Cooking Challenge - £10 Stretch at Aldi (Part 1)

[@willdivey2076]

I used to have a bit of a drug problem. Watching your videos, meant I could be food savvy and eat reasonably well on a low budget. Of course I acknowledge it's silly to spend money on drugs and neglect food, but your videos got me to a place of survival in a very dark time. I'm over 3 years clean now.

[@212th]

Congrats lad

[@provian]

grats

[@Seannn1]

Incredible work pal 3 years is massive

[@simhthmss]

Congrats. Drug addiction and/or dependency is flipping miserable.

[@Leanne_w]

That’s amazing , you’ve got this 🤍

[@jdinnen1]

This is a ridiculous channel. It fits no paradigm, I can't put it in any box. And I love it. I'm 40 years old and have a mix of interests but somehow I find myself watching everything from weird stuff in a can, you pottering, sifting through stuff on a beach and trolling scammers. what a eclectic wenn diagram!!! honestly one of my favorite channels of all time

[@floripaspbr]

Same! I love how random, wholesome, inspiring and good vibes mr. Shrimp is!

[@kayru704]

Same, it's like watching a very diverse magazine show, or spending time with your favourite interesting uncle. Starting the weekend with a Shrimp video is always a real treat.

[@Danny.._]

It's the best channel on youtube!

[@RaverOperator]

I'm also forty and had the exact same thought! I'm glad I watched today as I learned some new things about cooking I was surprised about: making your own flour from porridge oats and/or lentils, and peeling veggies makes them crispier when roasting (I roast only once a year at Xmas)! All the best my '84 brother 🤗

[@hollandm]

Also in the 40 club 😁

[@dwindlebunny]

I just realised another reason I like these budget challenge videos. Other people have probably pointed this out, but it makes my own low-budget shopping feel more fun. Instead of a sad, heavy restraint I should try to get around, it's now an interesting task for me to accomplish. Being poor feels both boring and stressful. Making a game out of it is free and easy.

[@kikihammond5326]

Atta Bunny! We are also a family of "bunnies". Stupid story but the hubby in a silly quest for a "pet name" for me tried several things, and at one point tried calling me Buddy. Uh, NO. Hard, NO no on that. Somehow it involved into Bunny. So because I was already annoyed, I began calling him Bunny. And suddenly we are both Bunny. And then we had a baby Bunny, and my Lord, she is 21 now and had embraced being a Bunny. I literally in a store, if I cannot find him, just shout out Bunny? And he responds. So, yeah.... You go Dwindlebunny. P.S. Dried beans are amazing.... Just soak overnight....

[@nfraehlich]

I came to this channel for the scam videos and stayed for the budget challenges 😆 these are honestly some of my favorite videos on KZbin for exactly the reasons you said!

[@tomascinnsealeach9979]

TheWolfePitt has always been a favourite of mine, when I found this gents channel however I was so happy cause he goes to shops I actually go to and makes meals I'd more commonly eat 😂

[@Drunken_Master]

Why are you shopping on a low budget?

[@Infinite_Curiosity00]

He is so creative in how he uses the ingredients, too. An example was he replaced the texture of an ingredient with something I doubt most people would consider. It doesn't always work out, but in this case, it did. His experiments really have helped me see cheap and/or niche ingredients in a new light.

[@epikoof]

part two being available after the length of video of part 1 has passed, genius and i love it

[@alloriginalpirates]

Classic Shrimp.

[@rucker69]

I think you're using the word "genius" way too liberally.

[@DerpySwag]

@@rucker69 i think thats the point

[@epikoof]

@@rucker69 i don't think many people would have thought of doing this, most would just upload both as a single video or at the same time

[@abegarfield7030]

​@@alloriginalpirates Classic Shrimp was the name of my first band.

[@ChuckFickens1972]

Shopping in Aldi is always a risk, go in for £10 of groceries, leave with a canoe, a concrete mixer and a trombone!

[@Save-our-children]

I ended up buying a petrol chain saw a couple of years ago. Not got any need for it. Just wanted one 😂

[@Ixarus6713]

Personally I went for the electric keyboard, the nuclear reactor and the m1911, but you do you.

[@S_J_banana]

I read trombone as tombstone and got really confused 😂

[@style11guru]

​@@S_J_banana That's next Thursdays deal

[@ChuckFickens1972]

@@S_J_banana They're in the centre isle of Lidl, between the Plasma cutters and inflatable gherkins.

[@nataliekavanagh5573]

I really like that Jenny joins you for tastings when she can, knowing she doesn't really enjoy being on camera, but does like to give her opinion when you've worked hard to make something new is really nice of her.

[@BoxMacLeod]

I'm a bit mixed on how I feel, honestly. On one hand I agree that it's sweet of her to do that, it's awesome they can share in that stuff together and all that. I'm glad she's supportive of AS in his endeavors. On the other, a lot of the time she just sort of goes 'mm, good' and that's the extent of it. I don't think it really adds anything to the video, and her energy just sort of seems so very opposite of AS's.

[@amandadavies..]

