Extreme Frugality - A week of struggle meals

[@monique810]

I’m so happy to see that you scrape out your cans and containers. I often see in other video when they don’t and I’m always thinking “You still have a lot left to use. You’re leaving behind like a 1/4 cup”. It drives me crazy!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for that, I don’t waste anything.

[@lifebeyondthesalary2458]

I think the same thing!!!

[@patmartin9727]

I usually add a little water to the tin and shack then add to the pan

[@workinprogresssince1974]

Ha ha. I scrape out every last drop of everything! If you added it all up over the course of a year, I bet it would be quite a lot of wastage!

[@jager896]

Im not sure but is it bad for you to scrape out tins ?

[@dmeyerification]

Our favorite scratch/cheap meal is toasted bread with butter, baked beans on top, over easy egg on top of the beans. Love it. Hearty and filling.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Breakfast of champions

[@melinda6024]

that's very British

[@theschexmix107]

That sounds good! I’m jotting that down

[@kelliehays3482]

What kind of beans? Baked bean? I can't imagine bean and toast...but dang I'll give it a go!

[@dmeyerification]

@@kelliehays3482 baked beans. Oh it's good!

[@Oururbanhomestead1966]

The last week of every month, I do a week of what I call "shelf cooking". I use up all the odd bits and pieces of whatever is left in the fridge and freezer.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I never buy anything in the last week of the month, we just use up what we have.

[@elizabethhayward570]

My mum used to do that.

[@juttadestiny6810]

@@elizabethhayward570 same here 😺🇦🇺💙

[@patmartin9727]

I don’t shop every week so I always use up what’s in the fridge before I go. I have a rule of I don’t shop until there is at least 6 items on the shopping list.

[@patriciagibbons6964]

Great idea xx

[@Kiltsnquilts]

Struggle meals (or meals when I don’t fancy spending ages cooking) are baked potatoes with cheese and coleslaw, bean chilli with rice/pita bread/corn chips, home made beans on toast, homemade oven chips/wedges with egg and vege sausage. We also love a toasted sandwich!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Who doesn't love a toasted sandwich.

[@lorriechilds4037]

Our struggle meal is refried bean and cheese tostadas (made on corn tortillas.) They can be very basic or dressed up with extras you might have on hand like a fried egg or cabbage, peppers, salsa, etc. They are super fast to make as well.

[@darlenewymond2429]

I never waste either. I'm in the USA and when I need to use up what I have, I whip up a dinner of what I have. It's always good, probably better than a planned out meal. Also one thing I do, when I chop up veggies like carrots, celery, etc I do the following to not waste the nutrients. I take the chopped off ends, boil in water, then mix it with my dogs food. They love it. Then I take the cooled veggie water and water my plants. I hate to waste. Really like your channel. Thanks.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much.

[@LauraMacMillan-el2kc]

Digs generally love fresh (raw) veggies - and it’s good for their teeth and gums!

[@Karen-gv8fp]

Being a vegetarian I was particularly attracted to your lentil lasagne, Jane. It looked wonderful. I learned some struggle meals from my mother - tomato soup (from a tin) with cheesy roast potatoes on the side, or tinned baked beans, potato chips and a fried egg were my favourites. I have made these regularly throughout my adult life although, now, I make my soups from scratch rather than using tinned.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I love egg, chips and beans too.

[@marisastoneobrien7834]

Very clever.

[@patmartin9727]

I also love egg beans and chips, it feels like a really naughty meal . I make this if I am feeling down it’s a cheat meal that cheers me up.

[@lynnoorman2144]

Bean burgers! 35p for can of mixed beans, one onion (10p?), one carrot (5p?). Wizz carrot and onion up in food processor add beans + salt, pepper and a dolop of smokey bbq sauce + one tablespoon of flour. Give another short wizz. Makes 4 'quater pounders '. Buy the buns on yellow sticker add a bit of salad and mayo and for well under 50p a portion you have a meal for 4.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We love beanie burgers too. Thanks for sharing.

