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shopping on a tight budget

28 replies

Readtheroom · 24/05/2022 18:37

I'm making a menu plan. I need cheap recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that are nutritionally balanced enough that I can still function! Smile

OP posts:
DuchessOfSausage · 24/05/2022 18:40

Breakfast - porridge made from oats and water. Just pour boiling water over some oats in a mug and leave for 5 mins

ivykaty44 · 24/05/2022 18:48

There are some great recipe ideas on TikTok, 5 meals for £25 to feed 4 all brought in Aldi

mealsbyMitch and mealsunderafiver

healthylivingjames.co.uk/10-minute-peanut-butter-curry/. chickpeas curry

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/aubergine-tomato-parmesan-bake-melanzane-alla-parmigiana

pinchofyum.com/healthy-sweet-potato-skins

www.recipetineats.com/spaghetti-alla-puttanesca/. I don't put the capers in and use Aldi for the anchovies and olives - stock up with tripe one week and keeps me going for a few weeks as its store cupboard food

Readtheroom · 24/05/2022 18:48

@DuchessOfSausage thankyou Smile

OP posts:
Readtheroom · 24/05/2022 18:49

@ivykaty44 wow! Thankyou Smile

OP posts:
coodawoodashooda · 24/05/2022 18:52

Spaghetti ariabatta

DuchessOfSausage · 24/05/2022 18:53

Eggs are good because they are high in protein and not expensive.
Lentils and pulses are good too but watch the cooking times

Readtheroom · 24/05/2022 18:57

thanks everyone, and everyone in advance!

@DuchessOfSausage I should have said but cant stand eggs

OP posts:
Bakedpotatoesfortea · 24/05/2022 19:00

There is loads of ways to liven porridge up if you can afford to make it a bit more interesting. I like it with grated apple and peanut butter, or carrot cake style with grated carrot, mixed spice and sultanas, or with banana and Nutella. So many options.

Toast with peanut butter is really filling. I like to add extra toppings, again depending on budget. Banana works well, with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of seeds. Apple is also nice if you slice it finely. Works will work a pinch of cinnamon as well.

Cooked breakfast items can be cheap if you just do a couple of things, eg. Bacon and grilled tomato one day, fried egg on toast the next, hash browns and baked beans the next, sausage butty the next, etc.

Scrambled eggs, I make these with leftover veg sometimes some onion, pepper, courgette, mushroom, whatever there is. Sometimes I'll add grated cheese, or some ham, bacon, etc. If you don't like scrambled egg, mini egg muffins work well as well. I add a little bit of milk to make the mixture go further (as eggs can get pricy if your using a lot).

Other alternatives would be baked oats, overnight oats, savoury muffins, vegetable fritters, pancakes. Flour gets a bad rep, but is a great way to save money and make things more filling by baking. If you don't want to use traditional flour, corn bread is lovely and is delicious for breakfast warm with butter, or you can add other things I like crispy bacon and maple syrup American style. Scones and rock cakes are also simple to make, both can be made fairly low sugar, probably less sugar than most breakfast cereals. Or you could experiment with some pastry, my favourites are cheese twists and cheese, tomato and bacon turnovers

I love smoked salmon trimmings for adding a luxury element which isn't expensive. Great in scrambled eggs, baked in muffins or as a breakfast frittata, or used on top of a bagel with cream cheese. Really nice on ryvita as well. Kippers are a great option too if you can cope with the smell. They don't take long in the microwave and are great with a piece of toast to soak up the smoky butter.

Bakedpotatoesfortea · 24/05/2022 19:00

Just seen about eggs sorry!

motogirl · 24/05/2022 19:14

Spaghetti with anchovies is a great dish - chopped onion, red chilli (or dried) dried oregano, tin of anchovies (lidl is very cheap), garlic to taste (frozen is cheapest from world foods aisle) tsp capers, half tin chopped tomatoes (freeze other half) olive oil, and pasta of choice. Costs about £1 for 2 people.

Another cheap meal is dal - red lentils, chopped onion, sachet of creamed coconut, vegetable stock cube, red chilli or dried, garlic, ginger (frozen is cheaper) turmeric, salt. Fresh coriander is great, chop leftover herbs and freeze, use from frozen. I worked out rice and dal is 40p a portion

FayCarew · 24/05/2022 19:20

Leftovers mixed with baked beans can make wrap fillings

ivykaty44 · 24/05/2022 19:22

breakfast ideas

parade.com/51028/dash/eggs-in-pepper-cups/ breakfast, a bag of peppers and a box of eggs in Aldi is about £2.50 add in ham if you like or cherry tomatoes

banana and raisin porridge made with water

apple and cinnamon porridge made with water

Pear and ginger porridge made with water

jam and peanut butter made with water

cookieandkate.com/foolproof-shakshuka-recipe/ this is the type of dish you can add anything similar and if you don't have feta it doesn't matter, go without

ivykaty44 · 24/05/2022 19:25

www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/carrot-and-coconut-dhal

this is my favourite dash recipe, but I only use half a tin of coconut milk in it - save the other half for a chickpea curry

sorry didn't see your message about eggs

ivykaty44 · 24/05/2022 19:26

if you want to eat fish on the cheap then Aldi have 4 frozen sea bream for £3 and have it with jacket potato or salad etc

