1. Shop your shelves

   Check what’s already in the fridge, freezer and cupboards and aim to use as much of that as you can in the coming week’s meals. My 7 day cupboard challenge planner is really useful when going through what you have in the house:

2. Plan when you’re cooking

   Work out if you have the time for a batch cooking session or if you’ll be cooking through the week instead.

3. Work out your recipes

   If stuck for ideas look at what ingredients you have and search online for

   recipes that use them or flip through some recipe books. I find that this is more budget friendly than finding a recipe and then buying all the ingredients for it. I tend to stick to staple ingredients that I know my family will eat.

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Some of my go to recipe books*:

Brilliant Breadmaking by Catherine Atkinson - These recipes are actually written for a bread machine but I adapt them to use without and they are delicious.

Jamie’s Ministry of Food by Jamie Oliver - An oldie but a goodie, I still use the section on roast dinners every time I make one.

River Cottage Every Day by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - There is a delicious recipe for lemon trickle cake in here that I have made many a time!

Apples for Jam by Tessa Kirk’s - This was one of the first cook books I bought for myself when I was in 6th Form. It has beautiful pictures and very decedent recipes my go to’s in here are the chocolate brownies and the honey cake.

Slow Cooker Magic by Lorna Brash - My mother-in-law bought me this book as a gift when I first ventured into the world of slow cookers when my first born was a baby. This has some delicious dishes, my favourite is the french onion soup.

Cherry Cakes and Ginger Beer by Jane Brocket - This is a fabulous for child friendly bakes, all the recipes are based on food described in classic children’s fiction e.g. Enid Blyton’s Famous Five’s picnics or Malory Towers midnight feasts. I always use the sponge cake recipe from this book.

Student Cook Book by Sam Stearn - I bought this for myself before I went to uni and it is still my most used cook books, I use it every week! It has all the basics and is great for keeping to a budget.

*Affiliate Links

4. Meal plan

   I don’t go into too much detail with this I just note down 7 dinners for the week (that I know my family will eat) plus breakfast and lunch ideas which tend to be the same on repeat. Think about what you’re doing in the evenings during the week, if some days are busier choose a quick and easy meal.

   If there’s time I try to pre-make some dishes (like pizza, jellies, flapjacks) so I don’t buy more than I need.

5. Shopping

   Write a shopping list and go shopping or do an online supermarket order.

   I hope this helps, let me know what other type of posts you’d like to see here on Substack.

   Leave a comment

@tahnee.batchcookingReplying to @a I have a loose 5 step process when it comes to deciding what to cook and meal planning: 1. Check what I already have in the fridge, freezer & cupboard. 2. Work out of if I have time to do a big batch cooking session or if I’ll be doubling up what I make during the week. 3. Make a list of 7 dinners for the week ahead (making sure to accommodate evening clubs/activities) 4. If I’m stuck for ideas I’ll look through my recipe books or search online for recipes that use ingredients I already have. 5. Write my shopping list and go shopping or order a supermarket delivery. I hope this helps! Let me know if you’d like to know what my go to staple ingredients are. #mealplanning #mealplan #recipeideas #mealprep #mealprepideas

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At the beginning of 2025 my family’s weekly food budget was £100 but over the months our bills have increased and now (as of March 2026) this has reduced to £70 a week. Our income, like many others, hasn’t increased in line with inflation. I’ve been working on increasing my income, and perhaps one day in the not too distant future we’ll be able to increase our food budget again but in the mean time we’re cutting our coats according to our cloth.

This can be somewhat tricky! Especially when other expenses crop up such as school uniform or trips. We’ve ended up in our overdraft a fair few times over the months. However, I have been honing my frugal food budgeting skills and can now stretch £70 quite far!

I am very aware that those ‘other expenses’ won’t stop coming (particularly school uniform as my son will be moving to secondary school in September). So, to that end, during March I am reducing our weekly food budget to £50 so that I can squirrel away the remaining £20 a week into a school uniform fund. Here’s how I’m going to do this:

How to reduce your food budget

I share my cooking and weekly shops on social media and often get incredulous and downright rude comments from people telling me there’s no way £50-£70 can feed a family for a week! So I thought I’d break it down here for those that are interested (though I suspect the authors of said comments are not).

• Avoid ready made food and snacks

We pay a premium for convenience. The price of ready made food and snacks is so much higher than buying the ingredients to make things from scratch. E.g. a ready made pizza can be any where from £3.50-£7.00 for one. Multiply that up for a family of four and you’re easily talking around £15 for one meal. £15 can buy you quite a lot of flour, yeast, passata, cheese and toppings. You could make many more than 4 pizzas for this amount of money. I like to make my own DIY frozen pizzas, they’re a quick meal for busy week nights and much cheaper than buying ready made (and let’s not even talk about the price of a takeaway pizza!)

