Feed your family for 20 a week with Lorna Cooper's fast, filling family food

Publish date: 2024-02-16

IT’S possible to cut your food bill and save time in the kitchen ­–­ when you know how.

Feed Your Family For £20 A Week – In A Hurry by Lorna Cooper has more than 100 new budget-friendly recipes, and best of all, the meals can all be prepared in under 20 minutes.

As a busy mum of three, Lorna understands how difficult it is to keep the whole family fed on a budget, and to find the time to cook wholesome meals while dealing with the pressures of everyday life.

Lorna published her first book, Feed Your Family for £20 A Week, in January last year, which was a huge success.

Her second book follows the same thrifty principles — but makes sure all the recipes take less than half an hour too.

Lorna, who lives in Paisley, Renfrewshire, with her husband John, 53, and their children, started streamlining the amount of money she was spending on food after hurting her back in 2014 and being unable to work.

Shop smartly

She realised that she couldn’t justify the £100-a-week family food bill and vowed to cut corners but didn’t want to compromise on the meals she was serving up.

Lorna, now 44, says: “In order to feed your family for £20 a week, you will need to shop smartly as well as shopping around.

“Not everyone has the time to do this, but I do my shopping at a handful of supermarkets and budget stores depending on what they have on offer.

“I know that might sound like a lot of effort, but you get out what you put in!

“That said, if you don’t have the time to shop around, you can still save a lot of money by bulk cooking, batch freezing, reusing leftovers and storing fresh ingredients smartly. All of this will make sure that you don’t waste a single thing you pay for at the till.”

Now, in an exclusive three-part Sun series, we show you how to make all the meals from Week One of her plan. Today we save up her delicious dinner recipes.

Lorna's 7-day menu

WE’RE bringing you all the breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes from the first week of Lorna’s meal plan over the next few days.

Here’s what’s in store:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Shop around

WHEN it comes to food shopping, people tend to shop either in one place for everything or in multiple places for the best prices. Well, you know what I do: I shop around, always!

But that doesn’t mean I spend hours and hours every week scouring the shops for bargains. I split it up. So, instead of going to each shop each week, I spend an hour each week in a different shop.

One week I go to the supermarket and buy four weeks’ worth of items that are the cheapest there.

The following week I go to the freezer shop and buy a months’ worth of the items that are cheapest there.

The week after that I go to the market to bulk-buy fresh veg. And the final week I go to the bargain shops and buy the items they have on offer.

Every two or three months I go to the Asian supermarket and buy a huge sack of rice and spices.

It will take a while to work out which shops in your area have the cheapest cheapest items but once you’ve got the knack, it is much easier – and cheaper – to shop this way.

In my book you’ll find a shopping list that covers eight weeks’ worth of meals.

The reason I shop for eight weeks is that it gives us the opportunity to use a wide variety of ingredients, and helps us take advantage of the cheapest prices by bulk-buying and it keeps those bills under £20 a week.

However, below are the items you’ll need just for week one.

Shopping list

THIS is what you’ll need to make everything in Lorna’s 7-day meal plan, in addition to the store cupboard essentials you already have.

FROZEN FOODS

DRY GROCERIES

FRESH FRUIT & VEG

BAKERY

MEAT & POULTRY

DAIRY

Broccoli cheese soup

4 mins prep
14 mins cooking
Serves 4 + 4 leftover portions

YOU NEED:

METHOD:

  • Melt the butter in a large soup pot over a medium-low eat.
  • Add the onions, garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
  • Stir to combine, then cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions have softened and are just starting to turn golden.
  • Add the broccoli and potato to the pot and stir. Pour in the water. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
  • Cook for another 4–7 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and easily pierced by a fork and the potato is soft.
  • Blend the soup with a hand blender until smooth.
  • Add almost all of the grated cheese (reserve a small handful) and stir until melted.
  • Taste carefully – it’s hot – and stir in more cheese if you’d like a more indulgent flavour/creamy texture and more salt and/or pepper for extra kick.
  • Divide the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese, plus some chopped chives and/or more chilli flakes, if desired. Serve with a part-baked baguette.

