Healthy and nutritious food may seem expensive, but with some planning and the right recipes, healthy eating on a budget is possible.
Not only are these healthy instant pot recipes nutritious, but they’re also budget-friendly.
Cheap and Healthy Instant Pot Recipes
Having some easy instant pot recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner make it easier to stick to a healthy diet.
Cooking with an instant pot is a smart choice because, even if you’re tired after a long day, you can easily make healthy weeknight meals in just minutes. Making wholesome homemade recipes is much cheaper and more nutritious than getting takeout.
Healthy Instant Pot Breakfast Ideas
From oatmeal to yogurt and egg bites, you can whip up many healthy breakfast recipes in your pressure cooker.
There are plenty of grab-and-go breakfast options if you’re short on time in the morning.
1. Steel Cut Oats Six Ways
Recipe From Life Made Sweeter
Steel-cut oats are a versatile breakfast – you’ll never get bored with so many toppings!
With just two ingredients, the basic steel-cut oatmeal recipe is cost-effective.
There are six flavoring options made from wholesome ingredients, which include:
- Carrot cake
- Pumpkin
- Strawberry
- Apple cinnamon
- Blueberry
- Peanut butter banana
Another option is to add your favorite oatmeal mix-ins to the basic steel-cut oat recipe.
2. Egg Bites Four Ways
Recipe From A Mindfull Mom
If you’re a fan of Starbucks’ egg bites, you’ll love this cheaper homemade version.
They come out just as fluffy and delicious but for a fraction of the cost.
Make these egg bites ahead of time so you have a grab-and-go breakfast option for those crazy mornings when you have little time to cook.
Not only that, but they’re high in protein and much healthier than sugary breakfast cereals and pastries.
Here are the egg bite variations listed:
- Mushroom and Swiss
- Roasted red pepper
- Ham and cheddar
- Bacon and Gruyère
3. Instant Pot Yogurt
Recipe From My Crazy Good Life
Surprisingly, making yogurt in an instant pot is easy, and you only need two ingredients.
This yogurt recipe contains no artificial sweeteners or flavoring (unlike many yogurt brands in the grocery store).
Like oatmeal, there are many healthy toppings, making it an excellent go-to breakfast to add to your meal prep.
Here are some healthy topping ideas you can put on your instant pot yogurt:
- Berries, bananas, pineapple, dates, or your favorite fruit
- Chia seeds
- Honey or pure maple syrup
- Chopped nuts
- Low-sugar granola or trail mix
- Nut or seed butter
4. Spinach, Onion, and Cheese Frittata
Recipe From A Mindfull Mom
This fluffy frittata is packed with spinach, which contains many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, iron, and calcium.
With three types of cheese and topped off with green onions, you’re guaranteed to enjoy every cheesy bite.
5. Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs
Recipe From Nature of Home
Hard-boiled eggs are a simple on-the-go breakfast that you can easily make ahead of time in the instant pot.
Also included are helpful tips for peeling the eggs, so the shell comes off easily.
While having one or two eggs may not be filling enough, pair them with some fresh fruit or trail mix for an easy and portable breakfast option.
Healthy Pressure Cooker Lunches
Whether you need inexpensive and healthy lunch ideas to pack for work or enjoy while at home, there are plenty of choices.
You can prep many of these lunches the night before, which makes your mornings less chaotic.
6. Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Recipe From Sweet Peas and Saffron
With flavors of ginger and honey, these ground turkey lettuce wraps are gluten-free and provide a whopping 28 grams of protein per serving.
You can make this recipe using frozen or fresh ground turkey, which is great if you forgot to dethaw the turkey ahead of time.
7. Vegan Burritos
Recipe From Nora Cooks
Meat can be costly, so plan some meatless meals every week. This vegan burrito is filled with veggies like bell pepper, kale, and lettuce.
Other ingredients like black beans, avocados, and heart-healthy brown rice, make this a filling lunch that will keep you satisfied until dinner time.
8. Beet Salad
Recipe From Eating Instantly
Beets provide many health benefits because they’re anti-inflammatory and high in fiber and potassium.
This salad couldn’t be easier to make. Combine beets cooked in the instant pot with arugula, goat cheese, walnuts, and a healthy homemade dressing.
