Big Flavor Small Budget Hot Sauce Addict This Should Not Work Probably Illegal Protein > Price Dollar Tree Gourmet Big Flavor Small Budget Hot Sauce Addict This Should Not Work Probably Illegal Protein > Price Dollar Tree Gourmet
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Big Flavor.
Small Tiny
Budget.

Mike & Noah cook absurdly good meals on broke college kid budgets. Chaotic. Loud. Protein-packed. The kind of food that has no business tasting this expensive.

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$3.42
Avg cost / serving
47g
Avg protein hit
100%
Chaos approved
Mike and Noah from Swollenbacks Cooking holding budget meals
Budget Approved
Under $5
~ on the menu ~

Meals That Slap
on a budget.

View all recipes →
$3.80TOTAL High Protein Spicy chili pasta

Demon Chili Mac

$
$0.95 / serv
P
52g protein
⚡
Easy
⏱
22 min
Mike Rating ★★★★★
Chaos Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
$2.50TOTAL Ramen Hacks Ramen bowl

Gas Station Tonkotsu

$
$0.62 / serv
P
38g protein
⚡
Stupid easy
⏱
12 min
Mike Rating ★★★★☆
Chaos Level 🔥🔥🔥
$4.20TOTAL Air Fryer Chaos Crispy chicken

Crispy Bro Nuggets

$
$1.05 / serv
P
61g protein
⚡
Easy
⏱
18 min
Mike Rating ★★★★★
Chaos Level 🔥🔥
$1.99TOTAL Dollar Tree Burger

Dollar Tree Smash Burger

$
$0.99 / serv
P
34g protein
⚡
Easy
⏱
10 min
Mike Rating ★★★★★
Chaos Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
$4.95TOTAL Bodybuilder Protein bowl

Broke Anabolic Bowl

$
$1.24 / serv
P
78g protein
⚡
Medium
⏱
25 min
Mike Rating ★★★★★
Chaos Level 🔥
$3.15TOTAL Gas Station Hot dog chaos

3AM Glizzy Loco

$
$0.79 / serv
P
29g protein
⚡
Reckless
⏱
6 min
Mike Rating ★★★★☆
Chaos Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
~ the chefs (sort of) ~

Meet the Swollenbacks.

Mike the Hype Man and Noah the Chaos Chef character cards
MIKE
The Hype Man
"This tastes EXPENSIVE."
  • VibeConfident, athletic, walking exclamation point. If the meal slaps he WILL let you know.
  • Favorite cheap ingredient$1.25 tray of bodega ground beef. Trust the process.
  • Worst kitchen disasterForgot the air fryer had a basket. Set off three smoke alarms in one apartment.
  • Catchphrase"BRO. BROOOOO. Just trust me."
Big Energy Bigger Appetite Protein > Price Hot Sauce Addict Flavor King
NOAH
The Chaos Chef
"This should NOT work."
  • VibeSarcastic, deadpan, accidentally a genius. Measures nothing. Wins anyway.
  • Favorite cheap ingredientWhatever's been in the cabinet since spring. Mystery seasoning #4.
  • Worst kitchen disasterMicrowaved a fork. The light show was almost worth it.
  • Catchphrase"I dunno, just put it in there."
Chaos Cooking Questionable Decisions Accidental Genius No Measurements We Survive Together
~ scroll the chaos ~

The Reel Show.

Watch all on TikTok →
★ VIRAL Mike laughing with bowl
The $1 meal that fed us for 3 days
👁 2.4M♥ 412K
⚡ CHAOS Noah eating noodles
Noah invented a new dish on accident
👁 891K♥ 203K
EP. 47 Mike flexing
High protein meals under $2
👁 1.1M♥ 287K
⚡ CHAOS Noah suspicious
We let the dollar store choose dinner
👁 3.2M♥ 598K
★ VIRAL Mike with hot sauce
Hot sauce on EVERYTHING challenge
👁 4.7M♥ 821K
EP. 52 Noah peace sign
Ramen but make it bougie
👁 644K♥ 155K
⚡ CHAOS Mike shocked
Noah put WHAT in the pasta?
👁 1.8M♥ 374K
NEW Mike arms crossed
Reacting to your worst meals
👁 287K♥ 91K
~ the gang ~

You're part of the inside joke.

Rate My Struggle Meal

Submit Your Broke Masterpiece.

You made dinner with $2.47 and whatever was in the back of the freezer? Show us. Top vote each week gets a shoutout from Mike & Noah and a starter pack of Swollenbacks merch.

JR
@jasperRUNS
Tuna mayo on saltines with hot sauce. Lived to tell.
$1.20 total•2 days ago
▲ 1.2k
MK
@mikeyMacaroni
Microwaved instant rice + cheese slice + nuggets = god tier?
$2.85 total•5 hrs ago
▲ 847
DV
@devDevours
Peanut butter ramen. I'm not apologizing.
$0.95 total•1 day ago
▲ 612
Submit Yours →

Weekly Challenge

This week: cook a full dinner using only items priced under a dollar. Tag your video #swollenbacksbroke for a chance to be featured.

See entries →

Fan Recipes

Got a recipe so cheap it should be illegal? Drop it in the community feed. Best ones get tested live on the show.

Submit recipe →

Community Polls

Voting open: should Mike attempt a $5 steak dinner? It's a bad idea. We need to know if you want to see it.

Vote now →
"bro Noah eating that noodles like he's about to lose a bet"
@lukewasNOTthere · 4.2K likes
"the way mike said 'this tastes EXPENSIVE' over $0.47 ramen, im screaming"
@toastedalmond · 8.7K likes
"these guys feed me better than my actual paycheck"
@brokeBrayden · 12.1K likes
~ rep the kitchen ~

Wear the chaos.

Shop everything →
NEW
SWOLLEN BACKS COOKING

OG Logo Hoodie

$48
SOLD OUT
BIG FLAVOR

Big Flavor Shaker

$26
THIS SHOULD NOT WORK

Chaos Chef Apron

$32
BUDGET SLAPS

Sticker Pack (12pc)

$9
LIMITED
PROTEIN > PRICE

Protein > Price Tank

$28
DOLLAR TREE GOURMET EST. 2024 SWOLLENBACKS

Dollar Tree Tee

$24
BUDGET APPROVED

Budget Approved Cap

$22
PRE-ORDER
THE BROKE COOKBOOK VOL. 1

The Broke Cookbook V1

$19

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