@@BoxMacLeod Your spelling of "endeavors" suggests you may not be British, so I'd like to respectfully point out that some people here in the UK simply say things like "That's not bad/it's all right that" to mean it's really good. Not sure if it's everywhere, but where I am (much further north than Mike and Jenny), we also do this. It comes across to me that Jenny really likes the food Mike makes. I don't mean any disrespect to you.

[@brettonjohansen1619]

​@@amandadavies..That's an interesting linguistic quirk, but I think the point they're trying to make is that Jenny doesn't typically provide reasons or insight into why a dish isn't bad.

[@dominicwehrmann8515]

@@brettonjohansen1619she did comment about the food a few times when she really dislikes something, rice pudding comes to mind …

[@amandadavies..]

@@brettonjohansen1619 Fair enough but why should she? Mike is the one who does that and he obviously wants her in the videos (or thinks the viewers do) as long as she's ok with that. Tbh I think it would be a bit mean to say this about Jenny (ie she doesn't contribute anything), and if she sees it it could put her off being in them.

[@zwitshr]

I'm a tech and botany interested student, living in a student dorm. Whatever you're doing, you're always managing to inspire me to explore life in more ways. I lived in Cardiff for a semester, took your cooking videos as inspiration, when there were times when I felt so bad that I didn't even want to cook for myself. And it worked. Thank you for being so authentic. Sending love from Southern Germany.

[@capitalb5889]

@@zwitshr one of the things I love about this eclectic channel is that it appeals to people from such a wide range of age groups and locations. But even saying that, I didn't think that German students would be among them.

[@themitre]

I love how confusing Jenny's reaction to your dishes must be to non Brits. We know 'that's alright' or 'that's really nice' are the ultimate compliments; to those less familiar with our turn of phrase it may appear she isn't overly impressed but we know the truth😂

[@user-cz9ss4yq4x]

Central Europe understands you very well :)

[@allwoundup3574]

People outside of England also speak English, fyi

[@Newtzz_]

​@allwoundup3574 they didn't say English, they said Brits. British humour, mannerisms and way of speaking is what the implication was.

[@themitre]

@@allwoundup3574 Yes I do have some awareness of that thank you. The point was around the understated nature of the phrasing and the mannerisms that go with it. 'Alright' in one English speaking nation can have far greater weight than in another. Similarly, if somewhat more vulgar, there is a certain swear word beginning with c that is often used a term of endearment here in Scotland in a way that would be appalling to people elsewhere.

[@dustin5926]

What I love about these budget videos is that the challenge isn’t just about sticking to a budget, but about creating flavorful dishes. Setting constraints drives creativity. Sure, you could just buy ramen or canned foods, but I appreciate that you incorporate vegetables and other ingredients that aren’t typically considered budget-friendly. Plus, you save and use the cut-offs and scraps, which is fantastic! I grew up with a lot of canned foods and pre-made meals, and the same goes for my wife. We've moved away from canned foods as much as possible, but we still struggle with cooking fresh vegetables. I have tried to make stocks and other things that you do in your videos. I just have to experiment a bit more to get them to my taste buds' liking, lol. Your videos have taught me so much over the years. If I could ask one thing, could we get a video about what you think would be a good base of spices and other bulk items to keep in the pantry, as well as certain foods you like to have on hand? If not i understand. Thank you, Mike for opening my eyes to a different way of thinking when it comes to food and preparing.

[@AlissaSss23]

@dustin5926 I normally use salt, pepper, bay leaves as a general base. They work in European, African and Asian dishes. Then it depends on the cuisine, for Chinese, Korean and Japanese you have soy sauce, ginger, spring onions, sesame seeds. For Indian dishes, the fried paste of onions and garlic, plus roasted spices, etc. For European dishes, herbs are great, plus lemon juice, olive oil for Mediterranean ones. Depending on what you cook most often, you create an arsenal of spices and condiments

[@cpmc5400]

Spices and herbs: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder/granules, cajun, oregano, thyme, rosemary, (or mixed herbs but this is mainly oregano), cumin, chilli powder, garam masala. With those you can go in lots of directions. Cumin and garam masala can get you towards indian, cumin can go towards mexican/indian, the herbs towards italy or just to make roasted veg/potatoes very nice, paprika for colour and spanish recipes, chilli powder for heat, put in chilli (with cumin, oregano, paprike), garlic in almost anything, chilli flakes for added heat at the end. Pantry staples: soup mix (if it's a thing where you are), lentils, rice, pasta, tins of kidney beans, chickpeas, coconut milk, tinned tomatoes, something like premade jars of curry paste (thai, indian). Witth those you can do stock then a soup (lentil and soup mix), obvious things for rice and pasta, kidney beans for something like a quick stew type thing, same as chickpeas - chorizo chickpea stew with beans, paprika and tinned tomatoes for example - lentils can go in indian curries, same as chickpeas, coconut milk and thai curry paste for easy quick curry dinner, tinned tomatoes for chillis, stews, pastas, lots of things. With those you can do so much, then just add more as you go like tumeric, premixed spices (BBQ, chinese 5 spice etc.), sumac, cinnamon, miso paste, stock cubes/pots etc.

