Shower me with your budget friendly mid-week meals.

[BackAgainSlimLady]

Ive lost control of my food shopping and we are on a super tight budget. 4 of us in the house, 2 adults, two young children (5&3)

This month I’m getting back on track with meal planning and food shopping but I’ve spent several
months going out every day to buy dinner and coming back with steak, salmon and full cheese and biscuit antipasti type food!

So rein me in, tell me some budget friendly meals!

We often have gammon as an alternative to steak. I've started using ChatGPT to do simple meal plans for me and I have been spending less.

• Jacket potatoes with cauliflower cheese or chilli on (baked beans or tinned tuna if you're feeling particularly cash strapped).
• Corned beef hash.
• Sausage plait, mash and veg.
• Vegetable soup with toast or homemade cheese scones.
• Spaghetti carbonara.
• Brinner (a cooked breakfast for dinner).
• Roast chicken dinner (especially if you can pick up a discounted whole chicken).

Don't buy prepared vegetables as it only takes minutes to prepare them yourself and things like scones are basically flour and milk 👍

Mince (beef or turkey) for spag bol, meatloaf, meatballs, homemade burgers, chilli, shepherd's pie

Pulses for several of those, or do half meat & half pulses.

Chicken thighs for all sorts of stews, casseroles, tagines

A whole chicken and use the leftovers in a pie, or savoury crumble, with leeks, mushrooms, whatever, or make curry

Omelettes and quiches with veg or salad

Risotto

Jacket potatoes with various toppings.

Almost any veggie dish.

I have a very tight budget (single parent, on ill health pension). I meal plan every meal, have a home delivery every 10 days, have extra cheap meals a few evenings, make as much from scratch as possible, buy things we have regularly when its on offer, and batch cook so there's always something in the freezer.
Check prices at tesco it's often cheaper to buy chicken breast than thighs. For 1 adult and 2 teens I spend £50-60 every 10 days.
Some ideas are:
Jambalaya,
chicken, sausage, or pork chop with veg and mash potatoes,
Tomato, chorizo and red pepper pasta sauce,
Chicken curry
Savoury rice with leftover meat,
chilli and rice,
Spaghetti bol,
Shepherd's pie,
Nandos rice and spicy chicken,
Jacket cheese and beans,
Fajitas,
Pan fried chicken, veg and roast potatoes,
Omelette,
Beans, egg, tomatoes on toast.

We are having stir fry tonight. Noodles from a packet, thinly sliced fresh veg (cabbage, peppers, carrots, broccoli, handful of whatever frozen veg is in the freezer - sweetcorn I think.), some sweet chilli sauce from a bottle... and some left over chicken meat.

Tomorrow is potato cakes (left over mash, egg, flour), cabbage and pork chops with gravy.

We try to mix it up with whatever meat is on offer and use it all... so the mumsnet chicken on Sunday... with a small bag of potatoes for roasties and mash has given us left over meat tonight and leftover mash for tomorrow.

This is nice, and really really quick and easy.

I don't necessarily always bother with the chilli. And I used dried basil rather than fresh, and cheddar rather than feta.

You wanted a showering...! These are some of our favourite recipes. Any questions, just ask!

https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/smoked-haddock-and-leek-risotto

https://www.tamingtwins.com/prawn-pasta-recipe/ (I actually use hot smoked salmon in this and not prawns)

https://www.recipetineats.com/mexican-shredded-beef-and-tacos/

https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/beef-carbonnade/

https://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/pan-seared-chicken-with-balsamic-cream-sauce-mushrooms-and-onions/

https://www.recipetineats.com/nasi-goreng-indonesian-fried-rice/

https://www.cookingclassy.com/skillet-chicken-with-garlic-herb-butter-sauce/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231644/chicken-souvlaki-with-tzatziki-sauce/

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/korean-fried-chicken/

https://www.tamingtwins.com/simple-sticky-midweek-chicken-teriyaki-recipe/

https://www.tamingtwins.com/slow-cooker-chicken-curry-recipe/

https://www.tamingtwins.com/slow-cooker-chicken-satay/

https://thewoksoflife.com/red-curry-chicken/

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/caribbean-chicken-tacos/

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/sticky-sesame-chicken-30-minutes/

https://www.feastingathome.com/korean-bbq-chicken/

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/island-glazed-pork-tenderloin/

https://www.hokeystokey.com/pork-mushrooms-garlic-2/

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/pork-tenderloin-with-burgundy-peppercorn-sauce/ (If you like peppercorn sauce, this is absolutely delicious!)

https://www.onesweetmess.com/2013/04/22/smoky-pulled-pork-chili/ (Can swap pork for mince. Make in pan on hob instead)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/porkfilletstroganoff_73432

https://www.askchefdennis.com/korean-pork-barbecue/

https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/restaurant-style-mexican-rice/

https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/mousakas/

Years ago when we were hard up we had beef-burgers served with veg , roast potatoes and gravy .

Cheese omelette with packet flavoured rice noodles Aldi does some nice ones .

We used to buy a bag of sausages , a big bag of potatoes and a bag of carrots and frozen peas . Out of that we had Sausage casserole with baked spuds, homemade toad in the hole , and good old bangers and mash and beans .

A slow cooker is great for stews .

Home made chilli con carne that can be frozen .

Echoing some of the responses already but the cheapest meals I make include
Cauliflower and chickpea curry
Tuna pasta bake
Mediterranean vegetable pasta bake
Pasta arabiata
Red onion, squash and sage fritata
Cod and paprika fishcakes (I use frozen cod)
5 bean and veg chilli
Tuna, sweetcorn and sweet potato fish cakes
Stuffed field mushrooms (usually use cous cous, garlic, onion, courgettes and peppers)

I find pasta with a homemade tomato sauce (cooked onion and either chopped tomatoes or pasta) are great for the base of a meal. Herbs or chilli can be added depending on what you fancy. Then add whatever protein you have/want to use up, ie kidney beans, lentils, chicken, can tuna. If you've got bell peppers or sweetcorn, peas they can be added to the sauce. If you've go the can be served with carrots, peas or broccoli/other green veg on the side or a salad. Ingredients are all shops own where possible.

Can't go wrong with stews which then double up as a pie filling eg get brisket or stewing steak, cook with carrots, onions, leeks, diced swede, pearl barley and stock, remove half as pie filling and top with puff pastry (bought) and bake. Put the rest aside for later in the week then reheat with dumplings.

I don't know how it tastes but gammon is one of the worst smells known to man!

I love smoked gammon (joint, not steaks)! My least favourite smell of meat cooking is lamb. Minging but tastes delicious!