These Foil-Packet Dinners Will Save You Time, Money & Dishes

We might not always have fresh fruit or enough spices, but aluminum foil is a kitchen constant that saves our asses on a regular basis. None of the Tupperware lids match the actual Tupperware? That's nothing a little foil can't fix. Ordered takeout for two so there are leftovers for the week? Break out the foil! But the magical wrap's most instrumental use actually has nothing to do with saving food at all— we should really be using it as a cooking vessel.

Foil packets usually show up during grilling season, but there's no reason we can't make packets for quick-bake dinners all year long. And the best part? There's hardly any cleanup. Assemble your meal on a sheet or two, fold, and you'll have a cheap, healthy dinner on the table before you can even say takeout.

Ahead, find four foil-packet meals that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less. We've got next week's dinners on lock.