@melaninpony the food prep subreddit has great recipes. You can pick one or two days a week to dedicate to preparing meals, and the rest of the week, you just pull meals out and cook them.

Buy in bulk. If you live near the west coast, winco has awesome bulk food options. Most places have some sort of bulk dry food option.

Spices are a cheap way to add big flavor. My go-to is curry powder. Find hot sauces you like.

Beans are cheap. Lentils are extremely cheap. Lots can be made with both.