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Lentils to bulk out mince meals

Hi, we eat a lot of meals with meat in, and want to save money, I've read so many time about using lentils to bulk out meals like bolognese, but I've never done it. Do you cut down on the amount of mince you use, or do you use the same amount but then instead of a meal for 4 you have a meal for 6-8 people?

For a bolognese I use 500g mince, which serves 4 (me and dh over 2 nights). Could I use 250g mince and then add some lentils to still serve 4?? If so, how much do you add of the lentils? Thank you and sorry for all the questions :o
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Comments

  • I think you should experiment first.

    Try two thirds mince and the rest lentils at first. Or maybe a bit more mince first.

    Lentils can have a very gassy effect! I know, and I'm very wary now, but the more you use them, the easier it gets!

    Red lentils are totally hidden in mince dishes, as long as you cook them enough. They kind of disintegrate!

    I have to say I much prefer to use tinned toms with a tablespoon or two of lentils/oats/mashed butter beans or other mashed beans in the sauce. It's also good for you!

    Hope it works out....
  • 500g mince for 4 portions is, IMO, quite a lot per person.

    Yesterday I made 14 portions of chilli with c1300g of mince, it was bulked out with some well cooked red lentils which as the previous poster stated, just disintergrate, plus some porridge oats. Also copious amount of tomatoes, peppers, onions, kidney and black-eyes beans.

    AA
  • MrsSave
    MrsSave Posts: 1,817 Forumite
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    500g mince for 4 portions is, IMO, quite a lot per person.

    Up until recently, I've always been a 'follow the recipe' kinda gal!! Often with something like a bolognese, recipes say 450g, but they come in packs of 500g so I throw it all in. I'm pretty good with grocery shopping on the whole (£160 per month for 3 of us including nappies) but want to shave off a little more if I can so figured the meat was the way forward!
    Starting a new debt free journey
    Starting Debt: £5,250
    Current Debt: £4,995.50
    Amount Paid: £254.50 Percentage Paid: 4.84%
    Emergency Fund: £350
  • MrsSave
    MrsSave Posts: 1,817 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Thank you melanzana, will start with a little and se how we get on :)
    Starting a new debt free journey
    Starting Debt: £5,250
    Current Debt: £4,995.50
    Amount Paid: £254.50 Percentage Paid: 4.84%
    Emergency Fund: £350
  • I find grated carrot to be a good option to bulk out tomato based pasta dishes. It doesn't have the same effects mentioned above as lentils, and cooks very quickly. It also adds to vegetable intake.

    Xx
  • SailorSam
    SailorSam Posts: 22,754 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I've got about a dozen different sorts of dried lentils, some need soaking overnight and i use them when i'm making curries or casseroles in the slowcooker. The secret to success is you need to measure accurately. A handful of these and a handful of those, and another couple of handfuls of any others.
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  • I use 250g mince, 3 heaped tablespoons of red lentils, a large chopped onion, a tin of tomatoes, half a tin of kidney beans and 3 chopped carrots for 4 portions of any mince-based dish. I also sometimes add other left-over veg like diced celery, peas, chickpeas and blended broccoli.
    “I want to be a glow worm, A glow worm's never glum'Coz how can you be grumpy, when the sun shines out your bum?" ~ Dr A. TappingI'm finding my way back to sanity again... but I don't really know what I'm gonna do when I get there~ LifehouseWhat’s fur ye will make go by ye… but also what’s not fur ye, ye can jist scroll on by!
  • can I just hijack & ask how you prep/cook the lentils as I always thought you had to be careful with them??
  • can I just hijack & ask how you prep/cook the lentils as I always thought you had to be careful with them??

    The red ones I just stick straight in with the mince and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes until the juices reduce and the mince is cooked.
    “I want to be a glow worm, A glow worm's never glum'Coz how can you be grumpy, when the sun shines out your bum?" ~ Dr A. TappingI'm finding my way back to sanity again... but I don't really know what I'm gonna do when I get there~ LifehouseWhat’s fur ye will make go by ye… but also what’s not fur ye, ye can jist scroll on by!
  • The other very affordable and almost invisible way of bulking out mince is with Textured Vegetable Protien (soya mince) the actual TVP needs to be soaked up in twice its volume of water so I measure it in a measuring jug and then add 4 fl oz of hot water to 2 fl oz measure of TVP and I add a beef oxo cube too. Leave it to sit and absorb the liquid for 15 minutes then mix it in with your raw mince and cook it as normal. It doesn't change the look or taste of the mince but gives you considerably more bulk to the meat. Hope that helps, Lyn xxx.

    You can buy TVP in health food shops.
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