We're now just over one week into Frugal February, and so far it's going great here at Dollymix HQ: I've not caved in and bought any take-away coffee or gone clothes-shopping (both are a huge risk when you work in London's West End!) and I've laid off my online shopping habit, too. My biggest non-essential spend has been on theatre tickets - which were £10 so very reasonable - and the rest has been bills, bills, bills. Still, so far so good.
One aspect I'm finding a particular challenge is lunches. We all know that one of the best ways to slash your food budget is to make your own lunch, avoiding expensive shop-bought sandwiches and take-aways. The problem with this method are twofold: first, it's a bit of a pain making tomorrow's lunch at the end of a hard day's work, and second, it's easy to get into a routine of making the same boring meals. I'm guilty of this, and have made variations on a cheese and salad sandwich every single day...
Baulking at the prospect of yet more own-brand soft cheese, I've now turned to moneysaving expert Penny Golightly for some inspiration on more exciting lunches, and am hoping to take up her suggestions from now. Planning, she told me, is key:
"Look for seasonal produce, and make a weekly menu to cut down on waste and keep variety in your diet. You can also make extra food sometimes and freeze the leftovers to have as 'home made takeaway' on nights when you get home late and tired, or make packed lunches with them. You need to balance cost and convenience sometimes.
Get inspired, and always, always think about flavour. There are free recipe sites everywhere, and you can buy the occasional new or second hand cookbook to get new ideas. For flavour, try growing your own herbs on the windowsill, and keep a range of mustards, pickles, vinegars, sauces and dried herbs and spices to hand. I also occasionally buy jars of things like capers and olives that make salads and other dishes more interesting, which keep for several weeks in the fridge.
Here are some suggestions for a cracking packed lunch that won't break the bank:
Abi: Cous-cous salad with veg stew made the night before - tastes lovely with lots of courgettes and mushrooms with a few sultanas for extra flavour. I also love avocados: you can buy these in markets for next to nothing and leave them to ripen on your desk. They go nicely with so many things, and make a really nutritious lunch spread on to toast or on crackers.
If you're a vegetarian like me you'll quickly get bored of cheese if you're making sandwiches, so it's worth trying the Quorn rashers that come in various different flavours. It may sound odd eating meat-free chicken or peppered beef slices, but they are low calorie, can taste great with lots of lettuce and mayo, and you'll soon have the same easy-peasy and cheap sandwich option as carnivores with their ham sandwiches do.
A good tip if you want salad in your sandwiches every day is to avoid the type that comes in a bag: these invariably go off before the end of the week, forcing you to either buy more or endure extremely dull sandwiches. One way around this is to buy a whole iceberg lettuce: these work well as they're so crunchy, and will last a week or more if properly chilled. I also find that celery chopped into little pieces is a great way to add a bit of crunch, and this also lasts for days on end in the fridge!
Hannah: My fave and a budget idea: good old chicken soup - after your Sunday roast! Take all your left overs carcass and all boil up create stock and then add in all those left over veggies that have been languishing at the bottom of your fridge-perfect for frugal feb and its healthy too! Nothing beats chicken soup-good for the tummy, pocket and soul!
Jess: My ideas for a tasty and interesting budget lunch include:
- Homemade tabbouleh salad with toasted pitta bread - my fave healthy lunch. Make sure you include loads of parsley and lemon juice to taste for high-impact flavour.
- Tuna mayo sandwich with a twist - add chopped red pepper, sweetcorn and finely chopped parsley so you ensure you include one of your five a day
- Hummous or my fave new dip Frijolemole (delicious and lower in calories) with a selection of crudités, plus pitta bread if you don't feel full enough.
- My top two fave budget lunches are either tinned tomatoes on toast or Tesco Light Choices three bean and vegetable soup - a mere 46 pence per can, low in calories and fills you up - winner all around if you ask me!
[Packed lunch image by Iamtheo on Flickr]
