I've been staying with my parents over easter, leaving in a couple of days, and I've put a bit of weight on because of all the delicious food they seem to always have in the fridge.

So once I get back I'm going to try and eat less snacks etc. The only problem is I can't afford the healthy stuff I eat while I'm here either (so no more exotic fruit for me ). Back to basics from Morrisons. And its always tempting when you see the "2 18 packs of Penguin Biscuits for £2.50" or whatever they have on offer just to eat crap all the time.
Me and a couple of my housemates have decided to start cooking on a rota because it takes up so much time, and so now I feel extra pressure to cook proper tasty meals.

So this is mainly a thread for people who have to cook for themselves on a budget.
I was just wondering, does anyone have any "Holy Grail" type recipies, ingrediants and tips for cheap and healthy meals that don't take THAT long to cook?
Anything you swear by that can make meals more interesting and doesn't go off after 3 days (we also have a tiny fridge so cupboard stuff is great)?
Where do you go to buy cheap and healthy food?

I don't think I can take pasta and tomatoe sauce every night anymore......

i used to do a lot of curries. usually had dried/canned lentils/beans/chickpeas, coconut milk, tomato cans and spices in the cupboard and onion, garlic, ginger and chiles in the fridge at all times, and just bought whatever fresh vegetables i could afford that day (sometimes even just a couple of potatoes. coconut&potato curry is yum). served with rice and something fresh (couldn't always afford making a salad, so sometimes just some fresh fruit or some tomato wedges). leftovers last for a while in the fridge and tastes even better reheated.

then i got sick of that and haven't eaten it for a year. but it was my favorite cheap food back then. very easy and effortless to do, endless possibilities for variation and usually came out good no matter what i did to it (only had to throw it out once. mustard seeds gone bad i think. man, that was vile).

That sounds tasty. It would make a difference from my constant stir frys. Because they only meat I really like is chicked breast meat which is expensive I don't have it that often. I hate cheap meat.

That sounds a little like this gorgeous potatoe curry recipe my friend got from his mum. He makes the best samoses as well but I think if he found out I posted either recipe he'd have me killed.

I know he puts alot of mustard, cumin and other seeds in oil, throws in some potatoe and peas and then adds some water and leaves it to cook for a while. And I think he adds ketchup or something weird like that. It means saving on cream and coconut milk etc.

I wish my mum could cook and teach me things............

Oh and I agree garlic is a definate must. The one things I always have.

drink water. it's free and really really good for you. lol

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im a big fan of stir fried foods (wok food). its really easy and cheap and can hardly go worng unless you burn it.

usually i use normal 'salad' vegetables (like salads, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, pebberfruits) and stirfry them in curry, paprika, salt and pebber. and if i want to get fancy ill add some sort of meat, usually chicken.

and healthy food really arent as expensive as you think, i used to think vegetables and fruits were hella expensive but youll eat a lot less because the fibers fill you up way earlier than cookies does.

im getting all hungry again and i just ate