• Sticking to basics

This may be slightly boring and not for everyone but I find that sticking to a rotation of meals that I know my family likes and will eat is easier and cheaper than buying ingredients for different meals throughout the week that I a) may not get around to making causing the ingredients to go to waste or b) my kids not liking it. Many of my most used and budget friendly recipes are available right here on my Substack page.

• Batch cooking

I find that batch cooking helps save a lot of money because buying larger quantities costs less. E.g. it’s more cost effective to buy a 2kg pack of beef mince than a 500g pack, the cost per serving is then reduced. And if the whole 2kg pack is batched all at once into, lets say, burgers or a chilli con carne a whole months worth of portions can be made in one session as opposed to making it every week with the 500g pack.

Not only is it cheaper, but it also saves you from those mid week convenience food top up shops (or takeaways) as you have your batched meals in the freezer ready for those busy nights when you don’t feel like cooking.

• Planning

Meal planning does really help. Even if it’s just scribbling down seven dinner ideas for the week on the back of an envelope. If you’ve thought about it ahead of time you’re more likely to stick to it. I have a seven day cupboard challenge planner printable which I use all the time for planning. Cupboard Challenge Planner

This week’s plan:

My first weekly shop for March was delivered by Asda this morning. Here’s what was on my shopping list:

• Beef & pork mince (750g)

• Whole chicken

• Beef stir-fry strips

• 1kg chicken breast fillets

• 2kg potatoes (x2)

• Carrots

• Kale (x2)

• Cucumber

• Little gem lettuce

• Eggs

• Butter

• Milk (x2)

• Tuna (4 pack)

• Cheesy slices

• Muffins (x2 packs)

• Multigrain hoops cereal

• Apple & blackcurrant squash

• 16 toilet rolls

• Chocolate hazelnut spread

With multi buy offers this cost me £50.12

Now, a lot of the time people look at what I buy in a weekly shop and tell me that it’s not enough for the week. But I am not buying everything we will eat in a week, we already have a lot of food in our fridge, freezer and cupboards that I will also be utilising.

I’m planning a batch cooking session over the weekend so I’ve gone quite protein heavy with this week’s shop.

This week’s batch cooking plan:

Beef & pork meatballs (the 750g pack will make more than one week’s portions)

Roast Chicken + leftovers for rolls & stock with the carcass

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Breakfast sandwiches (using the English muffins, eggs, cheese + bacon & sausage I bought last week)

Pre-Prepped salad

Fruit compote for porridge (using fruit I already have)

Freezer pancakes

Bircher (using ingredients I bought last week)

Bread (already have the ingredients)

Rolls (will use butter, eggs and milk from this weeks shop)

Some type of sweet treat (shortbread or sponge cake)

DIY Pizza (already have all the ingredients for this - recipe linked above)

Vegetable soup

Meals We’ll Eat Through the Week:

Roast Chicken with roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, carrots and sweetcorn (we have tinned in the cupboard)

Baked Potatoes with Tuna Mayo (my kids love this and request it weekly) + carrot & cucumber sticks

Pasta with the meatballs & a tomato based sauce (using cupboard ingredients we already have)

Chicken Nuggets with home made potato wedges & baked beans (already have the beans)

Pizza

Beef Fajitas (with wraps and veg etc. we already have)

(Plus we usually have one meal per week at my in-laws house)

Breakfasts:

Cereal/toast

Breakfast sandwiches

Frozen pancakes

Bircher

Porridge & fruit compote

Lunches:

Sandwiches or rolls

Salad with egg, tuna or leftover chicken

Soup & Roll

(My kids have school lunches some days of the week)

If I can keep to a £50 weekly budget for the whole of March then I’ll have an extra £80 saved towards school uniforms and hopefully be able to stay out of the overdraft! Many of our budgets are feeling squeezed right now but there are many little things we can do (like cooking from scratch and skipping the mid week top up shops) to make things more manageable.

I’ll be sharing this weekend’s batch cooking session over on my socials so if you’re not already make sure to follow me there:

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

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I recently showed my chilli on video on social media and I’ve had a few requests for the recipe. I don’t really follow a set recipe when I make this, it’s just one of those dishes I’ve made so much it’s in my head. I do tend to measure with my heart so I’ve guessed the quantities for the spices, I’d advise you to adjust for your taste.

