Food/drink that feels luxurious but is affordable

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I've recently gone back to making porridge for breakfast like I did when my kids were young. I'd forgotten how lovely it was and how cheap! Even with poncey additions like cream and honey because these things also feel luxurious but are not so very expensive.

Please share more feel-good budget foods, preferably those involving little effort.

Unsliced bread that's been toasted and smothered in proper salted butter for me. Or fresh crossiants with butter. We only ever had proper butter at Christmas when I was younger so whenever I use it I always feel a bit decadent.

Stuffing. A tablespoon of mix cost nothing, squish with one skinned sausage and make into balls: makes a sausage or chicken thigh midweek dinner into ‘a roast’.

Anything that’s had the luxury of time to cook down or stew, where the flavours have mellowed together.
Minestrone, beef stew, pulled pork, chickpea curry, risotto, bubble and squeak, chili the next day.

Home made sourdough bread.

It's not as complicated as the social media bros would have you think.

A good dhaal is great especially on day 2 or having been frozen and "matured"!

What?! I need this in my life.

Lovely thread OP.

I do eggs on toast - either scrambled with cottage cheese and a dash of balsamic, or poached with some avocado forked into the toast and a dash of balsamic. Basically adding balsamic makes it seem like it's a deluxe deli breakfast.

I need a recipe for this. I have a book but it seems very complicated.

I do have a yoghurt maker which is a LOT of fun - much cheaper. And you can make really thick fat free live high protein yoghurt just by adding some skimmed milk powder and draining it.

Smoked salmon - used to be seen as a luxury item but now fairly affordable, as often on special offer. A little goes a long way and can be used in quiches, breakfasts etc. I love it on M&S rye bread as an open sandwich with plenty of butter, black pepper and lemon.

Was also going to say smoked salmon. I buy the Sainsbury's value one...o think its less than £3 for a packet...I like to eat it on rye bread or Melba toast with some of the IKEA mustard and dill sauce. It feels really expensive

M&S hot smoked salmon flakes.

Poshest sandwich or salad around. Smidge if cream cheese.

Pate on posh crackers

Poached egg on toast

Sliced into doorstop thickness, fresh white bread with tonnes of butter and an amazing wedge of brie on the side.

I rarely eat it as seriously calorific but mmmmmmmmm, my mouth is watering!!

The £3 ones are Lidl's own brand I think. The packaging is very similar.

Definitely homemade focaccia, it’s cheap to make, under 50p for a big one but feels a luxury

@TheDandyLion. Might try tinned, I use smoked ready cooked, a lemon and creme fraiche, not expensive if you have a crowd to feed, serve on little bruschetta toasts (Tesco had them) as cheap canapé

It'll be lidl fake ones they taste identical (proper guylian haven't seen sub 8quid for donkeys yrs

Homemade savoury oatcakes. A bit messy to make but so much nicer than the bought ones. So cheap because it’s just oats, flour, tiny amount of butter and water.

Pavlova is probably the cheapest plodding you can make but it looks very luxurious.

Home made bread.

I start the yeast when I make Sunday morning coffee, knead the dough before I go in the shower, leave it to rise for an hour.
Knead it a second time, put it in tins and perch it on the radiator for another hour and then bake. Total effort, about 30 min. Cost about 95p for a really crusty fresh wholemeal large loaf. 😊

Or homemade celery & Stilton soup. Costs pennies, tastes sublime.

Or homemade blackberry & apple gin. I've just bottled up last year's. Delicious.😜

Poached eggs on crushed avocado on crunchy toasted granary slice.

Also a warm chocolate brownie with brandy soaked cherries inside.

I love home made rice pudding. It reminds me of my DF and I make it really thick like he did.

Proper butter on anything.

Frozen berries with yogurt.

Pots of vegetables with mint sauce

Really good roast potatoes.

Really thick yoghurt with granola and berries, yummy.