Economical meat cuts
Meat cuts that go a long way and feed many are things like chicken fillet, chicken drumsticks, bacon, ham steaks, ground beef and silver side. Using a slow cooker to combine meats with vegetables and other delicious ingredients, these meals can often be stretched to the next day.
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CHICKEN
Chicken is cheap and versatile. It can be cooked up in lots of different ways and partners perfectly with so many other ingredients. Chicken fillets and drumsticks are good value for money. The fillets can go in the slow cooker, baked, roasted or pan fried. They are great for making schnitzels using a little egg and bread crumbs and then after they're cooked, pop them under the grill topped with cheese and tomato for a simple parmigiana. Chicken drumsticks are always a hit with the kids and you can use the left over bones with bits of skin, meat and gristle to make delicious (healthy and free) stock for soup.
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GROUND BEEF
Using ground beef in stews, casseroles, spaghetti bolognese and pasta is a clever way of making a meal go a long way. There will almost always be left overs for the next day. Opt for lean ground beef for a healthier option and add vegetables, gravy and tomato sauce for a delicious, easy and hearty meal the whole family will love. Serve stews with pasta or mashed potato to feed an army.
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BACON
To make the most of bacon and make large meals with it, focus on egg based recipes. Things like egg and bacon pie, quiche and omelets. With a kilo of bacon, you can potentially make up to 4 - 5 large egg and bacon pies and bacon freezes well, so it will keep for a few months in the freezer. Adding bacon, onion and capsicum to omelets really gets the taste buds working and they are filling to. Eggs are so full of protein, they will keep you feeling full for longer.
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BEEF SILVER SIDE
Silver side is another economical cut of meat. It's reasonably priced and can go straight into the slow cooker for 4 hours and dinner is done and there will usually be left overs for sandwiches the next day. The kids will fall in love with silver side and tomato sauce sandwiches and will be begging you to make it again. Serve silver side with roast or steamed veggies and gravy for a nice Sunday style roast meal. It also pairs well with coleslaw and beetroot.
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HOME COOKING
Involve the kids and make it a fun way to spend time together. There are literally millions of free Youtube videos that show you how to cook anything step by step at your own leisure. If you're not confident in the kitchen, start with easy meals but never be afraid to have a go at something you've never tried before. You may surprise yourself and when you do stumble across something you had success with, you then have one more recipe in your arsenal to feed your family.