[@julibeswick-valentine3690]

I like the sound of that, thank you

[@crystalwarren5718]

My son lives "fish cakes" in the USA we call them fish patties 😁. I've never seen them made with mashed potatoes. That looks so good Definitely will be trying this. I have many struggle meals.One of my favorite can also just be called meatless meal. Can if black beans drained( or cooked from scratch). 1-red or yellow peeper 1- green pepper 1-jalaepeno(optional) 1-lrg Onion 1-small zucinni Cut all the veg. And place in a pan . Cool until tender . Add beans and 1pack of taco seasoning. Place on tortillas Add as many or few toppings as you like.

[@tracyaf6084]

I love this. My favorite frugal meals are fried rice (rice is cheap and you add an eggs and whatever you have in the fridge as far as veggies or proteins) and what my mom used to call a farmer’s lunch. She’d just put out whatever she had on a cutting board like a charcuterie plate but much cheaper. We’d have olives, raw carrots, crackers, cheese, deli meat, whatever. I loved it and still do it occasionally ❤

[@jackieappleton8791]

I'm going to cook fish cakes tomorrow and try baking them instead of frying them. Another great tip from you. Thank you Jane.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I baked them, I brushed oil on them so they’d be crispy. Thanks for watching

[@lisacalandra2474]

“If you have lumps don’t worry you have teeth.” Loved it! And loved the video. Great ideas. Haven’t cooked with lentil. Will have to give it a go.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@lisagarrison25315]

Hahahaaa ! I loved when Jane sid that ! Hilarious !

[@juliephelps7616]

Struggle meals for us are vegetable soups with cheese toast, or breakfast meal of eggs and grits or pancakes with sausage., and another favorite is potato soup. All of them are quick, easy and frugal on the budget. We do save outmr bacon grease to use as meat flavor in cooking, like scrambling eggs in, or frying hash browns in. Thanks for sharing.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

So true!

[@jillmcaleese6514]

Thanks Jane, I I like your emphasis on simple home cooking as opposed to instagram-type presentations. My go-to cheap meal is chickpea and sweet potato curry.Doesn’t necessarily even need rice, and you can substitute any beans for the chickpeas. I use an onion, a tin of tomatoes and a stock cube with the curry powder for the sauce. You could add any extras you have, eg peppers, garlic, any veg etc

[@donnascottcomedy]

Ate a lot of cheese and potato pie growing up, often with beans. As a grown up, it seems like a treat, proper comfort food. Though I avoid beans with it as there's salt enough in the cheese. Salad with tomatoes, much nicer.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Those are good meals Donna. Thanks for sharing.

[@LaundryFaerie]

Because I'm an American, I often dress my coleslaw with ranch dressing. I tend to make my own, which tastes so much fresher and better than what they sell in the stores. There's a great recipe for ranch dressing mix in the Make-A-Mix Cookbook, and I add a little dill to it because I like the freshness dill adds to food. Mayonnaise, buttermilk, and homemade dressing mix, whisked together until it thickens a bit, keeps in the fridge for about a week -- but in our household it never lasts that long.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for sharing!

[@clareriley9049]

I love good old baked potatoes with whatever is to hand - a salad, baked beans, a tin of sardines etc.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You can’t beat a classic, thanks for sharing

[@ophelialee2714]

Hi, Jane from Washington, DC. Thanks for that coronation chicken recipe. I had a chicken salad sandwich at a deli that must have used that recipe. it was delicious! Now I can make it at home. My go-to cheapies depend on the season: in summer it's tuna salad stretched with a little elbow macaroni served on salad made from whatever fixins are in the fridge. I might fry potatoes to go on the side. In winter, it's chile made from hamburger or ground turkey with lots of spices served over rice. Any season, tacos made from ground turkey, plenty of spice with shredded cheese and salad. I'm going to make the fish cakes, too. My mother used to make them from dried fish flakes or shreds that had to be soaked.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting

[@traceyjones9049]

I use to cook spaghetti Bolognese in a Hugh pot and added cheap frozen mix veggies cooked it till the veggies disappeared everyone loved it the other was cabbage mince with yes more frozen veggies

[@patmartin9727]

Thought about you this morning when watching Kerry Whelpdales Sunday morning video. She does lots of videos about frugal meals. Might be interesting for you to look her up, she is here in the Uk

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I shall look her up, thanks for the recommendation.