[@MartyH99]

Difficult - spices etc are so very driven by personal preference. What is perfect for me is wrong for you. How about, look at the recipes you like and extract the common ingredients - your list done!

[@herowither12354]

My baseline pantry recomendations (like, the absolute bare minimum) - Oil, Salt, Pepper, Onion or Garlic Powder, Some kind of widely usable Herb like Basil or Parsley, Cayenne or Hot Sauce, Soy Sauce, some kind of Acid (Lemons, Vinegar, etc), Flour, Sugar

[@vincentcleaver1925]

A primer on seasonings would be gr8

[@Jackalgirl]

This morning, I tried cooking up some celery cut on the bias like you did: I used olive oil (no butter or chicken fat to hand), some mushroom-powder seasoning, and garlic, and then added some chicken stock after the celery had gotten a little tender and let the stock render down into a coating on the celery. I think I put in the garlic too early, but otherwise, COMPLETE SUCCESS, the teenager proclaimed it "delicious". Thank you for inspiring me to try this; I would have never thought to try preparing celery this way and I'm really glad I did!

[@Ukaxer]

these are my favourite types of videos you make. Also i just noticed how different your channel is from most youtube channels. No ads, no sponsorships. Just a man sharing his thoughts, knowledge and experiments. Much appreciated!

[@shaynecarter-murray3127]

This is the series ive been waiting for, a tight budget series that doesnt assume you're in a kitchen that is totally bare. Even living on a tight budget, we typically end up with things like a few tablespoons of oil, a few spices, a little sugar and salt and pepper, the dregs of a few condiments left floating around the kitchen. My mother told stories of her youth, where she would ask people for their lefrover condiment packets (sachets if you will) after they went out, and she would make "soup" with hot water and a couple packets of ketchup, and make a meal of it with those little packets of saltines that most restaurants would send with soups and salads. Ive been fortunate to never be on that tight of a budget. Ive eat a lot of ramen and rice and cheap pasta during my poorer days, and I wish I'd had videos like your budget cooking series to watch and get inspired by back then.

[@inkenhafner7187]

As he usually says: those videos are not supposed to be realistic and showiing people how to live on an extremely tight budget. You can take inspiration from that, but they are a challenge to himself.

[@tristanturner2782]

As a diabetic, and therefore someone who needs to carefully control carb intake, the strange chicken pastry is actually quite a useful revelation I will be utilizing. This is the kind of thing that can only come from Mr. Mike Shrimp’s peculiar experimentation.

[@happyrose1924]

Yess

[@davidkinsella7624]

Why is this so fascinating? Is it the narration? The talking hands? The dedication to bring interesting ideas to mundane everyday things? All of the above. Love the channel, never stop!! 👍🏻

[@FunkyBuddha81]

i think it´s the hypno surface he is using at the beginning you know the red one. xD

[@jackharper2087]

I love this, it reminds me of a parental figure I never had teaching me how to cook. I’m a young adult trying to get more comfortable with food & cooking (both can be very triggering unfortunately). You are very calming while explaining everything & it’s very nice, I wish I had someone like you to actually cook with me. I hope you keep making these & one day I hope I can be as comfortable cooking as you!

[@SaxonSuccess]

You will, you'll be fine with it. Best wishes...

[@apotheose]

Can relate, I used to avoid cooking at all costs because it felt like such a settled science and I thought I was sure to embarrass myself if I tried to get into it. Watching Atomic Shrimp make up recipes on the spot with weird ingredients in these challenge videos made me realise that, as the kids say on twitter, "you can just do stuff" and cooking is 90% improvisation anyway.

[@wolfzmusic9706]

​@apotheose thing is for me with cooking, idk what to do with a lot of vegetables (peel or no peel, what you need to take off beforehand, etc) and a lot of the time I just don't realise things so I therefore don't Google cuz I don't feel like I need to, but then it turns out wrong lol

[@Fu9280]

Yes I understand 👍

[@PriyaPans]

All the luck my lovely! I hope food and cooking are both things that get easier for you. If you're ever in need of encouragement or want to share your successes I'm sure this comment section will happily support you!

[@Chocwish]

Cooking. As most people now haven't been taught it, it feels like a super power when someone does do it competently

[@wolfzmusic9706]

Tbf you can learn at uni or when you move out. Imo it's no big deal cuz if you cook everyday it comes more easily

[@Fu9280]

Cooking whats that haha

[@alienqueen3067]

I genuinely love that part 2 will be ready as soon as I'm done, very satisfying. I feel seen.

[@Arismas]

Very thoughtful on his part, one of my favorite things about him as a creator.

[@magnesiafrost1863]

You‘re seen :)

[@AdamMansbridge]

I think I subscribe to too much, in the 45 minutes between two other videos on my subscriptions list appeared

[@applegal3058]

The little clip of Eva trying some chicken meat crust made me smile. Having a doggo around makes life happier in my opinion.

