We're thinking thrifty – simple sourdough, tastier-than-takeaway pizza and family-friendly fare – with 17 ways to save the cash and make your own incredible stash.
1. Start with the basics
Sick of trendy cafes charging $5 for a slither of soy and linseed? It's time to bake your own! This sourdough uses beer and vinegar for the starter; and mixes plain flour with rye or spelt.
We can’t blame you for thinking flavoured butter is another culinary con, but believe us guys, the homemade stuff is delicious and dirt cheap! Try The Seasonal Cook's butter and buttermilk. Enjoy it slathered on the aforementioned sourdough, stirred through pasta or served atop seafood. It's so simple, it'll become a household staple.
Lamb shank, beef flank, liver and pork neck; the toughest cuts of meat become the most tender when treated loving care. So slow-roast your lamb shoulder, braise that beef cheek, and serve oxtail in a classic Roman stew.
Step up the game from your basic packet varieties, and experiment with almost-instant noodles, like vermicelli and soba, to hokkien and egg. For a big bowl of parsimonious pleasure, try our spicy pork and miso udon noodle soup.
5. Think cost-per-use
Long ingredient lists might seem like a deterrent if you’re cutting down expenses, but when it comes to curries, a little spice goes a long way. Buy the basics and you’re set for many an amazing meal, such as this chicken curry from Charmaine Solomon.
6. Head your own soup kitchen
Swap big-spending bistros, for your comfortable kitchen and cook French classics at home. Gabriel Gaté’s onion soup is not only cost effective; it’s a cinch to make. Remember to play smart: if you don’t have sherry on hand, substitute with brandy, cognac or even dry vermouth.
7. Get your veg on
We love feel-good frugality in the form of soft polenta with braised pumpkin and cavolo nero. Healthy, gluten-free and quick to make; it’s a recipe of box-ticking brilliance.
Source: Benito Martin
8. Save some dough, make your own
Squid ink linguine sounds super pricey, but try it at la casa and you’ll save a bucket load. With its blue-black hue and briny flavour, the ink is added to pastas and risottos along Italy’s coastline, from Venice down to Calabria.
9. Trade in take-out
The pros of takeaway pizza are pretty obvious: it’s easy, appetising and not absurdly expensive. So why DIY? It’s a) fun to make; b) off-the-hook tasty; and c) super cheap. Oh and you won’t get Tama Carey’s sapphire potato, stracchino, rosemary and vincotto pizza from any old pizza joint.
Sapphire potato, stracchino, rosemary and vincotto pizza Source: Benito Martin
10. Cook from scratch
If haloumi falls into your ‘hardly ever’ shopping basket, we say, ‘take on the cheese beast at home!’ This recipe from Trevor Hart of Cedar Street Cheese requires a bit of skill, but the result is well worth it.
Homemade haloumi Source: SBS Food
11. Give peasantry a shot
Sopa de ajo, or garlic soup, is a traditional peasant dish from the Castilla-Leon region of Spain. This version from Pablo Tordesillas features only a few ingredients, but packs an absolute punch. It’s also a cold weather combatant, so you’ll save on cough syrup too.
Source: Alan Benson
No knead to worry when this pizza base is involved. Easy to handle for any home cook and all you need to do is let your dough get some rest then think about what kind of toppings you'd like - it's that easy.
No-knead pizza Source: Benito Martin
13. Don't be bitter
Stinginess making you sour? Sweeten up with this simple apple cake from Feast. The batter is based on kitchen staples – flour, sugar, milk and butter – plus three Granny Smiths. It's cheap, cheerful and divine with tea!
Simple and fun, these passionfruit jellies in their shell are the perfect garden party treat. Scooping handheld jellies has never been easier and they save on the washing up too!
Passionfruit jellies in their shell Source: Benito Martin
Yoghurt, ricotta and honey give this banana cake its signature moistness. Pantry staples of eggs, flour and butter give you the base for an epic teatime treat and one that keeps for several days in an airtight container as well - great for the office, just saying...
Chefs are going beyond banana cake when it comes to producing waste-minimising sweets. Source: Robert Palmer Photography
We're sure there isn’t a single person on the planet who doesn’t love breaking through the lightest of cake crusts into a warm, gooey pot of chocolate. This is one of those faithful emergency recipes - it's super-easy, quick enough to execute (bakes in 8 minutes, people!) and can wow a dinner party, just like that.
Source: Poh & Co.
Sugar, cream and salt - that's what it takes to have this hot-to-trot sweet drizzle at your fingertips and on standby, ready to top your vanilla ice-cream, your cake, pudding or simply your fruit salad.
For more economical eats, check out our cooking from scratch recipe collection.
Source: Hardie Grant