These amounts make about 10 portions so it’s great for batching. I tend to make this on a weeknight for dinner and then freeze what’s left.

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef mince

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 bell peppers (red & yellow), chopped

• 1 tin kidney beans

• 2 tins chopped tomatoes

• 2 beef oxo cubes (used to make 350ml stock

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp chilli flakes

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• Extra chilli powder to taste

• Fresh coriander, chopped

Method

1. Sauté onions, garlic and peppers in your oil of choice.

2. Add the spices into the sautéing vegetable mixture.

3. Once the onions/garlic/peppers have softened brown the mince in a large casserole dish over a medium heat.

4. Once the beef has browned add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and drained kidney beans to the pan.

6. Add the beef stock and bring the mixture to the boil.

7. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

8. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.

9. Stir through fresh chopped coriander and serve over rice.

10. If freezing allow the chilli to cool completely and decant into freezer safe containers.

11. Allow to defrost in the fridge and then re-heat on the hob until piping hot.

@tahnee.batchcookingIt’s been a while since I introduced myself so I thought I’d make a video to say hi 👋 My name’s Tahnee & I do budget friendly batch cooking from scratch to help stop my food budget from getting out of control! I share recipes, meal ideas and grocery hauls (as well as a bit of cleaning & everyday life!) So if you’re looking to reduce your food budget and have some easy meals ready to go then follow along for more ☺️ #batchcooking #cookingfromscratch #homecooking #foodbudget #homemadefood

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Ingredients:

• 350g plain white flour

• 100g caster sugar

• 220g unsalted butter

• 2tsp vanilla extract

• pinch of salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 170º fan

• Put the flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt all in a bowl

• Rub it all together between your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs

• Squeeze it all together in a ball

• Roll it out and cut out biscuit shapes or cover a 9”x9” baking tray in baking parchment and squash it all down with your hands until it’s level

• Prick the individual biscuits/ tray of dough all over with a fork

• Bake for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden brown on top (if baking individual biscuits you may need to reduce the cooking time to 10-12 minutes)

• If making in a 9”x9” tin allow it to cool in the tray for about 30 minutes then cut into slices while still slightly warm, then lift out the baking parchment onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely

• Store the shortbread in an airtight container - it should last at least 4 days in a tin (if you don’t eat it all before that!)

And that’s all there is to it! Simple ingredients, a quick mix and a bake that rewards you with thick, buttery slices for a delicious treat. I’d love to hear if you give it a try, let me know how it turns out for you.

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Ingredients

• 200g soft brown sugar

• 100g baking spread/butter

• 3 eggs

• 200g pumpkin purée

• 225g Self Raising Flour

• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp mixed spice

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

• Pinch of salt

Method

• Grease & line a 2lb loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 170º fan.

• Cream together the baking spread/butter and sugar using an electric hand held whisk.

• Mix in the pumpkin purée.

• Weigh out your flour and stir in spices, salt and bicarbonate of soda.

• Whisk in one egg at a time along with one tbsp of the flour mixture per egg.

• Once all the eggs have been added beat in the remainder of the flour/spice mixture.

• Pour mixture into your lined loaf tin.

• Bake in the oven for about 1 hour (until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean).

• Allow to cool in tin for 10-15 minutes then transfer on to wire cooling rack.

• Once completely cool store in an air tight container, it should last 3-4 days. It can also be frozen either as a whole loaf on in slices.

This bake works just as well with a morning coffee as it does in a lunch box or served with custard for pudding. Using tinned pumpkin purée (or homemade if you’ve got an extra pumpkin lying around) makes it wonderfully moist and the blend of spices really bring out that cosy autumn flavour.

If you’d like more freezer-friendly recipes and batch cooking tips don’t forget you can subscribe for free.

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You can also see how I made this recipe along with many others on my YouTube channel:

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter

• 100g light brown soft sugar

• 100g caster sugar

• 1 egg

• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

• 275g self-raising flour

• 100g chocolate chips

• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Combine the unsalted butter with the light brown soft sugar and caster sugar using an electric handheld whisk in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg along with a couple of tablespoons of flour. Which in until it has incorporated.

3. Mix in 1.5 tsp of vanilla extract.

4. Then gradually add in the remaining flour and 1/2 a tsp of salt. Mix on a slow speed until combined.

5. Gently mix in the chocolate chips.

6. Shape the dough into balls. For large cookies these should be about 50g each.

7. To freeze: Transfer to a baking parchment lined tray that will fit into your freezer. Freeze until solid and then transfer to a freezer container. To cook from frozen bake at 180º (fan) for 12-14 minutes.

