What products do you like that are cheaper but taste great when you are trying to be frugal?

[Imeldainthemustardcoat]

For example: we just bought a big jar of Best In Instant Hot Chocolate and I thought it might be a bit naff, but it is one of the nicest I have bought...

Over to you, share with me you frugal indulgences, whether you buy or bake them or hand make them or whatever.........

Chickpeas from Tesco, 4 tins for a £1. Add to veggie curries, gorgeous. If I have curry 'gravy' leftover from a takeaway I'll add chickpeas and frozen spinach to make another meal.

Aldi Titan, Racer and Jive - mars bar, snickers and twin equivalents. DH recons they are better than the real thing.

Aldi cereals as good as the branded ones too.

Ds loves cartons of pure orange in his lunch box.
I used to buy expensive ones but dp accidentally bought the Tesco value ones, 3 for 45p!! They also do Apple juice, same cost.
Ds wouldn't have any other ones now, costs less than a pound for his school drinks Mon-Fri.

I'm so with you on the stilton!!
Also - cheapo Tesco pizza with all your leftover veg chucked on top with some 49p mozarella. Feels positively decadent when skint but it's an effective way of not wasting veg.

Sainsburys part-baked baguettes (Basics version) are 45p/50p for two and are like crack for my two children - massive treat with homemade soup for very little money.

Lidl mini mars bars are nicer than the real thing, chunkier chocolate

Sainsburys Basics Mixed peppers, Courgettes and Onions are all very good.
ATM you get loads of the peppers, I'm going to grill then freeze the ones I don't use immediately.

Frozen mash is quick and cheap, I always keep some in, so handy in the winter, so versatile too.

Any tinned chickpeas and butterbeans will bulk out a stew or casserole to help feed hungry mouths.

Aldi's version of Baileys. Is it called Ballycastle or something? Anyway it's bloody brilliant and about £4.95 a bottle

I gave up buying instant hot chocolate. Instead I put a tsp of cocoa powder and a tsp or so of sugar in a mug, pour on a small bit of boiling water and stir well. Then top up with milk, then microwave for about a minute. Sometimes I use green & blacks cocoa, sometimes supermarket own brand. I definitely think this works out cheaper than the ready made mix, especially (obviously) with the supermarket cocoa.