Latest news with #budgetcooking
The Sun
06-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Five savvy ways to make your own delicious jam at home
MEGHAN MARKLE's As Ever apricot spread sold out in minutes earlier this month – even though it cost an eye-watering £11. But you can create jam or spread at home for a fraction of that royally high price. 8 Here's how to do it . . . PACK IT IN: Firstly, get your jars ready. A pack of six jars on costs £11.99, but save any pasta sauce jars and you won't need to spend. Give your recycled jars a wash in hot soapy water before rinsing and leaving to dry. DIY: All you need to make your own apricot-style jam is fresh apricots, £1.69, lemons, 89p, and sugar, £1.75, all Lidl. Pit and crush the apricots and heat in a pan with the juice of one lemon. Add around 400g of sugar and bring the heat up until the sugar all dissolves. Leave on a low heat and stir for 25 minutes. Once it's thickened, add to jars. SETTING SECRETS: No sugar in the cupboard? How to make fluffy scones in the slow cooker during lockdown A cheap way to add sweetness is to grate half a cooking apple into your apricot mixture. Pick one up for around 63p at Tesco. You can also do this if you're making jam with strawberries or blueberries. BUDGET TIP: If you're not up to whipping up your own version of apricot spread, you could cheat. Get a tin of apricot halves in syrup or fruit juice, £1.10, at Sainsbury's, and mash, before spreading on toast. All the flavour for a bargain price. MAKE A BATCH: This is where the savings kick in. Skip apricots and use frozen fruit like Morrisons Wonky Berry mix, £2.99 for 1kg. Add approximately 600g of sugar and juice of two lemons. LABEL OF LOVE: Make like Meghan and give your jam a touch of luxury with handwritten labels cut from brown paper and tie on to your jar lids with string. Instead of HRH, you could write 'MHJ' for 'My Homemade Jam'. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. 8 Deal of the day 8 MAKE the most of the sunshine by getting a pair of Zero Gravity sun loungers for your garden. They were £80 a pair, now £44.99 at Cheap treat PICK up the popular Squishmallow toys at Home Bargains, usually £8.99, now reduced to £4.99. Top swap 8 FOR glowing skin, try CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser with salicylic acid, £14.50 from Boots. Or get the new Baylis & Harding Cleanse & Renew salicylic acid body wash, RRP £5 at Shop & save HOT weather calls for ice-cold treats. The Slush Puppie 9047 Slushie machine was £52.99 but is now £34.99 at Robert Dyas. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 8 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you'll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How to cook with canned chicken, according to a dietitian who was 'very pleasantly surprised' when she gave the budget-friendly meat a chance
Canned chicken wasn't something Nicole Addison grew up eating, but the registered dietitian and recipe developer knows a workhorse ingredient when she sees it: "I don't really know why, but it was just never in our staples. And then I kind of just started seeing more people talking about it online, and then I was like, 'You know what? I should try it for research purposes and then also to see if it works in some of my recipes,'" she tells Yahoo Canada by phone from Toronto. "When I am testing recipes, I want to make sure that different options work. And then I was like, 'Wow, this is actually good.' I feel like it can sometimes have a bad connotation with it, like people are like, 'Ew, canned chicken. That's not something I want to try.' But then when you actually give it a chance, I was very pleasantly surprised." I feel like I eat canned tuna all the time. So really, what's the difference between canned tuna and canned chicken?Nicole Addison So, it makes sense that when Addison recently spotted a $22 package of chicken breasts at a grocery store, it made her think of even more ways that canned chicken could help folks eat well while staying budget-friendly: "I think everybody's looking for quick and easy protein options right now, just because I feel like no one really has any time. The thing that draws me to it is convenience. You don't have to cook it, and it's great in recipes where you're adding other ingredients to it." Here, we share Addison's top tips for incorporating this affordable protein into your diet. Plus, discover below a five-ingredient chicken salad recipe that's easy for anyone to recreate. