Now that we’ve talked about how you can save, let’s get into the recipes.

Recipe B: Chicken rice bowl with vegetables

This is the hawker-style system: protein + carb + veg + sauce. It’s also the easiest to repeat without getting bored, because sauces change everything. Another versatile dish imo, mainly because the protein could be switched out and the cost could still be kept fairly low (well, depending on the protein you pick).

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• 600g chicken breast (~150g/serving)
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 300g frozen vegetables
• Pantry sauce: soy sauce + sesame oil OR chilli + lime OR sambal

Steps

1. Pan-sear or air-fry chicken breast. Slice.
2. Bulk-cook rice.
3. Heat frozen vegetables.
4. Assemble: rice + veg + chicken + sauce.
5. Store in containers for 3 to 4 days.

Cost per serving (estimated)

• Chicken (~150g): ~ $2.90
• Rice: ~ $0.25
• Veg (~75g): ~ $0.36
• Pantry estimate: ~ $0.30
• Total: ~ $3.80–$4.00