If you have a family to feed but are not a natural in the kitchen, or are living on a tight budget, then it can sometimes be difficult to think of new meal ideas. With the multitude of cookery shows and celebrity chefs on TV nowadays, you would be forgiven for thinking we live in a nation full of Gordon Ramseys, but the reality is that many of us simply lack the time, money and expertise to whip up amazing culinary creations.
There are many meals you can create easily, quickly and without spending a great deal of money, however. It is simply a case of making sure you have the basic, staple ingredients in.
An often underappreciated but fantastically useful food to always make sure you have in is bread. Whether you are a fan of wholemeal or white bread, this staple food is cheap, wholesome and can be used to make much more than just toast. Try whipping up a simple bread and butter pudding, healthy sandwiches for the kids, or toasted soldiers to make soft boiled eggs that little bit more tempting.
Because it is a good source of carbohydrates, wholemeal bread in particular will keep you feeling full for longer, leaving you less likely to snack between meals, and it is a naturally low fat food as well.
This is also true of other must-have food ingredients for reluctant cooks. Rice, pasta and potatoes are all cheap, nutritious, low fat and great sources of complex carbohydrate if you choose the wholemeal versions. Make a multitude of dishes using these foods as your starting point, from pasta bakes, to cottage pies, risottos and Spaghetti Bolognese; the list is pretty much endless.
If you make sure you also have a good supply of seasonings in at all times, such as pepper, mixed herbs and spices, you’ll be able to whip up an array of cheap, tasty and healthy dishes with little effort in no time.