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What quick/easy/cheap teas are on your meal plan for this week?

30 replies

ikeephavingmaddreams · 31/05/2022 08:47

I need some inspiration please!

Just need quick/easy/cheapish ideas, I'm too tired to think this morning after a very early start with the baby.

We all eat meat, no allergies.

OP posts:
SummaLuvin · 31/05/2022 08:49

My favourite simple, cheap, but tasty comfort food is kedgeree.

Beamur · 31/05/2022 08:50

Jacket potatoes, salad, chicken.
Spicy beef wraps.
Omelette and chips.
Chicken with red lentils.
Pasta with tomato sauce and parmesan
Pork and noodles.
Risotto

Rainbowqueeen · 31/05/2022 08:52

Scrambled eggs with vege sticks
fried rice

ikeephavingmaddreams · 31/05/2022 08:55

Great ideas, thanks Smile

OP posts:
StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind1 · 31/05/2022 08:57

Jacket pots, cheese and coleslaw.
Dahl, rice and mango chutney.
Stovies.
Beans on toast.
Broccoli, tomato and feta frittata.
Noodles with kimchi.
Lentil soup with cheese toasties.

meloncolic · 31/05/2022 09:03

Ina garten’s baked risotto is good and can be simplified or changed easily. Use any cheese if necessary rather than Parmesan. Basically shove rice and stock in an oven for 40mins.

Nadiya Hussain’s eggy wraps.

red lentil dal (fried onion and garlic, bit of curry powder, stock cube, 1 cup of red lentils to 3 or 4 cups boiling water, simmer and stir occasionally for 20).

salmon/fish on a tray, cauliflower florets/chopped potato on another tray.

bizarrely my kids LOVE hard boiled eggs, pasta and broccoli.

there’s nowt wrong with a fish finger sarnie night with some chopped peppers and cucumbers to start.

emuloc · 31/05/2022 09:06

Liver, onions and chips
Special fried rice
shepherds pie with asparagus
chicken thighs with bulgur and salad
jerk chicken wings with pitta and salad🍗🌮

ImSoMagical · 31/05/2022 09:16

I have discovered Spice Tailor! A pack of spice, a pack of sauce and a pack of rice. Just add veg chicken, fish etc. 15 mins makes a quick tea for me and hubby.

KernowGirl181 · 31/05/2022 09:19

Marmite Spaghetti 🍝...always a winner here.

Fivemoreminutes1 · 31/05/2022 10:27

Yesterday - peanut stir fry
Tonight - halloumi traybake
Tomorrow - pea and pesto risotto
Thursday - paneer tikka skewers and naan bread (bbq)
Friday - falafel burgers (bbq)
Saturday - grilled stuffed pitta (bbq)
Sunday - butter bean and root veg crumble

Triffid1 · 31/05/2022 11:59

We're having roasted tomatoes with spaghetti - no need for fancy vine tomatoes. I just buy whatever tomatoes are on the cheapest offer - I think I've spent £1.50 on enough for 3 v big generous portions for me, DS and DH. (If they're big, I cut them up). Toss in a dish with some olive oil, some garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar and roast gently for about 45-60 mins until all collapsed. Serve with spaghetti and your cheese of choice - feta or goats cheese is probably cheapest. We're doing burratta this week.

If you're feeling flush, add chunks of avo. And if you want meat, add fried chorizo - not too much - (but then use mozzarella or burrata or stir in some cream cheese not feta/goats cheese as you need a mild cheese.)

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind1 · 31/05/2022 14:10

Triffid1 · 31/05/2022 11:59

We're having roasted tomatoes with spaghetti - no need for fancy vine tomatoes. I just buy whatever tomatoes are on the cheapest offer - I think I've spent £1.50 on enough for 3 v big generous portions for me, DS and DH. (If they're big, I cut them up). Toss in a dish with some olive oil, some garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar and roast gently for about 45-60 mins until all collapsed. Serve with spaghetti and your cheese of choice - feta or goats cheese is probably cheapest. We're doing burratta this week.

If you're feeling flush, add chunks of avo. And if you want meat, add fried chorizo - not too much - (but then use mozzarella or burrata or stir in some cream cheese not feta/goats cheese as you need a mild cheese.)

I do similar but air fryer the toms which is cheaper than turning the oven on.
I use cheap feta which is sometimes labelled as salad cheese.
It tastes much more expensive than it is.
I like to stir through some torn basil leaves just before serving, I have one of those supermarket growing plants on my windowsill which I think was only about £1.

