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[LizEstelle]

My OH and I just had the following and it was delicious. I reckon the total price, including gas and bits and pieces, was around 50p-60p.

I'd be grateful if people could make other ultra-low price suggestions which I can add to my 'Miser's Cookbook'.

It does seem to me that you can eat very cheaply from more-or-less fresh ingredients... so healthier, too!

Sardines with Couscous

1. Dice up some onion, pepper, carrot and courgette and cook in a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium frying pan.

2. Add the tomato juice from a cheap (Lidl?) tin of sardines and augment with 200ml of water/stock mixed with some tomato puree.

3. Season with pepper, garlic powder (and salt, if you absolutely must).

4. Simmer for 30 secs, then remove from heat and stir in 200 gm couscous and the chopped up sardines. Cover and allow the couscous to absorb the mixture. The end result should be an orange-coloured, tangy, tomatoey treat... and next to no washing up!

Can anyone beat this one on economy?

[RainbowsInTheSpray]

How about egg mayonnaise for two?

2 x shelled hard-boiled eggs, sliced in two. 2 dollops of mayonnaise. Surround by sliced cucumber, sliced cooked/pickled beetroot and lettuce. Maybe 2/4 slices of wafer-thin ham. Maybe bread and butter to accompany and beef up.

Should still come in at 50p or less. Not as healthy as yours probably but I just love salads!

[cordial]

Cheap chicken curry?

Strip the meat off one Tesco Value frozen chicken portion (after thawing!).
Fry gently in a little butter/oil. Remove from heat and stir in some flour to make a roux. Cook again gently for one minute then remove from heat. When cooler, slowly add water or stock to make a thickish sauce. Finally, stir in curry powder and herbs to taste and cook from 1 - 5 mins. You can add other veg, mushrooms etc also at this stage.

On top of plain, boiled rice. Can't see how the lot would reach much more than 50P. You can even use the discarded skin and bones to make chicken soup!

[angelavdavis]

How about arrabiata pasta?

Put pasta onto boil in slightly salted water.

Meanwhile, fry a small chopped onion and a pinch of dried chilli flakes and dried oregano in a saucepan and add a tin of value chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil then lower so it bubbles away happily.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and tip sauce into the drained pasta saucepan and mix well.

Split pasta and sauce between two and sprinkle of grated cheese.

You can get bags of pasta for about 70p which will serve four meals for two, the value tomatoes are usually 20p a tin and the chilli flakes/dried oregano last forever so a pinch of each means pennies. The grated cheese is the luxury item, but you can buy a wedge, grate it and freeze so you are only using a little at a time.

[LizEstelle]

I also have an old stand-by which is Bacon-topped Baked Potato:

Bake one large baking potato in a hot oven (having pre-nuked in m'wave to save on gas time). During last 5 mins, slice in two and cover top surfaces with mixture of chopped, fried onion, bacon and mushroom. Finally in last 2 mins grate some cheddar over.

Serve with half tin of value baked beans or small salad. Not much more than 50p I would guess.

[cordial]

Here's another one: Mediterranean Tuna

Boil up some large 'value' pasta e.g. fusilli. When cooked, stir in a tin of 'value' tuna, together with a quarter tin of chopped tomatoes and/or a spoonful of tom. puree. Add water to keep moist and heat for one minute, stirring in plenty of dried basil and salt/pepper.

Presto. Should be well under a pound, not to mention delicious - and all done in one pan!

[annscullamus]

Here is another

My favourite!
Bacon Onion and Potato Pie
2 large Pots and 1 large onion and 4 slices of bacon does 2 people very well

Peel and slice potatoes, peel and slice onions.
Layer pots. in the bottom of ovenproof dish then a layer of onion rings/slices then 2 slices of bacon. Repeat and end with pots. Add a little milk over the top and bake in the oven quite slowly for about 45mins to 1 hour.
Absolutely delicious and VERY cheap!

[MushyPeas]

I love these kinds of threads, especially when I have just got home from working and was tempted to order a pizza but instead cooked a v. simple dish:

pasta\pesto

Cook pasta, add pesto, enjoy!

OP: courgettes are v. expensive where I live, they'd push the meal over 50p

[LizEstelle]

Not forgetting a good ol' omelette!

Soufflet Omelette:

Take four eggs and carefully separate the yolks from the whites. Whisk/beat the whites up into stiff peaks and then (even more carefully!) fold into the yolks, together with a little grated cheese and fried, chopped mushroom and onions.

Pour the mix carefully into a frying pan and cook one side. DO NOT TRY TO FLIP OR TURN! Instead, place the pan under a heated grill to brown the top side. Best served with buttered bread and a light salad. Very cheap and plenty for two people.