8. To chill: If you do not want to freeze the cookies they must still be chilled for at least 1 hour in the fridge before baking. To bake from chilled pre heat the oven to 170º (fan) and bake on a parchment lined tray for 10-12 minutes.

9. Leave to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making a big batch of dough and freezing it in portions is so much cheaper than buying ready made cookie dough, and you get to control the ingredients. Just simple pantry staples and whatever extras you fancy throwing in. It’s also a great way to stop the whole batch from disappearing in one sitting!

If you’d like more freezer-friendly recipes and batch cooking tips, don’t forget you can subscribe for free.

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You can also see how I make these, along with other easy batch cook recipes on my YouTube channel:

I love filling my freezer with batch-cooked meals but people often ask me for ideas on how to batch prep without a lot of fridge or freezer space. This is where cupboard-stable batch prep comes in.

Today I’m sharing four shelf-stable batch recipes you can prep in advance. These meals don’t need to be frozen or refrigerated, just store the dry ingredients in containers or labelled bags, and add a few fresh or tinned extras when it’s time to cook.

1. Lasagne Soup Kits (x2 = 4 portions)

Why I love it: All the flavour of lasagne, none of the faff and the kit stores beautifully in the pantry.

🫙 Kit Ingredients (per kit - 2 portions):

• 6 dried lasagne sheets

• 1 tsp onion granules

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• 1 tsp mixed herbs/oregano

• Salt & pepper to taste

🛒 To add when cooking:

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• 250ml water

• Optional: add cooked beef mince and grated cheese

🍲 Cooking Instructions:

1. Tip the dry ingredients into a saucepan.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes and water.

3. Bring to a boil then simmer for 12–15 mins until pasta is tender.

4. Add cooked beef mince and allow it to warm through.

5. Top with grated cheese.

🍳 2. Shakshuka Sauce Kits (x2 = 4 portions)

Why I love it: Add eggs and you’ve got a hearty, spiced meal.

🫙 Kit Ingredients (per kit - 2 portions):

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cumin

• Pinch of dried chilli flakes

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• Salt and pepper to taste

🛒 To add when cooking:

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• A splash of water

• Eggs (2–4 depending on how hungry you are)

• Crumbled feta or fired halloumi

🍳 Cooking Instructions:

1. Tip the spice mix into a frying pan with a bit of oil.

2. Add the tomatoes and splash of water. Simmer for 5–10 mins.

3. Crack in your eggs and cover with a lid until set to your liking.

4. Sprinkle with crumbled feta or add fried halloumi on the side

5. Serve with toast or flatbreads.

🍚 3. Spanish-Style Rice (x2 = 4 portions)

Why I love it: Full of flavour.

🫙 Kit Ingredients (per kit - 2 portions):

• 1/2 cup of long grain rice

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• 1 tsp onion granules

• 1/2 tsp mixed herbs

• Salt & pepper to taste

🛒 To add when cooking:

• 1 tin chickpeas

• 1 - 2 tsp lemon juice

• 300ml water

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Chopped chorizo (one small handful per person)

🍚 Cooking Instructions:

1. Place all dry ingredients in a pan.

2. Stir in olive oil and water.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15–18 mins until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

4. Stir in drained tin of chickpeas and chorizo - allow them to warm through.

5. Fluff with a fork and serve.

🌶 4. Mexican Rice Bowl Kits (x2 = 4 portions)

Why I love it: These are great with just beans and rice, or bulk it out with fresh toppings if you’ve got them.

🫙 Kit Ingredients (per kit - 2 portions):

• 1/2 cup long grain rice

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• 1 tsp onion granules

• Salt & pepper to taste

🛒 To add when cooking:

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 tin black beans (drained)

• 1/2 - 1 cup water water

• Poached eggs, grated cheese, chopped avocado, sour cream

🥣 Cooking Instructions:

1. Add rice and spice mix to a saucepan with the tin of chopped tomatoes.

2. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until rice is tender—about 15–18 mins. (You may need to add more water).

3. Add black beans and allow to warm through.

4. Serve on its own or topped with grated cheese, chopped avocado, poached egg, sour cream.

🧂 Final Tips

• Store your dry kits in clean, labelled jars or ziploc bags.

• Write the fresh/tinned ingredients you’ll need to add right on the label or store them all together in the cupboard.

• Keep a few of these kits on hand for busy days, illness, or just when the fridge is empty.

