budget tip
HELPING YOU TO COOK SMART
budget tip
budget tip
budget tip
If you don’t have time to make the raita, a dollop of Greek or natural yogurt will provide a cooling accompaniment to balance the curry powder. It’s delicious on its own if you want to skip the pomegranate seeds and keep costs down, too.
Rising food and energy costs mean that many of us are having to think extra carefully about how to get the most out of our budgets. To help with this challenge, BBC Good Food has developed Cook Smart, a supportive campaign bringing together knowledge and ideas on how to help everyone eat well on a budget. Cook Smart also explores the best energy-efficient cooking methods such as hob cooking and microwaving, as well as using slow cookers, multi cookers and pressure cookers.
Make a double batch of the saucy beans, and you can stash a few portions in the freezer for another day, adding extra veg or serving it with pasta, if you like.
As well as using frozen fish, we’ve made the most of frozen peas, which often have a higher nutritional value than their fresh counterparts, as well as being inexpensive. Canned coconut milk is another low-cost ingredient – it provides richness in this recipe without significantly increasing the fat content.
Shopping for a balanced plant-based diet shouldn’t be more expensive than for a non-vegan diet. Supermarkets often have their own-brand versions of meat and dairy alternatives, and these can be a more cost-effective option.
These recipes were picked to provide healthy suppers for four people using affordable ingredients, and include ideas for using up any leftovers. We’ve included a balance of lean protein from meat, fish, dairy and plant foods, as well as energising carbohydrates and healthy fats, including the all-important omega-3 variety.
Chole with cumin rice & raita
Make this flavour-packed chickpea curry for a satisfying meat-free supper that also provides two of your five-a-day. It’s great if you haven’t got time to go shopping, as it uses up storecupboard basics such as canned chickpeas, dried rice and spices. You can easily dial down the spice levels for youngsters, too. Beans and pulses, like chickpeas, are rich in protein , resistant starch and soluble fibre, all of which slow the speed of digestion and help lower blood sugar levels. This means they have a low glycaemic index (GI) and release their energy more steadily, which is great if you have an energetic family.