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole Addison, RD, MHSc (@nourishedbynic) Addison mentions affordability is a key reason behind considering canned chicken, alongside convenience since canned chicken is precooked. But that's not the only reason it feels like a kitchen shortcut: "There's really not a lot of mess, and you don't have to clean anything, which is awesome," Addison adds. "I feel like a good summer too, you don't want to turn on the oven, you don't want to have to do the dishes," making a shortcut ingredient like this one an easy win. The Canadian dietitian, who aims to empower people to eat healthier, says the minimal cleanup and prep can remove significant barriers for folks who are time-starved. It can also benefit anyone simply looking to get a meal on the table quickly, and with the right canned chicken recipe, taste won't be sacrificed. Sodium is one ingredient that should be top-of-mind if you're shopping for canned chicken. While fresh chicken breast typically has nothing added to it, canned versions may include ingredients that help preserve its shelf-stable quality. "That is one thing I always want people to be mindful [of], especially as a dietitian. People typically are eating more sodium than they need to, so just being mindful of that and looking for lower-sodium options is always a great option," Addison explains. For example, a can of Maple Leaf flakes of chicken includes 350 mg of sodium per serving. For Costco's Kirkland brand of canned chicken breast, there's 190 mg of sodium per quarter cup. A President's Choice Blue Menu can of seasoned chicken breast may be low in fat, but each serving has 200 mg of sodium. Addison adds that when following a recipe and subbing canned chicken for other forms of protein, it's likely safe to not add as much salt as you usually might: "There's already going to be some of that salt in the chicken already," she shares. "Otherwise, the only difference [compared to regular chicken is] canned chicken is cooked already, so you don't need to do any of that prep time, or it's cooking time," she adds, saying the nutritional values of both products are nearly identical (again, save that potential bump in sodium in canned chicken). Try using canned chicken in cold recipes, like sandwiches or salad Chicken salad recipes are some of Addison's most popular recipes Cooking with canned chicken can be as easy as adding it to a bowl and mixing other ingredients in "I wouldn't recommend using it in recipes calling for a whole chicken breast as one piece, just because it usually won't equate," Addison suggests when asked how canned chicken can be used. "It's very versatile, so it can be used in pretty much every recipe that is cold, I would say. It's great in sandwiches, it's great in wraps, it's great in chicken salad, it's great on top of a salad." Addison adds one of the most popular recipes on her website is a shredded chicken salad recipe that she's used canned chicken in to great success. While the recipe was originally developed with chicken breasts, canned chicken would be a quicker, more wallet-friendly spin on the simple meal. "I would always say, my most popular recipes are definitely my chicken salad recipes. I feel like people are always looking for a very quick lunch option, and those would be the perfect recipes to try canned chicken in, just because I call for shredded chicken in the recipe," she says. "You can easily cook a chicken breast if you want to. But canned chicken is a great option because all you have to do is open the can, add it directly into the bowl and then add in whatever other ingredients." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole Addison, RD, MHSc (@nourishedbynic) Use a can of low-sodium chicken Add your barbecue sauce of choice Include Greek yogurt or mayonnaise Throw in some bagged coleslaw mix Sprinkle some salt and pepper In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned chicken and coleslaw with a few tablespoons of barbecue sauce and Greek yogurt, adding more sauce if needed for your desired consistency. It should be creamy and saucy like a typical chicken salad. Addison says the above mixture is perfect as a sandwich filling, a dip for crackers or stuffed in a wrap. "You kind of just mix it all together and it makes such an easy, versatile protein option," she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole Addison, RD, MHSc (@nourishedbynic) As Addison prepares to test more ways to make meals starring canned chicken, she reflects on what keeps her excited about finding new uses for affordable ingredients. "I am a registered dietitian, so I feel like that's kind of where most of my inspiration has come, just being able to see so many different people struggling with healthy eating in general. I feel like social media is a great place, but it can also be a very overwhelming place — especially for people looking for reliable information relating to healthy eating," she shares. "I feel like everybody kind of has a take on what they think is best and what works for them. And not everybody has credentials." She says her mom — a person who doesn't love cooking but wants her family to eat well — is a constant inspiration when it comes to her creating simple, straightforward meals. "Because I don't think healthy eating should be something that needs to be as complicated as it's become."
