User Reviews

Great presentation. Done in a very entertaining way, you will find plenty of really great recipes that are so good looking you would never guess are such a bargain. Frankie, the host, is experienced and funny and knows his way around the kitchen. You would never guess these are bargain recipes and are actually ones you will want to try.

I really like this show but sometimes I feel like the ingredients he uses are not for people that are really struggling. When you're struggling you can't afford butter you can't afford olive oil and a lot of the things that are used on the show. I like the episodes where he turns like a fast food meal into a regular meal and I do learn a lot from the show. I just get frustrated because a lot of times I don't have the ingredients he uses. What else am I supposed to say right now he's making a lovely chicken pot pie and it looks like something that I could really do myself. He made this amazing eggplant and spinach lasagna and I didn't have mozzarella cheese I didn't have Parmigiano-Reggiano and I didn't have ricotta so it's super frustrating when you see something like that and you really want to make it but you don't have the money to go buy the ingredients. It's still my favorite show and I think he's a really fun guy to watch and I really like his other show called worth the hype.

This cooking show is great! These meals are also cheep! The host, Frankie Celenza, is really funny and his meals are great!

This show is the best! Frankie makes me happy :) Great advice, funny, sincere, just great entertainment!

This has become one of my favorite cooking shows. Most of what's on food network these days relies on cheap gimmicks or drama and I miss the days of just straight up cooking shows. This show is like a breath of fresh air and the host simply shows you great ways of making meals on a budget. I've actually gained a lot of helpful tips from watching a couple episodes of this which is more than I can say for most of what's on the food Network or the cooking channel. The host is fun, he keeps things simple , and he utilizes things most of us actually have in our kitchens. I love the idea that he breaks down meals based on their cost. I highly recommend this show for all the home cooks out there.

I found the host's babbling annoying & quit the series. The monetary values assigned to ingredients made absolutely no sense. You have to have all the ingredients on hand already to create these 'savings.' A fully stocked condiment drawer?? From whence did all theses packets appear?! No mention of measurements or amounts to use, host's frenetic babbling & excessive hand gestures, mugging into the camera, yuck!! Too much foolishness and waaaaay too little seasoning. Should be called Blandville, Food for those afraid of flavor. Do not recommend.

When I came to review it is listed as a comedy. No it isn't a comedy but it is a joke. After he said ''instagramable'' 5 times and how many likes within 3m20s I can't watch it. If you want mindless entertainment watch a zombie show.

As someone who makes struggle meals for myself and others that come out delicious, some Of these are maybe too simple. Others: yes, you will have to invest in some garlic powder and paprika at some point to make food that isn't hyper bland. But then that will last a pretty decent while and per serving cost just Pennie's. So the prices are pretty on. The meat cost varies by region but won't be super off. Advice: stick to the butchers/managers specials of the week. Generally meat that will need to be cooked or frozen within the week will be much cheaper too. So throw it in the freezer and just make sure to cook it the day after thawing.

Back to the show....yeah the use of the word "instagrammable" was super off putting. I get it: well-to-do suburban kids are all over Instagram struggling to make meals or to show off that they aren't relying on mommy and daddy (usually while in a super high class kitchen, using "cooking hacks" that amount to dry nonsense, or are just the literal way something is generally cooked). But let's assume people are coming to the show to find meals to make on the cheap. That's really the underserved market this is for, no?

Otherwise, just seems it's a show to not serve that market and instead serve people who just want to pretend they are that market online for clicks. I do sometimes post how to make things on my feed, but it's bc friends of mine see my food and ask me about it. It's to show people they can make a marinara in the time it takes to boil water and pasta, or an Alfredo on even less time. I'm also all about not wasting scraps. So this realllly feels like I should be the market for it either way, however I am not an enjoyer of the show. Hope It helps some people who are lost though. Potatoes and eggs ARE a great way to stay alive. And rice.