Seven simple lunches for under $10 using just five ingredients – and they’re all genuinely delicious

Groceries are not getting any cheaper, and lunch – that middle-of-the-day meal that so many of us just muddle through – is one of the easiest places for money to quietly disappear. A café sandwich here, a hot chook there, a bowl of something from the food court when you couldn’t face making anything. Before you know it you’ve spent more on lunch in a week than you did on a full dinner.

The good news is that some of the best lunches are also the simplest and cheapest. These seven come in under $10, use five ingredients each – not counting basics like salt, pepper and olive oil that most of us already have in the cupboard – and are genuinely satisfying rather than sad desk meals you endure out of obligation.

White Bean Toast with Lemon and Chilli

Creamy, filling and ready in five minutes. Better than avocado toast and considerably cheaper.

Servings 2

Ingredients

400 grams tin white beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
4 thick sourdough or multigrain bread, toasted
1 lemon, juiced and zested
0.5 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1 Smash the beans: Tip 400 grams tin white beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed into a bowl. Add 1 lemon, juiced and zested, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Mash roughly with a fork – you want it chunky and textured, not smooth like hummus. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2 Toast and top: Toast 4 thick sourdough or multigrain bread, toasted until properly golden and crisp. Pile the smashed beans generously on top, scatter with 0.5 teaspoons dried chilli flakes and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Eat immediately.

TIP: Add a handful of rocket or baby spinach on top if you have it. A fried egg on top turns this into a more substantial meal.

Tomato and Red Lentil Soup

A proper warming soup from pantry staples – on the table in 20 minutes and even better the next day.

Servings 2

Ingredients

400 grams tin crushed tomatoes
400 grams tin red lentils, drained – OR 200g dry red lentils
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin

Method

1 Cook the base: Heat a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 onion, diced and cook for 6 minutes until softened. Add 2 garlic cloves, minced and 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

2 Simmer the soup: Add 400 grams tin crushed tomatoes and 400 grams tin red lentils, drained – OR 200g dry red lentils plus 500ml water. Stir well, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the lentils are completely soft. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3 Blend and serve: Use a stick blender to partially blitz the soup – blend about half of it so you get a mix of smooth and chunky. Add a little more water if it’s too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning.

TIP: Serve with toast or crusty bread for a proper lunch. A dollop of plain yoghurt on top is a lovely addition if you have it. This soup freezes beautifully – make a double batch while you’re at it.

Cheesy Bean Quesadillas

Crispy, golden and satisfying – this quesadilla takes 10 minutes and costs almost nothing.
Servings 2

Ingredients

4 flour tortillas
400 grams tin black beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
100 grams cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoons tsp smoked paprika or cumin
1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges

Method

1 Season the beans: Roughly mash 400 grams tin black beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed with a fork. Stir through 1 teaspoons tsp smoked paprika or cumin and season well with salt and pepper.

2 Assemble: Spread the bean mixture over two 4 flour tortillas. Scatter 100 grams cheddar cheese, grated evenly over the beans. Top each with a second tortilla and press down firmly.

3 Cook until golden: Heat a dry non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook each quesadilla for 2–5 minutes 05:00 per side until golden and crispy and the cheese has melted. Cut into wedges and serve with 1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges.

TIP: Serve with sour cream or plain yoghurt for dipping. A handful of fresh coriander inside or a few drops of hot sauce takes this from a budget lunch to something you’d happily serve to guests.

Eggs in Tomato Sauce (Shakshuka)

A nourishing egg dish that works with whatever vegetables need using up. Five minutes of effort, 15 minutes in the oven.
Servings 2

Ingredients

4 large eggs
400 grams tin chopped tomatoes
0.5 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoons tsp smoked paprika or za’atar

Method

1 Cook the base: Heat a little oil in an oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. Add 0.5 onion, diced and cook for 6 minutes until soft. Add 1 garlic clove, minced and 1 teaspoons tsp smoked paprika or za’atar and stir for 1 minute.

2 Simmer the sauce: Pour in 400 grams tin chopped tomatoes, season generously and simmer for 8–9 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

3 Add the eggs and cook: Make four small wells in the sauce with a spoon. Crack one of 4 large eggs into each well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 5–6 minutes until the whites are set but yolks are still a little runny. Serve straight from the pan with toast.

TIP: Crusty bread for mopping up the sauce is non-negotiable. Add a pinch of dried chilli if you like heat, or crumble feta over the top before serving for a more substantial meal.

Tuna, Celery and Yoghurt Wrap

Light, fast and endlessly variable. A proper lunch wrap that feels more substantial than it is.

Servings 2

Ingredients

2 large flour wraps
185 grams tin tuna in springwater, drained
2 tablespoons tbsp Greek yoghurt or mayonnaise
1 stick celery, finely sliced (or 0.25 cucumber, diced)
2 large handfuls mixed lettuce or baby spinach

Method

1 Mix the filling: In a small bowl, mix 185 grams tin tuna in springwater, drained with 2 tablespoons tbsp Greek yoghurt or mayonnaise and 1 stick celery, finely sliced (or 0.25 cucumber, diced). Season well with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon if you have one.

2 Fill and wrap: Lay 2 large flour wraps flat. Arrange 2 large handfuls mixed lettuce or baby spinach down the centre of each wrap, then spoon the tuna mixture on top. Fold in the sides and roll up firmly. Slice in half on the diagonal and serve.

TIP: A squeeze of lemon juice and a grind of black pepper in the tuna mixture makes all the difference. Halve and wrap in foil if you’re taking it out – it travels well for a couple of hours.

Soy and Sesame Noodle Broth with Poached Egg

A silky, satisfying Asian-inspired noodle soup that comes together in under fifteen minutes using supermarket staples.

Servings 2

Ingredients

180 grams dried noodles (vermicelli, soba or egg noodles)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons tbsp soy sauce
1 teaspoons tsp sesame oil
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Method

1 Cook the noodles: Bring 750ml water to the boil in a saucepan. Cook 180 grams dried noodles (vermicelli, soba or egg noodles) according to packet instructions, then drain and divide between two bowls.
2 Poach the eggs: Using the same saucepan, bring another 600ml water to a simmer. Crack in 2 eggs and poach for 3 minutes 03:00 until whites are just set.
3 Assemble and serve: Pour the simmering water (now your light broth) over the noodles. Stir through 2 tablespoons tbsp soy sauce and 1 teaspoons tsp sesame oil. Top each bowl with a poached egg and scatter generously with 2 spring onions, thinly sliced. Serve immediately.

TIP: Add a handful of frozen corn or a tin of sweetcorn to bulk it out further. A teaspoon of chilli sauce or a few drops of rice vinegar stirred in at the end lifts the whole bowl considerably.

Chickpea, Cucumber and Feta Salad

A hearty, protein-packed salad that keeps you full all afternoon and costs barely a thing to make.

Servings 2

Ingredients

400 grams tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
0.5 continental cucumber, diced
2 tablespoons tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
60 grams feta cheese, crumbled

Method

1 Toss the salad: Tip 400 grams tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed into a bowl. Add 0.5 continental cucumber, diced, 2 tablespoons tbsp olive oil and 1 lemon, juiced. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss everything together well.

2 Finish with feta: Scatter 60 grams feta cheese, crumbled over the top. Taste, adjust the seasoning or lemon, and serve. That’s genuinely all there is to it.

TIP: Add halved cherry tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives or a handful of baby spinach if you have them. This keeps well in the fridge for a day, making it ideal for batch-prepping on Sunday for Monday lunch. Just add the feta when serving.