[@julibeswick-valentine3690]

What a treat to be presented with gluten free recipes as I am Coeliac, thank you. I am going to try your Lentil Lasagne ( using corn pasta sheets or if I am short of that, slices of aubergine) and the Risotto. My struggle meal is a Lentil and Vegetable Bake topped with either sliced potatoes or mashed potatoes depending on the mood and sprinkle some grated cheese over the top. generally use a smallish amount of cheddar and some grated parmesan mixed together for a stronger flavour it is .... 1. more economical 2. I'm addicted to cheese and this helps stop me pigging out on it 🙄

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for sharing

[@elizabethhayward570]

Sounds really good will definitely give it a try.

[@suematile9078]

We eat canned soup and grilled cheese sandwiches or scrambled or over eggs and bacon with toast and homemade jelly. Salmon patties are a special treat for us. I can get four per can and I freeze two and we have a second meal out of them. Pancakes and bacon or bacon and tomato sandwiches are two more favorites. Sue

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Those all sound delicious.

[@HomeLifewithRebecca]

My kids love grilled cheese and tomato soup for a quick easy dinner

[@Dee-te9sj]

Thanks Jane! We whizz the crusty ends of bread for breadcrumbs and store them in the freezer- use them for stuffing, coating, adding bulk etc to our struggle meals. I'm going to try some of these for sure!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Those are great saving Dee, thanks for sharing.

[@cherylmcmillan984]

I do the same thing. I’ve found that when rolls, Hamburg or Hotdog buns, etc. have been stored in the freezer for long they are not especially nice to eat when thawed. So, I whiz them in the food processor and use for breading, stuffing, etc.

[@JonJaeden]

Am I hearing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" as the background music to Rainbow Risotto??

[@luckyone7328]

Being able to cook is a gift. You can always come up with something.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@lindawhite5006]

Jane, you are a good instructor! Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

[@Hide_and_silk]

If you have the rinds / leftover brie etc then adding this to risotto makes it really creamy...and cheaper than parmesan

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Great tip, thanks for sharing

[@janewick1082]

It doesn't seem like a struggle. Definitely frugal but looks so delicious 😋. I'm going to need to try the lentil lasagna and fish cakes! Thank you for your videos.

[@judyking9171]

Cook split dried peas, either green or yellow; chop up some tasty streaky bacon, fry it with chopped onion, carrots and any other suitable veg available. Mix the fried veg and bacon with the cooked peas and cook until the veg are soft. Process or liquidise the soup, including a stock cube, herbs etc as liked.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Lovely soup

[@ericawaddle94]

That lasagna filling might make a great soup with a little extra stock/water.Yum!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Great idea!!

[@cherylverber7672]

Some great ideas, funny enough im making a lasagne today and have split 500g pack of beef mince and put the other 250g in the freezer and bulked out with grated carrot and courgette from the garden. Next time I'll use red lentils. My struggle meal is a tin of chopped tomatoes onion lots of garlic, herbs and a grated carrot cook it down and add water then break up spaghetti and cook together the pasta absorbs the liquid and then grated cheese on top. So delicious

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Tinned tomatoes are my go to for just about everything

[@anne4083]

Hi Jane some good ideas for meals!! Living in Italy I got a lot of tips and ideas for "struggle meals" from my MIL she was great cook and could make mud taste delicious ll😋😂😂 I make lentils a lot usually in winter but I made yesterday as my brain was to fried from the heat 🔥🔥🔥🔥to think of any other simple meal. Just boiled with carrots🥕🥕, celery and I put in tiny bit of wild fennel, with stock cubes... Pasta is also a very versatile dish when you on a budget the simplest recipes are just plain boiled spaghetti drained then add some olive oil and parmesan cheese, or spaghetti aglio olio.. Which is plain boiled spaghetti and in small pan put oil garlic Italian herbs or whatever you have! Add salt heat till garlic is golden brown then when pasta is cooked put in pan with oil etc. Leave a little amount of water with spaghetti. So it's not too dry... I also put lots of chili pepper... 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Thanks for all your great ideas . 🤗❤️

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for sharing so much, I love the community that is growing here.

