Find your inner frugality with Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef

With the cost of living rising, it can be a challenge to know where to cut costs and how to budget accordingly. However, our health and wellbeing should always be a top priority. Nutritious food is essential for good health and we should always strive to eat well and buy the best food we can afford. By adapting the way we plan, cook and shop for our meals, it is possible to save money and time, making the most of nutritious and delicious food in our diet such as Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef. Top 6 tips for saving some money (and time!) without missing out on the good stuff!

1. Mastermind a meal plan: Plan what you intend to eat for the week, working around what you already have in stock. Buy only the ingredients you need. When you buy a fresh ingredient for one meal, use it again for another meal, saving money and reducing waste.
2. Take stock: Audit your cupboards, fridge and freezer on a regular basis so you know exactly what you have in stock. That way, you can avoid buying duplicate items! This is an essential money saving activity, and it will make your meal planning and shopping a lot easier.
3. Be a sharper shopper: Stock up on items such as pulses, dry pastas and rice as they will keep well for months. Adding pulses to a casserole or chilli not only adds nutrients, but also bulks up the meal, making it go further. You can also buy cheaper cuts of Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef to cut costs. Try not to shop on an empty stomach, and try to stick to your shopping list!
4. Clever cooking: Try to opt for quick, hob-based meals rather than oven based, or use a slow cooker or air fryer, using less electricity. If you do use the oven, try to cook as much food in one go so the heat is not wasted – an all-in-one traybake is ideal (and reduces the washing up!) and you can even cook a pudding, for example a fruit crumble, at the same time!
5. Put a lid on it: When cooking rice, pasta, noodles, vegetables etc., put a lid on the saucepan to get it to boil quicker. Pressure cookers and air fryers are also useful appliances to speed up the process, using less energy. Always check the manufacturer’s manual.
6. Make friends with your freezer: Batch cooking is a great way to save money, and time! If you are too busy to cook, having a few meals that you have already prepared and frozen is much healthier for you, and often cheaper, than grabbing a processed ready meal or takeaway.

  TOP TIP Defrost frozen leftovers thoroughly before reheating in either a microwave or by leaving in the fridge overnight. Reheat food until piping hot throughout. Foods reheated in the microwave should be given a stir halfway through, as the microwave does not heat evenly. Foods taken out of the freezer should be eaten within 24 hours.   Try at home Make the most of Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef with our delicious recipes. Here you will find all-in-one tray bakes, dishes that are great to freeze, slow cooker saviours and quick, hob-based solutions. Tasty Traybakes                                 Budget Friendly Cuts                                     Low and Slow                                 Pan Fried Perfection                                       Freezer Friendly Feasts                               See more delicious Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef recipes on our recipe pages.