There are plenty of restaurants and cafes across the country where kids eat free or for £1 over the May half term.

The break from school comes with extra costs. Childcare can often be expensive, and the government does not directly fund free school meals out of term time. 

Beyond the cost of it, keeping your kids entertained over the half term can be a challenge. Taking your little ones out for an exciting meal (or even two) could be just the thing you need to get them out the house. 

It’s worth pointing out that many of these are not quite free. You often have to buy a full adult’s meal alongside, which won’t always work out the cheapest, so it’s worth checking the terms and conditions before you apply because some of these offers are better than others.

At Asda, for example, you don’t have to buy an adult’s meal alongside it. And at Ikea, kids’ meals are as low as 95p.

Here are all the places kids can eat free or for just £1 over the May half term. 

Bill’s

Up to two kids aged 10 and under can eat for free at Bill’s over the May half term and beyond, from 27 May to 31 May. An adult has to order a main dish, but that can be breakfast lunch or dinner. The children’s menu features buttermilk pancakes, mac and cheese, and fish fingers and chips. Discover more.

TGI Fridays

Kids eat free at TGI Fridays when you order an adult’s main meal. The offer is available for Stripes Rewards members – you’ll just need to join via their app, which is free to download through app stores. You’ll get a complimentary Little League or Major League kids’ meal. The menu includes classic burgers, fish fingers and vegan choices. There is also free Heinz baby food for the smallest guests at TGI Fridays. Find out more here.

Sizzling Pub and Grill

Your child can enjoy a £1 meal at Sizzling Pub and Grill as long as you purchase an adult’s main meal. The offer is available on weekdays from 3pm. The menu includes fish fingers, pasta, chicken wraps, pizza and more. Get the offer. 

OK Diners 

One child under 10 can eat free when an adult purchases a main meal. This offer is available every day at the diners in Derby, Cannock, Leominster, Northop and Oswestry. Read all about it here.

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants 

At selected Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, kids can eat for free from the Ramsay kids menu when ordering a main. It’s only available for children under the age of eight and you will need to purchase an adult main for every free children’s meal. It’s available at Heddon Street Kitchen, all Bread Street Kitchen and Bars, Bread Street Café, Gordon Ramsay Bar and Grill and York and Albany.

This offer is available all year around, except on select dates like Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. 

Sainsbury’s Café

You can get one children’s hot main meal or “lunch bag” for £1 with the purchase of an adult hot main meal from £5.20 in the Sainsburys café. The lunch bag includes a sandwich, bag of crisps, a piece of fruit and a kids’ drink. Mains include a sausage, cheese and tomato pizza or chicken nuggets. It’s available every day from 11.30am until the cafe closes. 

Morrisons Café

Children aged 16 and below can get one free meal with every adult meal. The offer only applies when you purchase an adult meal with a value of £4.49 or over, and it excludes all cafe specials. The meal includes a piece of fruit and orange or apple juice or bottle of water. Read the terms and conditions here.

Bella Italia

Kids can get three courses and a drink for just £1 from Sunday to Wednesday at Bella Italia. Meals are suitable for two-11 year olds, with smaller and larger portion sizes to suit their appetites. It’s also free all day on Thursday!

The cheapest adult main course is the margherita pizza, priced at £11.49 – though these prices go up to £11.99 at some London and Center Parcs branches. Read all about it.

Dunelm

Many of the furnishing retailer’s branches have an in-store eatery, the Pausa cafe. Kids can get a ‘mini main’, two snacks and a drink for free, as long as an accompanying adult spends £4 or more.

Tesco Café

Kids eat free at Tesco Café this half with the Kids’ Pick ‘N’ Mix Lunch Deal. Your child will get a sandwich, a piece of fruit, two snacks and a drink. An adult just has to buy any item in the Tesco Café.

Dobbies

Kids can get a free breakfast or lunch at national garden centre Dobbies, with one meal and drink available for every adult main purchased. It does not include the Beaconsfield, Hungerford, Keston, Andover, Lelant, Marple, Reading, York and Anchorwood restaurants. It’s £1 for a kids’ Sunday roast.

The lunch offer’s available every day from 12 noon until 3pm, or the breakfast only until 11.30am.

Travelodge

If you happen to be staying in a Travelodge over the half term, kids aged 15 and under eat completely free. Your child can choose as much as they like from the cooked selection, including prime back bacon, Cumberland pork sausages, free range scrambled eggs and more. Up to two kids can eat free for every full paying adult, starting at £5.50 for a breakfast to go.