[@weetodaman]

I really like that you used more stuff that you already had in the kitchen. Deffinitely made the meals better, and I think it's more realistic. Even those of us that are on a budget, we probably still have these things in our kitchens to spice up our meals.

[@martinspencer1618]

Yep: if you get made redundant nobody breaks-in and nicks your collection of herbs and spices.

[@Tamajyn]

I love how resourceful and creative you are. As someone who tries to live as frugally as possible, the way you use ingredients in inventive ways is really fascinating to me!

[@matthewcross2991]

I would say easily the most entertaining genre of videos you make

[@SunnyDays00]

Yes this is my favorite content..even though I am talking to him, telling him advice the whole time.. . I would.have rolled the oats in butter and salted them before using them to top the pie..

[@adammidderigh4150]

Yay! The budget challenge is back :D Since the last one, I've changed living situation and have a drastically tighter budget, Immediately thought of Mr Shrimp and began a meal schedule based on pan frying (very little oil in modern non stick pan) either rice, potato or noodles, together with bargain basement protein, veg and sauce extremely cheaply via my local walking distance Lidl. I eat that every day now and get along fine with extremely low spending on food. Can confidently say I wouldnt have had the inspiration and confidence to try it without the old budget challenge videos on this channel. Thank you Mr Shrimp :)

[@rogink]

I'm always impressed how AS comes up with such creative dishes. I've been watching for 3-4 years and I've not seen the chicken pastry video before, so that was a revelation. More to the point, I don't know how much of a plan he has before he goes shopping. If it's planned, he's a genius. If it's genuinely ad hoc, he deserves a Turner prize!

[@Ensivion]

What I love about your work, is that it is very practical, there are places in our lives where we could be more efficient and preparing food is one of them. Not only is it efficient, it's also about caring about what you put in your body and not just buying the easy prepackaged meals that are particularly unhealthy. It's a kind of self discipline that I aspire to.

[@francesT5877]

Still can’t get over what a great job you all did on your kitchen.

[@emilysometimes]

It really is lovely!

[@SlartiMarvinbartfast]

And Jenny did a really lovely job on the tiling too.

[@randomviewer3494]

Love that you release part 2 right as I finish watching. More youtubers should do that!

[@bwilliamstown]

Always amazed how "affordable" food seems in the UK compared to here in Canada! The cheapest chicken from Walmart here costs $7.40/kg (About £4.20) and other grocery stores are more expensive than that

[@julieannecarlson6507]

Same here Melbourne Australia. Makes you think about how to best use food though - like our grandma's had to.😊

[@villainouslips]

@@julieannecarlson6507 I’m in Melbourne too and was thinking the same thing, but I just had a look at some of these items on the Woolies website and they’re actually about the same price when you factor in currency conversion. Chicken legs $4/kg, kidney/baked beans $1.10, oats $1.70. Our veggies are a bit more expensive though.

[@SkankyVonBitchersson]

I live in California and this haul would be like $40-$50. Eggs alone are $10 a dozen. :(

[@nitsukoson]

Im in the US and im amazed how cheap this all was, everything is almost double the price here.

[@bemanos12345]

@@nitsukosonTrue, food its generally cheap in the UK, but bear in mind that salaries here are horrendous for the most part, the median is something like £30k/year. Purchasing power is much higher in US, Australia, etc.

[@sarahperry7995]

I love when Jenny joins you. She seems so sweet and seeing you two together makes me happy 😄

[@gafrers]

Love these challenges. Always creative and giving ideas to copy

[@Del-Lebo]

I have never commented on your videos but this one hit home very well. I shop at Aldi for over 30 years. I have always been frugal with my cooking. I prefer eating at home and cooking fun,creative,nutritive and delicious meals. This video was quite comforting because I do the same exact thing since I graduated university in 1991. I've always Loved cooking and food knowledge since I was around 5 years old. I would get pretty cookbooks at the library (and read my mom's). 58+ years old and still having adventures in the market and the kitchen. Thank you for this! Now I have to check out the other challenge videos! Cheers!

[@magi267]

I love where you said you weren't going to subject Jennie to every bit of nonsense you get up to. I think she's a good sport for eating some of your concoctions.

[@Taversham]

I think it's very sweet how when he's cooking for her as well then he makes much more of an effort to keep things within the traditional ideas of edible.

[@bethenecampbell6463]

The savory flapjack seemed to get a very enthusiastic response. And it seems like it would be great to pack in a lunch box, and maybe as a side for soup.

[@susanreeve3840]

I also think Jennie/jenny (apologies not sure of spelling) is a very good sport to have this camera and channel in her home and be supportive of Mike’s creative work. Ultimately running any business from home can be intrusive to family life and by very nature of the channel, there is a camera filming every day family interactions. Privacy at home is something I would struggle to give up. Love the channel and content, and love the obviously very respectful way Shrimp involves jenny with in her comfort zone.

