The world is currently in the midst of an economic crisis, meaning more and more people are looking to change the way they shop and cook. While food poverty has always been a global concern, it’s becoming increasingly common, with people even in full-time positions struggling with money.
In order to shop cheaply, many people opt for the frozen food aisle that’s abundant in processed food. While it’s often cheaper to shop frozen, this doesn’t mean that fresh food can’t be affordable. Additionally, frozen, processed food isn’t able to provide us with the nutrients we need to sustain a nutritious diet.
Therefore, if you’re looking to minimize your grocery bill while still getting all the essential nutrients you need, grab some inspiration from the below list.
Chicken Stew
For a hearty chicken stew, all you’ll need is boneless and skinless chicken thighs, potatoes, a swede, spring onions, savoy cabbage, olive oil, chicken stock, Dijon mustard, and some crusty bread to serve. After frying everything until it’s cooked through, you can leave it to simmer on the stove. For some extra thickness, you can add in some cornflour.
Salad Bowl
While salad can definitely be boring, it certainly doesn’t have to be. For a tasty and substantial salad bowl, you’ll need some couscous, mixed beans, cucumber, radishes, dill, olive oil, and chilli flakes. Additionally, you can make a pickle using more dill, red cabbage, a red onion, caster sugar, and white wine vinegar.
Chicken, Leek, and Brown Rice Stir-Fry
Stir-fry is one of the simplest and most affordable meals, with chicken breast, chorizo, kale, red bell pepper, leek, olive oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and rice, creating a flavor sensation. After frying the meat through, you can toss in the veg until it’s fragrant and then add the rice and seasoning and heat through.
Carrot Pilaf with Coriander Chutney
In order to make your very own carrot pilaf with coriander chutney, you’ll need carrots, an onion, basmati rice, vegetable stock, coriander, garam masala, cinnamon, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, garlic, green chillies, ginger, and rapeseed oil. You’re essentially looking to fry the vegetables with the spices and oil before combining in the rice.
Chickpea and Zucchini Pilaf
Another pilaf you might try is a chickpea and zucchini pilaf, which contains chickpeas, zucchini, dill, onion, rice, chilli flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, and vegetable oil. The cooking process is the same as the previous pilaf and it’s equally as tasty. This is a great way to incorporate a lot of vegetables into your evening meal substantially.
Spinach Falafel and Hummus Bowl
For a tasty spinach falafel and hummus bowl, you’ll need some olive oil, flour, parsley, cumin, garlic, chickpeas, spinach, tahini, lemon juice, wholemeal pittas, red onion, and cucumber. Each of the components will require separate attention, but once brought together, you’re left with a filling and tasty meal that’s easy to construct.
Spicy Vegetarian Kedgeree
In order to make a spicy vegetarian kedgeree, you’ll need a lemon, green chilli, coriander, cherry tomatoes, spinach, bay leaves, turmeric, curry powder, garlic, onions, olive oil, eggs, green beans, and brown rice. After boiling the vegetables, you can combine them with the rice in a frying pan. Also boil your eggs to your chosen consistency and peel them.
Tomato and Pasta Soup
For a hearty tomato and pasta soup, you’ll need orzo pasta, canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, chickpeas, tomato puree, garlic, celery, an onion, olive oil, basil pesto, and some crusty bread to serve. This is a great one for fussy kids and traditional adults alike, and is easy to make.