What meals do you know which aren't too time consuming to prepare (or if they are last for a very long time), are cheap and whose ingredients are easy to acquire?
Bonus if it isn't just mainly carbon-hydrates and if the ingredients don't need to be used immediately (unless the meal itself when done can last for many days).
When I first started cooking I was a big fan of 2 chicken and rice dishes my mom would make me as a kid. Both use very few ingredients that all last a while:
Chicken Provincial
2 chicken breasts (I usually cut them lengthwise, parallel to the cutting board so they’re thinner and make 4 portions, you could also pound them, too thick and they dry out and don’t get the flavor of the sauce )
¼ cup butter
¼ lb mushrooms
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 bay leaf
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp thyme
⅓ cup orange juice
1 cup white rice
salt
pepper
Make white rice per package instructions (I use an instant pot with equal parts rice/water)
Brown the chicken on both sides in the butter, remove the chicken and cook mushrooms, onions, and thyme. Add orange juice and tomato sauce and stir until homogeneous. Add chicken and cook until 165 inside (if you don’t have a digital meat thermometer I highly recommend them, thermapen is best but there are plenty of cheaper ones on Amazon)
Plate the rice, add the chicken on top and pour the sauce over. I usually serve with an Israeli salad. Skip the mushrooms if you’re not into them.
Honey chicken
½ cup honey
¼ cup mu. stard (grey poupon)
1 tsp curry powder
¼ cup butter
2 chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 4 portions
pinch salt
1 cup white rice
Cook rice per package
Melt butter in a large high-walled baking pan in the oven at 350° (I use a 13x9 glass baking dish)
Add honey, mustard, salt, and curry powder to the butter and stir to combine. Add chicken and spoon sauce over until totally covered.
Bake for 15-25 minutes depending upon chicken thickness
Serve over rice. Again goes well with Israeli salad or any cool vegetables.