How can you eat delicious, fresh food at home on a tight budget?

Plan your meals so that you buy less. It's staggering the amount of food gets thrown away just because it was forgotten about at the back of the fridge, cupboard or freezer.

Have a spell of using up old ingredients to give your cupboards a clear out. Repeat every time you notice your cupboard, fridge or freezer getting full. However, keeping some stock stuff such as dried pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes etc will make it easier to use up other ingredients.

If you throw less away, that in itself will save you a small fortune.

Buying (eg) a side of lamb will be cheaper than buying the individual cuts.

Use the whole chicken when you buy it. Breast, legs, back, wings. When that's finished, the rest of the carcass can be boiled with a load of the vegetables that need using up to make a delicious soup.

Learning to joint a chicken will also save you a lot of money if you usually buy individual breasts/legs.

Learn to appreciate (and cook!!) cheaper cuts of meat. You don't have to have the fillet *every* night. Apart from being more expensive, you're missing out on some wonderful textures and flavours. Give me the cheaper cuts of good meat over the prime cuts of the mass produced rubbish any day!!

Learn some great recipes for leftovers. Stir-fries, curries, casseroles and soups are delicious ways to use up ingredients. Freeze them if necessary. They're a great stand-by for those nights that you can't be bothered to cook - and they're much cheaper than a takeaway. If you get it right, it tastes better too.

Find good, small producers. Farmers markets, farm shops etc sell *as standard* the sort of things that you'd have to pay top whack for in the supermarket.

Grow some of your own food. If you find you haven't space to grow as much as you like (even a windowsill is enough space for a few herbs), put your name down for an allotment.

The last one won't appeal to everyone (it doesn't even appeal to me, but my wife likes gardening), but the rest are attainable by everyone.

This would no doubt be applicable to upper middle class people. Buying "sensibly" and "working out a week's meal in advance" really isn't possible for the vast majority of people these days. There are single parent families where the mother or father has to work three jobs a day, I don't imagine the parent has time to "work out a week's meal in advance". Poor people, like Canada's aboriginal people, only have a certain allowance to spend on food stuffs and the cheapest food that they have no choice but to buy are often vacuum packed, tin canned meals. Certainly where I live, Saskatchewan where more than half the year is a frigid waste-land, we can only purchase goods that have come over land in trucks. It is neither fresh nor cheap! Raising fuel prices and the fact that on farm land the top soil is being blown away in strong winds and further more local produce isn't possible any more as Saskatchewan farmers are forced to leave their farms. Yes if we're lucky here on the prairies we can have possibly six good weeks of growth period. This year though most of Canada had a very late spring and a cool summer no doubt that has greatly affected growing here.

There are single parent families where the mother or father has to work three jobs a day, I don't imagine the parent has time to "work out a week's meal in advance". Poor people, like Canada's aboriginal people, only have a certain allowance to spend on food stuffs and the cheapest food that they have no choice but to buy are often vacuum packed, tin canned meals. Certainly where I live, Saskatchewan where more than half the year is a frigid waste-land, we can only purchase goods that have come over land in trucks. It is neither fresh nor cheap! Raising fuel prices and the fact that on farm land the top soil is being blown away in strong winds and further more local produce isn't possible any more as Saskatchewan farmers are forced to leave their farms. Yes if we're lucky here on the prairies we can have possibly six good weeks of growth period. This year though most of Canada had a very late spring and a cool summer no doubt that has greatly affected growing here.

It will be much moister! The crock pot is also an excellent way to cook cheaper cuts of meat, so they are tender to eat. Osso Bucco, Italian stewing chops, goulash with blade steak, just to name a few. And you can pretty much throw anything into a crock pot, cheap vegies and all and end up with a very nutritious tasty meal for little cost. Certainly where I live, Saskatchewan where more than half the year is a frigid waste-land, we can only purchase goods that have come over land in trucks. It is neither fresh nor cheap! Raising fuel prices and the fact that on farm land the top soil is being blown away in strong winds and further more local produce isn't possible any more as Saskatchewan farmers are forced to leave their farms. Yes if we're lucky here on the prairies we can have possibly six good weeks of growth period. This year though most of Canada had a very late spring and a cool summer no doubt that has greatly affected growing here.

You can buy a frozen chicken for half the price of a cooked supermarket one and roast it in the crock pot. It will be much moister! The crock pot is also an excellent way to cook cheaper cuts of meat, so they are tender to eat. Osso Bucco, Italian stewing chops, goulash with blade steak, just to name a few. And you can pretty much throw anything into a crock pot, cheap vegies and all and end up with a very nutritious tasty meal for little cost. Certainly where I live, Saskatchewan where more than half the year is a frigid waste-land, we can only purchase goods that have come over land in trucks. It is neither fresh nor cheap! Raising fuel prices and the fact that on farm land the top soil is being blown away in strong winds and further more local produce isn't possible any more as Saskatchewan farmers are forced to leave their farms. Yes if we're lucky here on the prairies we can have possibly six good weeks of growth period. This year though most of Canada had a very late spring and a cool summer no doubt that has greatly affected growing here.

Vegetables: If gardening is something you enjoy, and you have the time to do it, then you may want to consider growing your own tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, squash, etc. Make your own salsa or use them in a salad. You'd be surprised at how much money you can save. On the other hand, you can look for deals at a local farmer's market or visit the grocery store during weekly sales.

