Cooking on the cheap shouldn't mean minute rice and buttered pasta every night. With a little creativity and a little planning, Gabriella Paiella shows us how to make the most of a tight budget -- without sacrificing flavor or variety. 

Today: DIY hangover cures for the mornings when you just can't bear to leave the house. 

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We all have our nights.

Subsequently, we all have hangovers the next day. It's not worth trying to figure out what caused it: It may have been your over-eager sampling of your own infused booze, your fourth whiskey sour of the night, or excessive Spring Break celebrations

At this point, you're only focused on how to feel better -- ideally without exposing yourself to the outside world. Instead of dragging yourself out of your house and spending more money (a lose-lose, and, besides, you're in no shape to be at brunch right now), nourish yourself during a hangover with foods that require minimal effort to prepare. (The catch: You'll need to at least have bread, eggs, and milk in your kitchen, so always be prepared.)

Make one of the recipes below, then lay in bed moaning and watching Netflix until the late afternoon, just as it was meant to be.

Breakfast Burritos 

You won't want to follow a recipe, so go ahead and internalize how to make any burrito in five steps. The next time you've had a rough night, you can stumble straight out of bed and go to town on your fridge leftovers -- swap scrambled eggs in place of the rice. If you're a vegan lush, use scrambled tofu and tempeh bacon instead.

Fried Egg Sandwiches 

Nothing beats a sublime breakfast sandwich after a long night out. Start with a perfectly fried egg (we won't fault you if it's a little less than perfect this morning), then stick it between whatever bread product you have in the house. If you're feeling ambitious, pair it with cheddar and greens or serve it open-faced with tomatoes and garlic

Bagels

If I had telekinetic powers, I would waste them away by getting bagels sent directly to my bed. The next best thing is to make a batch of bagels one ambitious weekend day and keep them in your freezer for emergencies. 

French Toast

If you often get the sweetest thing on the menu during brunch, this French toast is a perfect option for a hard morning. Pancakes and baked goods require far too much effort, but French toast can be prepared almost instantly. 

A Bloody Mary

Sometimes the only cure is a fresh drink

Tell us: What are you favorite homemade foods to help with a hangover?

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • jaypalkar123
    jaypalkar123
  • Catherine B
    Catherine B
  • MARY D
    MARY D
  • Soleil
    Soleil
  • Meryll
    Meryll
Yes, my name rhymes.

20 Comments

jaypalkar123 February 19, 2020
"Thank you for sharing such great information. Anti Hangover Drink India is informative, can you help me in finding out more detail on breakdown assist, I am interested and would like to know more about this field and wanted to understand the basics of avoiding a hangover after drinking.
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Catherine B. December 5, 2018
Sometimes the only thing you can stomach is a simple baked potato. Preparation and cleanup could not be easier. If you cannot wait an hour for it to cook, microwave the spud instead.
 
MARY D. May 6, 2015
I completely concur.....a bagel post-hangover is pure perfection!
 
Soleil May 6, 2015
You forgot poutine!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ultimate hangover food. WTH is wrong with you? You obviously havent been hungover enough!!! :)))))
 
Meryll May 6, 2015
Fried+egg+sandwich+on+toasted+multi-grain+bread+with+avocado,+cheese+&+salsa+has+replaced+the+cheeseburger+as+my+hangover+cure.
 
kim April 5, 2014
These all look like winners but Nick's biscuits and gravy ? I bow to you , sir.
 
Adrienne M. April 5, 2014
A Canadian Spicey Caesar, which is a cocktail similar to the Bloody Mary. Only it's very spicey and contains the magical ingredient of clam juice! It's so popular in Canada, you can buy "Clamato" juice in any grocery corner store. I'm always surprised its popularity never went south of the board. I think people are put off by the sound of clam juice....aside from being delicious, this is the best hangover cure.
 
colby April 2, 2014
As a college student I do not have much extra cash. I can't wait to try some of these DIY hangover cures instead of always going out to satisfy my cravings for something amazing when I wake up with a hangover! Bloody Mary's and bagels always help but I am looking forward to trying the breakfast burrito and fried egg sandwich this week!

Colby Tyler
Tulane
 
Brette W. April 2, 2014
Confession: I weirdly crave really spicy stir fried cabbage whenever I'm hungover
 
cucina D. April 6, 2014
I crave comfort food like creamy polenta with crispy bacon and chopped fresh roma tomatoes with a healthy dose of shaved parmigiano reggiano cheese... is this weird?
 
sew719 April 2, 2014
chilaquiles!!!!! something very satisfying about ripping up tortillas and flinging them in a pan with a hangover, then adding some salsa, a couple eggs, cheese, and avocado/sour cream/cilantro/refried beans depending on my ambition and the severity.
 
Nick K. April 2, 2014
We make biscuits & gravy - layered (from the top) thusly:
Diced Green Onion
Shredded Cheese
Fried Egg
Sauteed spinach and mushrooms
Bacon Gravy
Biscuit.
 
aargersi April 2, 2014
Breakfast tacos which down here = any combo of eggs, refried beans, chorizo, bacon, potato, avocado, add cheese, jalapenos and hot sauce. VERY LARGE iced tea. Dunk in the pool. Walla - all better!
 
Marian B. April 2, 2014
I wish I'd had all of this information three days ago.
 
laurenlocally April 2, 2014
:-)
 
cucina D. April 6, 2014
good one... :)
 
Catherine L. April 2, 2014
I'm behind you on the bagels 100%. I also swear by disco fries for breakfast.
 
Kenzi W. April 2, 2014
YUP. Just yes to all of this.
 
ZombieCupcake April 2, 2014
Oatmeal with a banana and walnuts or for a mild handover huevos rancheros while wearing sunglasses so the waitress can't see the damage from the night before.
 
ZombieCupcake April 2, 2014
Oops x the huevos didn't read that completely :)