[@anne4083]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance i think that a lot of people like to be frugal but there seems to be a stigma about it... Its not a necessity for me at this moment in time, I just don't like wasting money!! 😊

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

@@anne4083 A stigma? Where? Really? People are really struggling now and more people than ever have realized that tight control of their finances are required

[@anne4083]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance unfortunately Jane here in Italy (I'm not generalising, where I live) they have gotten out of decades of scrimping and scraping so they put on their designer clothes with designer bags and look down on anyone who chooses to be different!!! The older generations still have economising in their blood but not so much the newer generations.

[@TheImperfectReader]

Thank you for the bread crumb alternatives.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks

[@annemcmillan3978]

Hi Jane your Rainbow Risotto looks so delicious I have never cooked Risotto before I think I will give it a try I always thought it was a hard dish to cook xx

[@jacquiemoppett2391]

I use ground oats for the coating on my fish cakes. My go frugal quick meal make a thick batter with or without egg add minced cooked meat about 150g frozen mixed veg or left over veg . Cook as a thick pancake serve with sauce oe salad. Kids love it.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Those are great tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@mariasinclair9718]

These are great 👍 Thank you 😊

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@lesliemckinley9615]

Thank you for some new recipes. I have made fish cakes, but your other recipes are new to me. My struggle meals include: baked potatoes with toppings, lentil stew with homemade bread, stir fry over rice and lentil tacos.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You are so welcome!

[@samanthamccarville8664]

Love these videos! Thanks Jane and Michael 😊

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re very welcome, thanks very much

[@ragpickerc1139]

Fun music !! 🎶

[@tinalemna7998]

Everything looked so delicious. I’m going to make those fish cakes and lentil lasagna. Thank you Jane for sharing the recipes.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching Tina.

[@momof2momof2]

I grew up on and love buckwheat pancakes.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

They’re a staple here

[@annamariekorte7259]

Great meals!!! Gave me some good ideas. Love your channel!!!!!

[@barbaravaltere2432]

Jane, thank you so much for what you are doing! (My lentil lasagne is now cooking in the oven, couldn't resist and made it, hahah.)

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for the feedback

[@pennypincher5495]

Lovely looking meals. I think I’ll make them all at some point. The sausage plait of yours I made was delicious. I suppose if you made the croque monsieur you could make enough sauce to use for the lasagne the following day. Thank you for some great ideas x

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Hi Penny, I made the croque monsieur and the lasagne the same time. Both can go in the fridge for a while.

[@suzel38]

Merci pour toutes ces bonnes recettes ♥️♥️♥️ our struggle meal is pasta carbonara with a salad.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching the video

[@davidbowie2046]

Love the Coronation Chicken recipe! Ideal way to get rid of the left overs too :)

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thank you

[@debh7849]

New subscriber. Have really been enjoying getting to know you. Look forward to catching up on your videos

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting

[@krisblack2396]

ALL of those recipes looked delicious! And super nice to know how to cook a croque monsieur. I've been butchering them for years. Can't wait to make my menu for this week. Hubby will be happy

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Enjoy your dinners

[@ashjoma]

Just cooked my struggle meal for my daughter and myself… mum used to cook this.. tin chicken soup shared between us .. with a toasted sandwich..sandwich has tartare sauce, thin slices cheese, thin slices tomato and then under the grill until toasted.. serve with a few extra slices cheese and a spring onion. Filling and delicious.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Sounds good to me

[@MarthaMartinez-mh8mx]

Love them all .