Premier Inn

The same goes at Premier Inn! When an adult orders a full Premier Inn Breakfast or a Meal Deal, up to two under 16s eat breakfast for free. Find out more.

Holiday Inn

Kids eat (and stay) free at Holiday Inn. It is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel’s dine-in restaurant. Your kids will get a main course and dessert. An adult (who is registered as a hotel guest) must order at least one course from the full priced menu. It’s limited to four children per dining family. Find out more here – including how kids can stay for free at Holiday Inn. 

SA Brain Pubs

Welsh pub chain SA Brain & Co. is another pub chain handing out kids meals for just £1. This offer is available all day every Wednesday, and must be purchased alongside a full price adult main meal. It excludes Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Purezza

Purezza, the vegan pizza restaurant, has a kids eat free scheme not just for the school holidays but all year round! Children under 10 can enjoy a free mini pizza with a topping of their choice. Only one child eats free per adult dining. The restaurants can provide additional mini pizzas and other children for £5 each. You’ll find Purezza in Camden, Bristol, Manchester and Brighton. 

Ikea

At Ikea, your little ones can enjoy the pasta with tomato sauce or the mac and cheese and a soft drink for 95p. Any other kids meal is £1.50. You could also enjoy browsing and getting lost through the aisles of the furniture store and make it a proper trip out! This is available every day from 11am.

---

---

Table Table

Two kids under the age of 16 can get free, unlimited breakfast at Table Table’s all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast. You have to purchase an adult breakfast at a cost of £9.99. It promises a freshly cooked full English with all your cooked and continental favourites.

Brewers Fayre

Kids can get free buffet breakfast at Brewers Fayre, which is also owned by Whitbread – just like Table Table. It is much the same deal as above. Kids have to be under the age of 16 to eat for free, and you have to purchase an adult breakfast for £9.99. 

Beefeater

Another Whitbread pub, Beefeater also offers two kids all-you-can-eat breakfast for free. Kids have to be under the age of 16 to eat for free, and you have to purchase an adult breakfast for £9.99. 

Heathrow Airport

OK, so you won’t be heading to Heathrow Airport purely for a meal (try explaining that to security), but if you are jetting off on a holiday over the May half term it is handy to know that kids can eat for free in its restaurants. Participating spots include Big Smoke, Giraffe, The Globe and more. You can find the full list here.

The Real Greek

This May half term kids eat free at the Real Greek. For every £10 spent by an adult, one child under the age of 12 can eat for free at the Greek chain restaurant. The offer includes one meal from the children’s menu as well as an ice cream or sorbet. It’s available from Sunday, 26 May to Sunday, 2 June.

Hungry Horse

Every Monday, kids can eat for £1 at Hungry Horse pubs. Dishes include pork sausages, fish fingers and chicken nuggets and a small beef burger. Up to two kids can eat with every full paying adult. Larger dishes will cost you £1.50.

Cafe Rouge

At Cafe Rouge, children up to 12 years old can enjoy two or three lunch or dinner courses from the kid’s menu for free, with the purchase of any main from the A La Carte menu. Menu options include fish goujons, crunchie chicken crispies and macaroni cheese. It’s available in the half term from 27 May to 31 May. Find out more.

Asda Cafe

Asda has announced that its kids eat for £1 meal deal has been extended all year round. Kids can get a hot meal, such as penne pasta with meatballs, fish fingers, chicken nuggets and all-day breakfast. They will also receive a free piece of fruit. There’s also a cold pick and mix selection that includes a sandwich, drink and piece of fruit. And you don’t have to buy anything yourself to go with it!

YO! Sushi

From 27 May to 31 May, except for Saturdays and Sundays, kids eat for free all day in YO! Sushi restaurants when dining with a full-paying adult (there’s a minimum spend of £10). It’s a maximum of three kids per booking.

It’s unfortunately not available at the restaurants in Bath, Heathrow T2, Heathrow T3, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Rushden Lakes, St Pancras Station, York Outlet or London Luton Airport.

Burger King

Kids can eat for £1 this half term between 27 May to 2 June. You can get a King Jr. Meal for £1 when an adult orders a main meal via the Burger King app. It’s not valid at Burger King motorway service locations, airports, train stations and holiday parks. Find out more.

