We're Skint. Frugal Meals?

Nowt wrong with a "school dinners tea" We sometimes have similar for a treat during a bad depressing week, turkey drummers, smiley faces and sketty (spaghetti from a tin) Lush!!!!

Mmm turkey drummers. I love them. My all time fave dinner from childhood is chips and egg with beans. So cheap so filling so unhealthy!

I'm sure I saw on a SW site this was her favourite 'free' meal! Suppose it would be if made with SW chips, and spray oil to fry egg!

If you don't mind veggie meals then one of my cheap go to meals is a mexican lasagne made with veg chilli, tortillas and cheddar cheese.

Chop an onion and cook with half a bag of frozen mixed veg, tin of tomatoes, kidney beans and some chilli powder.

Put a tortilla on a baking tray, cover with veg mix, put another tortilla on top with some veg and continue to layer 3 or 4 layers depending on how many people you're feeding. Finish with a tortilla and a bit of cheese on top and bake in oven for ~15 mins until cheese is melted. You can put cheese in between the layers too if you don't mind the extra calories.

Cut up and serve with soured cream and salad.

Any left over veg mix or tortillas can be frozen. Left over soured cream I'd stick in a frittata the next day.

My favourite cheap meal recently is scrammbled eggs on toast yummy and healthy!

How about a chicken biryani, easy to make as you just stick everything in one pot and you can make enough for lunch the next day. We've also used turkey as well as it's leaner and tastes just as good.

This sounds lovely, it's making me hungry!!!

Stir fry is a great one...

£1-£2 for a shop bought stir fry mix

£1 worth of mushrooms

soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, five spice, etc.

rice or noodles

Potatoes are key to any Frugal meal, corned beef Hash, all you need is a couple of spuds a carrot a tin of corned beef and bobs your uncle this would easily serve 4 if not more.

Tuna and brocoli pasta bake as Vik said you can add anything.

As Panj said nothing woring with beans on toast, you could push the boat out and add an egg on top.

Jacket Spuds.

Stir Fry great shout!

I posted this on another thread called "Mincemeat" - this recipe is fab because you can use leftover meat (cooked / uncooked) and any veg too -

You could make a nice light fried rice with those cupboard ingredients and some eggs.

Best tip i can suggest is go to the supermarket at about 7.30/8pm and get the fresh produce reduced and freeze ready to use, if you do it at the right time you can get some great bargains for 9p!

Here's my absolute favourite cheap and easy recipe. So long as you have a good collection of spices. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/chana-masala/

I don't bother with the fresh ginger and chili pepper, unless I happen to have them in the house. I only used the cumin seeds if I can be bothered to find them in the back of the cupboards. And I've skipped the garam masala on more than one occassion. And I use the tinned chopped tomatoes, as we always have them in our pantry.

Hi all, thanks for all your input!

Yesterday i had a day off (new sofa got delivered) so I did some cooking, I made a huge batch of spag bol and left it cooking for hours so its really rich and tender without using loads of ingredients. I also make a tuna pasta bake using stuff i already had indoors. I went through the cupboards and freezer and planned meals until tuesday at which point i will do it again and go buy some more bits.

I've definitely been inspired by some of the ideas on here so thanks!!

Pesto pasta, nom!