A frugal mother has revealed how she cooks 24 dinners for less than £20.
Heidi Ondrak, 51, of Plymouth, used TikTok to advise her 39,000 followers on how to save money on grocery expenditures.
In the clip, she said that she had even looked up wartime recipes to locate the most cost-effective meals.
The mother swears by meal planning and uses spreadsheets to assist her select where to buy her groceries depending on savings.
“I created this meal plan to try and help other individuals who may be looking for ideas for family meals on a budget,” she explained.
Heidi prefers “good old-fashioned plain cuisine” and balances it all out with enough protein, carbs, and fats, as well as lots of vegetables.
“I checked the Trussell Trust (food bank) website for typical food parcel contents and I think the corn beef hash could be produced using packet dried mash and the pasta dishes could also be done with food bank items,” she explained.
Heidi says she limits her meat consumption to one chicken-based dish, one sausage meal, and bacon as an addition to her pasta.
She continued, saying: “In Sainsbury’s, I also weigh loose veggies rather than buying the pre-packaged multi-pack.
“I got a large bag of pasta because it was less expensive per pound and I could use it for two spaghetti dinners.”
Heidi stated: “I’m just a mom trying to make ends meet like everyone else; I don’t have a panacea for this terrible issue or the imminent energy price increases.
“I think our level of life has been so high for so long that this is a shock, but we are also wasteful; all of the ideas I give make me more sustainable while also being frugal solutions.”
Here’s a complete breakdown of Heidi’s meals, including prices per item:
Jacket potatoes and green beans
£1 = four baked potatoes
98p for two cans of beans
The frog in the hole
£1.49 for sausages
flour from the pantry
40p for three eggs
a splash of milk from the refrigerator
Noodles from China
Chicken = £1.79 Egg noodles = £1.79
49p for a spring onion
40p = broccoli
Good luck with cooking.