[@alex6293]

I love these cooking shows you do. I live in the US and it’s great for new meal ideas!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thank you

[@ratso4443]

This video is a keeper, thanks! I really like how you just power through each recipe and stay on point. Great!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Glad you like them!

[@sheilabus5475]

Liked your lentil lasagne technique as it can get complicated enough to put all layers together.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks so much

[@francinelucato5967]

Everything looks delicious, Jane! I love how you made the Croque Monsieur! I’m going to try it for a meal! We will often have soup and grilled cheese to stretch the budget, sometimes salad with leftover chicken! Thanks for the great recipes! Francine in NY

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@pattyperkins5007]

Looks delicious.I will be trying Coronation Chicken.The Risotto looks perfect.🌹it all looks wonderful Thank you for sharing

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You are so welcome and thanks so much for watching

[@smartiesschnewelt]

My go to struggle meals are any kinds of soup or Chili sin carne with rice

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@cyclingonplants7444]

This was a great video Jane. Thanks for sharing. I'm a plant based eater but can easily swap some ingredients in these recipes to work for me. I really enjoyed all your recipes and I like your presentation as well. I'm planning on retiring in about 2 years so looking for ways to maximize my budget. New subscriber!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@jewelgaither1504]

I LOVE your background music!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thank you

[@corinneleppard2100]

I really appreciate all the work that has gone into this video. Thank you for all your ideas and clear instructions, lots to try.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re very welcome

[@grainneocarroll6427]

I am a fan of cooking down lardons, or straining the oil from a tin of tuna, to use as the fat when cooking a meal. Saves a few cents at a time, but also gives a bit of extra flavour to the meal.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much for watching

[@susandwyer6897]

Hi from my corner of France to yours...fab ideas for next week. Thank you. My go to meal when things get tight is a pasta meal, either a mushroom sauce or a tomato and veg one...sometimes I slice sausages or chorizo into the mix, if I have any.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Sausages make anything tasty. Thanks so much for watching and sharing

[@ninazakor9488]

I find your videos super helpful ☺️ Very realistic and frugal, may I say, expat recipes and advices. 🙏🏻

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@jennil7797]

Our struggle meal has always been Mac and cheese, with onion, lardons or sliced smoked sausage and tomatoes sauté added to the cheese sauce, grated cheese sprinkled on top and baked. Serve with a salad or bright vegetable medley. On really impoverished days, we leave out the meatß and add garlic and herbs for flavour.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You can’t beat food like that

[@ragpickerc1139]

Chili is a sure meal when groceries are a bit low in the cupboard. Very filling with different beans in it and save the hottest seasoning for at the table. I vary it so often my husband says I could write a chili cookbook!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

It’s a good choice

[@jesspalmer77]

We don’t eat meat other than a little frozen fish now since it’s too expensive. I make a huge bean casserole and freeze portions for chilli/shepherds pie/burritos etc, I do the same with a huge lentil bolognese , they can be made into so many other meals and for pennies a head.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Good nutritious food there

[@hedgiegal3340]

My uncle, who was from Belgium, used rising yeast in his savory crepes.😋

[@carolinehayes3212]

thanks again for a brilliant video loads of great ideas love a lentil lasagna a great cheap meal we have here is poached wgg and beans on toast healthy too

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I love eggy bread too. I used to make one beaten egg and milk and a few slices of bread feed all of us for breakfast

[@pamelacourtney8998]

These all look fantastic Jane . Blessings to all

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@patmartin9727]

Another informative and interesting video, just shows you can keep the hunger at bay for very little when times are hard and we need to tighten our belts.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Pat, we always have a few struggle meals a week to stretch the budget. Thanks for watching

[@paularoberts2129]

Hi Jane my struggle meal is a meatless roast lovely with mint sauce we had it today xx

[@patmartin9727]

Can I ask What do you put on your meatless roast Paula.

[@ladyluna3788]

Great video. Looking forward to more easy frugal french dishes. Thank you for making it enjoyable.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

More to come.

