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How to Cook on a Budget
In these increasingly tough economic times, it's more important than ever to do things on a budget: dress on a budget, entertain on a budget, shop on a budget and perhaps most importantly, cook on a budget. Unfortunately, many people think that cooking on a budget means mince and dried beans seven nights a week or sacrificing nutrition and variety. This does not have to be the case.
Equipped with budget-friendly menu ideas, even the most hard-core foodie can make meals, sides, even desserts —and not break the bank.
One way to make cooking on a budget easier is to buy in bulk. While it may not seem sensible at first for a single person to shop in bulk, you might just be surprised. You're not going to need five kilos of flour or sugar today, but if you really plan to cook more and eat out less (another key to budget living), you're going to need those ingredients. No one is suggesting you go out and buy a giant-sized jar of honey if you have no intention of using it, but there may be some staples it would make sense for you to buy in bulk. If it doesn't make sense for you, no sweat. At least you checked.
Where to Shop
If you can, shop at independent stores for fresh produce, meat, poultry and fish. You'll get great prices and the freshest ingredients; supermarkets may be convenient one-stop shops, but you pay a hefty premium for that convenience. Most of us have a variety of supermarkets, butchers, greengrocers, bakeries and other grocers within just a few minutes of home, so think about shopping at different stores for different things. The few extra minutes it will take will be more than covered by the money you save. Have a think about the food your family eats each week and include it on your shopping list so you know it will be used. There's no point buying mushrooms if no one will eat them or ten kilos of potatoes if you only eat them once a week.
And of course, the cheapest way to shop is to buy what's in season. You'll be buying the best and paying less for it. It might be nice to have strawberries in July but you'll pay for the delight; wait until summer and you'll be able to really enjoy them at a reasonable price.
Keep a Basic Pantry
Stock your pantry with at least the basics needed for cooking on a budget. Keep self-raising and plain flours, cornflour, white and brown sugar, rolled oats, basic herbs and spices, pasta, rice, dried fruit such as sultanas and raisins, olive oil, tinned fish, tinned tomatoes, curry paste and salt.
In the freezer keep peas, beans, corn kernels, puff, filo and shortcrust pastry sheets.
In the fridge keep eggs, milk, tasty cheese and parmesan.
With a pantry stocked with these ingredients you can create a delicious meal in minutes.
Meal Ideas
Now, for some low-budget meal ideas. Start your meal with something warm and wonderful like a delicious homemade soup. Comfort food that's budget-friendly is what a thick, hearty soup is all about. Make a large pot or cut it down to feed a smaller crowd. Any way you make it, homemade soup is delicious, cheap and a really fast food.
As main courses go, casseroles are sure-fire winners. A simple casserole can be cooked in the oven or a crockpot and can be turned into a gourmet meal with the addition of a few extra vegetables and flavouring. Casserole ingredients may be cheap, but the long slow cooking turns them into a mouth-watering dish worthy of the best restaurants. Another easy budget-stretcher is a pot roast - slow cooked in the oven, the vegetables go into the pot an hour or so before serving and to top it off, it makes its own gravy!
One-pot meals are great, but they can get boring if you serve them every night. You can make a simple rissole, chop or sausage interesting with tasty side dishes. Remember the healthy eating pyramid? Five serves of veggies a day is the recommended daily intake, so use them as sides to more expensive mains and you'll not only stretch your budget but eat a healthier meal too.
Try Country Style Carrots, Celery and Almonds or Our Favourite Potato Bake to jazz up a plain meat and veg dinner.
Leftover Magic
Clever Cheapskating cooks never throw away leftovers. A spoonful of pasta and a half a cup of peas can be added to a chopped sausage and a diced tomato to make a tasty stew. Leftover roast lamb can reincarnate as a Sweet Lamb Curry or a Shepherd's Pie. Roast chicken can come back as a stir-fry.
You don't need to eat the same meal over and over just because there are leftovers. Reinvent the ingredients and use them to make a new dish. The trick is using the leftovers and cleverly combining them with fresh ingredients. Using leftover lamb for example, in a shepherd's pie or moussaka requires the addition of other ingredients and seasonings so that it is a new dish, not just leftover lamb - again!
When cooking on a budget, you by no means have to give up flavour, variety and quality. There are plenty of recipes that fit a low budget lifestyle. Think you can't enjoy gourmet style meals on a budget? Think again! Most recipes use basic ingredients, it's how they are put together that makes them sensational.
