Planning weekly meals and saving money has become a new obsession, confesses Stephanie Culham of Cook with Steph. Over the past few months, she has reacquainted herself with her huge library of cookery books for inspirational ideas, has rediscovered value-for-money ingredients, and has learnt tricks to keep a lid on the food budget while reducing food waste.
Her number one top tip is do a food audit before you head for the shops. So, first start by checking out the kitchen cupboards to see what’s left in terms of carbs such as rice, pasta, noodles, oats, beans, grains and pulses, then do a quick recce of the fridge and freezer.
Next, Steph sits down with a pile of recipe books and plans what she is going to make every night of the week.
“Meals have become a bit of a family event, and with two of my children (albeit 23 and 29) temporarily living at home, we all choose a dish to cook,” she says. “I make a comprehensive shopping list so it’s one trip to the supermarket where I try not to spend hours pondering which fruit to buy. We are meant to be doing a quick swoop of the aisles, but I find myself rather enjoying the occasion even though supermarkets have become slightly alien places. I think it’s the being let out!”
After a visit to the supermarket, next stop is a trip to her local butcher, Hands of Rowledge, which, she says, has become a lifeline, selling local organic meats, cheeses and Chapel Farm eggs, all with a cheery smile and the chance for a good chat.
Steph has recently signed up to the Farnham Community Farm, a not-for-profit Community Supported Agriculture scheme, supplying local people and beyond with a share of their pesticide-free vegetable harvest, in the form of a weekly veg bag. She admits it has slightly thrown a spanner in the works when it come to her meticulous planning, but she is hoping it will inspire new recipe ideas. And, to show commitment, Steph will be volunteering every Thursday evening to help with the picking and packing.
Great ingredients for budget cooking
Back in her Farnham kitchen, Steph has a new culinary best friend - oats!
“I have never really thought about their versatility, but, when there was no flour available at the beginning of the lockdown, I ground them in my food processor and used the resulting flour for my Saturday Morning Cook Alongs to make Easter biscuits. They tasted just like Hobnobs so I was rather pleased with myself! “
As a slow releasing carb, oats are also a perfect base for breakfast and make delicious overnight oats, granola and fruity oat bars (aka flapjacks) too, she says.
Lunches have become a bit of a falafel and hummus affair in the Cook with Steph household as she has discovered tins of chickpeas can be bought for as little as 30p. Steph makes batches of falafel and hummus for the fridge, with the family helping themselves and using them in either salads, pitta bread or wraps. Lunches are also kept varied with Steph’s `Fridge Frittata’ - literally anything which needs using up in the fridge which can go in an omelette.
During lockdown, the evening meal has become the highlight of the day. Steph says she is taking small pleasures in leaving her usual `conveyer belt’ of standard weekly meals, and creating dishes inspired by the ingredients in her cupboards, fridge and freezer, and of course, from her “ridiculously large” collection of cookery books.
“Trying not to waste any food, keeping food bills down, supporting local businesses and going back to good old-fashioned meal planning is becoming my new normal,” she adds.
Valuable lessons for lockdown…..and life beyond.
Tags: cookery classes
budget cooking