[@chrisfiller465]

I roared with laughter at what normal people do…..add all the stock at once. Hilarious. Well done you.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Chuck it in!

[@sarahmc8309]

My favourite thing to make a struggle food is fried eggs and homemade chips. ! My son loves it too ! Dipping your chips into your egg 😍

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

And mine too, thanks for watching

[@Meli_Mels]

Crepes made at home . So very French!

[@sharenp3839]

This was great!

[@BlackCat-cy8kp]

Thankyou for some great ideas!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You are so welcome!

[@PotBanginEejit]

Thinking about it… some of the regular cheap-n-easy things I make for my wife and I come from things I learned how to make in “home economics” way back in the day at school when I was about 12yrs old. Cheese sauce (and bechamel sauce) is the one that leaps out. I use it in cheesy pasta/macaroni cheese (sooper dooper cheap meal), as well as in a lasagne and in a roast chicken Sunday dinner for the cauliflower. Roast chicken dinner… my mum’s old chicken stuffing is absolutely moreish and completely makes the meal, and it only needs leftover “end bit” bread, onion, butter and parsley. It gives me genuine joy every time I make it. But come to think of it I only really have about eight or so full meals that I make regularly. The most recent addition to my repertoire (“my repertoire” lol) is sweet-n-sour chicken balls. It’s genuinely good. In fact it’s sooo much better and cheaper than takeaway that I don’t order it from takeaway anymore. My best “struggle meal” tho is probably pan pizza dough because the toppings can be as cheap or expensive as you need it to be and it’ll still be delicious and filling. I also love omelette for the same reasons and I almost always have part cooked meatballs and chips in the freezer because I like to make more than we’ll eat and freeze the rest for another meal on another day. I don’t consciously scrimp on food because I don’t have to, but I guess I am actually quite food frugal. A lot of the things I make will only use part of a tin or a pack of something so I tend to plan things around using the remainder up.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Great ideas and yes, those home economics classes were really useful

[@jeanwhite2705]

Hello again Jane and Micheal, Truth be known, I’ve avoided this struggle meal video for several weeks now.I didn’t want to do a struggle meal. I’ve done those and have a freezer full of many things right now and didn’t feel like I wanted to do that right now. After watching this video, I don’t feel that anyone of these meals is a struggle meal, either that or I didn’t know how to do struggle very well. Each of these meals is wonderful, full protein, multiple vegetables including fresh at every meal. I will be adding some of these meals to our rotation very soon. Loved the vegetable lasagna with the cheese bechemel sauce and the rainbow risotto. Also the galettes and the croque monsieur. I’m not new to putting a meal on the table for six appetites after a long day but you opened my eyes to a better way to do this. Sardines with potatoes that we gathered along the side of a local road travelled by the large harvest truck uses on the way to the Crisps factory close to our house, was a Sunday night supper for us.My husband was so good at making a treasure hunt out of our afternoon walk in the sunny fall afternoons. It was a very hard time for us but our kids remember those afternoons with fond memories because of their Dad’s attitude. Baked beans and homemade bread or biscuits or fish cakes from salt cod that we bought at the Coop.It would be an 8 oz box, about 225 grams of very salt dried cod. I would soak it for about a day and a half , in plain water, changing the water every so often.Then spread it out with potatoes to get enough for two full meals out of thebox. Sometimes we would have carrots or peas with it, or apples for dessert. Apples we could pick as drops from orchards in our area. We live in a rural area as you may have gathered. Life seemed so hard for us as adults because we wanted so much more for our children, but they only seem to have happy memories for what was their reality.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Jean, food is expensive so I try to get as balanced a meal as I can for our money. Thanks for sharing your lovely memories.

[@helenmak5663]

The coronation chicken caught my attention, it looks so good Jane. Thanks for sharing your wonderful homey recipes. We like hot dog with warmed chili and shredded cheese on top. Steamed corn and chips on the side.

