What’s a good (reasonably cheap) home cooked meal that’s easy to make?

I know people will throw cookbook recommendations at you left, right and centre but at uni I was recommended this.



It is purposefully designed to be cheap meals that are stupidly easy to cook. For example, it involves no real measuring of things other than with basic spoons (tsp, tb) and a mug. No fancy ingredients that you won’t have and need a list as long as your arm to buy and no complicated instructions. The meals aren’t fancy, but that isn’t the point. I learned loads from it and have tweaked the recipes over time now I know more about cooking. It just helps you get started on the basics of each type of meal.

You can get a used ‘very good’ copy off eBay for £3.29 with free postage here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30257053...8d%2B|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2332490&epid=235234205

 

I'd use mozzarella rather than cheddar, but a decent shout. Can roast root veg at the same time too.

 

20 minutes all in (inc prep time).

 

Another thing that has really broadened my horizons is using Simply Cook. I’ve been really lucky in that I’ve never had to pay for a single one in over a year (and I have enough free boxes to last me another 4 years ).

Each month, you pick 4 recipes and they send you the spice pots and pastes you need to make it and a recipe card. All meals can be made in 20 minutes on average and there’s a shopping list of the basic ingredients you need. For example: for the Sichuan Dan Dan noodles, you need broccoli, noodles, pork mince, honey and spring onions so nothing obscure. It’s normally £9.99 a month and although I do actually think it is worth that, I’m not recommending actually paying for it (at least not straight off the bat). I got a free trial off someone for the first box of 4 and then cancelled the trial (can be done online, don’t need to phone anyone) and then every so often I post my referral link on one of their Facebook posts and anytime anyone else does the trial, I get a free box. Once 5 people sign up (I’ve had 52) you get it at £7.99 a month (although, as I said, I’ve never paid a penny yet).

There’s loads of things to choose from, I’m a bit limited as I don’t like curries which seems to be one of their main things, but there’s still about 20 meals I’ve liked so far. If you’ve seen my posts before about how difficult I find it to like new foods then you’ll know what a big deal that is. It’s changed my life and I’ve made so many new things of my own off the back of trying something through this. Obviously, if you didn’t want to bother with sharing your link, you could just have the free box of 4 meals once, cancel and leave it at that. Some supermarkets also sell one recipe at £2.50 on the shelves but there’s a limited selection of about 8 of their most popular ones I think.

Anyway, here’s the link if you want to have a look (postage is free too):

https://simplycook.com/invite/QHYHMV

I’m honestly not sharing to try and get another free box (I can only use one a month and they might have shut down in 4 years) but because I actually do think they are great for people wanting to try cooking new things.

 

Sticky Chicken, Chicken breast pieces marinated in balsamic vinegar & honey. Cook in a wok until it starts to go sticky, serve on a bed of fluffy white rice, bootiful. You can also add mushrooms & onions later in the cooking process if you desire.

 

Sounds the ideal thing, for those on a tight budget.

 

Spog bol.

I cant cook and i can make one of those.

 

There's another one called HelloFresh, when you try leave they'll beg you and give you discounts.

Quite good for cheapish teas that I wouldn't think about cooking, not sure how cost effective in long run though as it doesn't consider dinner so I end up shopping anyway...

 

Chips, egg and beans.

Old classic.

 

Try cooking Risotto it's easier than you think and you can add ,take out what you want,white wine also an option to add ,very tasty quick and cheap to make .
Be careful not to overcook as it goes mushy.

 

Open a tin of baked beans and pour into a pan. Give the tin a few whacks with a wooden spoon to make sure there are no individual beans left stuck inside it. Then open a small tin of anchovies, drain off the oil (or brine or whatever), and add them to the beans. Next, open a jar of capers, drain off the brine (or vinegar or whatever), and add them to the beans and anchovies. Now open a small jar of silverskin pickled onions, drain off the vinegar (or brine or whatever), and add them to the beans, anchovies and capers. Heat slowly to a simmer, then serve with half a bottle of brown sauce. Don't bother going out after it, and drink 3 pints of listerine before going to bed.

 

I realised I didn’t give any actual meal recommendations so here goes if you’re looking for easy and cheap:

Variations of tacos, burritos, fajitas and quesadillas - make enough for some the next day (but if making burritos do the rice fresh each day)

A pasta bake - you can make your own sauce of course but I really like the 80 odd pence jar from Morrison’s which is quite tomatoey. Put 250g uncooked pasta in a Pyrex dish, tin of tuna and some sweet corn (or a couple of cooked chicken breasts chopped up) on top and then the jar of sauce (and the stated amount of water) on top and chuck it in the oven for 50 mins. After half an hour you could grate some cheese on top if you want. This then does us for 4 meals.

Soy and honey salmon (or cod for cheaper) with new potatoes and book choy - not the cheapest because of the fish but you can normally always get fish on 3 packs for £10 at Morrisons and is good for a meat alternative for a change

Jacket potatoes with salad - not fancy but you can change the toppings up to keep it different and you can pick up bags of spuds cheaply

Stir fries - noodles, any kind of meat you fancy, any kind of veg (I often buy the Chinese mixed stir fry pack from Morrisons if feeling lazy as it has a good, large mix - it’s almost always on 3 for £3 as well for noodles, veg and sauce if you wanted super easy) and a sauce. You could make your own or the ready made sachets tend to be 50p - 75p. Two noodle nests (or one of the noodle packs if done the 3 for £3 offer), one of those veg packs, 2 chicken breasts and a sauce sachet does me three meals.

 

A pressure cooker is a good investment for home cooking. Great for stews, chilli, curries, ragu, soups etc and does all those things far quicker and better than a slow cooker

 

Thai chicken meatballs:
Make meatballs (about size of a ping pong ball) from chicken mince, chopped coriander and grated ginger.

Fry chopped onion in a pan, add meatballs and brown the outside.

Add two sticks of lemongrass, more grated ginger and two grated cloves of garlic and fry for 2 mins.

Mix coconut cream in a jug with boiling water, half a chicken stock cube, kaffir lime leaves, chilli flakes, salt and sugar (I never measure it, just add until it tastes nice).

Chuck contents of jug into pan with meatballs and simmer for 10/15 mins.

Serve with noodles or sticky rice. Remove lemongrass before serving.

Have an ice cold bottle of Singha and sit in a really hot humid room to recreate that authentic Bangkok experience.

 

https://www.stickymudandbellylaughs.com/slimming-world-keema-curry-pie.html

 

Any variety of omelette.....2 eggs for each omelette and various meat or veg which can be chucked in e.g ham, left over cooked chicken, peas, onions ( par fried in pan before adding mix is best), peppers, chillis, mushrooms. Also add a bit of milk or cream and a few herbs to the mix and cook in plenty of butter....

 

Spag Bol or Shepherds Pie dies it for me...Costs next to nowt and there's usually stacks left to freeze later

 

Half side of salmon chickpeas peppers tomatoes chorizo baby boiled potatoes in salt pepper paprika cumin, stick in the oven (salmon for the last 25)

serve with rocket

lovely

 

Beans on toowarst

 

Ez tha seen price o' beeeuns.