[LizEstelle]

Originally Posted by MushyPeas

OP: courgettes are v. expensive where I live, they'd push the meal over 50p

I know what you mean but I only meant for a quarter of one courgette to be used, if that. Cut into small dice. Max 10p! The 50p is just a target. You could use other things like ears of sweetcorn or some chopped mushroom.

[LJM]

beans on toast doesnt sound much of a meal but i find it quite filling

[LizEstelle]

Originally Posted by LJM

beans on toast doesnt sound much of a meal but i find it quite filling

Nothing at all wrong with beans on toast. It's quite healthy and nutritious, especially if you tweak it a bit by using wholemeal bread and the low salt/sugar beans.

You can make it into another showstopper by adding a touch of curry powder, some grated cheese and other possibilities.

[jcr16]

jacket potato and bean's. have no idea on cost. but can't be much.

i make a huge bulk batch of chilli , and by doing this i think it works out at 13p a portion. so could have that with rice or jacket spud or on a tortilla crisps ( tesco value 19p) ok not the healthiest of options but great a comfort meal.

any left over pancakes from a previous pudding , can be filled and served with jacket spud or on their own. the filling can be as cheap or expensive as needed. sometimes i just fill with bakes bean's. yummy. but onion,beansprouts,pepper,mushrooms and carrot make a great filling.

sorry not good at doing the costing tonight. maybe i'll try and work it out in a bit and post it up.

[LizEstelle]

Originally Posted by jcr16

jacket potato and bean's. have no idea on cost. but can't be much.

i make a huge bulk batch of chilli , and by doing this i think it works out at 13p a portion. so could have that with rice or jacket spud or on a tortilla crisps ( tesco value 19p) ok not the healthiest of options but great a comfort meal.

any left over pancakes from a previous pudding , can be filled and served with jacket spud or on their own. the filling can be as cheap or expensive as needed. sometimes i just fill with bakes bean's. yummy. but onion,beansprouts,pepper,mushrooms and carrot make a great filling.

sorry not good at doing the costing tonight. maybe i'll try and work it out in a bit and post it up.

Hey unfair! I posted that one (or something like it) higher up! You're quite right though. Jacket potato in various forms one of the best meals going. I await the other costings with interest.

[TKP]

Originally Posted by LizEstelle

Nothing at all wrong with beans on toast. It's quite healthy and nutritious, especially if you tweak it a bit by using wholemeal bread and the low salt/sugar beans.

You can make it into another showstopper by adding a touch of curry powder, some grated cheese and other possibilities.

A dash of Lea & Perrins in beans goes down a treat!

[RainbowsInTheSpray]

Seems to me the posters have proved beyond doubt that 2 people can have their main meals for a week for £4 or less - which means a family of four could do it for £10. So how much extra would breakfast and lunch add?

How many times do you hear people bleating on about not POSSIBLY being able to feed their family for under £50 per week..?

[jcr16]

i think it is very possible. but the supermarkets have a great way of showing items that u really don't want or need. but they end up in trolley. maybe the supermarkets are to easy.

years ago my mum said u would go to one shop for veg , one for meat , one for bread etc. the option for buying the crap wasn't their. so alot easier.

or is it just me that has real probs sticking to my shopping list unless i shop online

[flufff]

You then have to add on milk,tea,coffee,drinks,cereal,bread,sugar.If you have kids you cant deny them odd biscuit after school.Then petfood.It soon adds up.
It isnt dinners that are so expensive just everything inbetween.School holidays are a killer trying to feed hungry kids.My milk bill is just over a pound everyday with 4 kids.I cant and wont cut that back.We could easily use more.Thats £7 alone.

[UniqueEarthling]

Originally Posted by flufff

You then have to add on milk,tea,coffee,drinks,cereal,bread,sugar.If you have kids you cant deny them odd biscuit after school.Then petfood.It soon adds up.
It isnt dinners that are so expensive just everything inbetween.School holidays are a killer trying to feed hungry kids.My milk bill is just over a pound everyday with 4 kids.I cant and wont cut that back.We could easily use more.Thats £7 alone.

I drink my coffee (any old cheap stuff) black with no sugar.
My kids are lucky because they have breakfast club (free) in their school.
If they are thirsty I tell them there's water in the tap.
I have no pets.
I never buy biscuits or cakes (they love it when Grandma visits cos she always brings treats )

So, where on earth does my money go

[thriftlady]

Originally Posted by MushyPeas

OP: courgettes are v. expensive where I live, they'd push the meal over 50p

That's 'cos they're a summer veg. Substitute something local and seasonal- diced parsnips/carrots ? Economical cooking is all about making the best use of the ingredients that are cheap for you