5 Budget-Busting Recipes That Never Fail To Impress

There’s a common misconception that cooking has to be complicated in order to be show-stopping.

However, the reality is that this couldn’t be further from the truth, and once you know your way around the kitchen a bit, you’ll see that you can create some truly incredible dishes with some of the simplest - and most budget-friendly - ingredients!

The upside of this of course, is you can eat well for less and impress friends and family with your culinary skills without having to break the bank… something sure to be of interest to many a cash-strapped student out there.

So, with this in mind, here are just a couple of our very favourite recipes here at TOTUM HQ that are healthy, wholesome and highly budget friendly. And don’t forget to check out our student discounts to help you keep food on the table, as well.

Honey & soy chicken with sesame broccoli

Chicken is a great and relatively affordable source of lean protein and it’s easy to cook, so you don’t have to be a whizz in the kitchen to get something tasty on your plate.

This dish features lots of store cupboard essentials so you don’t need to buy anything fancy, but you’ll be rewarded with a delicious plate of food regardless, with honey and soy sauce one of the best combinations out there. Complete the dish with rice, or keep it low carb for a nice and easy midweek lunch or supper.

No-oven pizza

This Jamie Oliver recipe has all your takeaway bases covered so you can indulge in a top-notch treat without breaking the bank. It only takes ten minutes or so for it to be ready so it’s faster than a takeaway or delivery as well - and you’ll get three of your five a day in a single hit too, so there are plenty of benefits to be reaped.

Again, store cupboard heroes come to the fore with this recipe and all you need is olive oil, self-raising flour, a red onion, a red pepper, a tin of chopped tomatoes, cheddar cheese, lettuce, a carrot and some red wine vinegar. Easy modes!

Lentil coconut curry

Lentils make a great base for a curry and they soak up all those delicious exotic flavours beautifully. This particular curry takes no time to make and doesn’t feature any expensive or luxury ingredients, but it’ll taste like something you’d get in your favourite curry house.

Chuck in some chicken if you want to up the protein factor, or keep it veggie for a cheaper meal that still doesn’t compromise on quality.

Masala baked beans with coriander chutney

Batch cooking is a great idea for students whose social calendars fill up very quickly but who still want to make sure they’ve got healthy food ready to eat at a moment’s notice.

This particular recipe is really easy to scale up so that portions can be frozen and the end result is super versatile, ready to be used in a range of different meals, whether you want to slather it over a baked spud, serve it with rice, use it as a side dish for another curry… or just spread it over some toast for a quick but delicious snack.

Easy taco soup

Who doesn’t love Taco Tuesday? It’s become a ritual for many of us, but you don’t always have to stick to the traditional taco recipe and it can be fun to mix things up a little bit from time to time… with, for example, this easy taco soup.

Flavour, colour, texture… this recipe has it all and we’re certain you’ll make it time and time again. Ingredients are simple and you can leave it simmering away in a slow cooker for hours if you’ve got other stuff to be getting on with. Fantastic!

Check out our student discounts!

40% off Green Chef

Green Chef is a nutritionist-approved recipe box subscription service and we’re delighted to be able to offer you 40 per cent off your first box (with free shipping!) and 20 per cent off for a month, making it even easier to access healthy, diet-friendly meal plans and ingredients.

55% off Hello Fresh

Have we got the recipe discount for you! Thanks to our partnership with Hello Fresh, you can now take full advantage of 55 per cent off your first delivery box and then 20 per cent off the next seven boxes (yes, you read that right!)... and free delivery for life! We’re just too good to you!

10 for £10 at Iceland

Got a big grocery shop planned? Head to Iceland armed with your TOTUM card and you can enjoy an incredible ten items for £10, helping you keep the cupboards well stocked at a fraction of the cost. Can’t say fairer than that!

25% off Mindful Chef

Mindful Chef is all about healthy ingredients, delicious recipes and ethically sourced produce from small UK-based brands so it’s a great one to consider if you’re keen to get into cooking but don’t want to spend the big bucks.

All the meat is 100 per cent grassfed, the chicken is all free range, the fish is landed fresh in the UK and the veggies are all grown in the most natural way possible… and to top it all off, you can get your mitts on four delicious meal boxes with 25 per cent off when you sign up to the service. Amazing!

£80 off Naked Wines

Planning a special treat and want to do some wine pairing with your food? Check out the deal we’re running with Naked Wines where you can get £80 off your first case of wine worth £144.99. Let the good times roll!