[@sonet66]

The chicken weight tip was excellent 👍

[@chezmoi42]

It works for most similarly packed items. We're lucky here in France, many stores have scales in the produce section where you weigh your own. I use it to compare packs of veg like cooked beets, and most items sold by the each, like his girthy sweet potato. Sometimes I even bring over a unit-priced cheese to find the heavier one. Not sure why I do that, since I have a comfortable income, but my gran lived through the depression, and she still inhabits my head.

[@deetvleet]

@@chezmoi42 act poor stay rich 🤭

[@chezmoi42]

@@deetvleet Good point.

[@Fu9280]

But ofc! 👍 remove the bone and I'd say that's half the weight you've paid for gone

[@chezmoi42]

@@Fu9280 That's sort of a non sequitur when you're buying meat on the bone, but it's your choice between that and boneless - you'd need to calculate the difference in price per pound/kilo between them to find out how much you're paying to have someone throw away the bones and deprive you of stock ingredients. Where it does make a difference is a cut where you can choose the smaller proportion of bone to meat, like a pork or lamb steak.

[@QuacklikeaFish2243]

I'm watching from America and I love getting ideas from you for meals where I can save money. I always google a conversion to US dollars to see what your budget would be here. I'm blown away by how cheap grocerys are for you in comparison. SO. Because I'm a crazy person.... as you were going through your haul, I brought up my local Aldi website and created a cart with items close to what you guys have there. Total came to $30.78. Which is $18.57 over budget. For almost the exact same stuff. Lovely.

[@klarname_online9356]

Weekend comes and Mr. Shrimp delights us with a double vid on Friday already! Thank you so much

[@LowHow961]

"from one of those 4 legged chickens" caught me so off guard 🤣

[@aminorityofone]

PFft, that 4 legged chicken aint got nothing on the 6 legged Turkey they server at NFL games during thanksgiving!

[@sekirei9823]

me too! so silly! i guffawed 😆

[@frankthant3300]

I just love how he throws in jokes while sounding absolutely deadpan. Half the time, it takes a while for me to register the jokes he makes. I guess that's British humor for you.

[@tungstensmum1491]

Shrimp of the Atomic variety, thank you so much for posting part 2 right away. I nearly cried with happiness.

[@kittylover177]

I am not even 30 seconds in, and am totally in love with this idea! I can’t wait for Mr. Shrimp to impress me with his creativity and thinking! ❤

[@cm-ft8wd]

The blender trick with the cardboard was ingenious lol I wish I thought of that the time I tried to make homemade prawn toast. Needless to say there was prawns guts all over my kitchen 😢😂

[@tkmaxism]

Part 2 arriving 45mins after Part 1. Shrimp knows how to keep all his Shrimpettes happy!

[@G.L.McCarthy-vr1oe]

I like it, I'm a Shrimpette🍤😁

[@jakesanchard461]

@@G.L.McCarthy-vr1oe Greetings fellow Shrimpette!

[@Conrad_Verner]

I belive the gramatically correct way of identifying the shrimp army is that the male shrimp subscribers are 'Shrimpstas' or 'shrimpsta' (singular) while the female shrimpscribers were Shrimpettes. Although shrimp subscription terminology is notoriously difficult to pinpoint and identify. The atomic shrimp is often referred to as the "Shrimpmister" meaning "the shrimp who entertains"

[@juiceboxfromthevoid]

​@@Conrad_Verner I prefer the gender neutral "shrimpers" or "shrimpies" myself

[@AtomicShrimp]

Crustacean Nation

[@maidsua4208]

When I see the pattern on the tablecloth, it's like coming home! A wonderful peace and tranquility descends upon me.

[@fonkbadonk5370]

Being born and still living in Aldi's home turf, I was really thrown off by how similar the shop layout and general "vibe" is in the UK, but branding and types of things are so different overall, while having very familiar looking packaging for the most part. They really seem to do their homework for every area they operate in. I'm also slightly envious about how well stocked your shop is. Over here, we currently experience draughts in even in-season veggies like soup veg mixes and other rather basic and local stuff. I'm only 8 minutes in, and am already intrigued and continue loving your content. Thanks so much, uncle Shrimpy!

[@Mldy96]

Not sure how it is in every country, but I know that in Hungary for example, there are laws in place so that foreign grocery chains sell a certain percentage (can't remember the exact number) of items made specifically for the Hungarian market. Sometimes, this is as simple as using locally sourced ingredients, others, it's copying the local sweets, snacks, drinks, cuisine etc.

[@nevermorrowarts]

“Normal-ish” 😂 Proceeds to get real weird with the food as usual

[@MicukoFelton]

That's the fun part. 😆

[@breakfastcubes]

gonna watch this before i make my grocery list later, these videos inspire me to be creative and plan ahead better

[@lynth]

Oh my god, catching an Atomic Shrimp video right after the workweek is over, just 5 minutes after it was uploaded - started up a Civilization 6 game and listening to this interesting yet relaxing content. This weekend is off to a VERY good start!