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I tried viral 5,4,3,2,1 shopping method & it cut my weekly food bill in HALF – but here's why I won't be doing it again
FIVE, four, three, two, one . . . no, not that old Manfred Mann hit from the 1960s – this is the latest food shopping trend on social media. It's a simple method: Buy five portions of veg, four fruits, three proteins, two grains and one sweet treat each week. The budget formula has gone viral, especially as mums claim it has cut their food shop bills by half or more. It encourages you to cook from scratch, avoiding the high costs of pre-packaged meals and snacks. For a family of four, my weekly food bill frequently hits £120 or more. So can this hack feed a family and save serious cash? Julie Cook tried it, for five days, and this what she found. DAY 1: THE REALITY OF RATIONING BREAKFAST would often be cereal or an egg — but today it was toast only. 'Bread is all I have in,' I said to my kids, Alex, 16, and Adriana, 11. They stared at me as if I'd said I'd just seen a unicorn. 'What, no cereal?' Adriana gasped. They eat lunch at school so when they came home I made them a cottage pie with half the minced beef, an onion, two chopped carrots, some of the potatoes to make mash and some tomato puree I had in the cupboard. The meal went down a treat and they asked for more. Afterwards they usually want something sweet but I explained about the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method and how sweet treats were rationed this week to just one pack of six mousses. I'm an Irish mum & I feed my family of six for three days with €26 shop Alex loves fruit so was happy but Adriana has a sweet tooth. 'Can't I have a mousse?' she said. 'When they're gone, they're gone,' I replied. Hubby Cornel, 44, a musician, was happy with the cottage pie and fruit. When I also explained this strategy could save us hundreds, maybe even thousands a year, he perked up even more. So far, so good. DAY 2: COOKERY COMPLAINTS AFTER a breakfast of, you guessed it, toast, my kids set off for school clutching bananas as extras. Normally, I'd cook something from scratch one day and, if there were no leftovers, make something simple like frozen chicken in breadcrumbs the next — but they were off-limits this week. Besides, I still had half a pack of mincemeat to use up, as it said to use within 24 hours once opened. I made a bolognese with the mince and added it to the pasta shells I bought. Normally the kids love this dish. But Adriana groaned: 'We had mince last night.' I replied: 'Well, I want to use it up.' I felt rather miffed. The ingratitude! Hubby seemed OK while Alex, bless him is 16 and all food's good food to him — although he did ask if there'd be something 'different tomorrow'. They ate resignedly and I bribed both by offering one of the sweet treats. 'When they're gone . . . ' I began. 'Yes, when they're gone, they're gone!' Adriana snapped before running off upstairs with hers. I snuck my mousse out now and decided to eat it before anyone did a late night fridge raid. DAY 3: FRIDGE RAIDERS WITH my family well and truly tired of mince, I used the four-pack of salmon I had bought. I paired them with a jacket potato each and some curly kale. I also roasted the sweet peppers in some oil. I was pleased to be serving up healthy fish and greens and definitely eased the mum guilt of no treats in the house. At least I was giving my kids their Omega 3s. Despite all the veg, though, the salmon steaks were tiny and everyone asked for more. 'Er, that was it,' I winced. The kids raided the fridge and found three sorry-looking mousses. 'Where are all the yoghurts?' Alex asked. 'They're not part of this week's 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,' I replied. He grabbed some strawberries and sloped off upstairs. 'I'm starving,' Cornel groaned, looking in the fridge. 'Where's all the food?' Not a good day, really. I stared into the empty fridge weighing it up. On one hand, I would be saving a ton doing this. On the other, was it really worth it if everyone was starving? DAY 4: CALORIE CONUNDRUM DINNER tonight was chicken breasts with roasted potatoes, roasted carrots and some curly kale. I learnt my lesson last night with the meagre salmon steaks so I used all the chicken up to ensure everyone had second helpings. The kids were getting used to our fruit pudding now and asked for strawberries. There was a tiny handful left. 'It's a bit, well, monotonous,' Cornel said, helping me load the dishwasher. I stared into the fridge and felt the same. Usually it would be heaving with yoghurts, puddings and chocolate biscuits. I went to bed worrying whether I was giving my kids enough calories. Boys are supposed to have 2,800 a day at my son's age and my daughter is supposed to have between 1,400 and 2,000. I was concerned at this point if they'd had enough. Thank goodness they also get a healthy lunch at school. 