Cheap food and budget tips

Posted by Elin Oresten on January 01, 2025

Cooking cheap, nutritious, and delicious meals for the whole family can feel like a big challenge. But with the right planning, smart choices, and a little creativity, it can be both easy and fun!

Here we share tips and inspiration for cooking food that everyone appreciates – without breaking the budget.

Our best budget tips

1. Vary more

Big cook is great for saving money - and time. But it doesn't always feel that fun. It becomes more fun if you vary the accessories. Steaks can be eaten with rice one day and stuffed into a pita bread the next day, the same with many stews and sauces, which can be used with rice, bulgur, oats and pasta.

2. Food in season

Get new inspiration by figuring out which vegetables are in season. They are tastier and cheaper. Focus on cabbage, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips and carrots during January and February.

3. Make weekly menus

Planning is the foundation for a happier wallet. By planning, you can make use of leftovers and foods that would otherwise be forgotten in the fridge. On Elin's Instagram there are simple weekly menus to get inspired by.

4. Plan leftovers as new dishes

If yesterday's dinner feels sad, Make it exciting! For example, do you have leftover rice? Make a fried rice dish with eggs and vegetables. Or use leftover mashed potatoes to make crispy little potato chips that the kids can pick with their hands.

Cheap food for the whole family

Creamy tomato paste with cottage cheese

Cheesy spinach and lemon gnocchi

Pasta with cheese, broccoli and turkey bacon

Pea balls with cheese and parsley

Omelette sticks

Creamy lentil stew with vegetables

Cheesy carrot and sweet potato balls

/Elin Oresten

Lic. nutritionist and founder of Knatteplock.

More on the blog

Purchased baby porridge vs. homemade porridge – how can you make equally iron-rich porridge at home?

6 reasons why the whole family should eat the same food

Flour types: tips and favorites for children and babies

Starting with finger foods: How do you know your baby is ready?

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That's why I started Knatteplock

Benefits of eating the same food the whole family

Make picked food at home

Children love to imitate, by eating the same food it facilitates learning and makes mealtime a positive experience of togetherness. As a parent you don't have to feed but can sit next to and enjoy the food.

Picking food gives children the opportunity to explore a variety of textures and consistencies at their own pace. This can lead to a healthier relationship with food and a greater enjoyment of eating. By offering different textures and flavors, the child gets a broader taste palette, and there is a greater chance that the appetite will continue even during the naturally picky period that usually comes around two years. Research shows that children who are introduced to a more varied diet from the start eat more variety and more vegetables later in life.

Promotes exploration and independence at mealtime.
Develops early chewing skills.
Simplifies family meals and strengthens community.

Why finger food ?

Promotes exploration and independence at the meal

Develops early chewing abilities

Simplifies family meal time and strengthens the community

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Encourage the joy of eating by letting your child explore flavors and textures on their own. Start the food adventure today - we are here for you and your child through messes, discoveries and challenges.

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Common questions about picking food

What is finger food ? What is finger food ?

Finger food is a way of offering food where the baby/child eats themselves either with their hands or with a spoon.

Finger foods give children the opportunity to explore a variety of textures and consistencies at their own pace, from an early age. This can lead to a healthier relationship with food and greater enjoyment of eating.

How to start giving finger food ? How to start giving finger food ?

Make sure your baby shows signs of being ready for solid foods. She should be able to sit up in a chair on her own, be able to bring objects to her mouth on her own, and show an interest in food. Maybe your baby is reaching for your food or looking at your plate with fascination, then there is probably interest!

Consider offering foods that are fairly soft but easy to grasp. For example, sweet potato sticks, slices of liver pâté, cooked broccoli or omelette/pancake strips. Sandwiches with butter and/or liver pâté are also perfect for practicing motor skills. Slippery foods that are difficult to grasp can be rolled in seeds or sandwich crumbs. For example, avocado or banana. But in general, it is good to offer the baby what the rest of the family eats as often as possible.

Small babies don't have a pincer grip so it's big pieces that matter at first. The pieces should be longer than the palm of their hand because small babies (6 months) often can't open their palm on request. It may feel scary but it's actually safer with bigger pieces than smaller pieces when it's a small baby! If they take too big bites they spit it out again.

Cheap food and budget tips