For a long while now I've been wanting to write a blog about the "student" budget (any budget) to show people that you really can eat very well, very cheaply. I hear so many people complaining about the price of food, and agree that buying healthy food can be costly - but supermarket ready meals really aren't the answer. They're great if you've got a busy week ahead but for day-to-day living, face it, they're not the healthiest or even the nicest food. The recent horsemeat issue has made this even clearer to the public, although I'm willing to bet the meals still tasted fine - horse is a perfectly acceptable and edible meat in some parts of the world.
Anyway, this week my plan is to give you day-to-day updates as a food diary of sorts, looking at seven meals I've prepared and what they cost to make. Obviously I can't compare exact calorie counts etc. versus ready meal versions, but I'm pretty darn sure they are all much healthier - and tastier too. The issue of people living on a tight budget - we're all in a recession - and wanting to create good food on a daily basis is something that I feel very strongly about. As those close to me will know, I love eating out and I love shiny new cookbooks, often released by celebrity chefs, but I find it incredibly frustrating that hardly anything is being done by these kinds of people - who are mostly very wealthy - in terms of helping create awareness, recipes, or ideas in response to the public's demand for tasty and healthy food that is affordable on a budget.
Anyway, this week my plan is to give you day-to-day updates as a food diary of sorts, looking at seven meals I've prepared and what they cost to make. Obviously I can't compare exact calorie counts etc. versus ready meal versions, but I'm pretty darn sure they are all much healthier - and tastier too. The issue of people living on a tight budget - we're all in a recession - and wanting to create good food on a daily basis is something that I feel very strongly about. As those close to me will know, I love eating out and I love shiny new cookbooks, often released by celebrity chefs, but I find it incredibly frustrating that hardly anything is being done by these kinds of people - who are mostly very wealthy - in terms of helping create awareness, recipes, or ideas in response to the public's demand for tasty and healthy food that is affordable on a budget.
Because let's be honest - food can be expensive. If you want the latest fad brand, a high-end supermarket product, or popular items like parmesan cheese or fresh salmon, you're going to have to shell out. It's understandable that when you see a basic-brand ready meal - i.e. low-cost lasagne at 75p - and compare the price to a long list of ingredients to make it yourself, it seems the obvious solution. But you can overcome these problems by just a little budgeting and meal planning, and DIY cooking is so worth it - tastewise, nutritionally, and even financially. I'm hoping this blog will help you see that cooking fresh, good food on a budget is entirely possible.
So let me start with today's meal -
*Day 1: Spaghetti Carbonara - £1.80 per person*
To serve one you will need 2-3 rashers of bacon, 80g pasta, a dollop of creme fraiche, about a handful of grated cheese, 2 mushrooms, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 a fresh chilli.
Find the full recipe (note it is for two portions) and method at http://acreativespell.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/carbonara-two-ways.html - you're looking for recipe number two.
When buying these ingredients instore (I shop mostly at Sainsburys', if you're interested) in their packaging, you're looking at about £7.50 costs. When considering that you're not using all of the food you've purchased (i.e. a 10-rasher pack of bacon will serve you easily 3x, and a 500g pack of pasta can serve you about 7 times), the individual meal price comes in at only £1.80. Of course if you make this dish for more than one person and raise the ingredients appropriately, the cost becomes even cheaper.
The middle-standard ready meal carbonara from the supermarket is not only more expensive and less nutritious (no veg) but has significantly less meat and a very high fat content due to the substantial amount of cream within its sauce. Why not make the real thing instead? It takes no time at all and tastes gorgeous.
I'll be back tomorrow with a new recipe - my homemade lamb and butternut squash curry - and its price.
* * *
PS: Just an addition to the post - I was lucky enough to eat at La Trappiste, Cafe du Soleil, and The Ancient Raj (all three based in Canterbury city centre) a few weeks ago when my parents visited for a couple of days. Honestly can't fault any of them for their food - all three provided incredible - and different - meals. I'll review them soon for you - and even took some cheeky pictures of the meals - so look forward to it!
*
PPS: Had to include this photo - a yummy smoked salmon/rocket/olive bread (etc.) salad made while at home last week - making the most of the ingredients I can't afford whilst here at uni!
*Day 1: Spaghetti Carbonara - £1.80 per person*
To serve one you will need 2-3 rashers of bacon, 80g pasta, a dollop of creme fraiche, about a handful of grated cheese, 2 mushrooms, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 a fresh chilli.
Find the full recipe (note it is for two portions) and method at http://acreativespell.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/carbonara-two-ways.html - you're looking for recipe number two.
When buying these ingredients instore (I shop mostly at Sainsburys', if you're interested) in their packaging, you're looking at about £7.50 costs. When considering that you're not using all of the food you've purchased (i.e. a 10-rasher pack of bacon will serve you easily 3x, and a 500g pack of pasta can serve you about 7 times), the individual meal price comes in at only £1.80. Of course if you make this dish for more than one person and raise the ingredients appropriately, the cost becomes even cheaper.
The middle-standard ready meal carbonara from the supermarket is not only more expensive and less nutritious (no veg) but has significantly less meat and a very high fat content due to the substantial amount of cream within its sauce. Why not make the real thing instead? It takes no time at all and tastes gorgeous.
I'll be back tomorrow with a new recipe - my homemade lamb and butternut squash curry - and its price.
* * *
PS: Just an addition to the post - I was lucky enough to eat at La Trappiste, Cafe du Soleil, and The Ancient Raj (all three based in Canterbury city centre) a few weeks ago when my parents visited for a couple of days. Honestly can't fault any of them for their food - all three provided incredible - and different - meals. I'll review them soon for you - and even took some cheeky pictures of the meals - so look forward to it!
*
PPS: Had to include this photo - a yummy smoked salmon/rocket/olive bread (etc.) salad made while at home last week - making the most of the ingredients I can't afford whilst here at uni!
Thanks for reading! Feel free to get in touch. :-)
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