Budget Meals

The other week one of the Current Affair programs had a story on making budget meals for the family. As usual, a lot of the meals (I felt) were rubbish. Full of carbs and processed foods.

A store here in Australia, NQR, claimed that they could feed a family of 4 for $80 a week.  I watched the program and thought something was a bit 'amiss'.  So I got onto the website, and had a good look at what NQR was actually promoting.  I read the fine print.  And guess what? That $80 didn't include FRESH FRUIT OR VEGETABLES OR MEAT.
What the heck??? What amount of processed foods are you spending $80 on a week then????
It made me really annoyed, because I know that a lot of people who are feeling the financial squeeze would turn to the website in hope of feeding their family for cheaper.

I, myself buy most of our groceries from Safeway.  I find that Coles is a lot more expensive for the items that I purchase.
For meat, I use the wholesale butcher here on the peninsua.
For my fresh produce I use a farm out in Boneo (only a 10 minute drive for me) which harvests it's produce itself, and has a little shop onsite.  You literally can watch the wheelbarrows of produce being wheeled in, washed down and wheeled into the shop still dripping wet.  Now THAT is freshness for you and now I refuse to buy anything from supermarkets unless I absolutely HAVE to.

I'd like to start a collection of healthy budget meals in a notebook I have here.  It's difficult to eat both heathily and cheaply, and unfortunately eating frozen pies can sometimes be cheaper than eating a salad. (Sad, isnt it?)

Anyway, regardless of my disdain for the budget meals report, I DID try a budget recipe from their website tonight.  It's a little high in fat considering the cream and butter but as a 'sometimes' quick meal, it's not bad.  Tasted rather good actually.  And instead of using meatballs, you could always substitute them for mushrooms or similar.

Swedish Meatballs and Noodles

1 pack of meatballs, cooked and kept warm
1 pack of spiral pasta
2tbl flour
3tbl butter
1/2c cream
1c beef stock
salt/pepper/paprika
2tbl soy sauce
mustard to taste (optional)

1. Put the pasta on to cook
2. Melt butter in a saucepan
3. Add flour and cook until combined
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook until thick
5. Combine the drained pasta, meatballs and sauce together and serve.

(I paraphrased this recipe but the link can be found here)