Six dishes to save money and eat well
The post-holiday budget crunch is here and, after the Christmas celebrations, it might be time to cut costs. To achieve this, we must focus on what we consume on a daily basis. That's why we're here with a number of ideas for inexpensive dishes that will save you money and have you eating well.
Eating delicious, healthy food on a budget can be done! The key is to choose good foods and adjust quantities so that nothing goes to waste. Of course, in the event there are any leftovers, there are many different options to store your food and keep it in the best possible condition until you can eat it. Whether in the fridge or freezer, our advice is to choose good quality containers, preferably glass, that do not absorb odours and that have an airtight or vacuum-seal lid to protect your leftovers properly.
With that, let's get to the dishes!
1. Vegetable medallions with yoghurt sauce and salad
Our first suggestion is a very simple and healthy dish. They're are our GRÖNSAKSKAKA medallions, made from potato, broccoli, leek, onion and cheese. We recommend it as a starter paired with a delicious yoghurt sauce and a salad — perfect if you're looking for a vegetarian dish — but they're also wonderful as a side with meat or fish.
Because they're frozen, just heat up however many you'd like and store the rest for later. That way, you can perfectly adjust your portions depending on how many people are dining with you, so you don't waste a single bite.
As for the sauce, you can make it at home with a natural Greek yoghurt, spices (black pepper, garlic powder etc.), salt, a bit of lemon and some chopped herbs, such as dill. If you only have regular yoghurt, add a bit extra-virgin olive oil to make it thicker. Add these ingredients to your liking, mix well, and you're ready to go! It's the perfect way to pair the medallions and the salad. And the best thing is you'll feel like you're at a restaurant without leaving the comfort of your home — and for a fraction of the price!
2. Plant-based "kebab" with plant balls
If you're a kebab fan, here's a more affordable and sustainable option that you can also make at home in a flash. To do this, all you need is our KNÅDA bread baking mix, HUVUDROLL plant balls (which, in addition to being tasty, have a much smaller carbon footprint than meatballs) and whatever vegetables you like that you have at home. For a more impressive and nutritious result, we recommend you fill your kebab with different-coloured vegetables, such as beetroot, cauliflower, carrots or spinach.
To make the bread, just add 200 ml of warm water and 50 ml of oil to the bag, knead, divide it into servings (it makes up to six) and cook in a pan. It'll be ready with hardly any dirty dishes to clean!
The next step is to cook the plant balls. Since they're frozen, you can choose the amount you need and save the rest. You can cook them in a microwave, oven or pan—whichever you prefer! Once this is done, just assemble the kebab with the other vegetables to create a delicious dish. You can garnish it with yoghurt sauce, like the one in the previous recipe, or any other sauce you like or have at home: tomato, ketchup, mustard… We're sure that you'll go for seconds!
3. Marinated herring toast
What's handier and more sustainable than preserved foods? They are an ultra-nutritious pantry staple that can come in handy when you don't have much time to cook. In this case, we recommend SILL INLAGD, our marinated herring with onion and carrot, but you can use any other tinned fish you have at home, such as sardines, tuna or mackerel.
At IKEA, we're committed to sustainability, so our SILL INLAGD herring complies with the international MSC standard. This means that it comes from more sustainable fishing, taking care of both our health and that of the planet. What do you think?
To create this dish, which can be served as a mid-morning snack, appetiser or afternoon nibble, you'll need the following: toasted bread, cream cheese, cooked potato, tinned fish and dill or another aromatic herb.
The first step is to spread a layer of cream cheese to taste, then top with cooked potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, the fish and finally a bit of dill. What do you think? With very simple ingredients, you'll have a quick, nutrient-rich dish to get on with your day.
4. Salmon and cod balls with mashed potatoes
The base of this dish will be mashed potatoes, a simple recipe that can accompany lots of dishes and that's as east as cooking some potatoes, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and mashing them with a bit of butter and milk until the desired texture is achieved. If you don't like them too thick, you can add water.
Due to its smooth texture, this type of mashed potato pairs perfectly with bolder flavours such as fish. That's why we've chosen our salmon and cod balls, which are frozen, just like the plant balls, so you can cook them in the microwave, pan or oven. In addition, they also comply with the international MSC standard on sustainability and the global ASC standard for sustainable fish farming.
Once cooked, simply serve them warm on top of the mashed potatoes and add some aromatic herbs as a finishing touch. You'll soon have a five-star dish!
5. Muesli bars
If you need an energetic snack at a good price, muesli bars can be a great option. We recommend that you prepare them at home with our HJÄLTEROLL granola mix. It's baked and made with a base of oatmeal, wheat flakes and rye flakes, as well as nuts and dried berries.
Although you can eat muesli as-is or mix it with yoghurt, milk and/or fruit, here we're going to explain how to turn it into bars, which are much more practical to take to work or school. To do this, aside from the muesli, you'll need two bananas and four tablespoons of date paste or honey.
The first thing you'll need to do is mash the bananas with a fork and mix them with the date paste or honey until you get an even mixture. Then you'll need to repeat the process with the muesli.
Once this is done, the next step is to place the mixture in a baking dish lined with parchment paper and bake it for approximately 25 minutes at 180ºC. When it's ready , divide it into however many portions you wish. Now all that's left is to enjoy!
6. Porridge with cocoa and fruit
Want a delicious and inexpensive breakfast? Then this is for you! You just need water, oats, cocoa powder and whatever fruit you like. If you opt for our HJÄLTEROLL oats, which also contain seeds and quinoa, just mix 100 ml of the oats with 150 ml of water and heat it in the microwave for a minute and a half or two minutes at maximum power. You may have to stir it from time to time until you get the desired porridge texture.
When you've achieved the right consistency, add a teaspoon of cocoa powder and mix again. And as a final step, top with fruit. We've opted for orange and pomegranate, but it would also be great with banana, apple or strawberries. So choose whatever you have on hand. As you'll see, this is a warm and nutrient-filled breakfast, perfect to take on January's cold weather.
What do you think about these dishes? We hope they've helped make the post-Christmas budget crunch a bit more bearable. Above all, remember that no matter which recipes you choose, it's essential that you store your food properly so that nothing goes to waste.
As an extra, here's a selection of articles on the subject that may be useful to optimise your meals as much as possible. Both your wallet and the planet will thank you.
We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But do remember, any modifications or changes that you make to IKEA products will prevent them from being resold or used for their original purpose, thus invalidating IKEA product warranties and your right to return them.