[@Byeganio]

love this for you, enjoy! Doing exactly the same with a big salad, a fruit brandy and my friends waiting for an AoE 2 game

[@green90s]

@@Byeganio Living the dream, the two of you - I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

[@Blue_Caribou]

Those savoury flapjacks remind me very much of my family's traditional Christmas alternative to sausage rolls: red lentil rolls. We use onion, celery, carrot, mixed herbs, pepper and red lentil stewed to a slightly wet paste, let it sit overnight with breadcrumbs in then add grated cheddar. The resulting mixture should be firm but spreadable. We cut a block of puff pastry into half, then roll each half into a 12 x 5-6 inch strip, mounding an inch high line of filling in, then rolling the pastry around it into a traditional sausage roll shape. egg wash, bake in the oven until the pastry is done then cut into inch wide portions. Our entire family (even the meat eaters) prefer them to sausage rolls: lighter, sweeter but still savoury, with an unctiously soft filling and puffy crunch from the pastry.

[@JuliaD-xr6iq]

I would’ve used the leftover roast veg and eggs at end of part 2, to make an omlette with the beans on the side. I think it would’ve worked much better, and proved you bought the right ingredients. Nothing infuriated me more than resealable packaging that tears and breaks when you’re trying to get the food out. Your whole series of videos are immensely interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for them all.

[@AtomicShrimp]

Yeah, a plain omelette folded over some sort of filling would have been better

[@charylliss3741]

Your content is very enjoyable but I admit that I love and enjoy the shopping budget challenges so very much.

[@alosthappypanda8574]

Did not know about the estimate rounding up symbol when buying groceries! Also loved the little joke about the four legged chicken :)

[@Lordwolfie59]

I absolutely love these videos so much. Its been so interesting seeing the different prices for groceries where you are compared to where I live in NYC. Attempting to make as many meals as you did in these two videos with less than 15$ is an incredible challenge with how expensive stuff is here now it feels like. But it gives me hope that maybe its still possible.

[@glynischapman3044]

I love that cheapo 'Feta' I use it in an omelette with spinach......yummy ! Interesting video as ever x

[@francesT5877]

One of my favorite things to make is Chinese stir fried celery with scallions and peanuts. Simple sauce of sake and shoyu that’s not too heavy on shoyu, also a little garlic. Great to make when celery is really fresh in summer.

[@jensgoerke3819]

Elevenses are called second breakfast in Germany, with usually some hearty sandwiches - kids in school get a longer break for that.

[@AlissaSss23]

Never heard of them, I've lived in London for 17 years

[@AlissaSss23]

This is random. I can comment on some videos directly, but not on others...

[@jubeikibogame5691]

It's called second breakfast in the shire too!

[@rosemarymee]

@@AlissaSss23 You’ve never heard of elevenses?

[@Plotatothewondercat]

@@jubeikibogame5691 Nooo, the hobbits also eat elevensies. Second breakfast comes first, though.

[@jessierosiewinedevine5120]

Oh brilliant! This is my evening sorted, get the kids to bed and watch 2 videos in a row!

[@DecayingReverie]

I take care of elderly and disabled folk for work, so I have a lot of down time after I finish the initial chores. I'm happy part one and two will be out today. It started snowing today, so I can't think of a cozier way to spend an afternoon.

[@TheIntellectualApe]

I just love uncle shrimp❤. Plus whenever he says “I have a cunning plan”, I laugh out loud thinking of Blackadder 😂😂😂 You are an inspiration Uncle Shrimp. Thank you !

[@ReaperOEvl]

I have been loving your cooking videos for many years now, as an American home cook. I have watched almost all of your content outside of scam baiting, thank you for being you!

[@Anna-jv7wz]

Thank you for your videos Mr Shrimp. I'm a student from Scotland who went on exchange to Canada (2nd time abroad), and when I first arrived had a really difficult time finding food here which I could eat (partially due to dietary restrictions partially due to access to supermarkets here) and your videos really helped with creativity when I just wasn't sure what to make. Different things are cheaper over here (the supermarkets are a completely different world) but by trying to experiment more when I had limited options it made meals a lot easier.

[@CarJul666]

Part one AND two on the same day!?!? My kind of luxury. Thanks Mike.

[@personaldemon]

when i saw this video pop up in my feed, i looked upward at the ceiling and squealed. i love the cooking challenges!!!

[@applewizard32]

Watching your videos reminds me of my childhood with my Nan who passed last year, seeing you take little money and little food go a long way, almost wartime way of thinking, and also the aesthetics of your home and cookware. Brings back memories. I really love these videos!

[@derrmeister]

13:52 Is it really lazy peeling if you don't constantly lament the fact you have to peel at all?

[@ghostladydarkling3250]

I saved the skin from my Thanksgiving turkey and used it later on top of roasted vegetables, it was delicious. Thank you for all the odd little ideas, they are awesome.

[@oz_jones]

The skin is the best part.

[@picking4profit]

The chicken pie-crust was a great idea!

[@oweeb5909]

Basically grew up watching these videos, moving from a poor crowded house to my own flat. Just wanted to say thank you for these videos they've really helped.

