I’ve totally had some times in life where I have been super skint, the kind of skint where you’re choosing between toilet rolls or teabags! I remember when I first lived in NZ, we ate a lot of soup!

One of my online friends at the moment is having a skint time. She’s out of work so getting by on Newstart and let me tell you it’s bloody hard. Not just from a financial point of view but from a kick in the guts point of view. It seems that Centrelink and the government have some funny ideas of how to NOT support people and instead get them to drive miles to sit around doing nothing under the guise of helping out in the community. It’s all fairly shocking and horrible. Unfortunately too there seems to be a fair bit of judgement around people on Centrelink and much advice from people who reckon they have life all worked out… Y’know, if you just did this and did this. It ain’t so simple.

But also I must add it’s not all doom and gloom. My friend is a creative sort and fills her days with creative pursuits that also entertain us. She also makes some good nosh. I think things will look up for her soon. I do!

We were having an online banter this morning about how everyone suggests tuna when you’re skint!!! Gahhhh! I mean it’s probably okay sometimes but gawd! So I said, I tell you what, I might write a blog post on what to eat if you’re skint.

This might not be for everyone, yep I know you need to buy ingredients, I know not everyone is into vegetarian but it might give some ideas.

Top tip… EAT THE LEFTOVERS! I used to be like totally weird about leftovers. I was like ugh nahhhh. I’ve totally changed. Lunch the next day, dinner the next day. Yup.

Ok first thing is you can’t be super fussy. I know it’s super shit when you’re skint and just want to have what you want but sometimes it’s just about some nutrition right? Lentils. Yup. Floating boats. You might hate everything here… If so scroll on 😜

Curried Lentil soup

• 2tbsp of Madras curry paste (yep comes in a larger jar but you can use it heaps, this will keep you in lentil soup for ages, check out the Asian grocers for cheapest ones)
• 1 big grated onion (you don’t have to grate you can chop, I’m often like fuck grating)
• 2tbsp grated ginger (do try to grate this or chop, chop, chop small)
• 1/3 cup coriander leaves (pick them from outside the library or go without if they are too expensive)
• 2 litres of veg stock (or 3 litres if you want to add 1/2 cup brown rice)
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils

Top it with yogurt and mint if you have the extra cash or are feeling fancy pants.
Fry curry paste, onion and ginger. Add coriander, add stock and lentils, cook 20 mins. You could leave out the ginger, the curry paste and the coriander and it would still be good. Throw any herbs you have in the cupboard in. This makes a massive pot. I shit you not, this could last you for 6 days of dinners or lunches.

Aubergines (eggplants) and tomatoes.

• 2 big aubergines (get these suckers when in season or at a cheap grocer) or grow them!!!!
• 2 tins tomatoes (go for home brand)
• 1 onion
• 2 tbsp grated ginger

Topping…. Lemon juice (nick a lemon off a neighbours tree) yogurt and raw crushed garlic ( I crush up like 8 cloves but I’m crazy over garlic)  stir it all together.
Roast aubergines in oven with olive oil or whatever… Slice them first! Fry onion, add ginger, add tomatoes. When aubergines roasted pour on tomato mix and cover with foil, cook for 15 mins. Top with the topping (nick coriander from outside library to put in the topping). Serve with brown rice. This will last you like 5 days for lunches or dinners. Yep.

Cheese Damper

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2tbs butter
• 2 cups grated cheese
• 1 cup of milk or soy or coconut whatever
• 1 cup whole meal self raising flour
• Some chives that you’ve nicked from outside the library or don’t bother.

Rub butter into flour then add the remaining ingredients. Shape into a loaf and bake at 190c or 375f for about 30 mins. Wrap it in a tea towel in the fridge. Now the cheese can be pricy but probs still cheaper than a loaf and y’know cheesy bread!

Banana Pancakes

• If pancakes are your thang then this will make a whole weeks worth. Make them all then freeze them and take them out for breakfast. Pancakes arnt my thing but pancake love anyway…
• 41/2 cups flour
• 500ml of milk or soy or coconut whatever
• 5 mashed bananas
• 3 eggs

Blend, add milk to pancaky consistency. Cook em. Pancake week!

Man in taxi curry

• A cauliflower
• An onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• Olive oil
• Tsp of… Tumeric, coriander, cumin, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, 2 cardamom pods. (If you only had cumin and coriander that would do… Go to the Indian store and buy massive packets for 2 dollars… Don’t go to Coles or Woolies nahhhhhh)
• Yogurt

Roast cauliflower in olive oil in oven for 25 mins, add spices to pan with a bit of oil, throw in cauliflower then add like 2 cups yogurt. Cook on very low heat for 3 mins. This is great and makes heaps… Dinner or lunches for the other days.

You could add some steel cut oats for breakfast (cheap as chips for the amount they make) and some seasonal fruit for puddings…. Apples or peaches in butter and brown sugar, fry in a pan. Top with a spoon of yogurt. Noice.

If you just made that lot it would last you a week. I’m not talking about red hot nutrition or anything but it’s not bad. And I’m sure that other people have great ideas about how to stretch a budget. I like these ones for pure bulk, heaps of food. But I’m happy to eat the same thing day after day. The good thing about this too is if you just wanted one meal prep day you could make the whole bloody lot at once and then put some in fridge, some in freezer… Shazam, no more cooking for the rest of the week.

Shopping list

• Madras curry paste
• 3 onions
• Coriander (from outside library!)
• Bag of brown rice
• Large knob of ginger
• Veg stock cubes
• Red lentils
• 2 aubergines
• 2 tins home brand tomatoes
• Nick a lemon off a neighbours tree
• Large Greek yogurt
• 2 cups of cheese
• Milk
• Bag of whole meal flour
• Cauliflower
• Eggs
• 5 bananas
• Olive oil, spices ( hopefully in your cupboard)

That’s it, not a bad shopping list. It could get a bit boring but it’s all delicious and I’ve happily eaten like that.

It’s a shit when you have to but everything changes and I’m sending out massive good vibes to my mate with the Newstart woes… And waiting for a message saying she hates bananas and lentils or something!!! 😂

It’s worth reading her post about this stuff though and if you have a mate who’s out of work maybe make them a loaf or a meal or something and drop it off because that would be so nice! Yes. And don’t be a dick! They have probs thought of lots of different ideas! They are trying! Stick a sock in your mouth if you can’t shut up! Yup!

Read A’s post here

Be nice, you never know what situation you could end up in. ❤️