With budgets feeling the strain in January it can be a tricky time to make sure the food shopping doesn’t add up whilst you want to cook delicious and comforting meals to enjoy at home.
Research of 2,000 adults from community retailer SPAR has shown that Brits are trying savvy hacks to make their meals go further – with 48% adding more vegetables to bulk out their dishes and 32% including leftovers to make a new meal.
And whilst many of us search online for tips on what to cook without breaking the bank, some are yet to discover the world of money saving ideas on TikTok when it comes to budget friendly meals that are easy to make and delicious for all the family.
TikTok now boasts over 1.5 billion users and there is a huge community of cooks that show you how to save money on budgeting, meal ideas and tips like meal prepping.
And when it comes to finding the inspiration you need the most popular hashtags to check out include:
- #cheapmeals – 1Bn views
- #cheaprecipe – 219M views
- #budgetfriendlymeals – 152M views
- #budgetdinners – 66M views
- #familymealideas – 57M views
To help shoppers get more for their money, SPAR has rounded up five budget friendly recipes on TikTok:
Cooking with Fran’s One Pot Sausage and Potato Oven Roast
With more than 100,000 followers on TikTok Fran’s known for her fantastic recipes and getting the best deals when it comes to some of the tastiest food out there.
Her One Pot Sauasge and Potato Oven Roast is a perfect winter warmer which won’t break the bank and uses store cupboard items you have on hand to make a quick weeknight dinner or weekend breakfast.
In a oven pot season potatoes and onion with vegetable oil, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. Part cook for 15-20 minutes then add spinach, tomatoes, cheese and sausages and cook in the oven for a further 25 minutes at 190c.
Dishes by Daisy’s Tomato Orzo
As part of her series showcasing £1 meals for 30 days, Daisy has created an easy dish packed full of flavours with her Tomato Orzo recipe.
Simply fry chopped onions and garlic together, and then add in your orzo and a can of chopped tomatoes with spices and herbs such as paprika and oregano.
Cook until all mixed together and then start to slowly add the stock like a risotto. Stir through some parmesan and top with torn basil leaves for an Italian sensation which won’t break the bank.
Beat the Budget’s Crispy Chicken Wrap
Mimi Harrison has turned her incredible recipes into a best selling Beat the Budget cookbook to show you how to save time, money and get incredible food on the dinner table every day.
For a delicious mid week lunch try her Crispy Chicken Wrap recipe, complete with cornflake breadcrumbs.
To get the perfect breadcrumbs, pour cornflakes into a freezer bag and crush with a bottle or rolling pin to get a fine consistency for the chicken. With your eggs and flour in separate bowls, dip each piece of chicken in each, coat in the breadcrumbs and put into the air fryer.
Once the chicken is golden and crispy, add to a tortilla wrap with your choice of cheese, salad and sauce!
Gayle Chapman’s Pesto Pollo Lazy Lasagna
Best known for her quick and easy recipes for all the family (including an incredible Marmite Jacket Potato) Gayle knows the one pot meals that will make dinner time a walk in the park.
Her Pesto Pollo Lazy Lasagna is a one-pan wonder that is creamy, delicious, and pleasingly easy to make and costs just a few pounds per person.
Start with a traditional bechamel sauce and once this is nice and smooth add parmesan, grated mozzarella and a few tablespoons of pesto.
Add in leftover chicken, cut up lasagna sheets into triangles and strips, and submerge into the sauce. Top with parmesan and mozzarella and a dollop of pesto if needed and cook for 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
Shoppers can pop into their local SPAR store and find a great selection of SPAR own label items, plus household favourites for just £1.25 including McVities, Robinsons, Tilda Rice, Pot Noodle and more.