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Original poster

Dinner ideas for £3.60

62 replies

Thisnamechanger · 17/12/2018 18:19

Anyone up for a cooking challenge?

I'm totally broke this week and I've got £3.60 in my pocket for dinner.

WWYC? (What would you cook?)

For reference I have some dried spaghetti and bean burgers at home, small amount of cheddar mostly full spice rack and I go past an M&S, Sainsbos and Iceland on the way home.

OP posts:
SilverDoe · 17/12/2018 18:20

How many people do you need to feed? :)

Truckingonandon · 17/12/2018 18:20

Well you're not going to get a bargain at M&S, that's for sure but picking something up from the whoopsies makes your money go further.

Unescorted · 17/12/2018 18:21

Buy a jar of pesto.

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Cost of living General food
SheldonandPenny · 17/12/2018 18:21

Lentil and veg curry

Original poster
Thisnamechanger · 17/12/2018 18:22

Just me. Veggies scraps for the bunnies a bonus!

What's a whoopsie??

OP posts:
NorthLondonGirl · 17/12/2018 18:22

Fry an onion, add a tin of chopped tomatoes, some spices to jazz it up. Cook and add chopped up bean burgers, serve with spaghetti and grated cheddar, sort of like a veggie bolognaise?

mooncuplanding · 17/12/2018 18:22

Butter, garlic and Parmesan / cheese with the spaghetti is a surprisingly nice pasta dish.

With the bean burgers would be joyous

cloudtree · 17/12/2018 18:23

£3.90 for one person. That is not a difficult thing to do.

Bunnybigears · 17/12/2018 18:23

£3.60 for 1 meal for 1 person?

Avrannakern · 17/12/2018 18:24

Bag of lentils, jar of passata (basic own brand), onion, crusty bread if enough.

Boil 1 cup of lentils with 3 cups of water for around 20 minutes (with a chicken or veg stock cube if you have one).

While that's happening, sweat onion then add passata and some paprika and turmeric. Then strain the lentils and add to the passata mix, cook for a further 10 mins.

Serve with the bread.

If you've got enough for a couple of carrots, and have stock cubes then you can make lentil soup tomorrow.

cloudtree · 17/12/2018 18:24

Sorry £3.60 not £3.90. Still easy. i thought this was going to be a feed a family of four for £3.60 (which is still doable)

SilverDoe · 17/12/2018 18:24

You could get some buns and wedges to go with the bean burgers (grate the cheese on top), or you could get a jar of nice tomato pasta sauce (one with basil preferably) and do spaghetti with sauce and cheese on top. You’d then have enough left to get a treat for after, even from m and a ;)

SandysMam · 17/12/2018 18:25

£3.60 for one meal for one person is loads! Just a normal meal spend I imagine? Unless you are the Queen?

MyPoodleisWorthTenofYou · 17/12/2018 18:25

£3.60 for one person is fine....do you not know the prices of things Confused

formerbabe · 17/12/2018 18:26

£3.60 is plenty for one meal.

You've got pasta so add an egg, some chopped bacon and that's carbonara...use your cheddar to grate on top.

You'll get change from £3.60

TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 17/12/2018 18:26

You can get a bag of pasta and jar of pasta sauce for under a quid so I'm not sure why £3.60 would be a struggleConfused

RippleEffects · 17/12/2018 18:27

Buy a box of pasata, veg stock cube (sainsburys do value ones for under 30p)

If you haven't any in garlic. Garlic powder is usually cheapest (check out the bulk spice section where a bulk packet is less than a small jar),

mixed herbs and a pinch of chilli from your spice rack.

Defrost your hamburgers and cut them into about 6 even pieces roll into balls.

gently cook/ fry the bean meatballs set to one side.

In the pan make up the sauce from passatta, stock, garlic and herbs (chilli if you like a little kick)

Boil up the spaghetti, add it to the sauce, toss it all together with the baseballs added back in.

Sprinkle with cheddar to serve.

Raven88 · 17/12/2018 18:27

When I'm on a budget I buy a pack of root vegetables, I think it's for making stews it soups ,they are usually £1 at Tesco and Asda. I make Soup or a veg stew, you can add rice or beans.

If DH had 3.60 he would buy some savoury rice or some supernoodles and some frozen southern fried chicken steaks. Or 3 pot noodles 🙄

PurpleDaisies · 17/12/2018 18:27

How long does the £3,60 need to last?

grumiosmum · 17/12/2018 18:28

Lentils or pasta are cheap & what I make when on a budget.

Dahl, rice, cauliflower - about £1.50 max.

But with that amount to spend you can certainly afford some meat. Even top of the range sausages are only £3 for 6. M&S sausages are 2 packs for £5 at the moment.

contblin · 17/12/2018 18:29

I'd buy some buns and have cheesy veggie burgers, bit of salad and salsa. Happy days

Joinourclub · 17/12/2018 18:30

If you have pasta and bean burgers all you need is some onion, garlic and a tin of tomatoes to make a kind of veggie meatball pasta kind of thing. And you’ll have enough money left over for some pudding!

winsinbin · 17/12/2018 18:30

Eggs, an onion, a pepper and a potato or two will cost under £2 from Sainsbury’s Add the cheese and you can make a frittata that do for tonight and tomorrow and still leave 2 eggs. Add a bag of lentils and a bag of frozen casserole veg for daal and soup.

formerbabe · 17/12/2018 18:31

Doesn't even need to be budget cooking if it's for one meal for one person.

anniehm · 17/12/2018 18:31

I'm currently cooking a chicken stew, spent £2 on chicken thighs and £1.20 on a stewpack - enough for four adults. (admittedly I had dried herb de Provence, salt, pepper, chicken stock cubes and frozen garlic at home. )

If veggie is ok, buy carrots, onions, celery, garlic, mixed beans and veggie stock cubes plus tin of tomatoes and paprika and some bread - serves 3-4.

Pasta is cheap as chips, my favourite cheap meal is pasta, chopped tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, and a tin of anchovies, serves 3 with bread.

Hope this helps. I don't cost meals and have substantial store cupboards so I'm not sure if you have any bits to add