[@irishcamper2106]

Great meal ideas, thank you. We are going away in our campervan for a couple of days and some these recipes would make great camp food. Off now to get some curry powder for the homemade coronation chicken which I’ve never attempted before as we can take it prepared with us for when we arrive, lovely 🍀🌺

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I hope that you enjoy it

[@poolfield2]

I love your cooking recipes!!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@jenniferwaffle6920]

my struggle meal is frig-soup. whatever is leftover for veggi, meat, beans from the refrigerator, along with spices and pantry ingredients make a unique soup everytime. and no food waste!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Great no waste approach

[@kimberlygray227]

I enjoyed this

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@cgt6497]

I haven't ever tried risotto because it looks too difficult, but I like your method. It looks do-able and delicious. Thank you for sharing!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Hope you enjoy

[@amayastrata4629]

I’ve made risotto the so called correct way once and wasn’t keen. I’ve tried it in restaurants hoping it would be better but it wasn’t so this version looks a lot nicer and less time consuming.

[@roslinney4285]

Egg, beans and chips yum!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

That’s my total favorite meal

[@mauraellis4356]

Pinto beans and cornbread! A pound of pinto beans is less than a dollar and cornbread is pennies a serving if you make your own. Just boil the pinto beans with garlic and onion, if you’ve got a little bacon grease or a slice of bacon you can add that in and salt and pepper. Once they’re done serve them with a little bit of their juice over the cornbread, yummy! You can use the leftover pinto beans The next day with a little rice and a small amount of cheese to make bean burritos.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Good wholesome home cooking at its best

[@debbiekoortzen1154]

Hi Jane, thanks for the inspiring video. I love your company, you are so funny. I just love your sense of humor. Lots of love. ⚘

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Debbie, most of all, for watching.

[@debbiekoortzen1154]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance 💖⚘

[@carriefinding40]

Chip butties with a fried egg on top 😋. Or pasta with a sauce made from whatever I have in or lentil stew / curry 🍛. Your meals look delicious! I am definitely trying the coronation chicken and coleslaw one !!! X

[@johannas.l.brushane2518]

Thank you!!!While at Uni I had a flatmate from Brest who used to make those galettes (though she bought the pancakes).

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

still delcious

[@itchywitchy]

I love a Croque monsieur but have never been able to make a decent one, I will try your recipe as yours looked delicious.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You can do it! The easy peasy cheese sauce makes it just like the ones we can buy here from the bakery and cook at home, they have that creamy cheese sauce and nice ham. I hope you enjoy them.

[@karenshaffer1511]

Hi Jane! I've seen a number of your videos and have subscribed. I very much appreciate your sound fiscal and kitchen wisdom. Thank you so much for this channel!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Karen, thanks also for the feedback

[@pamelataylor7865]

Thanks for another great video…

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@sallygillett7087]

Jayne I think you should do a frugal cook book best wishes from Bodmin in Cornwall

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Pop over to our website, lots of recipes there, we must do some work on our website

[@steamingiron]

Oh I so love your cookery videos, so inspirational. Fishcakes and croque monsieur defo on my menu next week. Thanks so much for sharing Jane. xx

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much for watching and commenting

[@nikki27ish]

Great video, as a student my struggle meal was pasta with 1/2 an onion, garlic and whatever veggies I had left. Blitz in tomatoes and a little milk for a creamy sauce.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Sounds good to me. Thanks for sharing.

[@nikki27ish]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance I still make it now, simple is good.

[@sallyanderson5512]

Yum. Real food.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching and your kind compliments

[@bridgetryan6936]

Lovely vlog

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thank you 😊

[@ShoestringJane]

I really want to try making those galettes, they look so nice! Your food always looks so nourishing and yummy.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Jane.

[@cupcakepinup1]

This is awesome. I’m gonna try a few of the recipes !

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@bex438]

All the meals looked lovely, I've made notes of a couple and will definitely be trying them, thanks for sharing Jane 😊👍

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Bex, happy to help.

[@yukofreeman4483]

I love your channel!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching