The 2-Ingredient Dollar Store Dinner I Make When I’m Too Tired to Cook

Being in college means you sometimes have to get a little scrappy when it comes to making meals. Spending hours on school work plus working a minimum wage job meant I didn’t have much time to grocery shop and meal prep. But luckily, that’s where social media came in handy by giving me some low effort, cheap dinner ideas to turn to when I’m too tired to whip up something big. 

I’ve found some of my favorite dinners on TikTok. The ‘viral’ factor of some of the most popular recipes makes me—and I’m sure others—want to try it immediately. Just look at the recent viral recipe, Tini’s Mac and Cheese! But a niche side of social media recipes that I’ve found solace in has got to be Dollar Store dinners. They’re cheap, relatively easy, and just as delicious as any other recipe. And while there’s plenty out there to choose from, I’ve found one Dollar Store dinner that I’ve gravitated towards again and again.

My Favorite 2-Ingredient Dollar Store Dinner

I’ve previously praised the TikTok account dollartreedinners for giving me another low effort, cost-effective dinner that I still eat regularly despite being done with college. The account offers up some pretty tasty dinner ideas all within a $2 to $5 range and there’s a wide variety of recipes to choose from. One recipe in particular caught my eye and I had to make it ASAP. It immediately became one of my favorites to make when I’m too tired to cook: Idahoan Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Southgate Beef Stew.

This meal only ran me about $4 and it’s great to stock up on because it’s shelf stable. I buy these mashed potato packets and cans of beef stew two at a time so I always have them on hand for nights when I need a quick dinner without having to do a grocery run. The mashed potatoes are creamy and fluffy, which always surprises me coming from a packet. The stew is jam packed with meat and veggies, making it hearty and filling. Combining the two creates a warming dish full of flavor.

How To Make My Favorite 2-Ingredient Dinner

This meal takes the cake for being the most low effort meal you can make. Here’s how to do it:

1. Boil 2 cups of water to add to the instant potatoes, stir it up (for even more flavor I also like to add in some butter, salt, and pepper), and place it at the bottom of your serving bowl. Want to make it even easier? I just microwave the water until it’s steaming hot, about 2 minutes, and then mix the potato flakes in.
2. Transfer the stew to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it in 30-second blasts until heated through. Serve the stew on top of the mashed potatoes.

The meal is fulfilling, cozy, and perfect for warming up on chilly nights. On the nights I have a little extra energy, I make some roasted brussels sprouts to pair with it. If you’re looking for an easy dinner that’s ready in minutes, I can’t recommend this one enough.