Banana Tree

Kids eat free at selected Banana Tree restaurants over the school holidays between 26 to 31 May. It’s a free kid’s main meal and kid’s dessert per full price main meal ordered from the all-day menu. This offer excludes Banana Tree Soho, Covent Garden and Oxford. It is also on every Sunday and excludes the O2 location on event days.

Franco Manca

Kids aged 12 and under can get a free pizza for every adult main you buy at Franco Manca. It’s available in Stoke Newington, East Dulwich, Balham, Chiswick, Kilburn, Bishops Stortford, Cheltenham, Hove, Manchester Didsbury, Manchester Trafford Centre, and Peterborough locations.

It is available for eat-in only, is applied to individual kids pizzas (not the extended kids menu) and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Brewdog

Kids eat free this May half term in Brewdogs in England and Wales – but you’ve got to buy a main for yourself. It’s available 25 May to 2 June.

Frankie and Bennie’s

Kids can get a main, side, dessert and drink for free at Frankie and Bennie’s. Order an adult main to redeem. It’s available Tuesday, May 28 to Friday, May 31. It excludes Saturdays and Sundays.

Las Iguanas

Kids under 12 can get a free niños meal but only if you download the Las Iguanas app. Each adult ordering a main course from the a la carte menu can claim a free kids meal. It includes a main, two sides and a dessert.

It’s not available on big event days at the O2, Wembley, Resorts World, Cardiff Mill Lane or Brindley Place restaurants and at Las Iguanas Center Parcs.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

So it’s not quite free… but kids can eat for £2 at Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK). You have to purchase an adult meal alongside it. It’s only available for one child per adult and includes a main and one side.

Bluegrass BBQ Smokehouse

You can get a free kids’ main and dessert this May half term, from 25 May to 2 June with any adult who pays £10 or more for a meal.​ You’ll find the restaurants in High Wycombe, Reading or Windsor.

Where kids can eat free or for £1 if you’re in London

Barbican Kitchen

Children under 10 can get a free kid’s meal at the Barbican Kitchen with every adult meal over £10 purchased. This offer is not just for the May half term but all year round. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Barbican. See the menu and more on their website.

Preto

Kids can eat free at Brazilian buffet restaurant Preto. The offer is valid every weekday after 4pm and all weekend. This offer is open to children up to 10 years old, and proof of age might be requested. An adult will need to pay their full way.

It starts at £24.95 but you get an unlimited selection from the traditional Brazilian hot dishes and salad bar. You can get the offer at the Victoria, Putney, Queensway, Colchester and West End restaurants by downloading a voucher.  

Angus Steakhouse

At Angus Steakhouses in central London, one child can get a meal per full-paying adult. It is available every day during the half term and at weekends, from 12pm to 5pm, during the rest of the school year. It is only on offer for kids under the age of 10. You should request in advance of your booking. Find out more.

Pembury Tavern 

Kids eat free at the Pembury Tavern in Hackney, Eastern, all day every Sunday, with each adult-sized pizza bought. You can choose from a slice of their classic margarita or single pepperoni, plus your kids will get a scoop of ice-cream! Find out more here.

The Hox

Kids under 10 can eat free between 12 noon and 5pm every Saturday and Sunday at Hox restaurants in Shoreditch, Holborn, Southwark and Shepherd’s Bush with any dining adult. The offer is only for one child per adult.

Get the latest news and insight into how the Big Issue magazine is made by signing up for the Inside Big Issue newsletter

In March, farmers came together to drive their tractors past parliament in protest at the government’s lack of support for their industry. The disruption mirrors the actions of others across Europe, who have blockaded roads, dumped manure and burnt tyres in the centres of major cities from Paris to Berlin.   

Agriculture has undoubtedly faced a tough few years. Costs increased by 35% in 2022 thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine war causing inflation to skyrocket, forcing many out of business. While costs have fallen slightly since, they are still significantly higher than before the pandemic. 

New problems are emerging too. Brexit has led to a radical overhaul of agricultural subsidies, leaving earnings as much as halved for some. The change could not have come at a worse time, according to Save British Farming founder Liz Webster, who co-organised the protest, as the squeeze on profits means farmers’ incomes have increasingly come from subsidies.  

Get the latest news and insight into how the Big Issue magazine is made by signing up for the Inside Big Issue newsletter

“We’re being paid to plant flowers or for environmental schemes, which means taking land out of production,” says Webster. “This means that the smaller the farm, the harder it is to get subsidies because if you’ve got animals and you need to grow grass to feed them, you can’t afford not to use that land.”

