# Modern Recession Recipes Budget-Friendly Ways to Beat Hunger By wang fangqing/ Frances Wang | Published 2009-04-25 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/budgetmeals References: [food.ivillage](http://food.ivillage.com/slideshow/food/meals_on_a_budget/indonesian_chicken_with_coconu.html) In a recession, people tend to try to cut costs on nearly everything--including daily meals. But does a tightened budget mean that we have to torture ourselves by eating the same [noodle soup](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noodles-company-holiday) or go-to budget meal every day? iVillage has listed four recipes to seek the perfect balance between our purses and our stomachs. Even costly Japanese cuisine can turn into an [affordable family potluck](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/feed-the-family-for-a-fiver-campaign). The recipe for poached salmon with rice noodles and lemongrass broth costs around $27 dollars. Still too expensive? Just replace salmon with sea bass, halibut or even tilapia. If you are crazy about Asian food, there's also [Indonesian chicken with coconut fried rice](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/affordable-asian-inspired-dishes). The rice itself fills your hunger, so you don’t have to prepare any additional food other than a light dessert. What are your favorite things to prepare when times are tough? ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 23% | Activity: 27% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Recession Recipes:** Opportunity to develop and promote budget-friendly recipes that offer a variety of flavors and ingredients. - **Affordable Potluck:** Opportunity to create recipes that transform costly cuisines into affordable options for large gatherings. - **Asian-inspired Budget Meals:** Opportunity to explore and share recipes that provide the satisfaction of Asian cuisine while staying within a tight budget. ### Where This Applies - **Food and Beverage:** Opportunity for food companies and restaurants to develop and market recession-friendly meal options. - **Cooking and Recipe Platforms:** Opportunity for cooking and recipe platforms to curate a collection of recession recipes that cater to budget-conscious individuals. - **Asian Grocery Stores:** Opportunity for Asian grocery stores to highlight affordable ingredients and provide recipe ideas for budget-friendly Asian meals. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Inflation-Proof Dinner Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-values-platform.md) - [Low-Cost Grocery Store Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-zone-meals.md) - [Inflation-Friendly Menu Specials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dark-meat-chicken-specials.md) - [Inflation-Fighting Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inflation-menu.md) - [Value-Focused Cooking Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/great-value-with-grace.md) - [Viral Affordable Toronto Lunches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piano-piano-lunch-special.md) - [Ready-to-Cook Noodle Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/batchelors-products.md) - [Low-Cost Restaurant Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/restaurant-meal-prices.md) - [Menopause Support Recipes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-menopause-hub.md)