If you’re starting to think ahead to autumn or want to slowly prep for Christmas, this kind of shelf-stable cooking is a brilliant way to get ahead without using up freezer space.

Let me know if you try one!

Here’s the full youtube video of the process 👇

I’ve been steadily piecing together an e-book all about practical, low budget batch cooking for real life. And today I’m giving my paid subscribers a sneak peek of a couple of pages I think you’ll find really useful.

My ‘Pick & Mix Food Options’ page is integral to my ‘Unstructured Meal Planning Method’ (more about that in the e-book). It’s a low stress way to meal plan for your family on a low budget with what you know they’ll eat!

Here’s the completed pick & mix food options that I use for my own family:

Read more

Think of them as the ginger cousin of a rich tea biscuit; not too sweet, not too crisp, with an almost cakey texture that makes them perfect for little hands or dunking into a strong brew. They’re easy to make in batches and freeze beautifully (either baked or as dough balls), making them an ideal biscuit to keep in regular rotation.

This is one of those humble, dependable recipes you’ll reach for again and again.

Let’s get baking.

Ingredients:

• 8oz plain flour

• 4oz brown sugar

• 2tsp ground ginger

• 1tsp mixed spice

• 4oz unsalted butter

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 1 egg (beaten)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175ºc fan.

2. In a bowl, mix the flour, bicarb, sugar and spices together.

3. Rub in the butter.

4. Stir in the egg and milk.

5. Knead the mixture until smooth.

6. Flour your hands and divide the mixture into small, equal size balls.

7. Place these on a baking parchment covered baking tray.

8. Use a fork to flatten each ball slightly.

9. Bake for around 20mins.

10. Leave to cool on the baking tray and store in an airtight container.

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Did you know you can freeze scone dough raw and bake them straight from frozen? It’s one of my favourite ways to stock the freezer with homemade treats, perfect for those days when you fancy something freshly baked but don’t have the time (or energy) to start from scratch.

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This method means you can enjoy warm, buttery scones straight from the oven whenever the mood strikes; with no mess, no mixing, and no waiting around. The recipe below is exactly the same as you’d use for baking on the same day. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll never look back.

Ingredients:

• 225g self raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 50g butter

• 25g caster sugar

• 150ml milk

• 1 beaten egg

Method:

1. Add your flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl.

2. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Stir in the sugar.

4. Pour in the milk gradually while mixing with a fork until you get a soft, sticky dough.

5. Transfer your dough to a floured surface and flatten out with the palm of your hand until it’s 2-3 inches thick.

6. Use a biscuit cutter to cut into rounds.

7. Place them on a baking parchment covered tray (that will fit in your freezer)

8. Open freeze until solid.

9. Transfer to a reusable freezer bag

10. To cook from frozen preheat oven to 180ºc fan. Place scones on baking parchment covered baking tray (brush with a little milk if preferred) and bake for 15-20 minutes, until reused and golden brown.

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There’s something so satisfying about making your own version of a classic freezer favourite and these homemade chicken nuggets tick every box. Crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and made with simple cupboard and fridge staples, they’re one of my favourite things to batch cook for busy weeks.

This recipe makes a generous amount (perfect for freezing), and I’ve included step-by-step instructions so you can make a big batch. Whether you’re cooking for kids or just want something easy to reheat after a long day, these are a winner.

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Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken (chopped into nugget sized pieces)

• 1 tbsp salt

• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

• water

• 1/2 cup plain flour

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp onion granules

• 3 eggs beaten eggs

• 2 cups breadcrumbs

• sunflower oil

Method:

1. Add your chicken to a large bowl and cover with cold water.

2. Stir in the salt and worcestershire sauce.

3. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 mins - 1 hour

4. Remove the chicken from the chicken from the saltwater mixture and pat fry with kitchen roll

5. Combine the flour, onion granules and smoked paprika in a bowl or on a plate.

6. Beat your eggs in a second bowl.

7. Add your bread crumbs to a third bowl or plate.

8. One piece of chicken at a time, dip it first into the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Then transfer to a plate.

9. Once all the chicken pieces are coated heat sunflower oil in a large, deep sided frying pan.

10. You can tell when the oil is hot enough when it starts to “shimmer”. Cook each pice of chicken for approx 3 minutes per side until golden brown.

11. If freezing, cool on a wire rack and then transfer to a freezer bag.

12. They can then be cooked from frozen on a baking tray at 170ºc (fan) for 20-25 minutes until piping hot.

This lentil and vegetable shepherd’s pie Is a great vegetarian option for batch cooking. It’s hearty, filling, packed with flavour, budget friendly and it uses up tins that you’ve go lurking in the back of the cupboard.

