup with that grilled bun, and you’re in delicious, nutritious business. I put some slaw on the last couple of bites of the bun, and that was delightful, too.
5. Spaghetti
Jarred sauces have come a long way in recent years, and even the cheapest ones use real olive oil these days. My main complaint is that it’s so easy to use half the jar and then forget about it. You have to stand there in the refrigerator light calculating how long it’s been open the next time you need an almost effort-free meal. I’ve put myself in the habit of writing the date on the label in permanent marker before I pop it in the fridge, which can prevent both food poisoning and food waste.
The upgrade: You can make a lightning fast, even cheaper and absolutely transcendent homemade sauce with just a can of tomatoes, a little butter and a piece of onion, using Marcella Hazan’s iconic 1973 recipe as inspiration. I cut the recipe in half with a 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (instead of whole) and dice the onion (or even use onion powder) so it will be done in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta. I often add red pepper flakes, garlic and basil, but trust me, you won’t be disappointed without them. I should have made garlic bread out of the last hot dog bun, though.
4. Nachos
Tortilla chips are naturally resistant to the scourge of unchewable microwaved bread products, and as humble as it may be, a few of them nuked for 15 seconds with a slice of American makes me happy as a clam. It’s like an after-school special in your mouth.
The upgrade: Spread on some canned refried beans, break your cheese single into pieces, broil for about 5 minutes and top with jarred jalapeños for a more balanced and high-fiber meal. Watch the broiler carefully lest your seconds of hard work be for naught.
3. Ramen
Let’s face it — even bad ramen is pretty good. Buy the cheapest one on the shelf, and the upgraded version will run about 50 cents. With a fancier brand and more trimmings, you’re still looking at less than $3 per meal. It requires no preparation or thought, but the result is hot, savory and filling.
The upgrade: Add a tablespoonful of peanut butter or tahini to the broth, and a little chili crisp if you have it, for a fancy tantanmen-adjacent bowl. A soft-boiled egg and some shredded cabbage or frozen spinach wouldn’t go amiss, especially if you’re looking to stretch one package into two servings. I sometimes scrub the egg and boil it alone for about 3 minutes before adding everything else. When the rame is done, scoop out the egg and pop it in ice water so it’s easier to peel, then add back to your plated meal.
2. Egg and rice
I’ve put this one near the top, because for my money, there is no more comforting smell than plain white rice bubbling away. At about 5 cents per ounce, dry rice is cheaper than ramen, too, and even more likely to be hiding in the pantry. Adding a butter-fried egg on top takes it into the stratosphere, and if you have leftover rice, this meal is done in less than 5 minutes. It’s the most inherently nutritious and customizable item on this list, and vegans can even make it with pan-fried tofu.
The upgrade: With a little soy sauce and frozen veggies, you’ve got spectacular fried rice for much less time and money than it takes to pick up. The keys to a takeout-worthy plate are cold rice, a little sprinkle of sugar and some dried bouillon or sesame oil.
1. Spaghetti Napolitan
As good and supremely comforting as some of these can be, I find I hesitate to call any of them a real champion of thrift, flavor and ease alike. As I was making and ranking them though, I realized that if I took elements of each one — cheese, hot dogs, ketchup, buttery pasta and an egg — I could make a version of a 1950s-era recipe still in common rotation today in other parts of the world. It is the ultimate struggle meal, born of war and occupation, a recipe that encapsulates something of the culinary history of three continents: Japanese Spaghetti Napolitan.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen hails from Yokohama, just like Napolitan reportedly does, and her excellent recipe from the Just One Cookbook blog includes the lore of its invention. The story is that tomato sauce and paste were in short supply in postwar Japan, and ketchup was used as a substitute pasta sauce in those days of recovery from the most desperate of times.
Although this idea might seem like heresy for many Americans, it’s rooted here as much as Italy or Japan. Our contribution is actually the most controversial ingredient — the ketchup. Not only was tomato ketchup invented in the U.S., where it is still admired as a minor deity, but sweetened tomato pasta dishes are fairly common in the South. Many looked on in horror at the buttered ketchup “sketti” made infamous by Honey Boo Boo, but I often have nutrition clients who ate something like it as a child. There’s a Southern classic with even older echoes, too; Macaroni and Tomatoes has a spoonful of sugar in it. Inventive Japanese chefs just took the ketchup the GIs were eating for an upgraded spin with bits of meat and vegetables.
Here are the main ingredients for my American struggle meal version, based on Chen’s recipe linked above: spaghetti, hot dogs, egg, the last of an onion, 1/4 of an elderly bell pepper, Worcestershire, pepper flakes, a knob of butter, a Parmesan packet from the last pizza delivery and more ketchup than seems advisable on any continent. Just trust me.
Despite the longer ingredient list, it’s incredibly easy to make. As you boil the pasta, sauté the veggies and hot dogs until there’s a bit of browning. Scramble the egg in, if using, and add in the ketchup, Worcestershire and a few tablespoons of hot pasta water, along with the pasta. Finish by melting in the butter with a sprinkle of chili flakes and top with Parm. It’s savory and surprisingly balanced — definitely ketchup forward, though.
We all struggle sometimes. There’s often no easy answer for it. Just know that no matter what you’re facing, other people have faced it, too, and struggled on through.
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