What are the cheapest meals you can make?

WantToBeSE

I've tried looking for something like this, but cant find anything.

I'm on a serious debt free mission in 2017, and the area that i mainly need to cut down on is my food shopping. I'll be joining the grocery challenge for January, but could you please share your cheapest meal ideas?

We dont like eggs, already eat a lot of meat free meals, and there are 3 of us (1 adult, 1 teen and 1 almost-teen). I currently spend £100 a week.

PasturesNew

Beans on toast is a meal. It was often a meal when I was growing up - and still is. For three people, 6 bits of bread and a tin of beans is about 35p

WantToBeSE

PasturesNew wrote: »

Beans on toast is a meal. It was often a meal when I was growing up - and still is. For three people, 6 bits of bread and a tin of beans is about 35p

I love beans on toast I often add some sliced fried mushrooms too. Not as healthy, but utterly delicious! Thanks PN

bubbs

Buy some mincebeef, pad it out with veg, make yorkshire put on top of them and serve wth seasonal veg on the side thats a cheap meal and filling for the winter.
Makes some soup and bread have a soup night
Pasta one night

NewShadow

The main way you'll save money is by buying ingredients for several meals rather than meal items for one meal- home made wedges can cost a third of the store equivalent (33p/kg compared to £1/kg if I buy a big sack).

Plus, if you buy a bag of tatties you can boil em, mash em, stick'em in a stew (sorry) - compared to a bag of wedges, which is always just wedges.

Meal plan on how to use up the leftovers - pay attention to portion control for the expensive component (be strict about meat portions but then fill the plate with veg or carbs so no one's hungry).

Multiple courses can also fill you up/ make the meal seem special/ hide extra bulking fruit/veg (veg soups and fruit with custard are favourites here)

Make sensible use of your freezer - go out today (or in the morning) and look at the dates on the big joints - they'll likely be for the same day just after new year. Go in the day before and check what's been reduced/what's left - buy lots, portion up, fill the freezer.

I've just bought 4 whole salmon at £5 a kilo (£40 total) - each filleted by the fish counter into 16 large steaks (64 large portions) - so I can have one a week for the next year at a grand cost of c.60p each.

4 ducks at less than £5 each for birthday/easter/family get togethers

A leg of pork, a joint of beef, a few gammon joints, lots of packs of high meat sausages, blocks of cheeses at £3 per kilo - I shouldn't really need to buy protein for at least 6 months and I've spent less than £75

HTH.

Gers

Free cookbook where it's claimed that the average cost is 86p per meal.

https://www.tinybudgetcooking.com/

Islandmaid

One of my fall back 'OMG' well skint meals is -

Garlic Spaghetti

In a frying pan gently fry some crushed garlic and fresh bread crumbs in olive oil, whilst boiling up some spaghetti.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and mix through the garlic and toasted breadcrumbs, add some more olive oil, salt, pepper to taste - a good mix and serve whilst the breadcrumbs are still crunchy.

Sounds boring, but it's really tasty ��

iammumtoone

Jacket potatoes.

frozen junk is also cheap One meal a week of fish fingers/cheap burgers etc with value oven chips and value baked beans won't do you any harm if you eat reasonable for the rest of the week and helps to keep the weeks budget down.

I also find frozen veg work out better value as you only cook what you need so no waste or piling up the plate just to use it up before it goes off.

ThemeOne

There are some great cheap recipe ideas here:

http://www.thriftylesley.com/

katkin

My go to cheap meal is Dhal (lentil curry). Any sort of veg curry is cheap and easy, with rice it makes a tasty, filling meal.

Lots of recipes via Google and here on a search.

WantToBeSE

Thanks everyone!

I already make lentil dhal and also veggie chilli and jacket potatoes. I agree, they are dirt cheap to make and you can make huge batches too.

IslandMaid- the garlic spaghetti sounds like something i would really enjoy, maybe with a few prawns chucked in too.

iammumtoone- yes i have a few frozen crap things in the freezer (think potato waffles and veggie sausages) that i am planning on using up too

NewShadow- i already buy big bags of potatoes and mash/boil/roast/chip, and agree it saved loads of money! Great tips for meat/fish buying, thank you. Sounds like you're super organised!
I dont have a huge freezer, and what is in there has been there for a while, so i am hoping to start eating from that from now on, before restocking.

Thanks for the links too, i'll check them out!