9. Mexican Quinoa
Recipe From Recipes From A Pantry
Looking for a nutritious work lunch that requires minimal effort? This Mexican quinoa is a tasty dump-and-go recipe that combines quinoa with black beans, corn, bell pepper, and other flavorful ingredients.
10. African Cabbage Stew
Recipe From Low-Carb Africa
Stews and soups are incredibly budget-friendly because you can easily make them ahead of time for lunch or dinner and reheat them when ready to eat.
You’ll stay full for hours with ingredients like ground beef, peppers, and cabbage.
11. Sweet Potato Soup
Recipe From Moon and spoon and yum
While sweet potatoes are the standout ingredient of this soup, coconut milk gives it a lovely and creamy consistency.
This soup is also dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and contains no refined sugar.
Healthy and Cheap Instant Pot Recipes for Dinner
Eating healthy without spending much money doesn’t mean you have to eat bland food.
All the instant pot dinners below, including lasagna and tacos, are full of flavor yet still healthy and frugal.
There are plenty of instant pot chicken recipes included too.
12. Healthy Lasagna
Recipe From My Crazy Good Life
Instead of loading up on comfort food at your favorite restaurant, which can be unhealthy and expensive, try making a healthy version at home.
This comforting recipe includes whole wheat lasagna noodles, ground turkey, and a sugar-free homemade sauce.
13. Chicken Curry
Recipe From Low-Carb Africa
This chicken curry has only four net carbs per serving, perfect for people trying to watch their carb intake.
The flavors in this chicken curry get even better the next day, which is excellent if you enjoy having leftovers. Plus, having leftovers for lunch or dinner will help you stretch your budget.
14. Chicken Stir Fry
Recipe From Seasonal Cravings
If you have five minutes, you can throw this easy dinner together. The secret to this fast and cheap recipe is using frozen instead of fresh vegetables.
Not only will you save time in the kitchen because you don’t have to chop veggies, but buying frozen vegetables is often cheaper than fresh produce.
15. Pork Tinga Tacos
Recipe From Cha Ching Queen
This recipe is a good choice if you’re trying to limit your calories. Unlike other pork tinga taco recipes, this one uses boneless pork loin roast, which is a leaner cut of meat, instead of pork shoulder.
A key to healthy eating on a budget is to keep eating delicious food.
So the next time taco Tuesday rolls around, make some of these fantastic pork tinga tacos.
16. 10-Minute Ramen
Recipe From Corrie Cooks
Packaged flavored instant ramen is one of the cheapest dinners, costing less than a dollar. But while cheap, it’s very high in sodium and contains many processed and unhealthy ingredients.
This ramen recipe is a healthy alternative because it’s made with fresh yet inexpensive ingredients like mushrooms, ginger, and eggs.
Chicken is one of the most expensive ingredients in this recipe, but you only need half of a chicken breast, so this ramen is an incredibly frugal dinner.
17. Sesame Chicken
Recipe From Seasonal Cravings
This sesame chicken is a must-try if you need a healthy and quick dinner that even your kids will love.
One reviewer said the chicken tasted like it was marinated for hours all day, which is impressive considering the entire dish only takes 15 minutes to make.
18. Red Lentil and Potato Curry
Recipe From Moon and spoon and yum
Lentils have many health benefits, such as boosting energy, and the high fiber content helps improve digestion.
Lentils combined with potatoes are a filling combo that’ll prevent late-night snacking since you’ll be full and satisfied.
19. Stuffed Pepper Soup
Recipe From Corrie Cooks
You’ll get all the flavors of stuffed peppers in soup form. To make this soup, you’ll need basic and budget-conscious ingredients such as bell peppers, ground beef, celery, beef broth, and more.
Many canned ingredients and spices in this recipe are pantry staples you may already have, which also keeps costs down.
Add Some Healthy Instant Pot Recipes to Your Meal Rotation
The key to eating healthy while keeping your budget is planning your meals ahead of time.
Set aside some time every week or month to plan out all of your healthy meals. Doing so will lessen the chance of overspending on groceries and going out to eat at restaurants.
There are also many simple ways to save money on groceries that can equal significant savings. So now that you have some healthy instant pot meal ideas, it’s time to pick a few to try this week.
