The Great 'Cheap cooking substitutes' Hunt

SJ_Jones

terra_ferma wrote: »

I you are right.
I had a look, the family pack at Tescos is cheaper (on My Supermarket at least) than Sainsbury (and the luxury priced Co-cop down the road...).

Yup and a ratatouille is a nice way to use up any extras... num num!

terra_ferma

SJ_Jones wrote: »

Yup and a ratatouille is a nice way to use up any extras... num num!

Love that too.... would cost a fortune at the local supermarkets, time to pay a visit to the ethnic store to stock up on cheap veggies me thinks

Valerie1991

I'm (just) 22 and run a blog through my university giving recipes for cheap student meals (and puddings!) Not all of us are totally clueless in the kitchen =p


On a serious note, I get married in June and my darling fianc! lived off beans on toast and spaghetti and cheese - literally, just cheese on top of a plate of cooked spaghetti - til we met. He is 28.
:eek:


I rather suspect my recipe for sticky toffee pudding with extra sauce got me my ring

Algolthedemonstar

1. Shop at Aldi for tinned staples, but if you have to use Tesco/Asda buy the cheapest ranges for anything that goes in a casserole. Tesco's everyday value chopped tomatoes are only 34p, not 45p.
2. Pad out meat with pulses. Kidney beans work well in more than chilli. Add a small handful of pearl barley to beef or lamb stews, and/or some orange lentils. Plenty of cheap veg and you can double the servings. If there are only 2 of you, it's even better reheated the next day.
3. Bolognese sauce: use a tin of chopped tomatoes with a dash of Worcester Sauce and soy sauce. Don't forget you can add some sugar to make it more like bought sauce. Kidney beans work well here too.
4. I've had very good results with Tesco's cheapest stock cubes.
5. Remember that if a recipe calls for wine vinegar, just dilute malt vinegar half and half with water.
6. Arborio rice is nice, but cheap long grain makes a perfectly respectable risotto. Just be careful not to overcook it if it's not the yellower non stick stuff.
7. I agree you can use stock instead of wine. Don't forget you can use water too!
8. Another good point someone made is to use cheap supermarket flour. I buy the 3Ib size for economy, but I only buy plain so it is used fresher, and I add baking powder if necessary. Using it as a thickening agent by scattering it on the browning meat is also a good point. However, for speed I must admit to a weakness for gravy granules (I like REALLY thick gravy!). They are expensive, and I do prefer the branded ones. They are often cheaper at Iceland.
9. Cheap punnets of supermarket plums are often very difficult to ripen, but they cook well. I usually cook them first in the microwave ( just scatter sugar over halved and stoned fruit) then I use them in a sponge pudding or crumble, or even on their own.

I just saw how long this is, apologies!

Algolthedemonstar

1.Buy tortilla wraps when they are cheap, prices vary enormously. They keep forever wrapped well in the fridge, so you can use a few at a time. Treats like paninis and potato cakes respond well to this too.
2. Get an extra meal off a chicken. Put the broken up carcass, skin and any bits of meat into a pan, cover with water and boil for one hour. Strain and return liquid to the pan. Strip any remaining meat from the solid parts and add to the stock. Use for a hearty soup. My favorite is to add a drained can of aldi sweetcorn, a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce and salt to taste. Boil up and thicken very slightly with cornflour (not strictly necessary but I prefer it). Serve with bake-it-yourself baguettes or rolls (also from aldi).
3. I assume it's stating the obvious to learn to joint a chicken? You can often buy a whole one for the price of breast fillets.

VfM4meplse

Not sure about marigolds - they smell of wee so I don't think I'd fancy them in my food!

shandyclover

I use...

Value spaghetti instead of noodles for Thai/Chinese dishes. Of course you do have to cook separately but works out cheaper than using noodles and there is not a huge difference. Started this originally when DD went vegan and egg free noodles were hard to find.

TBs of white wine vinegar instead of white wine, TBs of red wine vinegar instead of red wine.

Any plain 'past it' yogurt instead of sour milk makes excellent muffins and cakes.

Value rice still makes a respectable risotto instead of arborio rice.

ChrissieT_2

I now use coconut milk powder from the health food shop. A box costs quite a bit, but lasts ages. I just stir in a dessertspoon or two to a beef curry or dhal. Had lots of compliments

Ezmondino

Algolthedemonstar wrote: »

8. Another good point someone made is to use cheap supermarket flour. I buy the 3Ib size for economy, but I only buy plain so it is used fresher, and I add baking powder if necessary. Using it as a thickening agent by scattering it on the browning meat is also a good point. However, for speed I must admit to a weakness for gravy granules (I like REALLY thick gravy!). They are expensive, and I do prefer the branded ones. They are often cheaper at Iceland.

When I buy gravy powder I mix it with the same amount of economy white plain flower. Doubles the amount and tastes better, not so salty and you can taste the meat juices more.

kaya

Be sure to check labels properly, sainsburys cheapest mayo is 1/4 of the price of their low fat one but has exactly the same amount of fat !