Easy meals on a tight budget!

University students feel the pinch when it comes to money. You spend money on necessities, rent, social life and everything else. Everyone needs to eat though and get their daily requirements to be healthy. You shouldn’t just settle for two minute noodles, when you could make something that’s delicious. Not to worry, I’ve done some research and you can make meals and find ingredients for fewer than 10 dollars and not have your bank account look so unhealthy!

Meat and Veg

Rump Steak = $7.50

Heinz Mixed Vegetables peas, corn, capsicum = $2.00

You get iron and veggies!

Overall Cost = $9.50

Tomato or BQQ Sauce is optional.

Pesto chicken/Pasta dish

Barilla Pesto Alla Genovese 190 grams $4.19

Homebrand Spaghetti pasta 500 grams $0.65

Home brand Chilli sauce sweet chilli 700ml $1.99

You would pay 7 dollars for a fillet but you’d only use half the filet $3.50

Overall Cost = $10.33

Butter chicken

Passage to India Simmer sauce Butter chicken 375 grams $3.76

Pandaroo Coconut cream 400ml $1.45

Half a chicken filet $3.50

Homebrand White long Grain 1kg $1.80

Onion is optional.

Overall cost = $10.51

Green Thai Dish with veggies no meat

Valcom Paste Thai green paste $3.99 you would use only one third of the jar

Which would cost $1.33 per serving.

Pandaroo Coconut cream 400ml $1.45

Heinz Beans Baby 500 grams $2.00

One Red capsicum $3.05

Erawan Rice Noodles Stick Pad Thai 200g $1.31

Overall Cost = $9.14 rounded up to 9.15 cents per serving.

Basic Spaghetti Bowl

Australian Premium Beef Mince For Immediate use 500 grams $6.00

Homebrand Pasta sauce Traditional $1.36 500 grams

Homebrand Spaghetti pasta 500 grams $0.65

Fresh onion $0.45 each

Fresh carrot $0.34 each

Chop up onion or grate carrot to get veggies in the meal

Cost = $8.80

Creamy Carbonara

Homebrand Spaghetti pasta 500 grams $0.65

Woolworths thickened cream 600mls $2.30

Primo Bacon Middle Rashers 7.99 per 1kg.

You would only need 100 grams which would mean $0.80 cents.

Farm Pride cage eggs $2.59 12pk

(For those students who don’t feel comfortable using caged eggs you can use)

Woolworths Select Free Range Eggs 6pk $3.40 will add approximately 2 extra dollars to the meal.

Homebrand Parmesan Cheese 100grams $1.70

Overall cost = $8.08 rounded to $8.10

Quick N easy Quiche

Farm Pride cage eggs $2.59 12pk you will only need 4 eggs

Or Woolworths Select Free Range Eggs 6pk $3.40

Bacon 200 grams $1.60

Edgell Corn Kernels $1.00

Cheese Homebrand Cheese slices 12pk 250 grams $1.99

(Cut up into small pieces, cheapest way to have cheese in your meal.)

Cup of Milk Woolworths Select Full cream milk 1Litre $1.25

One tablespoon of Butter Homebrand Block unsalted 250grams $1.39

Overall cost = $9.82 rounded to $9.80

The Overall cost for the entire week would be $66.19 rounded to $66.20 cents, 3.80 dollars under budget and you can nearly buy a coffee. You are able to find ingredients to make the basic meals while getting in some of your vegetables. Obviously this list of ingredients doesn’t cater for gourmet taste buds, but you can always make tasty basics with a tight budget.

Written by Emma Dowling