[@FubukiKai]

11:15 a will it blend reference in 2025? i genuinely laughed at that one, nice!

[@charlesbeaulieu4362]

I was looking for this comment, wondering if someone else got the reference😂

[@energieteppich]

Yessir 😂😂😂 uuuh IPhone Dust.... Dont breathe this

[@ens0246]

Genuinely held my breath when he said "Lentil dust.." then a pause for what seemed like an eternity. Oh that sweet payoff! ❤

[@secksyy]

I love this series. They’re so relaxing, I use them to fall asleep to. It’s great, I can watch 1 video multiple times!

[@ytamb01]

That's a really good haul for £10. You're good at shopping!

[@hm1350]

I do really enjoy these challenges - the variety of recipes that you create with ingredients that often are overlooked in terms of potential is so lovely to see! Plus, any long-ish Atomic Shrimp video is always a nice comforting way to while away some time with a cuppa and the company of my own doggo. Thank you once again for your videos, and happy new year! I hope you and yours had a great time over the holidays (and I hope anyone reading this did, too :) )

[@ColleenMarble]

I agree about chicken thighs being the best part of the chicken. Unlike chicken breasts, thighs are always tender, very flavorful, difficult to overcook and inexpensive to buy. One of my friends thinks I'm crazy for using them, and she refuses to eat them. More for me. I guess.

[@capitalb5889]

And excellent in slow cooked dishes like stews and casseroles

[@Fu9280]

The fat and skin is way more delicious than a dried out breast! Cheaper too! No dry meat 😋 It's just the deboning..heh

[@melsyoutube]

you did a great job at being inventive and cost effective without being wasteful!

[@francesT5877]

Lentils cook incredibly fast so a good choice for a filling.

[@melinmove]

Love your videos and I don't mind that they're long. I like that you're humble and involve us in your cooking process.

[@mehmetariftasl8277]

The music while shopping is very relaxing, will also be putting it on when i shop.

[@opalpersonal]

this gets me really excited about cooking some more. i'm rather draconian when it comes to money saving, and i always love figuring out what i can make with materials on-hand, or turning cheap ingredients into healthful and fulfilling meals.

[@samuelclubb9529]

I was very surprised to not see the sweet potato weighed then spreadsheet with the difference between bagged and loose. 😂

[@Fu9280]

Don't forget the weight of the bag!!

[@sarahnash7174]

Same 😂

[@chillzen]

Saturday mornings with a coffee and a budget cooking challenge is my absolute favourite weekly activity, I’ve missed the cooking challenges! Happy new year 🎉

[@carlconstantdeflon2373]

6:28 that's something that I've come to appreciate after moving to Sweden, that all produce must be labelled with price per kg, in addition to price per each. Approx obviously, but still! Also there are ALWAYS scales around. What I don't appreciate is the ridiculous prices over here... A tin of baked beans (the cheapest you can get) would set you back €1 for 380g and you get it in a little box thing rather than in a tin....

[@chrazzl]

I love these sort of budget videos. It inspires me to start cooking, something I've always wanted to do, but never tried to due to not wanting to waste loads of money to end up making something that I might not like. I also like that you didn't just make one meal but rather tons of different meals with the same ingredients.

[@KenLikeEh123]

Just to say it’s amazing how far that £10 went. The number of people out there saying they can’t eat healthy on a budget could use this video as an example of how far and healthy you’r Money really can be.

[@SanniSandyBunny2000]

Mr. Shrimp has often said that his budget videos are a challenge for himself and not a realistic representation of how to get by on a tight budget. And especially not to, "shame" people for having difficulties feeding themselves a healthy and cheap meals.

[@gayusschwulius8490]

​@@SanniSandyBunny2000yeah, those videos are an unrealistic challenge because they stretch things to the extreme, but with slightly less strict saving strategies, eating healthy is still way cheaper than eating ultra processed food or fast food everywhere where there are normal supermarkets. This whole "people can't afford to eat healthy, so they eat UPF/fast food" is nothing but a meme. Yes, it's expensive to buy the best organic fresh ingredients to cook the best healthy meals for yourself, but if you buy the cheapest raw ingredients (including frozen ones) from ALDI, you'll pay much less for food than at any fast food place and you'll be able to whip up a much healthier meal in a few minutes. It's mostly a matter of effort, not money.

[@marks.7211]

​@@gayusschwulius8490you're forgetting about the time. From my experience when you work multiple jobs or work long shifts you just have no time and no strength to cook after the work or hunt best deals in grocery store and on your days off you try to revitalize yourself and spend some time with loved ones. You don't have much money but you literally can't afford to eat cheaper, paradoxically, because you are exhausted. People often use processed food out of necessity, not because they are lazy.

[@gayusschwulius8490]

@@marks.7211 The average American spends four hours a day in front of the TV (2-3 hours for young people), you can't tell me that the average person doesn't have the half an hour a day to cook some simple food. I was a full-time student, worked a part time job (which effectively meant a 60 hour week) and still managed to do some basic meal prep every day. This isn't a problem of poverty, it's a problem of effort. I'm not saying it isn't understandable that people who work hard are lazy when it comes to food, but it's not an inescapable consequence of poverty.

