Cheapest meal

Gigervamp

Just looking at the costing in the first post (from 2005). Corned beef at 50p a tin!
Corned beef hash isn't as cheap to make nowadays.

katkin

Mixed bean and chorizo chilli.

I love this recipe and use it for quasadillas (as in tonight's dinner), enchiladas, with rice or in baked potatoes.

Tin baked beans in tomato sauce (or mixed beans)
Tin tomatoes
Tin kidney beans
Chunks of chorizo, pepperoni slices (quartered) or a chopped peperami
Onion
Pepper, carrots, celery or any veg on the go / bottom of fridge.
Chilli powder to taste
Garlic or other spices if you have them such as paprika, fajitas mix etc - add to your taste
Crumble of quarter of a stock cube / seasoning
A small handful of red lentils pads it out but isn't necessary

Soften the onion, veg in a little oil if you have it. If you don't have oil, add the chorizo etc and use the oils from that to soften your veg and add garlic, spices to it before adding the tomatoes. Simmer for 15 mins then add the baked beans and kidney beans. Simmer slowly for another 15-20 mins or so until the veg is soft and everything is well combined and the sauce has reduced. Taste in-case it needs a pinch of sugar or more seasoning.

JustThisOnce

JackieO wrote: »

I know it cheap and cheerful and costs pennies to make but having grown up eating Woolton Pie I think I would honestly eat a fresh air sandwich:rotfl: Trying to think of a really cheap meal today after looking at the price of the food stuff at the beginning of this thread I think probably egg and chips maybe or a pasta dish would be the cheapest. Anyone else have some good ideas about a really cheap inexpensive dish to fill the mealtime when pennies are short ???

I priced up a few of our meals yesterday and Egg & Chips (with baked beans and broccoli) came out one of the cheapest. But my almost-free meal is a red lentil daal-style dish. No soaking or prolonged cooking. Serves 4 decent size portions (I don't eat masses, but my husband does, so I think we average out -- 2 portions go in the freezer and I often have a smaller lunch portion left over).

Cook 400g red lentils in 2 pints water until thick, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking - takes about 20-30 mins, I think - lots of recipes online. Meanwhile, fry 1 small sliced onion in 1 tbsp sunflower oil (add a little water if it starts to catch) until brown and turning crisp. Slice up a garlic clove and chuck that in too. Then add 1-2tsp hot curry powder (depending on taste, obviously) and fry briefly. Stir into the lentil mixture, add approx 100g defrosted frozen leaf spinach and serve with long-grain rice.

Allowing 100g rice per person in my personal pricing guide, with everything bought at my local Tesco -- it's about 40p a portion. It can be done for a little less if you bulk buy things like onions and lentils. It's basic, but comforting, filling and healthy and I almost always have the ingredients in the house.

Anne_Marie_2

Dhal is one of my favourite quickie meals, you'd be hard pushed to get a cheaper nutritional meal, freebies and YS not included. I usually have it with home made chapatti or pitta bread, rather than rice. Also lends itself well with any leftover veggies thrown in too.

melanzana

Omellette
Scrambled eggs
Frittata using leftovers
Beans on toast with cheese on top
Baked potato with filling of choice.

All easy, all very cheap. Add veg of choice too.

bundly

This thread made me cry. So many poor people struggling to eat. I feel guilty.

Mistral001

Gigervamp wrote: »

Just looking at the costing in the first post (from 2005). Corned beef at 50p a tin!
Corned beef hash isn't as cheap to make nowadays.

I am new to this thread and read the first post just today. I was about to post the same as above. I think corned beef costs about £1.50 a tin these days - even for own-brand tins. In fact corned beef hash is probably a relatively expensive meal for those who are trying to live on a strict budget. If you substitute cooked bacon bits or liver pieces for corned beef you will get a more economical meal.

rockm87

Lentils are amazing! You can make curries, burgers, soups and bulk out meals. Theyre really filling, cheap and nutritious.

Anne_Marie_2

rockm87 wrote: »

Lentils are amazing! You can make curries, burgers, soups and bulk out meals. Theyre really filling, cheap and nutritious.

You can always sprout them too, albeit I have never tried with red lentils, always used green for some reason, unknown even to myself. I quite often use beans for sprouting, mung beans being one of my favourites.
I do them in a wide jar with a bit of voile over the top with an elastic band to secure, but have used a popsock in the past.
Beware of using too many dried lentils or beans, it is amazing how much you get. A tablespoon or two is probably enough to try out in a large coffee jar.

http://www.theleangreenbean.com/how-to-sprout-lentils/

Tink_04

Thought I'd bring this back as costing have changed massively since the fir post and over the years!

Eggs is our cheap meal nowadays omelette- eggy bread- egg on toast -egg & chips - scrambled egg etc.

It's hard to find a meat based meal that's cheap I think, stir fry or whole roast chicken stretched out over 3 meals is probably the best I can think of.

Any other ideas? It seems so hard to do now with the cost of food rising.