Mum-of-two reveals how she makes 65p meals for family with bulk cooking tips
NO matter how hard we try, whenever we set foot in a supermarket - our plans to stick solely to the shopping list goes right out of the window.
Well if anyone is going to convince us to start cracking down on our weekly shops, it's mum-of-two Kaitie Purssell.
Speaking to , Kaitie revealed how she can cook a whole MONTH'S worth of meals for her family in just seven hours - and she even goes as far as making her own snacks too.
The Australian mum works as 's meal prep expert and recently taught fellow mum Brielle Mitchell how she can feed her family-of-three for as little as £1.95 (65p per serving).
Kaitie explained: "Being a Meal Prep Queen means I love playing around with budgets, seeing where I can save a couple of dollars, making modifications and really pushing myself to stick to a tight budget."
But how did Kaitie help Brielle create her 65p meals? Well, it's a combination of shopping smart, good time management and cooking recipes with shared ingredients.
Breaking down every step, the thrifty mum-of-two said you should start by looking at what's on offer at your local supermarket and plan a few meals around any irresistible bargains.
For instance, this could mean buying several packets of discounted mincemeat to make chilli, spaghetti Bolognese and meatballs - just be sure to cook everything before the expiry date and freeze your portions in good time.
And although it's tempting to only ever buy chicken breast fillets, Kaitie recommends buying some cheaper cuts of meat.
She added: "They tend to be best friends with your slow cooker."
Kaitie's Bulk Cooking Tips
- Cook recipes with similar ingredients
- Freeze what you can - whether this is leftovers or fruit that's gone a bit soft
- Buy cheaper cuts of meat
- Bulk buy ingredients when they're on offer
- Meal prep around what appliances you have in the kitchen
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Another way to cut costs is by incorporating some vegetarian meals into your weekly shop - as meat drives the bill up.
"Try adding a vegetarian meal or two to your day," she said. "And do your grocery shop online to avoid those irresistible impulse buys!"
And if you find you're not getting through all your fruit and veg before it starts going soft, Kaitie always cuts hers up and freezes them in sandwich bags to use in recipes later.
When a recipe doesn't require the full tin of coconut milk, stock or chopped tomatoes, the mum always pours hers into an ice cube tray before transferring them into a sandwich bag when they're frozen.
So if you fancy trying out some batch cooking for yourself, Kaitie said it's important to start small.
"If you're spending a day at home why not have a meal bubbling away in the slow cooker," she said. "But don't eat it for dinner that night — cool it, portion it up and freeze it."
She also recommended dipping your toe in the water by making double portions of dinner and freezing half for a later date.
But above all, Kaitie stressed: "Make a meal plan, write a shopping list and stick to it."
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