Derval O’Rourke: Food shopping on a budget
This week I am chatting about food shopping on a budget. For my recipe, it’s my mixed bean curry and burrito in a bowl, both examples of how to eat well without breaking the bank.
There is a common misconception that eating well is super expensive and that shopping on a budget means settling for cheap convenience foods with long lists of ingredients you can’t pronounce.
However, let me assure you that is not the case. In my experience, it’s about focusing on the healthy basics and stocking up on things like fruit and vegetables, eggs, beans, nuts and wholegrains, all of which are extremely inexpensive. It may take a little more time and energy to transform them into delicious meals but trust me with practice it’s totally achievable.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Make a budget: How much can you set aside each week for groceries?
- Write a plan: If doing the whole week feels
overwhelming, start with two or three meals and build up from there.
- Take stock of what you have: This helps to avoid double purchasing and cuts down on food waste.
- Make a list of what you need: Sticking to this can help keep you accountable and focused while out shopping.
- Shop local: You’ll be supporting small businesses, getting foods in season and saving money.
- Buy in bulk: I have huge containers of oats, nuts and dried fruit in my pantry. You may pay more up front but they will save you money long-term. I also stock up on frozen fruit and vegetables from time to time as they are incredibly cheap, last a long time and retain as much of their nutritional value as fresh.
- When it comes to meat, buy the best quality you can afford and remember that cheaper cuts like chicken thighs or lamb shoulder are perfect for marinating and slow cooking. Mince is a great option too and can be used as a base for lots of dishes like this week’s burrito recipe which will serve a family of four for roughly €5.
- Mix up your protein sources: Tinned fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna are cheap, tasty and nutritious. Eggs are good value and packed with protein too. And remember, you don’t have to be a vegetarian to take advantage of beans, lentils and tofu. This week’s mixed bean curry is a great example and costs about 50c per portion to make. Now that you’ve invested your time and energy into doing an efficient food shop, be sure not to let your good work go to waste. Try to incorporate simple things like loving your leftovers, cooking from scratch and making friends with your freezer into your routine and see if it makes a positive impact on your purse.
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This curry is a basic recipe I know I can rely on. I often make a big batch of the curry sauce and freeze it in portions. Then all I need to do is heat through the sauce, stir in a few tins of mixed beans (or some leftover cooked chicken or turkey) — and dinner is sorted.
3 tbsp coconut oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
4–5 garlic cloves, crushed
A thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
2 tbsp medium curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chilli flakes
10 dried apricots, halved
3 apples, peeled and roughly chopped
3 peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
700ml chicken stock (or vegetable if you prefer)
salt and pepper
2 tins mixed beans, drained and rinsed
Brown or basmati rice, to serve
Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and fry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the apricots, apples, peppers, tomato purée and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for at least 40 minutes (up to 60 minutes, if you have time).
If you want to pre-cook this curry, now is the time to take it off the heat. Let it cool fully, divide it into portions in airtight containers and freeze.
Use a hand blender to purée the curry sauce to the desired consistency, then check the seasoning. Stir in the mixed beans. Ladle it into warmed serving bowls. Serve with rice.
This recipe is full of gorgeous flavours; it’s a great mid-week choice because it’s done in no time. It’s delicious as leftovers the next day so consider making a big amount of it.
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, ?nely chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
500g lean minced beef
3 tbsp Greek or natural yoghurt
3 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp tomato purée
60ml water
400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
125g brown rice
½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
100g cheddar, grated
Wholemeal wraps, to serve
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the red onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened. Add the cayenne pepper and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the mince and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the instructions on the pack. Mix the Greek yoghurt and lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.
When the mince is cooked, stir in the tomato purée, water and kidney beans and heat through.
Warm the wraps according to the instructions on the pack. Divide the cooked rice between the wraps. Add a layer of iceberg lettuce to each one, followed by a layer of avocado slices and a layer of spicy mince. Sprinkle cheddar on top and ?nish with a dollop of the Greek yoghurt.
