What's Your Go-To Struggle Meal Or Snack?

The struggle meal—the food we lean on when ordering takeout is a luxury we can't afford and it's time to get crafty with what's on hand. It's amazing the ideas that hit when you're staring at a bunch of condiments and some plain bread (or in my case tortillas).

The money saving snack that comes to my mind is one I learned from my mom: eating flour tortillas with a little bit of butter spread across. Or, for a sweeter treat, sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on the tortilla. To each their own. This wasn't the only struggle meal I've had over the years, but I've been craving it lately.

And who among us has never had a sodium rich cup of instant ramen noodles? I like to keep my cup simple by just adding some lime juice to the chicken-flavored meal, but there are plenty of ways to dress it up. As much as I heard people say how much they hated instant ramen after college, I actually came out still loving it.

The label warns you not to microwave the cup, but everyone I knew just flat out ignored that part. Pro tip (based on personal experience): for the love of all that is holy do not forget to actually put water in the cup—someone in my dorm did that and almost caused a fire.

You don't always have to be low on funds to enjoy your struggle meal or snack. Sometimes, if you're lucky, the nostalgia is enough to make you crave your budget friendly meal even when you can afford to splurge on more expensive stuff. So whether you think fondly of it or you never want to see another cup of instant ramen in your life, tell me about your struggle meal.