Registered Dietitian · Budget Cooking Expert · Indiana
My name is Martha Adams, and I have spent more than twelve years as a Registered Dietitian in Indiana helping real families eat well without emptying their wallets. I have worked with parents juggling two jobs, college students on a shoestring budget, and seniors trying to stretch every dollar at the grocery store. The one question I heard over and over again was the same: "Can healthy food actually be affordable?"
The honest answer is yes — but only if you know the right strategies. That is exactly why I created Cheap Delicious Meals. This site is my way of sharing everything I have learned in the clinic, the kitchen, and the grocery aisle, distilled into recipes that are practical, nutritious, and genuinely delicious.
I grew up in a small town outside of Indianapolis. My grandmother could make a feast out of next to nothing, and watching her cook was my first education in budget cooking. She taught me that cheap does not mean cutting corners on flavor — it means being smart about ingredients, cooking techniques, and planning. I carried that lesson through my dietetics degree at Purdue University, my clinical internship, and every recipe I have developed since.
Today I live in Bloomington, Indiana with my husband and two kids who are my most honest recipe testers. If a dish does not pass the family dinner table test, it does not make it onto the site. Simple as that.
"Eating well on a budget is not a compromise — it is a skill. And once you learn it, it changes everything about how you feed your family."— Martha Adams, RD
As a dietitian, I am trained to think about food from two angles at once: nutrition and practicality. A meal that is perfectly balanced but takes two hours and costs thirty dollars per serving is not a solution for most families. On the other hand, a ten-minute meal that is cheap but leaves everyone hungry and nutrient-starved is not a solution either.
The recipes on Cheap Delicious Meals live in the sweet spot between those two extremes. Here is how I approach every recipe I publish:
I calculate the cost per serving for every recipe. Most fall between $1.50 and $4.00 per serving, relying on pantry staples and affordable proteins.
Every recipe is reviewed through a dietitian's lens. I balance macronutrients and include vegetables wherever possible.
Busy weeknights are real. I test all recipes under realistic conditions — after a full workday, with kids in the kitchen.
Most recipes serve four to six people. I always include notes on scaling and embrace planned leftovers as a budget strategy.
Every recipe passes both my dietitian review and my family's dinner table test before it goes on the site.
Cheap Delicious Meals covers five core recipe categories, each designed to solve a specific mealtime need:
My most popular category and for good reason. Chicken and rice is the ultimate budget combo — versatile, filling, and endlessly adaptable. You will find everything from simple weeknight stir-fries to slow-cooker soups and creamy skillet dishes.
Hearty main courses that make the whole table happy. From pasta bakes and sheet pan dinners to budget beef dishes and vegetable-forward meals, this is where you go when you need a complete dinner solution.
Quick, packable, and satisfying midday meals. Soups, wraps, grain bowls, and simple salads that come together fast and stay filling all afternoon — both at home and packed for school or work.
Budget breakfasts that actually give you energy. Eggs, oats, whole grains, and fruit-forward options that start your day right. Many can be prepped ahead on weekends to make busy mornings easier.
The supporting cast that makes a meal complete. Affordable vegetable sides, budget-friendly grain dishes, and homemade sauces that elevate simple proteins into something special.
Here is the short version of my background — because I think transparency matters when you are getting nutrition and cooking advice from someone online:
B.S. in Dietetics with a minor in Food Science. Graduated with honors and went straight into a clinical dietetic internship.
Five years as a clinical dietitian at a regional hospital in Indiana, specializing in nutrition counseling for metabolic and cardiac patients.
Licensed and registered through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Credentials maintained through ongoing continuing education every year.
Developing and testing budget recipes professionally since 2012, with content featured in regional food publications and nutrition newsletters.
Every recipe you find on this site has been cooked in my home kitchen — not a professional test kitchen, not a food stylist's studio. Real kitchen, real budget, real family. I photograph my food on weeknights under imperfect lighting because that is how most of us actually cook.
I do not add recipes just to fill a calendar. If something does not taste great, costs too much, or takes longer than I said it would, I go back and fix it or I do not publish it at all. I would rather have fewer recipes I am truly proud of than hundreds of mediocre ones.
I also want to be upfront about how this site operates. Cheap Delicious Meals contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase products I recommend — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I actually use. The affiliate income helps me keep the site running and keep publishing free recipes for you.
If you have a question about a recipe, a nutrition concern, or just want to share how a dish turned out, I would genuinely love to hear from you. You can reach me through the contact page or by emailing [email protected]. I read every message and try to reply within 48 hours.
Thank you for being here. Now let's get cooking.
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