Potatoes are pretty cheap and you can make all sorts of different items with them, baked, fried. Canned tuna is cheap also, can make casseroles or sandwiches on the cheap. Hamburger helper is another cheap meal. Salads are awesome and healthy, buy fresh and it's real cheap. Rice and beans are super cheap and not that hard to make. It really depends on what you like and how much time you have to actually cook something.