Bernice says meals don't have to be expensive to be delicious. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Bernice says meals don't have to be expensive to be delicious. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Cooking on a budget means scrimping on cost not flavour, says Bernice Mitchell.
Bernice says people often think cheap meals are lacking in both nutrition and flavour.
"But that isn't the case at all. Meals don't have to cost a lot to be filling, tasty and nutritious."
Bernice says Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns have impacted a lot of people's incomes.
"People who might never have had to budget before are now having to, and people who already were on a budget are facing an even tighter one when it comes to buying food. Learning how to maximise that food budget, to get the most out of it, is something that will really help."
To help people stretch their money further, Bernice is offering a series of classes on cooking on a tight budget. Sponsored by Hāwera Budget Advisory Service, the classes are free and participants will be able to take the recipes they see Bernice cook home with them.
"They will also be able to taste the dishes at the lessons, and I will share tips on making meals go a bit further, maximising flavour while reducing cost."
Meals featured in the classes will all cost $12 or less and feed five to six people. Photo / Ilona Hanne
When it comes to cooking on a budget, Bernice says it's not about just using cheap meat.
"You can use a variety of proteins, lentil patties for example, that are nutritious but inexpensive to make. You can also add lentils and other things into your meat dishes, so you only use half the amount of meat than you might normally."
Bernice says her recipes also focus on quality over quantity.
"Chorizo for example is a budget-friendly way to add heaps of flavour to a meal. It is a really versatile ingredient, and you don't need a lot of it, a little goes a long way."
Meals such as this chorizo risotto will feature in the cooking demonstrations. Photo / Ilona Hanne
As well as helping reduce meal costs, Bernice says her classes will also help participants learn about flexibility in cooking.
"Knowing what proteins can be used to replace more traditional ones is helpful when you consider the possibility of food shortages. We have seen the supply chain to our supermarkets can sometimes be impacted by lockdowns and so on, so being able to change your week's menu plan to suit what you can find on the shelves is very helpful."
The free cooking demonstrations will run once a month to begin with, Bernice says.
"We will start with monthly classes on a Monday evening, but there will be an option to increase the frequency if the need is there."
Bernice has run a range of cooking demonstrations before and says they are always well received.
"There is something different to watching someone cook a meal in front of you rather than just follow a recipe from home. They can ask questions, taste the food and see exactly what I do at each step."
All the recipes featured will cost $12 or less in ingredients and feed between five to six people. Held at the Salvation Army church, the classes are free and open to all. Classes will be run in accordance with Covid-19 regulations and alert level requirements.
Cooking on a tight budget classes sponsored by Hāwera Budget Advisory Service Taught by Bernice Mitchell Monthly, first class on Monday, September 27. Stratford Salvation Army Church 7-9pm.
