Recently, I was talking with friends about our struggle meals or foods growing up.

Seafood was common through either fishing themselves or being friends with people who did including abalone, oysters and lobster.

Fruits in their areas being bartered or grown abundantly in council areas and not sprayed such as mangoes in the tropical areas, olives in Perth, herbs in some areas etc.

Some families used up everything including eyeballs, stomachs, regularly ate liver and so on. Others were vegetarian, or at mainly what they could grow or forage.

Of course, different areas and eras dictate a lot of what makes up a cheap meal or food.

Here are some tips from us:

1. Use up everything: Brocolli stalks can be used in stir fry but most people throw them away. Many vegetables only need to be scrubbed, not peeled to eat. Use the tips in this article to turn scraps and leftovers into something new.
2. Compare meat prices: Use the tips here to reduce the cost of meat. Plus, if you are eating meat, there are more frugal ways to use it. Check out 29 recipes for leftover roast chicken, 28 mince meal ideas, 25 ideas for leftover ham, 5 meals from 1 pack of sausages and 20 meals for a leftover sausage.
3. Use meal kit discounts: We have up to $240 off meal kits here. Try them, use the discount then pause or cancel to see if it is worth it to you. They are not frugal without the discount.
4. Pack lunches: If you can stretch your main meal the night before with rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, lentils, beans or similar so you have lunch the next day it can save money and stop you going out to eat. For those who are home, it can help you eat a good lunch.
5. School lunches: instead of prepackaged snacks, get the larger packs on sale and divide. Make your own popcorn, pikelets and similar. Buy the fruit that is on special and you could get an apple slinky/corer machine. Sandwiches, wraps, mini quiches, leftovers in a thermos and similar work well.
6. Choose meals you enjoy, cook some in bulk and freeze for later. This reduces waste and means you have meals on hand you like.
7. Try new meals occasionally. It's fun to try new meals but make sure when you do, you have a plan to use all the ingredients if there is something you would not normally buy. Also, do not overwhelm the family with too many new meals at once.
8. Basics are ok! I wouldn't recommend it every night but pancakes, grilled sandwiches and similar are ok occasionally when you just cannot be bothered to think or cook. It still works out cheaper than takeaway. Not every meal needs to be gourmet or restaurant worthy. They don't have to look great. If they fill you up, that's enough. Yes, aim for as healthy as possible most of the time, pack in nutrient where you can. But cut yourself some slack when things are not working and you don't have many options. The main thing is you are all fed.

What I Am Reading

In honour of the frugal meals vibe, here are my favourite frugal recipe books:
​Cooking with Coolio: 5 star meals at a 1 star price​
​Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day​
​Destitute Gourmet​
​The Batch Lady: Cook once, eat all week.

The Thrifty Issue Community

For more and to connect with others check out The Thrifty Issue Facebook group, Facebook page, Instagram, Pinterest.