Any tips to help get through the winter and the cost of living crisis are greedily accepted as food prices continue to rise. So all eyes have turned to a culinary creative Gloucester mum, who has been sharing her thrifty recipes online. She claims they can feed a family for just £10 a week.
That’s an incredible saving for any cash-strapped family, and Grace Mortimer’s recipe suggestions can feed up to four people for just 22p per person. This mum-of-one cooks up a storm in her kitchen and then posts a picture, recipe and cost of ingredients on her Instagram account, @_myfirstmeals.
Her concoctions are going to be a very useful budgeting tool this winter. With the strain of rising living costs affecting many families, Grace came up with a food plan and her £10 recipe suggestions in September.
The cook and author has been affected by the plight of others really straining under the pressure this year. She said: "I'm very worried about the cost of living crisis for my own family, it's terrifying. It’s been very scary to read over the last week quite how bad things are for lots of people.
"Thankfully we can heat our home and eat but I know many people are having to make a choice between the two. That's just awful. It's very depressing, and isn't getting any better as it gets colder. I just want to help people who are on a really tight budget.
"I love cooking so it felt like a good way to help. People just can't believe how much food you can make for just £10."
Grace and sales manager partner Tom, 40, are also pulling in the purse strings and their weekly food budget of £50 has now been reduced after Grace cottoned on she could made their weekly breakfast, lunch and dinner for far less.
She has touched a nerve with many out there trying to make ends meet. She had over 30,000 Instagram replies when she asked her followers if her £10 meal plans would be useful.
Some of the stories she heard were moving, worrying and distressing, including children existing on just one school meal a day, and a policewoman told her she fainted at work.
"The stories are heart-breaking", she said. "People are really struggling already.
"It was the most responded to question I've ever put out on Insta, and made me realise how big this crisis is. It's absolutely devastating."
Her meals use a minimum of ingredients and her instruction, even for those with limited cooking skills, are simple and accessible. She posts five meals a week to feed a family of four, and a list of what one needs to buy to make it.
Recipes so far include sausage soup, pasta bolognese, butternut squash curry and veggie pie. Her followers on Instagram have been blown away.
"Thank you so much for these genuine recipes and budget plans!!" said one comment. "You are incredible!"
Another looked forward to the next recipe: "I’m excited to see what you make Grace, money is so tight for people just now, this is gonna be a great help!"
"Thank you so much for these ideas! I'm a single mum of 4 and always looking for cheaper meal ideas. You're a star."
And a slice of reality from another: "As a small early years setting it's getting harder and harder to be financially viable and provide filling, healthy, tasty meals for little tummies. Many of my fellow colleagues have stopped providing food & ask for lunch boxes instead in theirs because of this. It's always been a selling point for my setting to provide lovely, wholesome, varied food so I continue and I know it's really appreciated by my families. I love your book and use it a lot, thank you for the book, inspiration, recipes and your page content."
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