This is a change from the pre-Brexit EU scheme, which rewarded food production as well as environmental action. Recompensing sustainable farming and environmentalism is vital to the future of the industry and the planet, but the new subsidies are the biggest structural change to British farming in decades. And the cut in income is impacting smaller farms and young people the most.  

Sally Griffiths is a young farmer in Powys, Wales, who has had to find work away from her family farm due to financial pressures. Of her three siblings, only one works on the farm, in part because it does not make enough money to fund all of them.  

“We’re all going to do some different things as I don’t think it’s fair to put pressure on the family. Finances are such an awkward topic in farming, so I think it’s nice when we’re all young to do what we want for our careers. 

“People see farmers and think that they’re rich because they have land, but in reality, unless you sell that land you don’t have access to that money.”  

• Why food prices are increasing so much
• British farmers demand universal basic income to prevent bankruptcy in wake of Brexit
• Most farmers have no confidence in post-Brexit agricultural policy

For those without a farm to inherit, the barriers to entering the industry are even greater as even a relatively small plot of land can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to buy. There’s also a growing trend towards farmland being bought and not used to produce food; in 2023 non-farmers bought more than half the farms and estates sold.  

These challenges are already having an impact on the food we eat as prices are rising, less British food is being produced and cheaper imports are becoming more prevalent. “It’s largely like what happened to the coal and steel industry in the 1980s,” explains Liz Webster. “We will end up with a small number of very high-end British food producers with very high standards.”

But for those who can’t afford such luxuries, Webster says the price and quality of food is only set to get worse. “Everybody else will be forced to eat processed, imported, expensive food. At the moment New Zealand is sending lamb over here for as little as £5.55 a kilo, while the local [British] stuff is more than double that. They will only continue to do this until British farmers are run down, then of course they’ll hike up the prices.” 

Seeing poor-quality imports undercut British food is a lose-lose situation for farmers and consumers who want high-welfare produce, but the government has shown reluctance to rectify the situation. New trade deals with New Zealand and Australia have removed limits on the amount of lamb and beef which can be imported into Britain, without achieving the same terms for British exports.

Big Issue is demanding an end to poverty this general election. Will you sign our open letter to party leaders?

Elsewhere, the government has refused to recognise food security as a public good, a move which has been criticised by parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee. Campaigners say a focus on food is more important than ever, as prices rose by 25% between 2022 and 2024 and geopolitical instability means disruption to the food chain is becoming more likely. Without government action to lower prices, Britain could quickly fall into a food crisis.  

Andrew Forsey, national director of food poverty charity Feeding Britain, says the poorest people are already suffering. “In the most deprived areas in England, one in 11 adults ran out of food and couldn’t afford to buy any more last winter. They have to keep on top of their housing payments, otherwise they can lose a roof over their heads. They have to keep on top of their utility bills, otherwise they have no heat or lights.

But they don’t get into trouble if they cut back on food. Instead, they have to suffer from hunger.” According to Forsey, the only way to eliminate such poverty and ensure long-term food security for all is to see a cooperative effort to bring affordable food to local communities.   

“You would be hard pressed to find a social supermarket, pantry or food club that doesn’t have a relationship with retailers in the local area to help redistribute some perfectly edible produce that is at risk of going to waste,” he continues. “Most relationships are extending beyond retailers to wholesalers, farmers, market traders and others too.” 

With food producers and consumers both facing huge challenges, perhaps cooperation is the best way forward for food security. 

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy! If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member. You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play.

To me, greens are found in the supermarket, pre-packaged with a price tag. Foraging has never occurred to me. But reading foraging aficionado Andy Hamilton’s new book, The First-Time Forager, I wondered if I’ve been missing out on something spectacular. 

So I ventured to my local park to see what I could find. I spotted gorse almost immediately. Though without gloves, I didn’t have it in me to pick the yellow flowers from their spiky leaves. I’d read about a pine needle cordial but underestimated the amount of needles needed (one cordial requires 115 grams).   

Evidently, I’m no great forager. Yet, with a bit of dedication would it be worth my while? 

Get the latest news and insight into how the Big Issue magazine is made by signing up for the Inside Big Issue newsletter

Andy Hamilton has spent the last 20 years teaching amateurs like me. Speaking to the Big Issue, “delicious” is how he describes the dandelion leaves he had for lunch, covered in a cheese sauce. He plucked them from his garden; it took him “about 90 seconds”. 

Hamilton compares his messy garden to the Garden of Eden. He mentions the dedication to his book that reads: “To mum and dad who gave their children the greatest gift to be bestowed on anyone – a wild garden to play in.”  

There’s a sense of reverence as Hamilton describes his parents’ garden. The row of pine trees along the bottom border, the chickweed that sprang up in the trench for his toy soldiers, the patch of nettles – this upbringing created a man in awe of the natural world. 

The patch of nettles specifically marked Hamilton’s first attempt at foraging. “I can remember the nettles and I can remember the fact that it was a disaster.” 

Hamilton explains that while nettles are delightful in a soup this time of year, once they grow “really tall” they lose their charm. “They’ve got a chemical in them that crystallises in the leaves and makes them taste a little bit like sand.” 

Besides the nettle soup, there was also the time he ate a daffodil, which unbeknown to him at the start, are poisonous. These early missteps didn’t deter him though. 

• What I learned from living for a year only on foraged foods
• UK’s food poverty crisis is spiralling out of control – and there’s only one way to fix it

“Foraging is freedom to me,” he says. “I had lots of really bad jobs in my 20s and relied on other people for food. Now I know that I’ve got the capability to go out and pick some food and at least have a plate of food.” 

But he knows foraging isn’t a quick fix for the cost of living crisis. He says that if he’d been told to go foraging when he was hungry, he’d have told the person to “fuck off”. Rather he says it’s a way to feel “fully human”. 

“When you start to engage with the natural world with foraging, then you start to love it more. It’s a very different experience than getting something and shoving it in the microwave. It gives you an idea of the seasons. It gives you a complete idea of climate change. You know what the weather’s doing to our plants, it makes you very in touch with what’s happening in the world.” 

It’s a movement that has mushroomed in popularity, in no small part due to lockdowns. 

“When I first started teaching, it was the usual suspects. You could ask what everyone voted and they’d probably all say the Green Party. It was also all flowing robes and long hair – myself included.” 

“There’s actually more of an abundance in a city than there is in the countryside because we’ve got loads of cultivated gardens, allotments, all that kind of stuff around. It’s about knowing where to look.” 

To the sceptics, Hamilton smiles as he says, “Give it a go. You’ve probably already foraged. You’ve probably picked a blackberry. You probably know what nettles and dandelions look like. 

“There are a lot of plants and a lot of knowledge you already have. 

“Just ease yourself in gently, you know, one or two dishes, one or two little extras… You can use it to enhance what you’re already eating.” 

So, with this in mind, I went back outside. It took more than 90 seconds, yet I did find an abundance of dandelion leaves. I came home and boiled my leaves for the recommended 20 minutes. Hamilton’s book suggested a lemon, olive oil and salt drizzle. The leafy greens reminded me of spinach. I dished them up in a bowl and didn’t like them at all. 

But I did gain something from the experience. I engaged with my local environment, noticing things I hadn’t noticed before: the first of the magnolia blossoms, birds building their nests in the trees. 

It was lovely to be in touch with my surroundings in a way that did feel fully human. 

The First-Time Forager by Andy Hamilton is out now (National Trust Books, £12.99). You can buy it from The Big Issue shop on Bookshop.org, which helps to support The Big Issue and independent bookshops.

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member. You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

The Big Issue Recipe Collection is bringing together budget-friendly delicious dishes, and this time it goes international. Matt, known as MBK, sells the Big Issue Australia in Melbourne and has submitted this recipe, with roots in his own heritage.

He said: “When I was young, my sister and I would often be at my grandparents’ house. They were Ukrainian immigrants who came to Australia in the 1950s. They may have met in a work camp near Russia at the end of World War II, but that might just be family myth. They knew how to make food
tasty and cheap.

“Sharing this recipe for Ukrainian vareniki, I remember their chrome-edged kitchen table covered intea towels full of vareniki; helping prepare the dough, rolling it and cutting out circles. With the scraps of leftoverdough, we would make a little treat – filled with jam and cooked in the oven. Ukrainian dumplings can be filled with so many different fillings, from sour cherry to sauerkraut. My favourite is potato and cheese. After they were boiled and cooled, we would add butter to a frying pan with chopped onion, lightly fry both sides, then serve hot with lashings of cream on top.

“Last time I made these, I had the first bite and the memories came flooding back – I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy rolling down my cheeks. Best comfort food ever. Slava Ukraini.”

