People across Tayside and Fife are cutting back – from rationing heating to reducing the weekly food bill. But how much does it cost to feed a family a week of basic but hearty evening meals?
As the cost of living spirals and winter creeps in, I took on the challenge of cooking up a week of winter warmers for my hungry family – four adults and a teen – for £10 each.
Each of the seven meals had to be easy to prepare but nutritious and filling. And if there was a weekend fakeaway in there, all the better for keeping the brood happy.
The £10 per person budget meant I had to plan ahead a bit more than usual – thinking of dishes that would include larger packs of meat, store cupboard essentials and vegetables to use across more than one meal.
Most of the shop was done at Lidl or Aldi, to keep the budget tight, but I also used a supermarket comparison pricechecker tool to check for good deals elsewhere.
Swapping meat for veggie mince, sausages or other meat/dairy alternatives costs about the same. And I would have spent less if I hadn’t included the store cupboard ingredients. Oil and seasoning were the only things I didn’t cost.
Monday: Chicken and sweetcorn pie and potatoes
Although this was the most expensive of the seven meals it was straightforward to make and very filling.
After browning the chicken and onions I added a dessertspoon each of butter and flour to make a roux, added the chicken stock cube with 350mls of water, the sweetcorn and a large splash of milk stirring until it became creamy.
I cut the pastry into squares and added them to each portion.
Chicken breasts (half of 2kg pack) £5.74; onion £0.46; tin of sweetcorn, £0.52; flour, £0.58; butter, £1.99, milk – £0.89; potatoes ( half of 2.5kg pack), £0.52; puff pastry,£0.99; stock cube included in cost of curry below.
Total – £11.69 or £2.33 per person.
Tuesday: Spicy and sweet meatballs with rice
I used a version of Jamie Oliver’s madras meatballs recipe swapping out the lamb for pork, adding a tin of lentils, chillies, frozen spinach and rice for a lighter meat dish. Veggie mince could be used, too.
Pork mince £2.25 (500g); tin of lentils £0.49; curry paste £0.80 (half jar); mango chutney £0.60 (half jar); spinach £1.09; yoghurt £0.45; rice £0.79 (half bag); chillies £0.50.
Total £6.97 or £1.39 a head.
Wednesday: Shepherd’s/cottage pie
You can use lamb, beef or veggie mince in this dish. It’s so simple to make, just brown the mince, onion, carrots and add seasoning and a stock cube then simmer to thicken.
Transfer to a dish. Add milk and butter to boiled potatoes. Put the mash on top of the mince and transfer to the oven for half an hour. A hearty dish for winter evenings.
Mince (1kg) £5.69; onion £0.46; carrots £0.24; potatoes ( half of 2.5kg pack) £0.52; stock cubes £0.52; butter £0.99, milk £0.48.
Total £8.90 or £1.78 per person.
Thursday: Halloumi fajitas
I used a version of this BBC recipe for the fajitas as the store cupboard spices are better value than individual sachets of herb mix. But you could improvise with any leftover veg – or add avocado if your budget stretches.
Halloumi £1.99; red onion £0.45; peppers £1.20; garlic £0.55; tortilla wraps £0.85; paprika £0.59; coriander £0.52; sour cream £0.75.
Total £6.90 or £1.38 a head.
Friday: Chicken curry and rice
This basic curry uses a quick curry paste but still comes in around £2 a head – much cheaper than a takeaway!
Brown the chicken, onions and apple. Add stock, paste, tinned tomatoes and chutney with 350mls of water and let simmer to thicken. Add a dash of cream before serving with rice.
Chicken breasts (half of 2kg pack) £5.74; onion £0.46; apple £0.22; tinned tomatoes £0.28; curry powder £0.79; curry paste £0.80 (half jar); mango chutney £0.60 (half jar); stock cubes £0.52 (also used for chicken pie); cream £1.09; rice £0.79 (half bag).
Total £11.29 or £2.25 per person.
Saturday: Creamy tomato and bacon/veg sausage pasta
A real budget-buster this pasta dish is ready in minutes and tastes great whether you use bacon or veggie sausage in it.
Cook diced onion with chopped bacon, garlic and tomatoes. Stir in boiled pasta and add some cream or yoghurt if you like it richer.
Tin of tomatoes £0.28; garlic £0.55; penne pasta £0.35; bacon (unsmoked 300g) £1.25; onion (already costed from multi-pack); cream or yoghurt (already costed).
Total £2.43 or £0.48 per person.
Sunday: Homemade pizza
A fakeaway that costs a fraction of the price of your local pizza place – at less than £1 per person for a batch of five. It’s healthier and much tastier too.
This quick pizza dough recipe from Ooni never fails me. You can make it in a conventional or pizza oven. Add toppings of leftover peppers, red onion or sweetcorn from the week’s meals.
Yeast £0.65; pizza flour £1.60; Mutti pizza sauce £1.50; mozarella £0.69; tomatoes £0.52.
Total £4.96 or £0.99 per person.
Was £10 each for a week of meals possible?
I was slightly over budget. The final bill came in at £53.14 – or £10.62 per person – for a week of evening meals for five people.
No doubt there could be further savings if you included more vegetable alternatives to the meat dishes or bulk-buy in bigger quantities.
But there were leftovers which I put in the freezer for another day. Planning ahead is certainly the answer to eating well for less.
- What are your tips for nutritious but budget-friendly meals? Let us know in the comments below. Your ideas could help someone who’s struggling to make ends meet.
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