Cheap, Healthy and Quick Family Favourites

Lalaladybird

I want to know what your ultimate cheap, healthy and quick family favourite meal is (and the recipe please)

Ours is tuna pasta bake but I need to have a few more of these types of meals in my kitchen repertoire as I no longer have the time to make meals that take more than 20 mins preparation time now I have 2 kids under 3 and I'm sick of fish fingers and other similar things from the freezer. I want to present my family with healthy homemade stuff almost every day so please let me know your best recipes.

Tuna Pasta Bake...
Chop 1 onion, 1 pepper and 2 cloves of garlic, fry in olive oil for 2-3 mins, add a carton of passata, salt to taste and either dried mixed herbs or fresh chopped basil, half a tsp of lazy chilli and one tin of tuna. Simmer for 10 mins while a pot of pasta is cooking (enough for 4 people...300g ish). Stir 50g grated cheddar into the sauce then mix in the pasta, stir and bake in the oven for 5 -10mins til toasty on top...yum!

It has to be cheap
It has to be quick to prepare
It has to be healthy

:j

Chakani

Salmon pasta or veggie pasta in this house.

Salmon pasta -
Cook pasta, and meanwhile, chop and fry onions til soft, add green beans for a couple of minutes, then chopped up packet of value smoked salmon trimmings (usually I use one 120g packet per 2 adults, less for kids), add creme fraiche, cream or yoghurt, whichever you fancy/have in the fridge, black pepper and lemon juice. Mix and serve.

Veggie pasta -
Cook pasta and meanwhile, fry onion, garlic and whatever veg you fancy, eg, courgette, fresh tomatoes, aubergine, any summery veg will work, then stir in pesto, and if you want, a bit of creme fraiche or yoghurt. Bacon or Chorizo chopped up also works.

[Deleted User]

Salmon in white sauce with pasta - 1 or 2 fillets cooked in microwave, cut up into small pieces, stir into a white sauce (packet if really stuck for time), add chopped veg (carrot, onion, garlic, frozen peas, sweetcorn, whatever really), add herbs, chilli whatever you fancy, serve with rice, noodles, pasta, cous cous, potatoes............takes me 20 mins and if really clever make double and freeze.

BitterAndTwisted

I think this thread would be best suited to the Old Style forum BUT have you checked out Weezl's "Cheap Family Recipes" website about how to feed a family of four on only £100 a month?

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

Meal-planning and batch-cooking can be your best assets if you have a freezer

[Deleted User]

chakani, think i'll give your version a try next time.

Sparklyfairy

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I think this thread would be best suited to the Old Style forum BUT have you checked out Weezl's "Cheap Family Recipes" website about how to feed a family of four on only £100 a month?

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

Meal-planning and batch-cooking can be your best assets if you have a freezer

That is a great website! I just did my weekly shop, but I'm keen to start it next week!:beer:

Evansangel

I love Weezls website, but DH wont eat about 80% of what is on there. Bimmin annoys me! lol

System

I cook lots of stews and casseroles in my pressure cooker in winter, it's great, really short cooking times and only one pot to wash.
Linda
PS I would love to make some of these pasta dishes, but nobody likes pasta but me (and I really prefer rice or beansprouts)

Cookie_monster_7

minestrone soup
mushroom risotto

Lara44

I like these meatballs and tend to make a double or triple batch and stick them in the freezer. So the next time I go to make this meal the meatballs are already done.

These quesadillas are good for leftover roast chicken.

This recipe for beef stew is not quick but if I know I am really busy I cook it the night before and reheat when required. It tastes gorgeous the next day. I leave out the dumplings and add carrots and just eat it with a big doorstep of bread. It's about 1/3 of the way down the page.

I don't have kids but I have avoided recipes too fussy or hot. HTH

squashy

We're having kedgeree tonight.

Cooked rice
Half an onion
Pack of green beans cut into pieces or a cupful of frozen peas
2 smoked mackerel fillets, flaked.
2 boiled eggs, sliced
Random spices, or stock cube (optional)

1. Fry the onion in a large pan in a little oil. Add a bit of spice or a pinch of vegetable or chicken stock.
2. Add the rice and the beans/peas. Fry over medium/high heat until coloured. Add in mackerel to heat through.
3. Serve with pieces of egg mixed in. (Can also be eaten cold)

You can add whatever you want to vary it, sweetcorn, herbs etc.