To have found the best cheap lunch

[Overthebow]

with the cost of living going up I’m trying to find cheap lunch ideas for work.

this week: pot of pate £1, loaf of bread £0.80, bag of apples £1.50. Pate on toast and an apple, cost for the whole week only £3.30 and really filling.

anyone else got any cheap lunch ideas?

ButteryflakyCrust83 They did a survey which showed most people preferred a range of options at Lunch .However those same people also like the same breakfast every day! Me Toast and Marmite !

I have a pressure cooker so I bung brown lentil, chopped onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes with ghee but you can subtitute with oil. Cover and let it cook on slow and whistle a few times. It's very delicious.

@livingthegoodlife this is closer to the basic dal we eat:

www.jamieoliver.com/features/lentils-and-basic-tarka-dhal-recipe/

If you have cucumber with the pate it is even nicer!

also don't forget the cumin seeds

The classic baked potato

I have frozen paratha with veggie curry. Ok, not as cheap, but lovely if you're having lunch at home. And in my last delivery I received a substitute of a jumbo pack so they really did cost pennies!

Pitta breads are about 30p a pack, with a pot of humous to dip. I love lemon and coriander hum

Porridge oats. About the cheapest option out there, assuming you have access to a microwave and/or hot water...

What's your recipe please 🤤

The veggie yeast pates (tartex and similar) keep for ages in the fridge and taste good

Tinned ravioli on toast

I've discovered freezing sandwiches for variety - so batch make loads eg pate, cheese and pickle, ham and pickle, tuna mayo, cut up, freeze an assortment in tupperware. Means lunch is never boring.

@cheapascheerios This is my go to lunch as well. Try whisking an egg through the noodles when they are just cooked. The heat of the noodles cooks the egg. Then chuck on a splash of soy.

Sardines or pilchards on toast, if you're at home. Bit anti-social in the office.

I had a colleague long ago who heated up cabbage soup in the converted cupboard where we were provided with a microwave, sink, kettle and fridge. There was no ventilation and between 'kitchen' and her office there were two fire doors which were effectively airtight. The smell of the cabbage lingered there for hours.

Tesco do 6 x crumpets for 25p!

Just throwing it out there that yes some lunches can be cheap, but are they nutritious/filling to have every day.

Looking at cheap Tesco own brand Brussels pate - 1/5 of a tub is 103 calories. A slice of bread is what about 80 or 90 calories, so two slices less than 200 calories. An apple is about 50 calories. Less than 350 calories is not a significant meal for most people, unless you're on the 5:2 diet and fasting that day!

A tin of cream of tomato soup is 102 calories. Who was there having half a tin and some bread for lunch!

I've just made a 3 bean stew, which will last all week (or, if you get bored, could freeze and then come back to it).

I got whatever beans combo were on offer. It takes 3 tins: butter beans, cannelini, chickpeas, black beans, pinto etc. Made from a base of a soffrito (2 carrots, 2 sticks celery, 1 big/2 small onions), garlic, and a stock cube. Then you can add anything else that's lying around. I had mushrooms and spinach to use up so that went in. And whatever herbs are there. I used thyme today.

It's very filling. And tasty. If you had a tiny bit more money to spend and could afford to put something like pancetta in, that would really lift the flavour as well.

Tin of value soup with couscous in it. Sustains me well in bleak times. Best wishes to you x

This was the last dhal I made and it was delicious.

Onion
Garlic
Curry powder
S&P
Dried coriander
Lentils
Water
Chicken stock cube
Maggi cube
Mash through a sieve

Would it be a daft idea to try daal in the slow cooker? Any tips?

My mum used to make a rajma curry and serve it with brown pita bread.
You just need a couple of tins of value kidney beans and spices (curry powder and some cumin will do) -

spicecravings.com/rajma-masala-kidney-beans-curry

I don't know about the slow cooker but you can do the same in a pan. It doesn't take long.

Currently eating through 'Scrumptious Mix' (it is too...raisins, cranberries, chocolate berries, almonds etc). 59p for a 150g bag. I top up the cupboard from approved food, best before its gone etc. Saved a fortune in the past three years doing this, and not all the stuff is out of best before date. It can be close to date...not a problem with teens at home, its gone quickly.