The recipe below makes 8 portions and is perfect for filling up the freezer or feeding a crowd. Pair it with some steamed greens or frozen peas, and you’ve got an easy win for busy evenings.

Ingredients:

• 2 diced onions

• 3-4 grated carrots

• 3-4 diced celery sticks

• 4 cloves minced garlic

• 2 tsp thyme

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tbsp tomato puree

• 1.5 - 2 tins chopped tomatoes

• 2 tins green or brown lentils

• 200ml vegetable stock

• Tin of spinach (optional)

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onion, carrot, celery for 8–10 mins until soft.

2. Add garlic, thyme, paprika, tomato purée. Cook 1 min.

3. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, stock. Simmer for 10–15 mins until thickened.

4. Add spinach/kale if using. Season to taste.

5. Pour lentil filling into a baking dish/individual oven proof containers (foil trays).

6. Boil potatoes in salted water until soft (15–20 mins). Drain, mash with butter, milk, salt and pepper. Set aside.

7. Spread mash on top. Rough up with a fork.

8. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 25–30 mins until golden. Or When cool add lids and freeze.

9. To bake from frozen heat oven to 190º (170ºC fan) for 40-45 mins until golden. Or defrost and bake as detailed in instruction 8.

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Let’s make meal times easier (and a whole lot cheaper) together.

They’re easier to make than you might think and they taste so much better than what you can get in the supermarket. They’re delicious straight from the oven but they also freeze and defrost really well so great for batch cooking.

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Ingredients

• 250ml milk

• 2 tsp dried yeast

• 1 tsp caster sugar (to go in the milk & yeast mixture)

• 500g strong white bread flour

• 10g salt

• 40g caster sugar

• 60g unsalted butter

• 2 eggs (beaten)

• 100g currants

• 3 tbsp caster sugar & 3 tbsp water (for the glaze)

Method

1. Slightly warm the milk in a small saucepan (don’t let it get too hot as that can effect the yeast).

2. Add the yeast, 1tsp caster sugar and milk to a bowl and stir. Set this to the side while you prepare the dough.

3. Add the flour, salt and 40g sugar to a large bowl and stir to combine.

4. Rub the butter into the flour mixture (it should resemble breadcrumbs)

5. Pour the milk/yeast mixture into the flour/butter mixture.

6. Add in the 2 beaten eggs and stir to combine.

7. The dough now needs kneading. I like to use my stand mixer with a dough hook for 7-10 minutes. You can also turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 7-10 minutes.

8. Return your dough to an oiled bowl (if kneading by hand) then cover bowl with a piece of oiled cling film and allow to prove until the dough has doubled in size - around 2 hours.

9. Pre-heat oven to 180ºc (fan).

10. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle the currants over the dough and lightly knead them in (its easiest to ad 1/4 of the currants at a time: knead in, stretch out the dough, add the next batch)

11. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into balls and add to a baking parchment lined baking tray. Cover with the oiled clingfilm and allow proved until doubled in size. (This won’t take as long as the first prove, maybe 30 minutes)

12. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes until the currant buns are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the base.

13. Just before removing the buns from the oven make the glaze by adding 3 tbsp of caster sugar and 3 tbsp of water to a saucepan and bring to the boil.

14. Remove buns from the oven and put on to a wire rack. Brush the buns with the glaze immediately.

Let me know if you give them a try!

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Making pizza from scratch is pretty straight forward and always tastier than shop bought! I like to make up a batch of dough on a Saturday morning and let it prove in the fridge while I go out. It’s ready to be shaped and cooked for dinner. Any extras get frozen and popped in the freezer for an easy week night dinner.

I love to use a portion of the pizza dough to make dough balls as a side and mix up a little butted with a clove of crushed garlic and a touch of parsley as a tasty garlic butter dip.

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Pizza Dough Recipe

(Makes approx 6 pizzas, or 5 plus a batch of dough balls)

Ingredients (Dough)

• 900g strong white bread flour

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp caster sugar

• 2 tbsp fast action dried yeast

• 600 ml room temperature water

• 4 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Add flour, salt, sugar, yeast and oil to a bowl and stir together until combined.

2. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook or knead by hand for 7-10 minutes.

3. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with cling film or a clean tea towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.