Fruit: Again, if you enjoy gardening, use it to your advantage. Plant watermelon, grapes, and a variety of berries. If you don't have time to do this, the farmer's market or grocery store sales can also come in handy here.

Grains: Stock up on bread and whole-grain cereal, and try not to spend money on unnecessary items, like toaster pastries or sweets. If you must buy them, do so in moderation, but beware that these foods are often the ones that cost the most.

Dairy: Aim for 1% or skim milk and low-fat cheese. Sherbert and frozen yogurt are cheaper than ice cream. (Dairy is a win-win. Everything that's better for you is usually cheaper.) I would also recommend Fruit on the Bottom yogurt, which has antioxidants and will help keep you full.

Meat: Avoid red meat if you can. It's not good for you, and it costs a lot of money. Go for Nature's Promise chicken, which is organic and cage-free. Stock up on fish for protein and essential Omega 3 acids. Studies show that fish may actually prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

Eggs: Eggland's Best are my favorite. They too are cage-free and organic, and they are great for omelettes. (Perfect opportunity to use those veggies.)

Good luck, and I hope this helps!

I am lucky enough to own a garden big enough to grow some of my own fruit and veg (organic of course cos it's how it should be done). Naturally the benefits of this are that you have great dishes which vary depending on seasonal produce. Then though there are times, mainly in winter, when you can't grow much, so it's best to buy frozen cos it keeps in more taste and more vitamins, whilst being a lot cheaper. Growing fresh produce really does save you money and is a lot nicer.

I agree with your shopping plan, it really does make sense.

Jamie, big fan, I was in year 5 when you introduced new school dinners, since then i've noticed a great change in health as so many kids have got slimmer. Love the TV shows, especially Jamie At Home, and yes I probably will buy the books. Keep up the good cooking!

Poor people, like Canada's aboriginal people, only have a certain allowance to spend on food stuffs and the cheapest food that they have no choice but to buy are often vacuum packed, tin canned meals. Certainly where I live, Saskatchewan where more than half the year is a frigid waste-land, we can only purchase goods that have come over land in trucks. It is neither fresh nor cheap! Raising fuel prices and the fact that on farm land the top soil is being blown away in strong winds and further more local produce isn't possible any more as Saskatchewan farmers are forced to leave their farms. Yes if we're lucky here on the prairies we can have possibly six good weeks of growth period. This year though most of Canada had a very late spring and a cool summer no doubt that has greatly affected growing here.

My favourite is a slight spin on the roast chicken, but better!!!!! ;D

Make a big tasty lamb roast (basted with whole grain mustard mixed with olive oil, a little tart orange marmalade, fresh rosemary and garlic) with heaps of roast veg (esp pumpkin, potatoes, and heads of garlic) and turn it into the best risotto using the left over gravy watered a little down as the stock, putting in the roast garlic at the beginnbeginninging the meat and vege at the end (though the rarer meat near the bone goes in a little earlier than the more well done parts) all you need then is a little rocket and parmesan salad on the side and its perfect!!!!

otherwise in peak season Tomatoes by the kilo bag are heaps cheaper than the premade pizza/pasta sauces blanch remove skins chop, cook with what ever Italian flavours you like cook down till nearly dry for Pizza, or cook less mix through pasta with whatever takes your fancy...

Then again the cheapest meal to make after cheesy toasts has to be taco's... unless you like m'jadra (sp?) the arabic lentil and rice lent dish served with leb bread, cucumber and a little sprinkle of cheese....

mmm can anyone say hungry now???

cheers

Jen

Being on a tight budget kind of makes you be a bit more creative with food.

I often go to supermarkets just before closing time to pick up heavily reduced items. It's pot luck what you might find but often you find stuff you wouldn't normally buy because it costs too much or you're simply not in a habit of buying.

Also there a few useful websites where you can enter what ingredients you have (you can enter everything that needs using up) and it comes back with some suggested recipes.

On the subject of waste, I feel strongly that supermarkets and the food industry, in general, need to think about the amount of perfectly edible food they throw away due to 'used by dates'. The dates bear no relation to how long the food will actually last and it's contributing to a huge environmental waste problem at landfill. It's time we all respected our food and stop thinking it's OK to throw it in the bin.

Leftover veg is great for casseroles and curries - and I don't know about you but I think curries always taste better the next day.

I am on a really tight budget (£30 per week for 2) but am married to an Italian so we really passionate about good food and believe it's important to eat as well as you can afford.

My secret to make the budget stretch is pulses. I make vegetable soups with lentils, hummous, Indian dishes like dhal or chickpea curries, tagines, or use Puy lentils in salads. Barley is also good - especially orzotto or beef and barley soup in the winter.

I also spend money where it really matters and save money where you can get away with a budget product. If I can't afford free range chicken I will go without rather than buy something intensively farmed. I would spend money on the best tasting fresh tomatoes I can get, but use a supermarket 'own brand' out of a tin for making a ragout.

We can't afford to eat as well as we would like and don't have any food luxuries, but everything is fresh, cooked from scratch and healthy. I make the weeks lunches ahead and freeze everything. Very often I just eat eggs for dinner (free range of course). They are cheap and nutritious

Don't buy too much fresh stuff in one go - even if you are really organised you will probably end up throwing things away. Shop like an Italian, just buying what you need for the next couple of days.

I bake bread, cakes and biscuits at home but don't reckon it's any cheaper. I do it so I can trust the ingredients!