Warm up this winter with soup - and pocket the savings
Not only does a chunky or creamy soup lift the spirits, restore the mind, warm the heart and delight the tastebuds, but it can be a great budget stretcher
- Create a one-pot wonder soup with what you have on hand in the fridge, freezer and pantry – leftover vegetables and herbs, a little rice, barley or pasta, a can of tomatoes or beans, a touch of spice, and dinner is served!
- Stretch the soup pot to feed an extra mouth or two with a little more water, stock or a can of tomatoes or beans and some grainy bread or toast.
- Cook soups ahead and store in the fridge or freeze the leftovers and you’ll always have something on hand for busy (or bare cupboard) days without calling home delivery for pizza or picking up a takeaway.
What are your stock options? We don’t usually make our own stock and ‘no way in the world’ was the horrified response when we asked family and friends if they did. So when shopping for stock in the supermarket, what’s the best buy
- 4 cups ready-made chicken stock (in a carton) = about $3.15 (average of 4 brands)
- 4 cups chicken stock made with stock cubes = about 50 cents (average of 3 brands)
- 4 cups chicken stock made with Vegeta stock powder = about 25c cents
Worried about salt? It pays to read the label as there’s a big variation in the amount of salt (sodium) you get in a cup of chicken stock depending on the brand you buy. Super sleuther Diane has investigated and found:
- 1 cup ready-made chicken stock (in a carton) ranges from 665–1200mg sodium
- 1 cup chicken stock made with stock cubes ranges from 900–970mg sodium
- 1 cup chicken stock made with Vegeta stock powder = 535mg
If you do use a commercial stock, hold the salt shaker. Seasonings like garlic and onion, freshly ground black pepper, herbs and spices will give your soup all the flavour you need.
In our book, Money Saving Meals, we have soups to suit every palate from pumpkin and fennel, to mushroom, leek and broccoli, Vietnamese beef soup, a cheat’s laksa and golden pea and ham. Our best-ever budget soup is made with leftover cos (romaine) lettuce, which combined with minty peas is absolutely creamy delicious. Here on the website you'll find a couple of our hearty main meal favourites:
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