I spend just 77p on my dinner each night and never even turn the oven on – there’s barely any washing up either
KNOWING what to cook each night can be a struggle, especially with the cost of most ingredients going up and up.
One woman has revealed that she’s been able to make tasty air fryer meals for as little as 77p per portion – and they are healthy too!
Like many of Londoners, Leah Hancox had been struggling to cook each evening while jugging her hectic schedule as a trainee PT.
Now, the 27-year-old says she’s been able to cook up a storm most nights and is already saving time after investing in an air fryer.
Dishing up tasty mid-week meals, the London has made homemade chicken nuggets, chicken fajitas and even, steak with sweet potato.
Even better, these protein packed dinners aren’t breaking the bank either as Leah will often bulk buys meat from MuscleFood – a healthy meal kit service.
In fact, MuscleFood’s Ultimate Airfryer Collection has helped Leah to keep costs down with the young woman often paying less than a £1 for a meal.
Rather than spending a small fortune at the supermarket, the personal trainer has made jerk chicken with rice and peas for 91p per portion.
She even says that she had leftovers for days with the meal, which isn’t a problem as the classic dish happens to be a favourite of hers.
Breakfast is also served, with the PT making a bacon avocado egg bagel £1.08 per meal – thanks to her MuscleFood box which allows her to buy her meats in bulk.
Her cheapest meal is homemade chicken nuggets though which is a steal – at just 77p per serving!
Whilst she still can’t avoid the weekly shop, Leah has revealed that she buys minimal ingredients at the supermarket and tops up when she needs to from local stores.
The PT will even use her MuscleFood box as the basis for most of her meals, saying: “The first thing I do when a hamper arrives is look at what I have and realistically portion it up. A portion of chicken for me is around 150g and a pack of six sausages will do for three meals.
“Once I know how many portions I have, I plan what I’m going to cook. Favourites include jerk chicken, fajitas cajun chicken, a tasty bagel burger and sausage and sweet potato mash.
“I then shop for exactly what I need – meaning I can keep my costs low. I reckon I spend around £15 -£20 a week on food.”
Unsurprisingly, she had been says she has become a ‘convert’ to the food service and her air fryer with her enjoying endless tasty meals.
“I’m a new convert to air fryers – I was always convinced an oven was all I needed but since buying mine I rarely turn the oven on,” she explained.
Continuing, Leah added: “They’re incredibly versatile and anything you cook in the oven you can do in it – it just takes less time and uses less electricity.
“For me just to leave chicken cooking, get on with some work and it’s ready in around 20 mins is ideal.”
Leah's Tips and Tricks
Asked for her tips on keeping food shopping costs low, Leah’s added these pieces of advice:
- Portion sizes – always serve the correct portion size to avoid overeating and stretch food out as best you can. Part of this is understanding when you are full.
- Own brand – always buy own brand to save cash. They’re as good as the branded versions and are a lot cheaper.
- Check the price per g / kg – if you look at the prices on supermarket shelves they’ll give a cost per g or kg. This will show exactly how much cash you’re saving if you buy in bulk. Look out for offers though – sometimes buying multiples of a smaller option will work out cheaper because there’s an offer on.