Healthy Eating 101 Budget Cooking Guide Thrifty I'm a Dietitian & These Are 13 Budget-Friendly Recipes I Make with a Bag of Chopped Kale By Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 9, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia Website Maria Laura is EatingWell's senior nutrition & news editor. As part of the nutrition team, she edits and assigns nutrition-related content and provides nutrition reviews for articles. Maria Laura is a trained dietitian, almond butter lover and food enthusiast with over seven years of experience in nutrition counseling. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree Leafy greens like kale, collards, spinach and mustard greens are super nutritious and can offer a variety of health benefits. But they tend to go bad in the fridge pretty quickly if you buy them fresh. I've found that buying a bag of pre-chopped kale can help them last longer (if they're stored correctly, I store mine in a sealed container with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture) and allows me to eat way more greens throughout the week while avoiding food waste. Plus, kale can be very versatile in everything from sweet smoothies to savory stews. And having prepped kale on hand makes it easy to add a simple side like our Basic Sautéed Kale or our Massaged Kale Salad to any meal for a boost of flavor and nutrition. Since I started buying bags of chopped kale, I always have them in my fridge. Recipes like our Cauliflower & Kale Frittata and our Kale & Banana Smoothie help me use up the bag in delicious ways, too. For more beginner- and budget-friendly recipes and cooking tips, check out Thrifty. 01 of 13 Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale View Recipe This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup. 02 of 13 Really Green Smoothie View Recipe The combination of kale and avocado makes this healthy smoothie recipe extra green. Chia seeds lend a heart-healthy punch of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. 03 of 13 Cauliflower & Kale Frittata View Recipe Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner. 04 of 13 Kale & White Bean Potpie with Chive Biscuits View Recipe In this vegetarian white bean potpie recipe, kale and hearty white beans are topped with easy, homemade chive biscuits. If desired, add a little shredded Gruyère or Cheddar cheese to the biscuit dough. 05 of 13 Kale & Strawberry Salad View Recipe Greg DuPree In this kale and strawberry salad, apple-cider vinegar and mustard flavor the dressing while fresh strawberries offer a touch of sweetness. Creamy herbed goat cheese completes this healthy salad that's perfect for lunch or dinner. 06 of 13 Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale View Recipe You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping. 07 of 13 Kale & Banana Smoothie View Recipe Casey Barber This simple and sweet kale and banana smoothie is also versatile: Use cow's milk for a milkshake-style smoothie, oat milk for more sweetness, or a nut milk for more protein. 08 of 13 One-Pot Italian Sausage & Kale Pasta View Recipe Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila For a fast weeknight pasta dinner, why not cook your sauce and pasta all at once? By using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta--no colanders here--the starch that cooks off into your pasta water, which you usually drain away, stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results. 09 of 13 Massaged Kale Salad View Recipe Here a pungent garlicky dressing is infused into kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. Any type of kale will work in this recipe, just remember to remove the tough stems before you start. 10 of 13 Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing View Recipe Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one! 11 of 13 Basic Sautéed Kale View Recipe Simply sautéed kale seasoned with a blast of sherry vinegar is a deluxe combination. 12 of 13 One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan View Recipe Antonis Achilleos This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. If you avoid cheese made with rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which is made without it. 13 of 13 Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup View Recipe Make this low-calorie vegetable soup recipe with ease in this load-and-go crock pot recipe. After simmering away in the slow cooker, portion it into individual serving containers and store in the fridge or freezer for fast, healthy lunches or an easy, satisfying snack. This weight-loss vegetable soup fills you up without a lot of calories, plus it's an easy way to eat more vegetables. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit