A tight budget forces you to be more frugal. For example, slightly stale bread can be used in a myriad of dishes rather than being thrown out. It can be toasted and sliced up to make croutons, which can add a bit of crunch to just about every variety of soup.
Bread can also be used to make French toast - also known as eggy bread or pain perdu, which translates as "lost bread".
This is made simply by dipping bread in beaten egg and lightly frying it. The bread can then be served plain as a savoury snack or sprinkled with sugar to make a sweet dish.
Another use for leftover bread is to make breadcrumbs. All you need to do is crumble the slices in a food processor, blitz them for a few seconds and freeze until they are needed.
Breadcrumbs can be used to make mincemeat bind more easily when making homemade burgers.
Of course, budget recipes and cooking tips extend far beyond innovative uses for leftover slices of bread.
If you have roast lamb for the traditional Sunday lunch, the unused meat can be used the next day to make a hearty stew or a spicy lamb curry.
To make curry, lightly fry an onion, along with some sliced peppers and other vegetables. Add coconut milk and your favoured mix of spices such as garam masala, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and black pepper.
If you want to bring a little colour to the dish, add a dash of tomato puree and mix well before adding the lamb to reheat.
When it is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has reduced slightly, serve with boiled rice.
Leftover meat from a Sunday lunch can also be used to make packed lunches to take to work or school.
By filling a wrap with the meat, some mixed salad leaves and a little salsa not only do you get to enjoy a delicious snack during the day, but you can also save a lot of money.
Fruit that is approaching the "use by" date can be given a new lease of life by blending it with a little yoghurt and honey to make a healthy breakfast smoothie.
Learning to use leftovers rather than throwing them away is a great way to cook when you are on a budget. Not only can you save money, you can create some wonderful food.
Bread can also be used to make French toast - also known as eggy bread or pain perdu, which translates as "lost bread".
This is made simply by dipping bread in beaten egg and lightly frying it. The bread can then be served plain as a savoury snack or sprinkled with sugar to make a sweet dish.
Another use for leftover bread is to make breadcrumbs. All you need to do is crumble the slices in a food processor, blitz them for a few seconds and freeze until they are needed.
Breadcrumbs can be used to make mincemeat bind more easily when making homemade burgers.
Of course, budget recipes and cooking tips extend far beyond innovative uses for leftover slices of bread.
If you have roast lamb for the traditional Sunday lunch, the unused meat can be used the next day to make a hearty stew or a spicy lamb curry.
To make curry, lightly fry an onion, along with some sliced peppers and other vegetables. Add coconut milk and your favoured mix of spices such as garam masala, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and black pepper.
If you want to bring a little colour to the dish, add a dash of tomato puree and mix well before adding the lamb to reheat.
When it is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has reduced slightly, serve with boiled rice.
Leftover meat from a Sunday lunch can also be used to make packed lunches to take to work or school.
By filling a wrap with the meat, some mixed salad leaves and a little salsa not only do you get to enjoy a delicious snack during the day, but you can also save a lot of money.
Fruit that is approaching the "use by" date can be given a new lease of life by blending it with a little yoghurt and honey to make a healthy breakfast smoothie.
Learning to use leftovers rather than throwing them away is a great way to cook when you are on a budget. Not only can you save money, you can create some wonderful food.
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