Putting a healthier everyday meal on the table for $10–12 is doable. Compare Curtis Stones’ Homemade Burger with Diane’s Money Saving Meals Burgers with Beetroot Relish with and see how easy it is to cut the kilojoules and fat (especially saturated fat) way back, pile on the veggies, up the fibre and come up with a meal the family will love.

Makes 4 serves.

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely grated
1 small zucchini, finely grated
2 teaspoons Moroccan spice mix
350 g (12 oz) beef mince
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
¼ cup dried breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 wholemeal, multigrain or rosetta rolls, toasted

BEETROOT RELISH

225 g (8 oz) can sliced beetroot, drained
¼ cup low fat plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

FILLINGS

50 g (2 oz) mixed salad leaves
1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
2 small tomatoes, sliced

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the carrot, zucchini and spice mix and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine. Place this mix in a large heatproof bowl and add the mince, tomato sauce, breadcrumbs and parsley and mix well to combine. Form into eight patties, about 6-7 cm in diameter.

Wipe the frying pan with paper towel and reheat with 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil sizzles, cook half the patties for 4-5 minutes each side over low-medium heat, until cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining patties using more oil if necessary. While the patties are cooking, make the beetroot relish . . .

Puree the beetroot with the yoghurt in a small food processor or blender and then stir in the parsley.

Make up the burgers with a toasted roll, meat pattie, a dollop of relish and a mixture of the fillings. If you don't have time to make the relish, just serve the burgers with sliced beetroot. Alternatively just put the fillings on a large plate and let everyone make their own.