Caitríona Redmond: Make-ahead Christmas Cookies - and how I fed my family for €57 last week

Make-ahead Christmas Cookies.

I use two banks to pay for what we will eat each week. 

The first is the classic brick-and-mortar bank where my physical money is held. 

I dip into that to pay for groceries and the energy to cook meals. 

The second bank contains my resources to stick to my set limits. 

It has my equipment, tools, and, most importantly, my time and energy.

This week, feeding my family of 4 (2 adults, a hungry teen and a hungry tween) for five days, including breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks, cost… drumroll… €57 (groceries and energy). 

The freezer was piled full of food that could be easily reheated and I got a few evenings off preparation and cooking. 

The kids had plenty of extras to keep them going through the day, and we all ate exceptionally well.

When I say that a whole week of meals and snacks can be achieved on a budget, I’m referring to a tight financial budget.

On paper, it sounds impressive that I managed to assemble the entire meal plan and cook it in advance over a Sunday. 

In reality, I was exhausted after 7 hours straight in the kitchen, the cleaning still had to be completed, and I was literally, done in. 

It’s a lot after a full week of work and juggling everything that comes with being a working parent.

This hidden cost of staying on track and feeding a family often goes unseen. 

In the leadup to Christmas, our time as a resource becomes even more precious. 

There are events, parties, concerts, school plays, and far more to try and squeeze into an already busy schedule.

I can continue to invest the same amount of time into my meal planning and begin to feel more harried than I already am - or I can accept that sticking to a tight budget is conditional on having the time and energy to do so.

I will inevitably spend more on my groceries over the month ahead. The tail-end of the year feels more like a sprint than a marathon to get everything done. That will involve buying more convenience foods to get through the week.

The minimum wage until the end of the year is €11.30 per hour. Imagine if I allocated that value to my 7 hours last Sunday? The cost for five days of food for four people would increase from €57 to €136. 

Is it still good value, or would I have been better served to buy pre-prepared meals and snacks from the supermarket?

Luckily for the family finances, I don’t get paid minimum wage to dish up meals to the family every day! 

It’s an effective way of illustrating the cost of feeding a family on a budget.

Home Truths

Kris Kindle on a budget

In the spirit of your time having value, some of the best Kris Kindle gifts are vouchers for experiences, rather than parcels, that may or may not be used. 

Folding and adding a handmade voucher to a Kris Kindle parcel adds value, thought and care.

Here are some suggestions for time vouchers that are suitable for all ages:

• Breakfast in bed
• A long walk on the beach
• A baking day together
• One night of childcare
• 2 hours at the playground
• Learn how to fly a kite
• Learn how to skim stones on water
• A lie-in (on a day of the recipient’s choosing)
• 2 hours of gardening

Make-Ahead Christmas Cookies

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

This recipe makes ten medium cookies or six extra-large ones. You'll need to chill them before eating, anywhere from an hour to several days, making them perfect to make ahead of the big day.

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 100g butter, softened

• 75g brown sugar (I used light demerara)

• 1 egg

• 50g plain flour

• 50g rolled oats (oat flakes)

• 20g chopped crystallised ginger

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Break in the egg and beat again until well mixed. Pour in the flour, oats, chopped ginger, and cinnamon, then beat well until you get a sticky dough. Spoon the dough onto cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Roll into ping-pong-sized balls and freeze for up to 1 month.

2. Preheat the fan oven to 190°C/gas mark 6. Space the balls evenly on a lined baking tray. There’s no need to flatten them out, as they will do this naturally while baking. I usually fit a maximum of 9 on a tray. Bake for 10 minutess then remove and place on a rack to cool. Eat warm if you prefer, but they will keep for up to 3 days in a sealed, dry container.