Meal Stretchers
We all like to eat well, and often. There are times when we have unexpected mouths to feed too. And as Cheapskates we all like to keep that grocery budget low at the same time.
That can be a challenge. I'm sure most of us have heard the old "add more water to the soup" or "toss another spud into the stew pot" sayings to stretch a meal, and they do work (although I'm not a fan of watery soup).
But there are other healthier, frugal ways to stretch meals to get more serves, using everyday pantry items.
My favourites are rolled oats, pasta, rice, TVP and fresh or frozen veggies. On their own these foods are OK, but when you add them to another dish they can turn a very small meal into something satisfying and big enough to feed an army - or at least another couple of mouths.
A serve of chicken casserole on its own is ok, but over a cup of steamed rice or pasta and it's a hearty meal, and one you can stretch by cutting down the size of the casserole serve.
A piece of barbecued steak is delicious, but when it's thinly sliced and added to cooked rice, capsicum, tomato, zucchini and onion it becomes a hearty burrito filling that will easily feed four or more people.
Knowing what meal stretcher you can add to your basic recipes will help you get more serves from your recipes, show visitors you are a champion in the kitchen by being able to feed a hoard with just a few ingredients and help you keep that grocery bill down.
You can use rolled oats to:
Rissoles
Meatballs
Meatloaves
Hamburgers
To use: add equal quantities of rolled oats to the mince.
You can use pasta in:
Soups
Stews
Casseroles
Rissoles
Meatballs
Meatloaves
Salads
To use: Add 1 -2 cups pasta depending on liquid in dish - you may need to adjust.
You can use rice in:
Soups
Stews
Casseroles
Meatballs
Rissoles
Hamburgers
Salads
To use: Add 1 cup raw rice to soups, stews and casseroles and adjust the liquid to suit.
Add 1/2 - 1 cup raw rice to meatballs, rissoles and meatloaves with an extra egg (or egg substitute) to bind and adjust liquid to suit.
Add 1 - 2 cups cooked rice to hamburgers and vegetable salads.
You can use TVP in:
Rissoles
Stews and casseroles
Pasta sauce
Tacos
Enchiladas
Burritos
Lasagne
Pasta Bake
To use: Add an equal quantity of rehydrated TVP to mince in any recipe. To rehydrate soak 1 cup of TVP in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, then add to recipe.
You can buy TVP at health food shops or in the health food aisle of most large supermarkets.
You can use vegetables in:
Soups
Stews
Casseroles
Meatloaf
Pasta sauces
Tacos/enchiladas/burritos
Shepherd's pie
Sausage rolls
To use: grate potato, zucchini, carrot, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, onion, celery or finely chop mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, beetroot, squash, sweet potato, pumpkin, swede, turnip, parsnip and add to the recipe. This is a good way to use up limp veggies and to boost vegetable intake without dishing up individual serves - perfect for those finicky eaters.
Mashed potato can be used to stretch leftover diced meat or to stretch a tin of tuna to make double the quantity of fish cakes. Adding mashed potato to sausage rolls not only keeps the meat moist, it doubles the number you'll get from the recipe.
Any of these meal stretchers will help a little meat, chicken or fish go a long way without looking stingy.
Stretching a meal is a skill, one that we should all practice.
That can be a challenge. I'm sure most of us have heard the old "add more water to the soup" or "toss another spud into the stew pot" sayings to stretch a meal, and they do work (although I'm not a fan of watery soup).
But there are other healthier, frugal ways to stretch meals to get more serves, using everyday pantry items.
My favourites are rolled oats, pasta, rice, TVP and fresh or frozen veggies. On their own these foods are OK, but when you add them to another dish they can turn a very small meal into something satisfying and big enough to feed an army - or at least another couple of mouths.
A serve of chicken casserole on its own is ok, but over a cup of steamed rice or pasta and it's a hearty meal, and one you can stretch by cutting down the size of the casserole serve.
A piece of barbecued steak is delicious, but when it's thinly sliced and added to cooked rice, capsicum, tomato, zucchini and onion it becomes a hearty burrito filling that will easily feed four or more people.
Knowing what meal stretcher you can add to your basic recipes will help you get more serves from your recipes, show visitors you are a champion in the kitchen by being able to feed a hoard with just a few ingredients and help you keep that grocery bill down.
You can use rolled oats to:
Rissoles
Meatballs
Meatloaves
Hamburgers
To use: add equal quantities of rolled oats to the mince.
You can use pasta in:
Soups
Stews
Casseroles
Rissoles
Meatballs
Meatloaves
Salads
To use: Add 1 -2 cups pasta depending on liquid in dish - you may need to adjust.
You can use rice in:
Soups
Stews
Casseroles
Meatballs
Rissoles
Hamburgers
Salads
To use: Add 1 cup raw rice to soups, stews and casseroles and adjust the liquid to suit.
Add 1/2 - 1 cup raw rice to meatballs, rissoles and meatloaves with an extra egg (or egg substitute) to bind and adjust liquid to suit.
Add 1 - 2 cups cooked rice to hamburgers and vegetable salads.
You can use TVP in:
Rissoles
Stews and casseroles
Pasta sauce
Tacos
Enchiladas
Burritos
Lasagne
Pasta Bake
To use: Add an equal quantity of rehydrated TVP to mince in any recipe. To rehydrate soak 1 cup of TVP in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, then add to recipe.
You can buy TVP at health food shops or in the health food aisle of most large supermarkets.
You can use vegetables in:
Soups
Stews
Casseroles
Meatloaf
Pasta sauces
Tacos/enchiladas/burritos
Shepherd's pie
Sausage rolls
To use: grate potato, zucchini, carrot, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, onion, celery or finely chop mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, beetroot, squash, sweet potato, pumpkin, swede, turnip, parsnip and add to the recipe. This is a good way to use up limp veggies and to boost vegetable intake without dishing up individual serves - perfect for those finicky eaters.
Mashed potato can be used to stretch leftover diced meat or to stretch a tin of tuna to make double the quantity of fish cakes. Adding mashed potato to sausage rolls not only keeps the meat moist, it doubles the number you'll get from the recipe.
Any of these meal stretchers will help a little meat, chicken or fish go a long way without looking stingy.
Stretching a meal is a skill, one that we should all practice.