AtleastitsnotMonday · 31/05/2022 14:33

Curried vegetable patties with poached eggs
Tandoori chicken skewers, pickled cucumber and carrot salad
Sweet potato falafel in pitas with salad
Pasta with spicy tomato sauce and pancetta
Cod wrapped in pancetta with ratatouille (not particularly cheap)
Cauliflower, chickpea and red pepper curry.

Triffid1 · 31/05/2022 14:35

@StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind1 that is interesting re the air fryer. I've considered one but am a good cook and quite happy with my set up... with limited space. But I do find myself thinking that having the oven on for hours at a time is not idea. Maybe I need to reconsider the air fryer. It hadn't occurred to me that it would work for things like slow roasted tomatoes.

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind1 · 31/05/2022 15:29

I absolutely love mine, I've only had it a few weeks and already wouldn't be without it.
You can't slow roast the way you do in an oven but I just don't do that anymore, it's too expensive and I'm only cooking for me, it's just not necessary for a quick pasta dish either.

carefullycourageous · 31/05/2022 15:31

Stir fry
Risotto (not quick but easy)
Chilli
Beans on toast!

iklboo · 31/05/2022 15:35

Tonight we're having frittata & salad. Eggs, potatoes, peppers, onions, some leftover ham & herbs. Salad stuff. Quick & tasty.

Egg & chips - food of the gods.

Char Sui pork stir fry

Bagels with pastrami, Swiss cheese, mayo, yellow mustard & gherkins

Homemade curry

WhatsitWiggle · 31/05/2022 15:35

Pittas - the Warburton ones because you can actually open and fill them. Loads of salad, some grilled chicken (I'm veggie so have squeaky bean), and sour cream dip which you could sub with mayo.

Couscous, grilled veg and halloumi - can also add cooked chicken to this, I add chickpeas to bulk it out and they are cheap.

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind1 · 31/05/2022 15:53

Fivemoreminutes1 · 31/05/2022 10:27

Yesterday - peanut stir fry
Tonight - halloumi traybake
Tomorrow - pea and pesto risotto
Thursday - paneer tikka skewers and naan bread (bbq)
Friday - falafel burgers (bbq)
Saturday - grilled stuffed pitta (bbq)
Sunday - butter bean and root veg crumble

Do you have the recipe for the veg and bean crumble, or even a brief outline?
It sounds like something I'd love.

DogsAndGin · 31/05/2022 16:48

My go-to five minute meals:

  • Tortellini with pesto
  • Carbonara (if you use fresh pasta it literally takes 5 mins to make. Boil and drain the pasta, add yolks, Parmesan, fried lardons, pasta water).
  • Pad thai kit from Blue Dragon takes 5 mins (just add prawns)
  • Curry kit
  • Anything on toast
  • Ready meal lasagne (ok, it takes 40 mins in the oven, but there’s zero prep!)
I’ve actually just ordered a Gousto subscription as I’m too tired and pregnant to think of anything to cook! 😆
JanisMoplin · 31/05/2022 16:52

Veg quesadilla
Cannelloni
Daal and okra stirfry
Paneer and spinach curry
Rasam ( lentils wt tomatoes and tamarind)

Fivemoreminutes1 · 31/05/2022 17:02

@StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind1
Crumble recipe - I don’t use wholemeal for the topping, and I add some seasoning and a few herbs or mild chilli powder to the topping too.

nearlyspringyay · 31/05/2022 17:03

Cheap:

Jacket potatoes with leftover chilli that I have in the freezer

Puff pastry pizza - roll out a sheet of pre made pastry, score a line around the edge, brush with milk or egg, bung in the oven for 10 minutes, take it out add pizza sauce / tom puree whatever you like and then whatever else you have in the fridge as a topping. My kids love salami olive and cheese

Quick:

Mac and cheese, this will be a ready meal as a rare treat because it so unhealthy but my own version never tastes as good as M&S...

Chicken quesedillas - my online shop delivered me four ready cooked chicken breasts instead of six. Will turn the spares into quesedillas with sour cream, cheese, tinned corn, sweetcorn and chilli

Linguine with chorizo, red onion, pine nuts, tenderstem brocolli. Put water on to boil, finely slice red onion and fry off with a splash of red wine vinegar, add chorizo once started to caramelise, add linguini to the water, toast the pinenuts in a dry pan, add the tenderstem two minutes before the pasta is cooked. Drain the pasta and tenderstem, lift the linguine and brocolli into the onion and chorizo pan with a big spoonful of the pasta water, add the pine nuts and liberal squeezes of lemon juice. All done in ten minutes.

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 31/05/2022 17:11

Turkey tacos tonight

motogirl · 31/05/2022 17:27

Rice and coconut daal with sautéed spinach and aubergine pickle... vegan (can I get an award for being on trend) though we do eat meat