Ingredients (serves 4)

Dough
250g plain flour
ó tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp vegetable oil
7-8 tbsp water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Potato filling
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
3 large potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
115g cottage cheese
60g cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
Butter, fried onion, spring onion and
cream to serve (optional)

Method 

1. For the dough, place flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add egg yolks and oil into the centre and beat with a fork, slowly incorporating the flour. Add water a little at a time until it forms a dough. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover with a tea towel or bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. For the potato filling, melt butter in a small frying pan on medium heat. Add onion, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 15 minutes tops. Remove from heat and cool slightly. 

3. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes and cheeses. Add the onion and melted butter and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. 

4. To assemble, divide the dough in half and shape into 2 balls. Keep one covered while working the other ball. On a floured surface, roll out a ball into a very thin sheet, about 3mm thick. Make sure it doesn’t tear. Using an 8cm cookie cutter or an inverted glass, make small circles in the dough. Gather scraps and set aside, covered. Place a heaped teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each circle. Fold the dough in half over the filling to form a semi-circle. Brush the edges with the egg white and pinch edges firmly together with your fingers (or use a fork to seal). Place the vareniki on a lightly floured baking sheet, about an inch apart. Cover with a damp tea towel. Repeat process with second ball of dough. 

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, and carefully lower some of the vareniki into the water. Avoid crowding them. Boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until they rise to the surface and are cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the vareniki to a colander. Drain thoroughly. Repeat process with remaining vareniki.

6. Serve tossed in a little butter. Or, once cooled, try frying them slightly on each side with a little butter and onion, then serve with thickened cream and spring onion. Yumbo! Once cooked and fully cooled, they can be frozen.

• How do you cook for your family on a tight budget? All you need to know about finding cheap recipes
• What soaring inflation actually means for the cost of your weekly food shop
• How to keep cooking and hot water costs down if the energy crisis has increased your bill

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!
If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member.
You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

Nathan Truesdale a FoodCycle Broxtowe-Aspley volunteer, writes, “Who doesn’t love baked beans!? Cheap, healthy, filling and delicious! I’ve been pimping my baked beans up at home for years with paprika, pepper, onions and that secret ingredient – Marmite! At FoodCycle, we get some great ingredients, and when all the lovely pineapple appeared, it was impossible to resist! Fruit in savoury food can go so well, and the bursts of sweet, tropical juice really complement the smoky paprika in this recipe. We love to surprise and delight our guests, and this went down a storm! This recipe also works very well with cannellini beans or butter beans, and makes healthy, very cheap meals for the week.”

Ingredients

(serves 4) 

1 large onion (diced) 
3 tsp garlic (crushed or from a tube) 
3½ tsp smoked paprika 
2½ tsp oregano 
½ tsp sage 
1 tbsp tomato puree 
300g tomato passata  
12½ g Marmite 
1½ tsp ketchup 
⅓ pineapple 
800g tinned pinto
beans, rinsed 
Cooked rice, to serve

Method 

1. In a large pan, sweat the diced onions down in salt and oil. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant. 
2. Next add the smoked paprika, oregano, sage and tomato puree. Fry for 2 minutes. 
3. Add passata, Marmite and ketchup, stir and simmer on low. 
4. Dice your pineapples into generous chunks and flambé in a frying pan with a little oil before adding to the sauce. 
5. Wash the beans thoroughly and drain, then add to sauce and warm through. Serve with rice.

Check out FoodCycle’s recipe collection here.

• How do you cook for your family on a tight budget? All you need to know about finding cheap recipes
• What soaring inflation actually means for the cost of your weekly food shop
• How to keep cooking and hot water costs down if the energy crisis has increased your bill

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member.

You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

FoodCycle volunteer Eugenia Russell sent in this family favourite budget-friendly recipe. “A few years ago, I created a small selection of Greek recipes for my daughter when she went to university. This was both to support her in her efforts to cook from scratch and eat healthy meals, and inspire her to feel connected to her Greek heritage. Gemista (stuffed peppers) can be made in large quantities and are best eaten in the company of good friends. In the old days, when many Greek homes did not have their own ovens, prepared gemista, alongside trays of tyropita and various other baked goods, would be taken to the local bakery who would cook lunch (for a nominal charge) for members of the community. For this recipe, you may want to avoid green peppers.”

