We've knocked up this mix and match collection of cheap, tasty, easy to prepare meals and snack ideas to get you though the working week. This one's for winter, but stay tuned throughout the year for more seasonal ideas.
You can use them to save a fortune on midweek takeaways and provide better nutritional value for your hard earned money.Treat yourself at the weekend to a really good piece of meat, restaurant meal or a decent bottle of wine with the cash you have saved.
We've designed the recipes to increase the culinary confidence of those who currently don’t cook often. None of the recipes has more than six ingredients, excluding the seasoning. Some have fancy bits like a salsa on the side to expand your repertoire and explore some new flavours.
The breakfasts and lunches have around 450 calories, snacks and treats 250 and the mains 600 to 650 – so 2300 calories would be a breakfast, lunch and main with 3 snacks or treats.
Any meal which includes meat suggests alternatives for those who exclude pork or beef from their diet. Vegetarians are catered for with two separate meals and veggie friendly options on the carnivore recipes.
Healthy eating isn’t boring. You ll get the flavours you enjoy, not what is left in the ready meals chiller at the end of the day. There are plenty of treats too in the snack suggestions. Some are chosen as easy to keep at work, in the car or kit bag so you’ll never be without good food on the go.
This is not a diet! It’s a practical demonstration of how to eat healthily and cheaply.
If your goals are training and fat loss checkout Anthony’s Mansized plans or drop into Perfect Waistline for a custom made diet and training programme to suit your personal goals.
50g oats microwaved with 200 ml skimmed milk
100 ml fruit juice or piece of fruit
Slice of wholemeal bread with low fat spread
Option 2
2 slices wholemeal toast from a medium cut loaf, each spread with 1 level tablespoon peanut butter
100ml fruit juice
Option 3
4 rashers low fat bacon/ turkey bacon, grilled and served in split and toasted bagel. Vegetarians can substitute very low fat cheese spread, plain quark or Quorn slices
Low fat fruit yoghurt
Option 4
2 slices wholemeal toast from medium cut loaf spread with low sugar jam
50g cereal with 200ml skimmed milk
Option 5
200g low fat natural yoghurt mixed with fresh or frozen berries plus two slices of toast with low fat spread.
And if you have to venture out to the corner shop or garage...
Bagel or bread roll either plain or seeded
Low fat milk shake or pint of semi skimmed milk and banana or other fruit
Low fat wrap
Small packet of trail mix and a yoghurt or piece of fruit
These take less than five minutes to prepare if you get organised and stock your kitchen with a few basic items. You can save time and money by getting into the habit of cooking extra rice or pasta at supper to use for lunch the next day.
Option 1
Large wholemeal roll filled with 50g low fat sliced chicken or turkey ham or low fat cheese spread and a banana, fruit yoghurt, or dried fruit to finish
Option 2
200g pot of cottage cheese with 1 wholemeal pitta and piece of fruit
Option 3
50g dry weight rice or pasta cooked and mixed with 100g tuna canned in water and fruit or mixed salad, plus small handfull nuts or low fat yoghurt.
Option 4
1 large torilla wrap filled with 50g shredded mozzerella and tomato, or sliced lean meat with fresh fruit or 50g ready to eat dried fruit to finish.
Option 5
1 pitta bread filled with ½ can drained red kidney beans and salad with low fat yoghurt or cottage cheese and a piece of fruit
Option 6
2 slices rye bread with tablespoon peanut butter or low fat cheese spread and sliced tomato. Fruit or fruit yoghurt.
Option 7
1 hard boiled egg or 50g low fat sliced meat or cheese with a large bap plus salad or fruit.
Each of the snack options has about 250 calories. Check out the DIY options compared with the treats - you get a lot more nutrition for your calories if you stay off the chocolate and crisps.
DIY
2 slices wholemeal bread toasted, spread with 20g low fat soft cheese or tablespoon of peanut butter
2 slices malt loaf and a Muller Lite yoghurt
1 pitta bread filled with 50g very low fat ham or chicken and an apple or orange
Mug of instant soup and small wholemeal roll
50g cereal and 150ml semi skimmed milk
Grab and go
1 small banana and 3 jaffa cakes
Low fat fruit yoghurt or Muller Lite and a banana
Fruit scone and piece of fruit
Slice of rye bread and a banana
Pack of Ryvita bites, apple and coffee made with 150ml skimmed milk
Treats
2 finger Kit Kat and low fat fruit yoghurt
Small bag Walkers lites or Twiglets and small banana
3 Hob Nobs
Packet of Chewits style sweets and low fat fruit yoghurt
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast,
20g mozzerella cheese or cheese spread
1 slice wholemeal bread
pinch of dried herbs
100g frozen mixed veg
75g pasta
Blender
Knife
Oven tray
2 saucepans
Step by step instructions
- Set the oven to Gas 6, 200 degC
- Make a slit in the side of the chicken breast and place the cheese in it.