[@MicukoFelton]

@@marks.7211 That's an excuse. There's this thing called food prep where you can prepare a lot of things before, say, on a sunday and it's easier to cook during the week, takes less time. Plus, you can make a lot of certain dishes and you'll have enough for 2-3 days! Like soup. A big pot of soup lasts me for 3 days at least.

[@rpopova]

I love this series, I always walk away with plenty of new ideas to try out!

[@wiiza4ever]

It's easier to blend soaked lentils into a paste, as is done for dosa, than to try to make lentil flour from dry. (maybe you do it later in this video or in the second part, but I fear I might forget to mention this tip if I watch this whole saga)

[@Fu9280]

Dosa?

[@lwilliams009]

Mr Shrimp your videos are always an inspiration, and I'm going to be rewatching your food challenges a lot in the next few months as I'm about to move back to the UK after living in the US for the past few years and the cost of living there becoming unreasonable. Thanks for always brightening our day!

[@Mldy96]

Oooh, the savoury flapjack sounds fantastic and delicious! Also, the chicken "pastry" seems like a nice way to sneak in more protein into the pies. I'm going back to uni soon, so I'm currently collecting recipes for study snacks and on-the-go meals, these two will be added for sure!

[@ricktandron3669]

Your creativity is so inspiring. Thanks.

[@_aconite_cj_]

I'm from India eating my dinner rn so thank you for this vid!!

[@redcurlvegan]

Not exagerating, I let out a squeal of excitement when this popped up on my homepage 😅!! I've binge-watched over 30 of your cooking/budget food videos and I had been praying you'd do a more recent one! I subscribed a few weeks ago and have noticed your subscriber count climbing in just that time - soon to be 1MIL and well-deserved! I love your dry humour, Eva cameos (if that's the right word) and your creativity... often find myself saying "genius" out loud at my laptop 😊 Side note: would you consider doing another plant-based challenge? 🙂 As someone who suffers from PTSD and insomnia, I use your videos as my nighttime wind-down... which is saying something. Thank you for all the effort you put into these budget videos and please please don't stop doing them 🙏 (oh and please stop justifying yourself to bored negative nancys - your following speaks for itself and even though you say you only do these challenges to challenge yourself not prove any points, you provide so many people with very valuable inspiration & help so the complainers can jog on you don't owe them anything)!

[@Fu9280]

I don't know why people would hate his videos, or find them intolerable in any way.. Why watch if their offended? Isn't everyone here to find interesting cheap meal ideas

[@redcurlvegan]

@@Fu9280 I agree with you!

[@crocsmart5115]

Whilst I take great pleasure in your inventive use of ingredients,I remain more impressed with your sartorial elegance. The shirts are fab.

[@AcornElectron]

44:00 for our international friends, elevenses comes after second breakfast but before brunch and ALWAYS before dinner (which is sometimes called lunch, and dinner called tea).

[@Phrygian100]

Such a unique channel by this point. I suddenly realise how invested I am when i notice artifacts like the glass frying pan. This channel now has lore. Where will it go? What an unlikely rollercoaster.

[@JbScot]

30:44 If that's a neep, folks north of the border born in the pre-pumpkin era remember that as the hardest substance known to mankind! The number of bairns who almost lost a finger trying to carve these hellish objects into a Hallowe'en lantern so they could go guising is legendary! 😂

[@spicyhummus6266]

Yay, by far my favourite genre that you do is food/cooking anything! So this is exciting!

[@joannamorgan6911]

Our Aldi does the super six but it changes every fortnight not every week. It may be a regional thing.Love the channel thank you. I am on a tight budget and really appreciate your help.x

[@AtomicShrimp]

It might actually be fortnightly here. I am not a regular Aldi shopper! (Lidl usually for me)

[@tnsquidd]

I love these videos. Now more than ever this sort of thing can help people with realistic grocery shopping, and as a student I certainly love seeing how far I can stretch a tight budget

[@ThousandTimesBefore]

YESSSS I adore your cooking challenges! They're seriously one of my favorite videos on youtube ❤❤

[@schokilatte]

I don't know why, but I love your stuff and videos. I'm 28, German, and I enjoy watching your cooking-it's inspiring. Most of your videos are very interesting. 🙂

[@drunkenhobo8020]

"Will it flour?" should become a regular segment, if it isn't already.

[@maison222]

forgot how much i love this channel, keep up the good work!

[@travellingslim]

I'm a simple man. I see a Shrimp Cooking Challenge and I click the Like button

[@mightyn8]

Only about halfway through the video right now, and I have to say that I absolutely love the creative and slightly "weird" recipes you came up with! Frankly, I don't think it's much of a cooking challenge unless you experiment at least a little bit, since the whole point of these challenges is to be creative, so very glad to see the weird recipes and can't wait to see later in the video how well (or not) they turned out.

[@peredhillover1]

I like all your content, but I love your cooking challenges the most!