The last few years have taken a massive toll on the cost of food. With money extremely tight for many families it’s more important than ever to make the food budget stretch as far as possible. Worry can wreak havoc on our health and one way to counteract this is to eat foods that protect our mental health. Slow burning foods (like complex carbohydrates) lower blood pressure which in turn reduces stress hormones being released into the bloodstream. Here’s my week’s worth of meals on a tight budget that don’t need a lot of time or cooking experience. They’re based on a family of 2 adults and 2 children under 8. I’ve also included the shopping list you’ll need to make everything:

JACKET POTATO
Full of fibre this can be lunch or dinner and padded out with store cupboard ingredients.
PLAIN TOMATO PASTA SAUCE
A very simple pasta sauce is extremely versatile. You can eat it by itself or add meat, fish or vegetables.
GOOEY CHEESE ON TOAST
Another basic that can be added to easily and is great for using up bread that’s a few days old.
SAUSAGE CASSEROLE
A family staple that is nutritious, can be made in big quantities and freezes well.
POTATO HASH AND FRIED EGGS
Equally good at breakfast, lunch or dinner, this dish has fibre, protein and mental health superstar selenium.
SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN & LEFTOVERS
Chicken is one of the cheapest meats. I’m going to show you how to turn a roast chicken into Little Effort Roast Chicken Sunday Lunch, Chicken and Red Pepper with Rice then Chicken Stock Soup. 12 servings from one chicken.

SHOPPING LIST