Baystard · 24/05/2022 19:28

Do you have a slow cooker and a freezer OP?

actiongirl1978 · 24/05/2022 19:55

I make chickpea curry from tinned and frozen ingredients:

Chopped red onion
One tin tuna
One tin chickpeas
One tin chopped Tom's
Curry powder
Some stock powder
Frozen spinach

Cook till all mixed in and slightly mushy.

Serves two.

Not super cheap but doesn't rely on fresh ingredients and you can buy it all in aldi or Asda etc.

I reckon it would work with all the cheap tins of fish too.

ivykaty44 · 24/05/2022 19:58

I would also add, look on market place for a bread machine, if you can get one cheap it will make delicious bread, fruit bread for toast and also pizza base.

Even taking into account electric it will work out about a third of the price of a loaf and without the chemicals. Making a pizza base and then use a bag of frozen mediterainian vegetables or just a decent home made tomato sauce and cheese

Twizbe · 24/05/2022 20:00

Frozen veg. It can be a bit more expensive BUT it last longer and you have less waste. I tend to buy frozen chopped onions, garlic, chillis and ginger.

butimjayigetaway · 24/05/2022 20:03

lentils go a long way and can replace mince in dishes. Very nutritionally dense.

Abc986 · 24/05/2022 20:26

I make meals stretch thurther by bulking up with veg.
Today I made 2 meals out of a small pack of mince and added lots of veg, I cooked the mince off with 2 onions and split the mince into 2 pans, in one pan i made sheppards pie and added lots of frozen mixed veg and the other pan i made spaghetti bolignase and added a large tin of sweetcorn to it. The sheppards pie served 2 adults and our 18 month old, all large portions. Tomorow the spaghetti bolignase is serving 3 adults and our 18 month old.

A packet of chicken (5 breasts) i would stretch to make 3 meals. I always add peas and mushrooms to curry and only use 2 chicken breasts and last time i made it, it served 4 adults and our 18 month old. Chicken fried rice, i use 1 breast, 2 packs of microwave curry, 3 eggs, 1 onion, soy sauce and mixed veg then serve it with prawn crackers, serves 2 adults and our 18 month old big portions, partner is always asking me to make it and always complements it.

I buy sausages from costco, packet of richmond 40 sausages is under £5 and we have regular meals atleast twice a week containing sausages, sausage pasta, sausage and mash/chips, fry up, omlette.

A popular dish with my family is also left over roast pasta bake. All the roast dinner veg and meat (chicken or gammon) stired into pasta with a cheesy sauce and baked in the oven. Uses up the leftovers meaning we have no waste.

ivykaty44 · 24/05/2022 21:31

Look up bosh on a budget

they have the best tomato sauce recipe for pasta, it’s amazing. I use red wine stick to give it extra umh but I. Not vegan

merryhouse · 24/05/2022 21:45

chickpea curry with rice - add red lentils for thickening and use LOADS of vegetables

pilchard pasta - very like motogirl's spaghetti with anchovies (I split the pilchards first to take out the spine and the squidgy insides because I'm fussy) but I use the stuff in tomato sauce so don't bother adding tomatoes, just celery

ODFOx · 24/05/2022 23:03

Eggs are too cheap, high in protein and versatile to cut them from a budget menu because one if you doesn't like them. That person (you) can substitute potato and a cube of cheese instead.
A poached egg on (wholemeal) toast can keep an adult going until lunch.

londonmummy1966 · 24/05/2022 23:22

For breakfast oats are really good - not just the recipes above but also oats with frozen berries and natural yogurt, overnight soaked oats with grated apple and cinammon heated for 30 sec in the microwave etc.

Apple cake/banana bread or carrot cake is good for pudding or snacks.

Lentil based dishes (or even half lentil half mince) are cheap and good for you.

Vegetarian curries with rice or naan.

A use up left overs dish such as omelette/pancakes or risotto once a week just before the big shop.

CHeap meals like beans on toast/mushrooms on toast/sardines on toast once a week.

If you have the oven on for any reason put somebaking potatoes in - you can finish them off in the microwave if you don't have them in quite long enough and you can freeze and defrost over night - they are a cheap meal with beans and tuna.

ivykaty44 · 25/05/2022 03:01

Chicken thighs are a good buy as they have the most meat for little bone and cheaper than other cuts. If you buy with bone and skin even cheaper, not difficult to skin and once cooked bone comes out easy enough

i buy a pack and cook all together for cold chicken salad for the week

usually a large pack is £2/3

great for casserole or curry also, especially good in slow cooker

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