4. Once doubled in size punch down dough and transfer to a floured surface.

5. Divide dough into the desired number of pizza bases (the same dough can also be used to make dough balls).

6. Par bake each pizza bases for 5 minutes at 200ºc for around 15 minutes until cooked.

7. Spoon on sauce (recipe below) and add desired toppings.

8. Cook at 200ºc for around 15 minutes.

Pizza Sauce Recipe

Ingredients (Sauce)

• Tin of chopped tomatoes (blended) or the equivalent amount of pasata

• Clove of garlic

• 2 tsp Dried basil or oregano (or both)

• 1 tsp Onion granules

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• Dash of olive oil

Method

1. Fry one crushed clove of garlic in a dash of olive oil for 1-2 minute.

2. Pour in blended tin of chopped tomatoes.

3. Add seasonings and tomato purée.

4. Cook on the hob until sauce has warmed through.

5. Spoon on to par-baked pizza bases.

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As the ingredients and method for beef burgers and meatballs are very similar I like to make a big batch of both at the same time, use some for that nights dinner and freeze the rest.

I get out all the ingredients and equipment I’ll need beforehand. I put out two bowls side by side, put all the ingredients in the bowls then make the burgers followed by the meatballs (washing hands thoroughly in between of course!)

Both the burgers and meatballs can be cooked from frozen which is a lifesaver on busy weeknights. I serve the burgers with my buttery bread rolls which I also like to keep in the freezer.

Recipes and methods below, let me know how they turn out if you make them!

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Beef Burgers

(These amounts make 10-12 burgers)

Ingredients:

• 1kg beef mince (I use less than 12% fat)

• 1 beaten egg

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp garlic granules or onion powder

Method:

1. Add mince, seasonings and the beaten egg to a large bowl and mix together (you may need to use your hands).

2. For each burger add a couple of large tablespoons (vary for the size of burger you would like) to a burger press.1

3. If freezing, stack up burgers using baking parchment discs and put into a reusable freezer2 bag or ziplock bag.

4. From fresh these can be fried, barbecued or oven baked. I usually put them on a foil covered baking tray and cook in the oven at 180ºc fan for 20 minutes, turning once during cooking.

5. Cook from frozen in the oven at 170º fan for 25-30 minutes, tuning once during cooking.

   

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Pork & Beef Meatballs

(This makes 24 meatballs)

Ingredients

• 750g of beef and pork mince

• 1 beaten egg

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp smoked paprika or barbecue seasoning

• 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs

Method

1. Add mince, seasonings, breadcrumbs and the beaten egg to a large bowl and mix together (you may need to use your hands).

2. Shape your meatballs and place on a baking parchment covered baking tray (that will fit in your freezer).

3. Open freeze the meatballs for a few hours.

4. Once frozen solid put the meatballs in to a reusable freezer3 bag or ziplock bag.

5. From fresh these can be fried, barbecued or oven baked. I usually put them on a foil covered baking tray and cook in the oven at 180ºc fan for 20 minutes.

6. Cook from frozen in the oven at 170º fan for 25-30 minutes.

(I’ve included some affiliate links within the recipes for some of the equipment I like to use.)

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This is cross over post with (my other publication)

Food is such an intrinsic part of human experience through the ages. What people ate on high days and holidays or just during a normal week was an integral part of their lives. Just as chocolate eggs or hot cross buns signify Easter for us nowadays. It’s only in the past 100 years or so that we’ve had such a wide variety of choice and not had to worry too much about seasonality. What people ate in the past was dependent on the whims of nature and they were at the mercy of the harvest. So, of course, their fields were blessed with ceremonies and sacrifices real or representative and feasts held in the honour of a successful harvest with their own traditions, songs and particular dishes. In this sporadic series I’m going to explore the ‘Food of the Folk’.

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Starting with Maid of Honour Tarts, also know as Richmond tarts:

Said to have been served to Anne Boleyn and the Maids of Honour whilst she was lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon. King Henry VIII tried one and was said to be so delighted that he had the recipe kept secret & declared that the tarts should only be made for the Royal Court. The recipe made its way into the public domain by the early eighteenth century.

Traditionally made with cheese curds (of Little Miss Muffet fame) - cottage cheese punched through a sieve makes a good substitute.

Historically all cheese was seasonal, calves were born in the Spring so that was when the milk was available for cheese making. Producing curds and whey is the first step in the process and curd cheese would not have kept long before refrigeration. Therefore Maids of Honour Tarts would have been a seasonal spring time treat.

Ingredients:

• 225g puff pastry

• Grated rind of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp apricots jam

• 50g ground almonds

• 225g cottage cheese

• 2 eggs

• 75g caster sugar

• 1 tbsp brandy

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºc and grease a couple of 12 hole muffin/cake trays.

