Cheap but healthy meals for December

attentionseeker1

Hey all

Had a sit down and went through finances today and think Christmas is going to be tight this year-mainly because we are going away for NYE which seemed like a great idea when I booked it months ago but realising that I have to make the final payment in December is not great!

Am determined that credit cards will not be touched as am proud to have a 0 balance on them and refuse to let Christmas beat me! OH has depression and gets really anxious about money so am trying to pay for as much as possible myself so he doesn't get stressed out- he's not as good at making ends meet as me.

Anyway...after that long exposition, I am going to have to keep normal expenses down to a minimum this month as a result so will start by trying to get weekly meal costs down.

Anyone have ideas for cheap meals that won't make us feel miserable throughout this horrible weather but that won't break the bank??

OH eats fairly big portions, we love spices and I try to cook with fresh and unprocessed food every day if possible. Have a big freezer though some Christmas stuff will be going in it if I spot any deals...

RAS

Hi

Your starting point is an inventory of everything in the cupboards, fridge and freezer.

From that it might well be possible to create a menu for the entire month with minimal additional spends.

Given that you like spices, check those over and list them. Do you like curries? of is it chilli?

miss_emmajane

First thing that comes to my mind is homemade soups - can get veggies from ALDI (esp when they have a good super 6 range) or reduced from supermarkets and its quick, and easy to make. You can freeze a lot, and eat it with some bread and butter, it is surprisingly filling - more so than canned soup and much better for you

attentionseeker1

Sadly OH doesn't believe soup is a real meal- :eek: (unless it is hefty with pasta/noodles/MEAT!)

I have been trying to do veggie meals a couple of times a week to save £ but sometimes veggie meals work out q expensive too e.g.HFW's wild mushrooms and polenta- the cost of wild mushrooms! (Though delish!)

..........ok just ran off to do storecupboard inventory:

Fridge
5 mushrooms
3 tomatoes
100g parmegiano regiano
6 carrots
chillies, lemongrass, garlic, capers
lime juice
tomato puree
Thai red curry paste

Freezer

enough fries for one meal for two (OH's vice!)
4 pitta breads
frozen HM crumble and cakes (enough for about 3-4 puddings)
1 kg green beans
1kg spinach
200g peas
1 bag frozen root veg
ginger, curry leaves

Cupboard

enough rice noodles for one meal for two
1kg red lentils
250g polenta
enough rice for a small risotto- probs not enough for two
5kg basmati rice
2 tins baked beans
3 parsnips
porridge
1 kg SR flour
1 kg bread flour (and yeast)
pretty much any spice you can imagine, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, vinegar, oil etc- we are curry fiends!!!!

* * *

That comes to very little as we had a bad November as well. Can't believe I've been so stupid- normally I organise this much better so I spread the cost over months.

Meals need to seem exciting IYKWIM as food is one thing that OH still takes pleasure in. Not as in he needs fillet steaks, more as in he likes novelty, spices, variety etc.

RAS

attentionseeker1 wrote: »

Sadly OH doesn't believe soup is a real meal- :eek: (unless it is hefty with pasta/noodles/MEAT!)

Maybe but starting a meal with a bowl of cheap veggie soup will reduce the amount that he needs to eat as a main meal.

If you can make vats and freeze portions that saves on your cooking and your purse.

attentionseeker1

good point- as a starter he would be fine with it as that's just extra food right ;-)

Maybe spicy lentil and carrot could be good...

RAS

attentionseeker1 wrote: »

Fridge
5 mushrooms
3 tomatoes
100g parmegiano regiano
6 carrots
chillies, lemongrass, garlic, capers
lime juice
tomato puree
Thai red curry paste

Freezer

enough fries for one meal for two (OH's vice!)
4 pitta breads
frozen HM crumble and cakes (enough for about 3-4 puddings)
1 kg green beans
1kg spinach
200g peas
1 bag frozen root veg
ginger, curry leaves

Cupboard

enough rice noodles for one meal for two
1kg red lentils
250g polenta
enough rice for a small risotto- probs not enough for two
5kg basmati rice
2 tins baked beans
3 parsnips
porridge
1 kg SR flour
1 kg bread flour (and yeast)
pretty much any spice you can imagine, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, vinegar, oil etc- we are curry fiends!!!!

* * *

Ok - you are going to need to hit the whoopsie shelves in the supermarkets or the stalls on the outdoor markets this weekend. See what veggies you can get (particularly anything that stores well) and look for reduced meats etc

the good thing is that you have loads of rice and lentils. You can use the lentils to stretch things like minced meat.

And you have loads of spices with which to make things exciting.

Also consider a pack of frozen chicken thighs which can be used for curries, stir fries or roasting with veggies.

Not a tin of tomatoes in sight? Any reason for this?

RAS

attentionseeker1 wrote: »

good point- as a starter he would be fine with it as that's just extra food right ;-)

Maybe spicy lentil and carrot could be good...

remember that parmasen adds umani flavours to veggie dishes so amke them taste more meaty.

attentionseeker1

nope we actually use tinned tomatoes a lot but have therefore run out!

chicken we don't tend to eat loads of as I only eat freedom food/free range so we tend to see that almost as a luxury product but normally would buy the thighs as better value

Fruball

You can make a small piece of meat look more substantial by egging and breadcrumbing it. Schnitzel stylee! Spices can be added to this too

That way you can make a pack of thin frying steak (which is fairly cheap) go further... Beat it out with a rolling pin to make it larger

Can also be done with chicken/pork. I would split a chicken breast in half thru the middle, beat it out and crumb it - you won't feel deprived even though you only have half!

Mushrooms - to give the effect of different varieties of mushrooms, quarter some, slice some thick, some thin and finely chop some... I do this often in risottos Add garlic and lots of black pepper for scrummy mushrooms.

Having soup as a starter and a slightly small main course and a cheap pud feels indulgent but can be cheap.

For a cheap pud I use a victoria sponge recipe (4oz butter/marg, 4oz SR flour, 4oz (I use a bit less) caster sugar, 2 eggs) and spoon it over a tin of fruit, bake in the oven until golden and cooked thru - will serve 4 easily with some custard

ALIBOBSY

I think the meat bit of meals tends to bump up the price, so agree with the other posters pad out meals with bread/side dishes and starters/puddings.

I would have a heart attack if that was all the "stores" I have in the house, but I bake ALOT and am a bit of a hoarder lol. Do you have any baking stuff as you can make great biscuits with porridge oats that are very filling.

Re whoopsied items I find our new "small" asda and the "small" tesco as well as the co-op around the corner are better for knocked down items, but you have to keep bobbing in and be lucky.

Good Luck

Ali x