    • White fish & colcannon

    5 mins prep
    10 mins cooking
    Serves 4

    YOU NEED:

    METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas 7.
  • Cut out four squares of baking paper.
  • Halve one of the fish fillets (for the kids) and then add one fillet to the centre of each piece of baking paper.
  • Put 10g of butter on each fillet, along with half a teaspoon of thyme and a lemon quarter.
  • Season with salt and pepper, then fold the paper over and make a parcel by twisting the top.
  • Put on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, then fry the diced bacon for 2 minutes.
  • Add the remaining butter and the cabbage to the bacon pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  • Tip the (drained and rinsed) butter beans into the bacon and cabbage, and roughly mash with a potato masher.
  • Stir thoroughly, then add the cream (and a splash of water, milk or extra cream as needed, for the desired consistency) and heat through.
  • Remove the fish from the oven and serve over or alongside the butter bean colcannon.

    • Tuscan chicken pasta

    5 mins prep
    15 mins cooking
    Serves 4 + 4 leftover portions

    YOU NEED:

    METHOD:

    TIP: Remember to save half of this in the freezer for another day. Just defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating and eating.

    Mexican rice

    5 mins prep
    20 mins cooking
    10 mins resting
    Serves 4 + 4 leftover portions

    YOU NEED:

    METHOD:

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, coriander and chilli powder, stir briefly, then add the onion. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the rice, stock, salt and tomato puree. Stir until the tomato puree has dissolved, then add the mixed veg.
  • Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low so that the stock is simmering gently.
  • Cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed (tilt the pot carefully to check).
  • Remove from the heat, leave the lid on and rest for 10 minutes. This is very important as the residual liquid on the surface of the rice will be absorbed and the rice will go from sticky to fluffy.
  • Fluff with a fork and serve.

    • Beef stroganoff

    2 mins prep
    16 mins cooking
    Serves 4

    YOU NEED:

    METHOD:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and all of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, until the butter starts to foam.
  • Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until it starts to soften.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Transfer the contents of the pan to a heatproof bowl. Place the pan back over the heat and turn the heat up to high.
  • Drizzle the strips of steak with the remaining tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and place in the hot pan, in a single layer. Cook for 1 minute, then turn the strips over and cook for a further 30 seconds.
  • Add the onion and mushrooms back to the pan, and lower to a medium-low heat.
  • Pour in the double cream, followed by the sour cream. Stir and slowly heat through until the sauce is hot and the sauce at the edge of the pan is just starting to bubble (don’t let it boil). Turn off the heat.
  • Spoon the stroganoff over cooked rice or pasta, and serve with a sprinkle of paprika.

    • Save thyme and money

    I’LL start this off by saying I am not much of a gardener, but I also hate spending money on things that I don’t need to spend money on.

    A few years ago I bought myself lots of fresh herb pots from the supermarket and replanted them into a long trough that now lives on my kitchen windowsill.

    I make sure to water my herbs daily and pick the leaves in the morning when they are at their best – always pick a mix of small and larger leaves so as not to deplete the plant.

    There are plenty of guides online on how to look after herb gardens, but the most common herbs are actually really easy to look after.

    There is also something really satisfying about producing something to eat yourself and, of course, it saves you money!

    For the initial cost of a few pounds you can have fresh herbs all year or, even better, if you know someone who already grows their own herbs, ask them for a few cuttings.

    The herbs I used in my new book are basil, coriander, chives and parsley. I’d also recommend rosemary, thyme, mint and oregano.

    How to store food right

    STORING your food right means less waste and more money saved. Here are my tips.

    POTATOES: These should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place – preferably in a paper sack or cloth bag.

