Cheap-ass indulgence: these are the tastiest cheap snacks

Anyone who says you need money to enjoy delicious food is wrong. And because grocery shopping costs a ridiculous amount of money and it’s the end of the month: make the most of our cheap-ass tips.

Mini cocktail sausages in croissant dough

People who say they don’t like this snack are lying through their teeth. This snack is always a hit—it was at my fifth birthday party and it was again at my thirtieth birthday. Always delicious, and for that little something extra, you can add some mustard to the dough (or cheese). Got a bit more time? Then try these pigs in a quilt. Insanely delicious!

Bapao

We can’t help it either. Bapao simply belongs in the cheap-ass snack hall of fame forever. It’s cheap, it’s easy and it’s just insanely delicious. Bapao is pure gold. Add some sweet chili sauce and dig in.

Cheese pita

Cheese pita, student food? Yes, so what? It’s wonderfully cheap, and you can really go all out with the cheese filling. Add as much as you like to make it wonderfully cheesy. Sriracha takes it to the next level.

French toast

Cheap-ass snacks are especially fantastic when you can make them at home with products you probably always have in the house. You never have to leave the house to buy anything else, so it feels like you’re eating for free. Bread, egg, sugar, milk and cinnamon are all you need for perfectly good French toast. Want to treat yourself extra? Get out the jar of Nocciolata: the best chocolate spread in the world.

Salsa

Homemade salsa with tortilla chips: a few ripe tomatoes, a handful of cilantro, a scallion, red chili pepper and lime; you can find all of it cheaply at the Turkish grocer. Essential during frozen margarita season (which, as far as we’re concerned, has already started).

Crème spritz cookies

Let’s all be completely honest for a moment. Sometimes your snack is simply a packet of cookies. That’s totally fine—you don’t have to be ashamed; everyone does it sometimes. The best cookies ever: Albert Heijn crème spritz cookies. Delicious crunchy cookies with a cream layer that tastes like advocaat. And they cost next to nothing.

Tomato bruschetta

Very simple and yet not so standard. Add plenty of garlic and you have an extraordinary snack that costs practically nothing.

Homemade marinated olives

With the bruschetta or simply on their own: seasoning them yourself gives them that little something extra and makes you feel almost as if you’re in Southern Europe.

Hummus with crudités

Ideally, make the hummus yourself, but this is the perfect go-to wholesome snack. Extra points for laziness if you buy snack tomatoes, snack cucumbers and snack peppers. Tip: don’t eat it on the train; your fellow passengers won’t appreciate it.

For peanut butter fanatics

Attention, all peanut butter fans. Toasted bread with peanut butter (with nut pieces, and naturally a jar without palm oil), banana and sambal. Delicious! No bread in the house? You’re a peanut butter freak, so leaving out the bread isn’t a problem. Craving instant noodles instead? They also taste 10x better with a spoonful of peanut butter stirred in! Check out these peanut butter combinations for even more peanut butter in your life.

Popcorn

You literally don’t have to do anything to it, and it still feels much healthier than chips. In any case, I think there should always be something salty on a snack platter; a bowl of popcorn always does the trick!

Fried cauliflower

Healthy, just a little more work (compared with popcorn), and it still steals the show even though you may have spent less than five minutes making it.

Herring

With onion and pickle, of course. Support your local fishmonger. Step outside during work to get some fresh air and fresh herring—I’m already on my way.

Avocado

Scooping out an avocado: the ideal snack. Keep it simple with just salt and pepper. Feeling fancy? Sprinkle some paprika over it too. If you really want to show off, fill the avocado with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Avocados aren’t cheap, but they are if you buy them at the market (at the end of the day) or from the Turkish greengrocer.

Read also:

• Consumers’ Association unhappy: supermarket receipts are full of errors
• Kassa investigates: this is now the most expensive supermarket (and you won’t expect it)
• What? Is nettle tea really that expensive? And more ridiculously expensive supermarket products