Ingredients 

1 bell pepper per person, or 2-3 long, florina peppers
1 Spanish (brown) onion for every four peppers, finely sliced 
½ cup of long grain rice for every four peppers, measured raw, then cooked
A good handful of parsley, chopped 
A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved (optional) 
Oil of your choice or butter for preparing the tray 
Sea salt and black pepper

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180. Cut a ‘lid’ off each pepper and hollow out to remove seeds and pith.
2. Fry the onion for a few minutes until cooked but not brown. 
3. Mix together the onion, cooked rice and parsley, and cherry tomatoes if using. Stuff the peppers with the mixture. 
4. Replace lids. Brush with oil or melted butter and season. 
5. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Some cooks give it longer. You might like to check the peppers halfway through. 

Cook’s tip: breadcrumbs and feta cheese or trahanas soup mix are other good stuffing ideas. 

Check out FoodCycle’s recipe collection here.

• How do you cook for your family on a tight budget? All you need to know about finding cheap recipes
• What soaring inflation actually means for the cost of your weekly food shop
• How to keep cooking and hot water costs down if the energy crisis has increased your bill

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member.

You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

Here I’m embracing ingredients that are often wasted by bigging up broccoli stalk (it’s
just as delicious as florets – trust me) and turning stale bread into golden, crunchy
breadcrumbs. Plus, I’m swapping fresh fish for tinned mackerel: it’s similar to tuna, but
actually has higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6. If you’re after a comforting
midweek spaghetti that’s on the table in minutes, this ticks a lot of boxes.

SERVES: 2
TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
COST PER PORTION: 88p*

1 slice of stale thick white bread (100g)
olive oil
half a head of broccoli (180g)
2 cloves of garlic
half a lemon
150g dried spaghetti
half a teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 x 125g tin of mackerel in tomato sauce
30g mature Cheddar cheese

1. Roughly chop the stale bread to create rustic breadcrumbs, then place in a large
non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook
for 3 minutes, or until crispy, stirring regularly, then tip into a bowl for later.

2. Trim the tough end off the broccoli stalk. Cut the florets into small, delicate pieces
and very finely slice the remaining stalk. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Finely
grate the lemon zest and put aside for later.

3. Cook the spaghetti in a pan of salted boiling water according to the packet
instructions, adding the broccoli florets for the final 2 minutes, then drain,
reserving a mugful of the starchy cooking water.

4. Meanwhile, quickly wipe out the frying pan and place it back on a medium heat
with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and the dried chilli. Add the sliced broccoli stalk and
fry for 5 minutes, or until lightly charred and golden, stirring regularly and adding
small splashes of starchy pasta water, letting it bubble away before adding the
next splash, and adding the sliced garlic for the final minute.

5. Tip in the mackerel (sauce and all), breaking it up with the back of your spoon,
then add 1 tin’s worth of starchy pasta water and leave to simmer for 2 minutes.

6. Add the pasta to the broccoli and mackerel and toss everything together,
loosening with splashes of the starchy cooking water, if needed.

7. Off the heat, finely grate in the cheese, add a good squeeze of lemon juice, then
toss together and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.

8. Divide between plates, sprinkling over the crispy breadcrumbs and the reserved
lemon zest, to serve.

EASY SWAPS
– Swap the mackerel for another tinned fish of your choice – tuna or sardines would be
delicious.
– Use whatever dried pasta you’ve got to hand – think fusilli, penne or linguine.

DIETARY INFO:
ENERGY 567kcals 
FAT 19.7g 
SAT FAT 6g 
PROTEIN 24.9g 
CARBS 71.8g 
SUGARS 6.3g 
SALT 1.2g 
FIBRE 6.3g 

*Prices correct at time of creation (January 2024). Recipes © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited. 

• How do you cook for your family on a tight budget? All you need to know about finding cheap recipes
• Tom Kerridge and Marcus Rashford’s easy and cheap recipe for rainbow halloumi couscous
• Paul McNamee: Why Jamie Oliver’s words carry weight

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member.

You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

Beautifully soft berries, sweet apples and a buttery oat topping, this recipe is proof that you don’t need fresh fruit to make a cracking crumble. I’m keeping costs down by swapping in frozen mixed berries and granulated sugar (which is around half the price of caster sugar right now!). If you’ve got any apples lying around that are past their best, this recipe is also great for bringing them back to life.

COST PER PORTION: 72p*
SERVES 8
TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

1kg mixed frozen berries
2 eating apples (300g)
100g unsalted butter (cold)
150g plain flour
75g rolled oats
150g granulated sugar
vanilla ice cream, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Tip the frozen berries into a large bowl, and place in the microwave on high (800W) for 10 minutes until defrosted. Or leave to defrost in the fridge overnight. Once defrosted, drain and reserve the excess juice (see tip).

