Basic Bread. $1.13 per loaf
The no supermarket adventure has begun, and the first and most obvious thing missing from the cupboard was some bread. Baking bread is fantastic. You can get incredibly creative, or keep it incredibly simple. Kneading bread has to be one of the cook’s most relaxing and therapeutic tasks. It’s also cheap. While it is possible to get a loaf of sliced brown bread for $1, … Continue reading Basic Bread. $1.13 per loaf
Could we live without the supermarket?
Supermarkets are fantastic. They are convenient, making life so much easier by bringing together the butcher, the greengrocer, the fishmonger and the – wait, what’s the name for the shop where you would have bought your tinned tomatoes before the supermarket existed? For those on tight budgets, they are invaluable. Discount and own-brand ranges offer a lifeline in cheap products, and an opportunity to be … Continue reading Could we live without the supermarket?
In defence of Porridge.
Porridge has a bad reputation for being boring. ‘Doing porridge’ was a slang term for serving time in prison – promoting a foodstuff popular in prisons hardly seems worth doing does it. Yet, with a bit of creativity, porridge can be fabulous. The most important thing to do is to not let your porridge get boring. Start with your basic porridge starter, and get inventive. … Continue reading In defence of Porridge.
Rice and Peas ($1.01 per serving)
Rice and Peas is a Carribean classic. It’s a rich, comforting and delicious way of cooking rice, and is a staple across the Carribean islands. You could serve this with all sorts of things, and would particularly suit as a side dish at a barbeque or something like that. We just had it with some simple silverbeet, stir-fried in garlic and lemon. With a dash … Continue reading Rice and Peas ($1.01 per serving)
Tomato Soup ($1.06 per serving)
This is a great, simple soup. Perfect for cold nights, and quick weekend lunches. Pair it up with some great bread. 2 tsp canola oil ($0.10) 1 onion, chopped. (about 200g, about $0.53) 1 tin of chopped tomatoes. ($0.70) 1 carrot, grated. (about 100g, about $0.27) 1 stock cube ($0.22) pinch of mixed herbs ($0.10) pinch of sugar ($0.10) pinch of salt ($0.10). Total cost: … Continue reading Tomato Soup ($1.06 per serving)
Spicy Larder Soup ($1.13 per serving)
Tonight was one of those nights where it’s just me, and there’s no meal planned so I check out the cupboard to see what I can make. It’s raining outside, and I’ve some bread to eat up, so soup it is. This one is based on a tomato soup, but I’ve added some lentils to add a bit of bulk, and a bit of spice … Continue reading Spicy Larder Soup ($1.13 per serving)
Tomato soup cheaper than a supermarket tin?
One of the biggest barriers to eating well on a low budget is that the cost of all the raw ingredients can be more than the cost of the processed, ready-made alternative. Recipe books can be full of expensive ingredients to put people off giving something a go. It’s a no-brainer for those strapped for cash to go for the cheapest (and most convenient) option. … Continue reading Tomato soup cheaper than a supermarket tin?
Mushroom soup ($2.43 per serving)
Serves 2. Equipment needed: The method uses a stick blender. They’re really great, and quite affordable. The Warehouse has a mixer set for $29. Ingredients: 1 tbsp canola oil (6 cents) 1 onion, chopped (53 cents) 1 handful of dried shitake mushrooms (93 cents, I used these because we didn’t have that many mushrooms in the fridge, and they add a lovely umami flavour. They’re pretty cheap … Continue reading Mushroom soup ($2.43 per serving)
Beer Bread
This bread is great. It is slightly adapted from the brilliant Jack Monroe’s recipe ‘Pint-Glass Bread’. Go and check out her blog, it’s fantastic and her commitment to supporting those on small budgets to eat healthily and creatively is an inspiration. My only real variation was to go half and half with the flour types, rather than go all plain flour. This was a personal … Continue reading Beer Bread
Why I wouldn’t do a ‘live on $10 a week’ experiment
Youtube and the blogosphere are full of helpful individuals demonstrating how easy it is to live on not a lot of money for a short period of time. $2 a day, $10 a week, even living for free. These kinds of videos and blogs are trying to be helpful. Often they’re full of creative ways of doing a lot with not very much. They might … Continue reading Why I wouldn’t do a ‘live on $10 a week’ experiment
Eat Good Aotearoa 