Tips for Getting the Most from your Pantry

Try not to visit the supermarket or dairy or to buy takeaways. Takeaways can make a significant dent in your food budget.
Make a list of what you do have – check pantry, fridge, freezer and garden. Have a think about what meals you could put together. Maybe soup from any old vegetables. Work out what meals you could make from spending a small amount eg on flour, milk, eggs.
Check your pantry and see if you could make some scones (using flour, baking powder (or self-raising flour), a little butter and a little milk). For sweet add a little sugar and sultanas/dates etc. For savoury add onion, cheese, any spices you have. If you have cheese and can make cheese scones you do not also need to add butter. Pinwheel scones are also delicious if you have some sugar or cinnamon (see recipes). You can use the scone dough as a pizza base also.
Buy 1 loaf bread ($2.50) and have toast, make toasted sandwiches, cheese on toast, French toast, Cinnamon toast.
See if you could borrow or swap any items with friends and neighbours to keep you going until pay/shopping day.
If you have eggs (which are approx. 30 cents each), make scrambled eggs/omelets with a little milk (or water if no milk) – add chopped, cooked potato, onion, or any other vegetables, cheese if you have it etc
If you have any fresh fruit or canned fruit make a fruit crumble or fruit sponge for dinner.
If have stale bread/crusts, make cheese sandwiches (with some cooked onion if you have it), cut them into quarters, put in greased dish, put beaten eggs/milk over and bake it.
Bread pudding – again if you have stale bread/crusts, butter them and cut into triangles, interleave in a greased dish. Sprinkle over some raisins and some sugar. Beat some eggs and milk together and pour over the top. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the top and bake in oven.
If you have rice, cook it and sprinkle with any spices you make have. A little drizzle of oil is also nice. Same with any pasta, cook it and add a little oil or mix a beaten egg through hot pasta. If you have frozen peas or mixed vegetables they are also good added to the pasta.
Bake potatoes in the oven, sprinkle over any herbs and spices you may have.
If you have none of these items and it is more than a couple of days till payday, consider using the Foodbank. You may need a referral from t
he Budget Service.
Borrow a book from the library called ‘The 21 Dollar Challenge’ which has tips for spending a minimal amount on food occasionally eg once a month or every few months by using what is in your fridge, freezer, pantry and garden.