Family Friendly Meals On A Budget

The cost of living crisis is affecting us all in some way, shape, or form, and we have all noticed that our favourite items in the supermarket have increased (quite dramatically).

So, we decided to share some of our family's favourite recipes on a budget.

Please note: We understand that some of you may have dietary preferences or allergies, so we have tried to accommodate all.

Dairy-Free Recipes (DF)

Gluten-Free Recipes (GF)

Vegan Friendly (V)

Healthy Pizza

(DF, GF & V Options)

Seriously? Healthy pizza? Yes, you heard that right! This one is so simple and easy to cook; you may even have this every day 🤷 . Get yourself a tortilla, spread some tomato paste (you can even use bottled pasta paste), and add all the veggies you have at home.

Place a few thinly sliced pepperoni pieces onto your pizza and top it with mozzarella cheese. You can additionally drizzle olive oil if you like, but this is not necessary, just optional.

Place your pizza in an oven at 200 for 10-15 minutes °C, and voila! You've got yourself some guilt-free pizza without having to break the bank.

Creamy Garlicky Pasta

(DF,GF,V Options)

In a rush? This garlicky pasta only takes 20 minutes and tastes fantastic!

So, what do you need for this garlicky pasta? 🍽️

Pasta and garlic! But you'll also need flour, milk, chicken/vegetable broth, cheese, parsley, and your choice of protein.

**This works well also with dairy-free milk, vegan broth, vegan cheese, gluten-free pasta, and tofu; please change ingredients as you see fit**

For this recipe, our choice of protein will be shrimp - but you can switch this for your family's favorite.

Start by boiling your pasta according to the package instructions. Please remember to season your pasta with some salt and olive oil. Add two tablespoons of butter on medium heat in another pan and let it melt. Then add your shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remember to season it with salt and pepper. You can even add some cajun seasoning if you have some at home. Once the shrimp is cooked, please remove it from the pan, and add another tablespoon of butter. Chop some garlic and place them on the pan and let it cook for a minute or so. Make sure you don't burn the garlic. Then, add flour gradually, depending on how thick your pasta sauce is. Mix some pasta water with your chicken/vegetable broth, and pour it into your sauce, mixing consistently.

Add salt, pepper, and chili flakes to your tasting and let it cook until the sauce boils and thickens up. For the final touches on the sauce, chop some parsley, mix it with grated parmesan/mozzarella cheese, and add this to the saucepan. Now, you can also add your cooked shrimp to the sauce.

Finally, drain your pasta and combine it with the sauce. Mix thoroughly to ensure the pasta is fully coated in the sauce, and top it with sprinkles of chopped parsley. Serve immediately to eat hot, creamy, and garlicky pasta.

Budget Friendly Roast Dinner

Who doesn't love a roast dinner?😋 Many people think cooking a roast dinner is expensive, but it doesn't have to be. So that's why we're here to show you how to save money and cook the BEST roast dinner for less than £5! That's right; you can enjoy your favourite home-cooked meal without breaking the bank.

All you need for this dish is a hob, a slow cooker, and an oven.

The best places to shop for ingredients include Aldi and Lidl, but we also recommend popping to Morrisons as they offer great deals on a range of meat. For this recipe, we found a pork shank that cost £2.82, leaving the remainder change for vegetables and roast potatoes.

Ingredients list:

• Pork Shank

• Ginger

• Garlic

• Pepper

• Peppercorn

• Oil

• Soy

• Sugar

• Potatoes

• Your choice of vegetables

Place the pork shank in the oven for the dedicated cooking time. Once you have completed the first step, combine a bowl of ginger, garlic, pepper, and peppercorn and mix these all together.

Then Warm up a frying pan, add some oil, and fry the mixed ingredients together, then add a spoon of soy and a dash of vinegar.

In a separate pan to make a sauce add some sugar cubes with some oil and fry, once bubbling add some water but be mindful when doing so

Once the meat has been cooked, place this into a slow cooker with water filled to the second line.

Pour over the mixed ingredients and fried sauce, then top up the water levels to almost cover the meat. (Leave for 3 hours)

Then remove the meat and pop this back into the oven for 5 minutes for the best results.

Add some roast potatoes and vegetables, and your meal is complete.

The Best Chilli Con Carne

Keeping it simple but super duper yummy with our easy peasy Chilli 🍲

Ingredients

• Jar of chili con Carne sauce

• Rice 280g

• cheese 1 cup (optional)

• One onion

First, heat the oil in the pan, add the mince, and Cook for approx. Ten minutes and while your mince is cooking, chop your onions.

Then start cooking your rice on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Next, add onions to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.

Drain the rice. Stir in the chili sauce and reduce heat; cook for 5 minutes.

Mix and serve – add cheese if you like!

We would love it if you could share your favourite recipes with us, tag us in any yummy meals you make @Segurochildcare