We Made 8 Budget Meal Prep Jars Before the Busy Season | July Pantry Stockpile

Saving money with frugal living starts in your pantry — 8 pantry challenge jar meals for grocery savings that are shelf-stable, grab-and-go, and most are under $2.

We’re a family of 3 with a $350 monthly grocery budget. These meals in jars are how we stretch every dollar without a grocery run — and every recipe is built from what’s already on our shelves.

🫙 THE 8 PANTRY JAR MEALS — FULL RECIPES

Note – I am using Jasmine rice for my recipes and 2 1/2 cups works for me for 2 cups of rice. You might need to adjust based on your type of rice.

1 – GINGER SOY RICE BOWL — $1.21 Jar Ingredients: 2 cups rice 1–2 tbsp dried ginger powder 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 bullion cube (beef/chicken/veggie) Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) To Cook (Instant Pot):Add jar and 2½ cups broth or water. Set to rice setting. Let pressure release naturally. Serve with a splash of soy sauce. Optional: add ½ pint canned chicken or pork.

2 – BEEF PASTA — $1.37 Jar Ingredients: 1½ cups small pasta ¼ cup dry milk powder 2 tbsp flour 1 beef bouillon cube 2 tsp each: garlic powder, paprika 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp salt, black pepper To Cook: Cook ½ lb beef (canned or sausage) in a skillet. Add jar mix and 4–5 cups hot water. Bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover until pasta is tender and sauce thickens — about 15–20 minutes on low. Add ½ cup cheese if you have it.

3 – CHICKEN & VEGETABLE SOUP MIX — $1.60 Jar Ingredients: 2 cups small pasta ½ cup dehydrated veggies of choice 4 chicken bouillon cubes 1 tbsp thyme 2 tbsp garlic powder 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp black pepper To Cook (Instant Pot):Add jar, 1 pint canned chicken (or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken), and 6 cups broth or water. Cook on high pressure 4 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.

4 – HERBED RICE PILAF — $1.55 Jar Ingredients: 2 cups rice 2-3 bullion cubes 1 tbsp dried parsley 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp salt and black pepper To Cook (Instant Pot):Add jar and 2½ cups broth or water. Set to rice setting. Let pressure release naturally. Serve as a side or base for any protein.

5 – MEXICAN RICE AND BEANS — $1.27 Jar Ingredients: 2 cups rice 1 tbsp tomato powder 1 tbsp taco seasoning ¼ cup dried beans (separated) To Cook(Instant Pot): Cook dried beans with 1 cup water 20–25 minutes first — no presoak needed. Drain extra liquid. Add jar, cooked beans, 1 pint canned chicken/sausage/pork, and 2½ cups broth or water to Instant Pot. Optional: add a can of drained corn or salsa. Set to rice setting, let pressure release naturally. Serve with cheese or chips.

6 – MEXICAN PASTA — $1.02 Jar Ingredients: 2 cups pasta 1 tbsp tomato powder 1 tbsp taco seasoning ¼ cup dried beans (separated) To Cook (Instant Pot): Cook dried beans with 1 cup water 20–25 minutes first. Drain extra liquid. Add jar, cooked beans, 1 pint canned chicken/sausage/pork, and 2 cups water to Instant Pot. Check your pasta box time — divide by half, subtract 2 minutes (example: 8-minute pasta = 2 minutes in the Instant Pot). Let pressure release naturally. Serve with cheese and/or crushed tortilla chips.

7 – ‘Beef’ and Veggie Soup 2 cups small pasta 1 cup of small pasta 1/2 cups of dry veggies 2-3 TBSP of Seasoning 2-3 Bullion Cubes To Cook: Add Dry mix to pot with 3-4 cups of hot water. Cook until the pasta is done. Serve.

8 – RICE PUDDING — $5.02 Jar Ingredients: 3 cups rice 1½ cups dry milk powder ¾ cup sugar 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp salt ½ cup dried raisins or fruit (optional) To Cook (Instant Pot):Add jar, 4–4½ cups water, and 1 tbsp vanilla to Instant Pot. Cook on rice setting. Let pressure release naturally. Serve warm.