WITH money tight for many at the moment, I’m focusing on some little savings that go a long way.
I recently sorted through my kitchen cupboards — and have been stocking up on supermarket staples that all have multiple uses for cooking.
This lot are all under £2 and might help you bulk up a few dinners this week . . .
EASY PEASY: A can of chickpeas is just 55p at Tesco and this an excellent and cheap way to give meat curries and salads that little bit extra. By draining the tin through a sieve into a bowl, you can save the aquafaba liquid the chickpeas are kept in and use it for baking, too.
It is vegan-friendly and can be used as an egg replacement in cake and dessert recipes. Try whipping it with sugar and add melted dark chocolate to make a chocolate mousse.
PASS THE OLIVES: A jar of olives is a great healthy snack, as well as making an excellent addition to a salads or pizza. The cheapest I’ve found is Aldi’s at 42p for a 320g jar.
The liquid brine that keeps the olives fresh can be a great ingredient to help flavour your dishes, too. I like to use it to make vinaigrettes, and adding dashes into pasta sauces makes them taste great.
I SAY TOMATO: One of my favourite cupboard staples is a jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Grab one for £1.09 from Asda. You can chop the tomatoes to use for sauces or add them to plain pasta to make an instant dinner.
They taste great when used with garlic on a roasting chicken, too. The sun-dried tomato oil they are stored in is just as amazing. Whenever I’m making something that might have an Italian edge, I use the oil from the jar to add some extra flavour.
FISH, BOSH, BASH: Tinned fish, such as tuna or anchovies, can be stored in brine, oil or water. Anchovy tins are just 65p at Asda and I keep them in the cupboard to add to pizzas.
A touch of that oil in tomato pasta dishes is delicious, too and you can also whip it with butter to serve with fish.
- All prices on this page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
GIVE a gift worth treasuring this Valentine’s with 20 per cent off selected lines at accurist.co.uk. This men’s classic watch is reduced to £63.99 from £79.99.
SAVE: £16
Cheap treat
THE Salter pancake pan with Lyle’s syrup and squeezy lemon juice was £20, now £10 at Tesco.
SAVE: £10