'Structure helps for a more balanced diet' MARTIN NEWMAN, the Consumer Champion, says . . . "The 5-4-3-2-1 shopping method gives shoppers a simple framework to ensure their trolley reflects a more balanced diet – especially useful in an age of ultra-processed convenience. Going into the shop with this structure makes you more intentional. It shifts you from reacting to supermarket deals or packaging to thinking proactively about your meals. For parents, this is an easy-to-remember guide that helps ensure kids get nutritional variety without overthinking meal plans. By focusing on food groups, not brand names, shoppers may save money and reduce waste – especially if they plan meals around what they buy. People with specific nutritional needs – athletes, people with diabetes, allergies, or those on plant-based diets – may need more tailored approaches. Also, rigidly sticking to a numeric formula might not suit everyone's lifestyle, especially those cooking for larger households or with varied preferences." See DAY 5: SOUP SAVES THE DAY ALL the protein was now gone. I looked in the fridge and felt panic engulf me. My teen son works out at the gym and if there's no protein on his plate it's a disaster. But it had all gone. I decided to make a soup out of the bag of carrots, one onion and some potatoes, and blended it. Then I made a simple pasta sauce with some of the onion and some tinned tomatoes I had in my cupboard (thankfully.) 'Is there any cheese?' the kids asked. I grimaced. 'I only had three proteins — fish, chicken and meat,' I explained. 'This is NOT normal,' Adriana sighed. Afterwards I gave them both the final leftover chocolate mousses, with guilt. At the weekend, the cupboard and fridge were bare so I did my normal huge weekly shop, with yoghurts, crisps, biccies and all that. Oh, and sugary cereals. It came to £110. MY VERDICT THE 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, method of shopping sounds great on paper – and it is, in some ways. It made me meal-plan rather than going off the cuff like I usually do, and made me use up every single thing I had bought. But it also left very little room for spontaneity, extra portions or even just fun little treats. I am convinced my kids were hungry by the evening – hubby certainly was, I may have heard his stomach rumbling – and I just felt stressed by the whole thing. I am all for cooking from scratch – but only when you have the knowledge you have enough back-up food, if the kids want extra helpings or just something else that evening. I can see why people rave about the method – it certainly did save me money – about £63 over the five days, which would work out at £4,599 over a year. But I won't be doing it again.
ABC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Family uses artificial intelligence for meal plans to cut grocery bill
Brooke Ferrier admittedly never paid much attention to her weekly grocery bill. But sticking to a budget became a reality for the New South Wales Central Coast mother of two when she and her husband both lost their jobs. "There was a lot going on in my personal life and I really didn't have the capacity to think about what to cook," Ms Ferrier recalled. "I thought I'd turn to AI [artificial intelligence] and see if it could help me out in terms of creating a bit of a meal plan on a budget." She asked ChatGPT for a low-cost meal plan for two adults and two toddlers and followed up with extra instructions (known as prompts in the AI world) to fine-tune the result, including a request for hidden vegetables, low-carb options and no lentils, to meet the family's preferences. The AI also compared supermarket prices and created a categorised shopping list with specific quantities. The result was a week's worth of breakfasts, dinners and snacks coming in at a total of $140. It was a drastic difference to the way Ms Ferrier used to shop. "[Previously] I'd get a range of different meats, a whole bunch of veggies and fruit and our pantry and our fridge were stocked but I was spending $400 or $500 every four or five days," she said. "Each night I was making what came to mind looking into the fridge, no thought or planning to what we were eating. "I was always over cooking and always throwing out waste. The family's weekly meal plans include spaghetti bolognese with hidden veggies, chicken and veg stir-fry, beef and vegetable meatballs and homemade snacks. Ms Ferrier said she was now making meals go further. "I had been one to buy things out of ease, to feed the kids, things like processed snacks," she said. "[But] when I cook there are always leftovers … a lot