And that's what makes a yummy budget meal.
Equipped with budget-friendly menu ideas, even the most hard-core foodie can make meals, sides, even desserts —and not break the bank.
One way to make cooking on a budget easier is to buy in bulk. While it may not seem sensible at first for a single person to shop in bulk, you might just be surprised. You're not going to need five kilos of flour or sugar today, but if you really plan to cook more and eat out less (another key to budget living), you're going to need those ingredients. No one is suggesting you go out and buy a giant-sized jar of honey if you have no intention of using it, but there may be some staples it would make sense for you to buy in bulk. If it doesn't make sense for you, no sweat. At least you checked.
Where to Shop
If you can, shop at independent stores for fresh produce, meat, poultry and fish. You'll get great prices and the freshest ingredients; supermarkets may be convenient one-stop shops, but you pay a hefty premium for that convenience. Most of us have a variety of supermarkets, butchers, greengrocers, bakeries and other grocers within just a few minutes of home, so think about shopping at different stores for different things. The few extra minutes it will take will be more than covered by the money you save. Have a think about the food your family eats each week and include it on your shopping list so you know it will be used. There's no point buying mushrooms if no one will eat them or ten kilos of potatoes if you only eat them once a week.
And of course, the cheapest way to shop is to buy what's in season. You'll be buying the best and paying less for it. It might be nice to have strawberries in July but you'll pay for the delight; wait until summer and you'll be able to really enjoy them at a reasonable price.
Keep a Basic Pantry
Stock your pantry with at least the basics needed for cooking on a budget. Keep self-raising and plain flours, cornflour, white and brown sugar, rolled oats, basic herbs and spices, pasta, rice, dried fruit such as sultanas and raisins, olive oil, tinned fish, tinned tomatoes, curry paste and salt.
In the freezer keep peas, beans, corn kernels, puff, filo and shortcrust pastry sheets.
In the fridge keep eggs, milk, tasty cheese and parmesan.
With a pantry stocked with these ingredients you can create a delicious meal in minutes.
Meal Ideas
Now, for some low-budget meal ideas. Start your meal with something warm and wonderful like a delicious homemade soup. Comfort food that's budget-friendly is what a thick, hearty soup is all about. Make a large pot or cut it down to feed a smaller crowd. Any way you make it, homemade soup is delicious, cheap and a really fast food.
As main courses go, casseroles are sure-fire winners. A simple casserole can be cooked in the oven or a crockpot and can be turned into a gourmet meal with the addition of a few extra vegetables and flavouring. Casserole ingredients may be cheap, but the long slow cooking turns them into a mouth-watering dish worthy of the best restaurants. Another easy budget-stretcher is a pot roast - slow cooked in the oven, the vegetables go into the pot an hour or so before serving and to top it off, it makes its own gravy!
One-pot meals are great, but they can get boring if you serve them every night. You can make a simple rissole, chop or sausage interesting with tasty side dishes. Remember the healthy eating pyramid? Five serves of veggies a day is the recommended daily intake, so use them as sides to more expensive mains and you'll not only stretch your budget but eat a healthier meal too.
Try Country Style Carrots, Celery and Almonds or Our Favourite Potato Bake to jazz up a plain meat and veg dinner.
Leftover Magic
Clever Cheapskating cooks never throw away leftovers. A spoonful of pasta and a half a cup of peas can be added to a chopped sausage and a diced tomato to make a tasty stew. Leftover roast lamb can reincarnate as a Sweet Lamb Curry or a Shepherd's Pie. Roast chicken can come back as a stir-fry.
You don't need to eat the same meal over and over just because there are leftovers. Reinvent the ingredients and use them to make a new dish. The trick is using the leftovers and cleverly combining them with fresh ingredients. Using leftover lamb for example, in a shepherd's pie or moussaka requires the addition of other ingredients and seasonings so that it is a new dish, not just leftover lamb - again!
When cooking on a budget, you by no means have to give up flavour, variety and quality. There are plenty of recipes that fit a low budget lifestyle. Think you can't enjoy gourmet style meals on a budget? Think again! Most recipes use basic ingredients, it's how they are put together that makes them sensational.
And that's what makes a yummy budget meal.