Budget & family

Lentils stretch the grocery budget and make a meatless lunch with useful staying power.

Serves 6

• Lentil Sloppy-Joe Sandwiches

A cold pasta meal helps when lunch has no microwave. Cook time assumes already cooked chicken.

Serves 6

Uses a measured cooked protein portion for a fast shared meal. Cook time assumes cooked turkey.

Serves 4

• Spinach-Black-Bean Quesadillas

Beans and pasta make a meatless lunch that travels well when kept cold.

Serves 4

A no-cook pantry lunch works for one athlete now and another lunch tomorrow.

Serves 2

A flexible bowl keeps a familiar dinner useful for both individuals and families.

Serves 4

Beans extend one pound of turkey across a batch that can feed the family twice.

Serves 8

Two uncrowded trays make a complete dinner with familiar ingredients.

Serves 6

Freshly cooked rice and frozen vegetables make a fast, inexpensive dinner.

Serves 4

Lentils extend a small amount of turkey into a family-sized pasta sauce.

Serves 8

• Mushroom-Lentil Bolognese

One pot of filling supports dinner now and a future freezer meal.

Serves 6

• Salsa Chicken-Bean Stuffed Peppers

Potatoes and beans make an economical dinner from breakfast staples.

Serves 4

Dry lentils make a hearty vegetarian batch without a long soak.

Serves 6

A broth-based meal freezes in small portions for late-practice dinners.

Serves 6

• Lemon Chicken-Orzo Soup

Small meatballs portion evenly for individual containers and family meals.

Serves 6

A meatless soup turns low-cost dry lentils into a freezer staple.

Serves 6

A familiar taco flavor gives the soup rotation a different taste and texture.

Serves 6

A low-cost snack needs no cooking and is easy to assemble away from home.

Serves 1

A dry travel snack can sit alongside water and fruit when a cooler is impractical.

Serves 4

Crisp-edged potatoes and flaky cod cook on two oven trays.

Serves 4

Cool noodles and crunchy vegetables carry a creamy sesame dressing.

Serves 4

Tender egg cups hold spinach, pepper and small pockets of melted cheese.

Serves 4

Soft oat squares have banana sweetness and chewy raisins.

Serves 9

A bubbling pasta bake combines turkey, tomato sauce and tender spinach.

Serves 6

Juicy pork loin shares two trays with browned sweet potatoes and green beans.

Serves 4

Ginger, garlic and lemon coat chicken and colorful vegetables in a light pan sauce.

Serves 4

Lemon-garlic chicken and chickpeas sit beside cool cucumber-yogurt sauce and pita.

Serves 4

A spoonable chicken stew has tender potatoes, carrots and a garlic-herb broth.

Serves 6

Chewy oat-and-raisin bites hold together with sunflower-seed butter and honey.

Serves 8

• Cocoa-Date Oat Energy Bites

A square of baked egg and melted cheddar sits inside a whole-wheat English muffin.

Serves 6

Mashed banana gives these small whole-wheat pancakes a soft, lightly sweet center.

Serves 4

• Savory Sweet-Potato Pancakes

Bread cubes soak up a cinnamon custard before baking into soft-centered squares.

Serves 6

• Turkey-Spinach Breakfast Strata

Pearl couscous and chickpeas mingle with crisp cucumber, tomatoes, feta and pitted olives.

Serves 4

Chopped hard-cooked eggs sit in a creamy yogurt-and-mayonnaise dressing between whole-wheat bread.

Serves 4

• Curried Chickpea-Salad Sandwiches

Fresh elbow pasta is stirred through a portion of the book's turkey-and-bean chili.

Serves 4

Crisp salmon-and-breadcrumb cakes with golden roasted potato cubes.

Serves 4

A potato topping covers lean beef, onion and a frozen carrot-and-corn mixture.

Serves 6

• Lentil-Mushroom Shepherd's Pie

Jumbo pasta shells hold a spinach-and-ricotta filling under tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.

Serves 6

Thoroughly dried chickpeas roast into a crisp snack with a light coating of chili seasoning.

Serves 4

Small whole-wheat bagel halves carry tomato sauce and a bubbling mozzarella topping.

Serves 2