of the meals can serve as snacks later … [things like] fritters, pancakes, sausage rolls. "One week, I typed in that we'd been feeling sick and wanted foods that are meant to boost immunity." She has also asked AI for recipes to use up pantry items that have been in the cupboard for a long time, like tinned tomatoes and coconut milk. Food and nutrition scientist Emma Beckett said there was almost no downside to using AI for meal planning, but warned it was important to get specific about what you wanted. "I would add some prompts around things like making sure I had enough fibre according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines," Dr Beckett advised. "To make sure we're not just eating frugally but we're also eating well and nourishing ourselves." Dr Beckett said one of the reasons an AI meal plan or shopping list could save money was because it removed human emotion. "It means you don't need to make those decisions because we are emotional in the supermarket, and the supermarkets rely on that." Ms Ferrier agreed that AI helped ensure she was only buying what she needed. "We've gone from a fridge full of food all the time, to the bare minimum," she said. "In the past, we were constantly throwing out quite a bit … we always had a lot of waste." Ms Ferrier and her husband have both found new jobs but plan to continue using AI to help keep the budget in check. As for the weekly savings? "That will probably go back into the kids somehow on clothes or toys," Ms Ferrier said. "But we're also planning to renovate so we're looking to tighten our budget however we can."
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Four savvy ways to cut the cost of your next dinner party
ARE you prepping for your dinner party? Rising supermarket prices have made it up to 91 per cent more expensive to host for a group compared to dining out and splitting the bill, according to research by TheFork. But these tips will help you to stay within budget. COCKTAIL CONTROL: Instead of trying to cater to everyone's drink preferences, and spending a fortune on wine, spirits and mixers, pick one cocktail for the menu. Whip up one big-batch tipple, such as Aperol spritz using Aldi Aperini, £6.79, and ask guests to bring a bottle if they fancy something else. NAB A NIBBLE: Ditch pricey canapes for bargain freezer and store-cupboard items. Iceland sell frozen canape platter packs such as 38 tempura rolls or a 1.2kg Indian platter of snacks, both £6, and at Lidl it's summer picnic week, so pick up a fancy jar of olives for £1.69. Arrange in pretty bowls around the table for guests to help themselves. PULSE POWER: When it comes to cooking the main dish, bulk it out. Lentils and pasta are great options, and lentils can be substituted for expensive meat in certain recipes. A cheap and tasty dish to make is lentil bolognese or chickpea curry — the ingredients are low cost, but they will both keep bellies full. GET BREAD-Y: S ide dishes can also help bulk out a main dinner dish. The clever online shopping method customers are using to get a cheeky discount, and it 'works every time' Everyone loves garlic bread, but instead of buying garlic baguettes, make your own showstopper of a giant focaccia, which will bring the wow factor. You need: 500g strong white bread flour, £1.30, a packet of Fast action yeast, £1.50, and 2tsp salt, olive oil from the cupboard and a few cloves of garlic, 89p, all Tesco. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then make a well and add 2tsp of olive oil and mix it together. Get a jug and fill with 400ml of water, adding a little at a time while bringing the dough together with your hands before leaving to prove. When baked, cut into small squares or fingers to make it go further and arrange on small plates around the table. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability 7 Deal of the day MARKS will disappear in a flash with the Vax SpotWash Home Pet-Design carpet cleaner, previously £199.99, now £119.99, at You will also get a free stain removal kit worth £30. SAVE: £80 Cheap treat PAMPER yourself with a manicure at home and use the Opi nail lacquer in How Does Your Zen Garden Grow?, RRP £14.90, now £4 at poundland. Top swap HEADING for lunch al fresco? This stylish herringbone picnic blanket is £14 at M&S, but head to Home Bargains for a similar style at just £4.99. SAVE: £9.01 Little helper DISNEY'S Lilo & Stitch movie is now in cinemas. Celebrate with the Lilo & Stitch stationery collection at The Range. This A5 notepad was £3.49, now down to 72p. Shop and save BRING some colour and joy into your life with this cool rainbow LED lamp, usually £20, now £16 at Dunelm. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you'll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!