    They should NEVER be stored near onions as this can cause them to sprout. Also, putting an apple in with the potatoes helps to keep them fresh.

    GARLIC: This can be stored in the same way as potatoes, but the easiest way to keep garlic fresh is to throw the peeled cloves in a food processor with a little water and then freeze the puree in an ice cube tray.

    Once frozen, you can pop the cubes out and save them in a freezer bag.

    GINGER: Can be frozen as is, then just cut off what you need when you need it, popping the rest straight back into the freezer.

    ONIONS: These can be chopped and frozen, but will also keep for months if you put them into the leg of an old pair of sheer tights. Simply pop one in and then twist the tights before adding another.

    Challenge yourself and see how many you can fit in one leg! Tie with string and hang up somewhere cool, dry and dark.

    SPRING ONIONS: These are best stored with the roots in a small amount of water in a glass. Stick the glass on the windowsill next to your homegrown herbs.

    Sausage chilli with creamy chive crushed potatoes

    5 mins prep
    15 mins cooking
    Serves 4

    YOU NEED:

    METHOD:

  • Put the potatoes on to boil for 10 minutes, until tender.
  • Meanwhile, squeeze three balls of meat from each sausage (discarding the skins), then fry in the oil for 5 minutes, until lightly browned all over.
  • Add the peppers and veg to the pan with the meatballs, then fry for 4 minutes more.
  • Tip in the garlic and spices, fry for 1 minute, then mix in the beans (drained and rinsed), tomatoes and sugar.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the saucy and meatballs are cooked.
  • Meanwhile, drain the potatoes, then mash in the pan. Fold through the yoghurt and chives, loosen with a splash of water, then serve with the sausage chilli.

    • Slow cooker peanut chicken

    10 mins prep
    4 hours cooking
    Serves 4

    YOU NEED:

    METHOD:

  • Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly.
  • Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
  • Serve with rice, cooked as per packet instructions.

    • My top hacks to save time

    FREEZING MEAT: When you buy meat that you are going to freeze, have a think about how you will be cooking it and which dishes you are going to use it for. If you are making a curry, dice the chicken before freezing it to save time later on.

    ROASTING VEG: If you intend on roasting fresh veg, including potatoes, then make sure you parboil them first for minimal oven time. And while you’re doing that, heat the roasting tray and oil in the oven to make maximum use of your 20 minutes.

    SLOW COOKING: For a quick and easy mid-week dinner, your slow cooker is key. Invest some time in the evening to prep the ingredients for the next day’s dinner and put them in the fridge. Tip into the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a tasty ready-made meal in the evening.

    PASTA WITH VEG: If you are cooking pasta and adding veg to the dish, cook the pasta and veg together in the one pan – less washing up at the other end!

    Most read in Fabulous

    PANCAKES: Prepare pancake batter the night before and store in the fridge overnight – this works for Yorkshire puds, too.

    READ MORE SUN STORIES

    VEG PREP: Fresh veg and potatoes can be peeled and prepped the night before and stored in a pot with cold water and a lid. Just refresh the water in the morning and again before cooking in the evening.

    STALE BREAD: Blitz the outside slices of a loaf or any bread going stale in the food processor and freeze for handy breadcrumbs.

    Get 50% off Lorna's book

    ENJOY Lorna Cooper’s Feed Your Family For £20 A Week – In a Hurry! for half-price at just £8.49.

    The cookbook includes over 100 new budget-friendly recipes, from Tuscan Chicken Pasta to Philly Cheese Steak and Peanut Butter Cookies, which can be prepared in under 20 minutes for under £20-per-week.

    Never has saving time and money been so easy with Lorna’s savvy shopping tips and clever shortcuts.

    Pre-order online at whsmith.co.uk by adding the book to your basket, then entering the code 60133175 in the promo code box at checkout.

    Mom shares thrifty recipes to cook dinner for five people for just $3 a meal

    GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk

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