- Place the bread and herbs in the blender and whizz into crumbs.
- Place the crumbs onto a plate and press the chicken into them to coat.
- Put the coated chicken on the oven tray, place in the oven and cook for 25 to 30 mins.
- While the chicken is cooking bring a pan of water to the boil, add the pasta and begin cooking to packet instructions.
- Briing a second pan of water to the boil and cook the veg.
- Check the chicken is cooked through. The juices should run clear when pierced with a kinfe then serve with drained pasta and veg.
Points for style
To jazz up the pasta, drain it then return to the pan it was cooked in. Add a squeeze of tomato puree, some fresh or dried herbs and stir it.
200g salmon steak
75g cous cous
1 tsp chopped fresh corriander or pinch of dried
2 tsp lemon juice
1tsp olive oil
Black peper
Mixed salad leaves
Grill pan
Spoon
Bowl
Saucepan
Step by step instructions
- Turn the grill on.
- Place the cous cous in the bowl, add the corriander, oil and pepper then water as packet directions and leave to soak.
- Place the salmon on the grill pan. Spirinkle with lemon juice, then cook under a medium heat for 4 mins on each side.
- Fluff the soaked cous cous with a fork to separate the grains, then serve with the cooked salmon and salad or a cooked veg.
Points for style
Add some black or green olives to the cooked cous cous.
175g very lean diced lamb meat
6 no need to soak dried apricots
pinch of medium curry powder
400ml water and a stock cube stock
2 wholemeal or white pitta bread
200g frozen mixed veg, or spinach or peas
Spoon
2 saucepans
Sieve
Step by step instructions
- Place the lamb in a pan with 4 tablespoons of the stock or water and cook with stirring over a medium heat for about 5 mins until the meat has lost its pink colour.
- Add the apricots and stock to the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins until the meat is cooked through. Cover the pan with a lid after 10 mins if if it starts to dry out.
- While the lamb is cooking, bring a second pan of water to the boil and cook the vegetables.
- Serve the lamb with veg and the pitta breads
Points for style
Toast the pitta bread before serving. If you have them around, toast a few flaked almonds or sesame seeds and scatter them over the meat. Cous cous with a sprinkle of fresh or dried corriander leaves is another great partner with lamb.
250g low fat beef, lamb or turkey mince
1 red pepper sliced
Half an onion sliced
200g fresh or tinned tomatoes
1 tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Half level tsp chilli powder
150g brown rice
200g fresh or frozen veg
3 saucepans
Spoons
Step by step instructions
- Place the mince in a pan with 4 tablespoons of the stock or water and cook with stirring over a medium heat for about 5 mins until the meat has lost its pink colour.
- Add the pepper, onion and chilli powder then continue to cook over a low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the veg are softened.
- Add the tomatoes and kidney beans, bring to the boil, cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook for 25 mins until the meat is cooked through.
- While the chilli is cooking, bring a second pan of water to the boil and cook the vegetables and rice according to the packet instructions.
Points for style
To cut the number of pans, serve with a microwaved jacket pototo instead of rice.
* For singletons the leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 days or can be frozen.
4 low fat turkey or pork sauages or Quorn
300g potato, cut into chunks
½ onion, peeled and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice
150g frozen peas
Pepper to taste
Grill pan
Spoon
Fork or potato masher
2 saucepans with lid
Sieve
Step by step instructions
- Place the potato chunks in the saucepan with enough cold water to cover to depth of about 3 cm. Bring to the boil, cover the pan, reduce the heat so the water is just bubbling and cook for 15 mins.
- While the potato is cooking, turn on the grill and start cooking the sausages according to the packet instructions.
- Cook the peas in boiling water for 5 mins and, while they are cooking, mix together the lime juice, tomato and onion for the salsa.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain them. Return them to the pan add pepper and mash with the fork or masher.
- Serve the veg with cooked sausages and the salsa on the side.
Points for style
Do try the salsa. It makes a change from the usual brown or red sauce and if you like it you’ll can use it to perk up other food or sandwiches.
1 can cooked chick peas, drained and rinsed
175g low fat natural yoghurt
5 cm piece of cucumber cut into chunks
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
pinch of cumin
pinch of curry powder
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
2 naan breads
Lime pickle if you like it
Spoon
Bowl
Saucepan
Grill pan
Step by step instructions
- Turn on the grill.
- Combine the first seven ingredients in the bowl. Place in saucepan over a medium heat and cook with gentle stirring for about 5 mins until heated through.
- Toast the naan breads for 1 min on each side, then serve topped with the chickpea mixture
Points for style
Try this even if you hate curry, just use black pepper or a herb mixture in place of the other spices.
* For singletons, leftovers will keep for 2 days in the fridge. This will not freeze well.
