To think cooking from scratch is not always cheaper?

Another one who is amazed that you managed to spend £18 making Spag Bol.

Im sure it is possible to get ready meals that are cheaper than making a meal yourself, but it's unlikely the quality of ingredients will be the same so you aren't really comparing like with like.

Food companies make their money from selling processed food, not raw ingredients. Even at the higher levels of quality, a farmer will make more profit selling cheese or ice cream, than just selling milk.

I would say though, that it's possible to save more if you can spend more upfront. We buy whole sheep and pigs from local farms which works out much cheaper, but not everyone is in a position to do that.

3.5 hours of oven for spag bol ? You'd be paying £40 for the equivalent ready meal.

Bulk it out with lentils to get twice as much

If it cost £18 to make a beef ragu you are doing it wrong.

I made one yesterday (for 4) - beef mince, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf, a red pepper, teaspoon of capers, tin of tomatoes, glass of red wine, beef stock. Simmer for an hour or two. I had everything apart from the beef mince already, but I reckon tne ingredients would have been about £6 max.

£18 for spag bol??? How?
Depending on what mince and where you buy it, under a fiver. Onions and garlic and maybe a stick of celery..about a quid. A tin or 2 of tinned tomatoes..about £1.50 .. and you'd get enough for more than 6 portions..I'd get about 8 portions out of that. Herbs and spices presumably already in the cupboard/garden, maybe a glass of wine out of an already opened bottle..how is that anywhere near 18 quid?

Of course it isn’t. Iceland adverts tell you that. Beige freezer food is far cheaper and easier to cook. And a lot of people don’t know how to cook.

3.5 hours in the oven?

Yes, good quality food costs more than low quality food, but you aren't comparing like for like by the sound of it.

What on earth did you put in your spag bol. Mine isn't frugal but no way does it come to £18.99.

500g good quality Mince £5.50
Small bottle of Shiraz £3
1 onion £40p
Tin of good quality Tom's 75p
Squirt of tomato puree 35p
Three garlic cloves 15p
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt
Bayleaves probably 20p tops
Packet of good quality pasta £1.50
Grating of parmesan £1

Mixed salad £3

That's about £15 and I could do it for a fiver less and it would still be better than a jar of sauce.

Well no it isn't. Processed or factory made food is made in bulk with mass bought products so it can be cheaper especially if you account for your own time, cooking fuel etc

However, I find its almost always better quality for your money to cook yourself.

Anyone can buy cheap processed meat or carb heavy frozen stuff and yes that probably will cost less per meal. The ingredients are usually as long as your arm as they have to make it cheaply and keep it shelf stable for as long as possible.

If you wanted to buy the equivalent quality as made at home you would be spending way more.

Eh? How on earth did you spend that?

The trick is to buy lean mince instead of gold plated.

I agree. Cooking from scratch is often far more expensive than buying ready meals. Baking even more so.

Yes it can definitely be more expensive but how on earth did the ingredients for spag bol for 6 people cost you nearly £20??

What are you using to make it that expensive? It is more expensive as an outlay as you really need herbs, spices and some cupboard ingredients to add to stuff, with a jar you don't. Often you do pay for convenience though so depends what it is really and what you use in your home cooked dishes. Agree it's not by default cheaper.