2. Roll out the puff pastry (or use ready rolled like I did) and cut out rounds large enough to fit in your muffin trays holes.

3. Spoon a little of the apricot jam into every case.

4. Push the cottage cheese through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl.

5. Mix in the caster sugar, ground almonds and lemon rind.

6. Beat eggs and brandy together and then mix into the curd mixture until well blended.

7. Fill each pastry case with the curd mixture,

8. Bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes until well risen and puffy.

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These buttery bread rolls are a versatile staple in my kitchen. I tend to make up a big batch (double the recipe below) at the weekend for the whole family to eat throughout the week. I always freeze some so they’ll last us (otherwise we’d be too tempted to eat them all fresh out of the oven with lashings of jam!) Some I’ll fill with cooked chicken, ham or cheese and others I’ll leave plain to be eaten with soups or used as burger buns. To freeze the filled rolls I wrap them individually in cling film and then pop them in a freezer bag. My kids then take one out each morning to put in their lunch boxes and they defrost by lunchtime.

They are fairly simple to make, you just need to factor the proving time into your day.

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Ingredients:

• 250ml semi-skimmed milk

• 50g unsalted butter

• 2 eggs (whisked) - set one tbsp aside for the glaze

• 500g strong white bread flour

• 1.5 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• 2 tsp fast action dried yeast

Method:

1. Add all the butter and half the milk into a small saucepan on a low heat. Heat through until the butter has melted then take off the heat.

2. Pour the remaining milk into the butter and milk mixture (this is to lower the temperature).

3. Add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl (I use an electric stand mixer).

4. Pour the milk and butter mixture and the whisked eggs (set aside a table spoon of the egg mixture for the glaze) into the dry ingredients.

5. Stir until everything is combined then begin to knead the dough. I use the dough hook on my stand mixer for around 8 minutes (you could also knead by hand for around 10 minutes).

6. Put the dough into an oiled bowl (or leave in the stand mixer bowl if using) then cover the top of the bowl with oiled clingfilm or a beeswax wrap and leave to prove for around an hour (or when doubled in size) This will depend on the temperature of the room you are proving the dough in.

7. Once the dough has double in size punch down the dough (to release the air) then place the dough on a floured surface. I like to knead it for a few second to get it into a workable shape. Then divide your dough into rolls. Sizing is up to you. I like to make around 12 per batch.

8. Place the shaped dough into a baking parchment covered baking tin (I like to use a roasting tin with deep sides). Then re-cover the rolls with the cling film for their second prove. They should double in size, again this depends on the temperature of the room but it generally takes around 40mins to an hour.

9. Once fully proved brush the top of the rolls with the tbsp of set aside egg.

10. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180ºc (fan). Keep an eye on on them as they can bake quite quickly. They should be golden brown and shiny when done.

11. Remove from oven and let them cool in the tin. I like to cover them with a clean tea-towel while they’re cooling which keeps them nice and soft.

12. Enjoy!

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So, I do have another Substack (@folklorefieldwork) which focuses on another subject almost entirely! However, I have posted the odd ‘Food of The Folk’ video over there. With this separate Substack publication I want to expound upon my love for cooking further without the added ‘folklore’ element. I do hope to throw in the odd ‘Food of the Folk’ post here and there which I intend to cross post over both publications. But, the primary subject of this Substack will be batch cooking and cupboard staple recipes (which is what I cook in ‘real life’ most of the time) - so I suppose it is the food of my folks in the present day.

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What am I doing here?

If you have found me through Substack then hello 👋 you may be wondering what this is all about. Over on my TikTok account (@me.tahnee - Batch Cooking & Money Saving) I have been posting videos about how I batch cook and use cupboard staples to stretch my food budget. The recipes I use are pretty straight forward and I have a very fussy family who will only eat certain foods (hello neurodivergence!) so I thought it would be sensible to have a place where I can share written recipes and explain processes in more detail than a 60 second video allows.

What will I post?

If cooking simple meals on a budget is your kids of thing then I’d love for you to subscribe.

Free tier subscribers will get:

• Short posts once/twice per week with recipes for all the meals and snacks I make over on TikTok.

• The ability to comment on all my posts.Readers love clarity.

Paid subscribers will get:

• Access to my 20 page guide on ‘How to Start Batch Cooking’ (once published).

• A members only chat group with weekly discussions about: recipes, money saving tips, the best places to shop, Q&A’s and more.

• Regular members only posts.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you! I’ll begin posing recipes shortly, beginning with the most requested (over on TikTok) buttery bread rolls, pictured above 👆