21 comidas para llevar más económicas en casa

Después de un largo día en el trabajo, es tentador parar y recoger la cena en un restaurante favorito para llevar en lugar de preparar la comida en casa. No es solo una agenda ocupada lo que hace que esta opción sea tan atractiva; muchas comidas para llevar son simplemente deliciosas. Pero comer comida para llevar todo el tiempo rápidamente se vuelve costoso. Afortunadamente, muchas de las mejores comidas para llevar se pueden hacer de forma rápida y económica en casa.

La pizza puede ser tan simple como cubrir unos pocos panecillos o pan con salsa de tomate, un poco de queso rallado y hornear en el horno (u horno tostador) durante 7 a 8 minutos. Agrega los vegetales frescos que se encuentran en la nevera como ingredientes. Hacer masa de pizza casera es igual de fácil y económico, aunque puede agregar un tiempo de preparación considerable.

El ramen hecho en casa puede no ser tan económico como las cosas compradas en la tienda de la que muchos estudiantes universitarios subsisten, pero es mucho más económico que comprar ramen de calidad de un restaurante y tiene mucho menos sodio. La mayoría de los ingredientes para esta receta se pueden encontrar en cualquier despensa. Los fideos Yakisoba se venden en la sección asiática de muchos mercados de alimentos, y los espaguetis u otras pastas son un sustituto fácil. Además, los fideos ramen se pueden mejorar de muchas maneras.

Receta: Damn Delicious

La comida tailandesa tiende a estar cargada con sabores únicos, por lo que hacerla en casa puede parecer intimidante. Pero los cocineros novatos pueden hacer que un pad Thai bastante comparable al de $12 para llevar. La salsa requiere un par de ingredientes — como el cilantro y los brotes de soja — que no están en la despensa, pero se pueden comprar a un precio económico. Agrega un poco de pollo o carne para incluir proteínas, o más huevos y cacahuetes para hacer que el plato te llene más por menos.

Receta: Tablespoon

Philly cheesesteaks are a food cart favorite, but making them at home is easy with the right ingredients. Hoagie rolls, bell peppers, onions, and cheese are all pretty cheap (or already in the kitchen). Using a recipe that calls for chuck steak rather than pricier beef helps reduce costs. But cheaper cuts tend to get tough quickly when cooked too long, so keep the steak on the rare side.

Receta: Damn Delicious

http://damndelicious.net/2013/01/17/philly-cheesesteak-with-garlic-aioli-and-a-giveaway

Looking for a really cheap meal? Chicken fried rice fills the bill. This quick version is somewhat minimalist, with few ingredients, but can be customized to fit any taste. For a few pennies more, substitute brown rice for white — or splurge on a bag of fragrant jasmine rice.

Recipe: MyRecipes

It's hard to beat a good Thai peanut sauce, which can easily be made with peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, and water. Home cooks can substitute a cheaper protein in a recipe that calls for flank steak, or skip the meat entirely. Noodles or rice drizzled with peanut sauce and mixed veggies are a tasty alternative — at a fraction of the price of takeout.

Recipe: Damn Delicious

There's no need to stop for fried chicken when it can easily be made at home. What's more, homemade fried chicken can be prepared with healthier oils, and removing the skin before breading reduces fat and calories. (Pro tip: It can also be made in the oven.) Most ingredients are probably already in the kitchen.

Recipe: Bon Appétit

Black beans and rice is about as simple and cheap as a meal gets. Admittedly, the dish can be a bit boring, so try spicing it up with some extra veggies and spices. Diced tomatoes make a nice addition to this easy version, as do lime juice, canned corn, and extra garlic.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Thai soups generally are easy to make at home. A takeout order of tom kha or tom yum can easily cost $8 to $9, even as an appetizer. But finding ingredients for a Thai shrimp soup recipe at the market on the cheap should be no problem — and the cost can be cut further by substituting chicken or pork. Warning: The soup is addictive, so make extra and try to save some for the next day.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Beef and broccoli is a classic Chinese takeout choice that's oh-so-easy to make at home. Including prep time, this dish can go from stovetop to tabletop in less than 20 minutes. A well-stocked pantry should have all the ingredients for this dish, although it does call for chili paste or sweet chili sauce. Don't have either? A Genius Kitchen user suggests a quick way to make your own.

Recipe: Oh, Sweet Basil

Teriyaki chicken and noodles requires making teriyaki sauce, but if the necessary ingredients aren't normally stocked in the pantry, it may be more economical to use a store-bought sauce. The chicken has to marinate for at least 30 minutes, so plan this meal for a night when you're not in a rush.

Recipe: Damn Delicious

Orange chicken is another Chinese classic. This recipe takes about an hour to make, because the chicken needs to marinate. Many recipes have complicated sauces, but this one requires only three cheap and easy-to-find ingredients: barbecue sauce, orange marmalade, and soy sauce.

Recipe: Crafty Morning

Unlike the restaurant version, this recipe for baked sweet and sour chicken calls for the chicken to be fried only briefly before baking in the oven, which helps reduce fat and calories. Baking requires patience — it takes about an hour — but it's well worth the wait.

Recipe: Mel's Kitchen Café

Lo mein is mostly just noodles, so it can be even quicker and cheaper to make at home than waiting on delivery. Lo mein noodles are easily found at the grocery store, but spaghetti or vermicelli also works just fine. Toss in some veggies and, for some variation, use oyster sauce instead of soy sauce. Make it heartier by throwing in chopped chicken, pork, or even beef.

Recipe: Mr. Food Test Kitchen

Quesadillas can be a budget-friendly snack, requiring only tortillas and cheese. This recipe calls for some ground beef, refried beans, and avocado to make it a heartier meal but still far cheaper than ordering takeout. Avocado can be expensive, so the most budget-conscious home cooks may want to skip it.

Recipe: How Does She?

Spaghetti is one of the cheapest meals on many restaurant menus, but that doesn't make it a bargain. Pasta bought from the market is cheap (especially on sale) and making your own meat sauce takes only some veggies, tomato sauce, and ground beef (or turkey). If available, toss in some fresh basil, oregano, and garlic for additional flavor, and sprinkle with a pinch or two of Parmesan.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Shrimp fajitas beg for a grill, but they can also be made in the oven. Shrimp, bell peppers, onion, and a few spices combine to make a cheap, delicious, and healthy meal. Serve over rice to make the fajitas more filling and economical.

Recipe: CookingLight

Like most Mexican dishes, this taco salad uses mostly cheap and readily available ingredients: ground beef, beans, cheese, tortillas, tomatoes, onions, etc. Consider using lettuce in place of tortillas for a lighter take on this dish.

Recipe: 100 Days of Real Food

As delicious as the fast-food version may be, a burrito bowl is a snap to make at home using the same simple ingredients. This cheap dish can be customized in many different ways. This version includes a chipotle cream sauce, but extra salsa or a dollop of sour cream will work just fine. Add a protein of choice, or none at all. Substitute quinoa instead of rice for a nutritious twist.

Recipe: Damn Delicious

For a truly inexpensive replacement for takeout food, try making refried bean tostadas. They take about 20 minutes to make and require little more than tortillas, refried beans, and cheese. Add some ground beef or extra veggies to make this more of an entrée than an appetizer.

Recipe: MyRecipes

Making burgers at home not only saves a lot of money but allows some variety. A ground turkey burger shaves off some of the cost, and making sliders instead of full-size burgers can make a little meat go a long way. Vegetarians can use portobello mushrooms or make black-bean burgers on the cheap.

Recipe: Food Network