Here at Gifts on a bu we are all about keeping it real. One fact for sure, is that we are not all cordon bleu chefs and sometimes when you want some meal ideas you don't want to buy 20 ingredients a time.
So here we have some very simple evening meal suggestions. This little lot will keep a family of four going for a week and all for under £25 (£23.92 to be precise).
We also know that you don't buy 5 sausages in a pack or two teaspoons of curry powder at the checkout so our costings are the actual prices you will pay in the supermarket, meaning you will have some food left over to be put towards lunches or next weeks meals.
So here are our seven simple suggestions:
1) Sausages and mash.
It's simple and effective.
Mash up some seasoned potatoes with some butter and a dash of milk. We prefer tp buy loose potatoes as a full bag often goes to waste in our house.
Pop a couple of sausages on top and douse it with gravy.
If you are feeling adventurous cook off some mushrooms and onion to add to the gravy. Serve with some veg on the side.
Cost
Aldi 8 Pork Sausages £1.29
Aldi Two large loose potatoes £0.36
Aldi Button Mushrooms £0.77
Aldi meat gravy granules £0.79
Frozen Veg, frozen onions, milk and butter from previous shop.
2) Tikka Masala Curry
It's quick and easy and does the job.
Chop and fry off the chicken before adding the sauce and simmering.
Add to your cooked rice and everyone's a winner!
We use boneless chicken thighs for a cheaper option to the chicken fillets. If you are using cheaper rice, be vigilant with the timings as one minute over and you are left with slush.
It's likely you won't need all 8 thighs - something for tomorrows lunch.
Cost
Aldi 8 boneless chicken thighs £3.49
Aldi Tikka Masala Sauce £0.79
Rice from our store cupboard.
3. Roast Chicken and Veg
We often buy a small whole chicken but if you are good with soups or fancy some chicken sandwiches for lunch the day after then buy a little bigger. Serve with mash or make your own roasters and add some veg to keep it healthy!
Cost
Aldi small whole chicken £2.15
Aldi 2 large loose potatoes £0.36
Gravy already purchased above - add some left over mushrooms from above.
Frozen veg found in freezer!
4. Spaghetti Bolognese.
You can't have a budget meal plan without it. Now we are fussy about our spag bol sauce so after our Aldi shop we nipped into the Co Op for some Lloyd Grossman sauce! We buy high fat content mince and drain the fat off. Alternatively we sometimes use Turkey mince as it is leaner. Add some veg to bulk it out and make it last another day!
Cost
Aldi 20% Fat 500g Beef mince £1.49
Lloyd Grossman Original Bolognese Sauce £1 (on offer at Co -Op)
Aldi Carrots £0.28 per bag
Aldi Spaghetti £0.20
5. Spicy Pork Chops and Rice
It's all about the flavour. Just rub in a little oil, add some chilli/curry powder/paprika - whatever takes your fancy - and pop under the grill. Serve with rice and veg/salad. My wife likes a bit of mayo with it but for me some chilli sauce is a nice addition.
Cost
Aldi Pork Loin Steaks £1.89
Aldi Curry Powder £0.79
Aldi Mayo £0.69
Rice, veg and chilli sauce from store cupboard.
6. Mac and Cheese.
A firm favourite in our house. I have to admit, this is one thing my wife can make off the top of her head.
Melt some butter and mix with flour to make a paste
Add milk gradually whilst stirring until you have a smooth creamy sauce.
Add cheese and stir.
Mix in cooked macaroni before transferring to dish and grilling with some extra cheese on top.
My wife likes to add some bacon and leeks to make it a bit more interesting.
Serve on it's own or with some oven chips
Cost
Aldi Mature Cheddar £1.79
Aldi Unsmoked Bacon £1.49
Aldi Leeks £0.82
Aldi Crinkle Cut Frozen Chips £1.05
Butter flour and milk from sauce all from store cupboard.
7. A bit of this and that.....
As I said we are all about keeping it real and once a week we have a cheap comfort meal: eggs sausage, beans and oven chips.
Cost
Aldi 8 pork sausages £1.29
Heinz Baked Beans £0.85
Aldi XL 6 Pack Free Range Eggs £1.29
Frozen Chips Purchased above.
So there you have it, a weeks worth of family dinners for under £25. We are not giving you restaurant standard meals but every day grub for those on a budget!
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