2. Meanwhile, roughly chop apples into 1cm cubes (skin and all).

3. For the crumble topping, cube the butter and place in a mixing bowl with the flour. Rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the oats and half of the sugar.

4. Tip the berries into a 30cm x 25cm baking dish, stir in the chopped apple and remaining sugar, tossing until the apples are well coated. Sprinkle over the crumble topping, then bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until beautifully golden. Delicious served with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS

Transform the berry juice into a lovely syrup or cordial. Simply add 2 teaspoons of sugar and reduce in a saucepan on medium-low until the sugar has dissolved, stirring regularly. Decant into sterilised glass bottles and keep in a cool place for up to 2 months. Delicious drizzled over ice cream or yoghurt. Or, simply leave as is and dilute in water – it makes a cracking cordial.

*Prices correct at time of creation (January 2024). Recipes © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited. 

• How do you cook for your family on a tight budget? All you need to know about finding cheap recipes
• What soaring inflation actually means for the cost of your weekly food shop
• How to keep cooking and hot water costs down if the energy crisis has increased your bill

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member.

You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

In 2009, Jamie Oliver surveyed the British government’s provision of food education and found it severely lacking. In response, he set up the Ministry of Food to provide lessons on cooking, nutrition and sustainability in Bradford, Rotherham, Leeds, Newcastle and Stratford, East London. 

Fifteen years later, the Ministry of Food is still going strong, with 74 sites across the UK and 18 more planned for this year, which will deliver Oliver’s mission to reach 40,000 more people from underserved communities. It is now a certified B Corp, recognised for its positive impact on people and the environment. 

Get the latest news and insight into how the Big Issue magazine is made by signing up for the Inside Big Issue newsletter

In Bradford, Oliver’s work continues at The Storehouse, where local organisation Inn Churches supports and empowers people experiencing homelessness, poverty and other forms of marginalisation – including through food provision. 

“We reclaim tonnes and tonnes of food on an annual basis,” says welfare manager Soraya Overend, “and we’ve been buying food, which comes from government funding, and distributing it to food banks. We’ve also been visiting some community centres and churches to look at their pantry models and cook whatever they’ve got on display that day.” 

They also teach Oliver’s recipes and nutritional tips to children, parents and young people. The Big Issue’s visit aligns with a weekly session with post-16 students from High Park School, a specialist institution that supports disabled and neurodiverse children and young people with complex needs. Those in attendance are autistic. Many are non-verbal and struggle with sensory overload and unfamiliar environments – but at The Storehouse, they thrive. 

“It’s great, because they can try different things,” says teacher Allison. “They experience different textures and sounds.” She singles out one student. “He only eats rice at school. He came here, and he ended up eating beans on toast, curry, all sorts – it was a massive step.” 

The students, she adds, “look forward to coming here. Being able to meet new people is a massive thing, because a lot of them might not be able to go out with their families.” 

Today, they are cooking chicken chow mein – but not before they try some new fruits. “Does anyone know what these are?” asks catering assistant Julie Turner, holding up a lychee. She passes a bowl around the room and the students experiment with the texture. 

Turner shows the students how to remove the shells and extract the stones, and they follow her lead with varying levels of support from staff. Without any pressure, Turner invites them to taste it, and many, despite anxiety around new sensory experiences, choose to do so.

The students spend three and a half hours at the Ministry of Food class every Thursday. Those extended sessions, Allison says, allow them the processing time they need to flourish – “when they’re rushing, they’re not actually learning as quickly as they could do.” 

Turner guides the class through the process of preparing vegetables. One student uses an Easi-Grip knife. “We’d been having to give him quite a lot of help to hold it,” Turner says, “and we wondered about position. The first week I brought this one, he grabbed it and started chopping straight away.” 

“It makes a massive difference,” Allison says of the flexibility with which the Ministry of Food staff approach the students, meeting their needs but also catering to their strengths. 

As Turner guides the students through Oliver’s recipe, she provides the students with frequent opportunities to contribute. “Do you remember how we chopped the pepper?” she asks a student. “Can you show Allison, please?” They return to recipes and cooking techniques periodically, allowing students to benefit from the comfort of familiar activities and embedding their understanding of the skills required. 

While other classes at The Storehouse are more regimented – staff follow recipes exactly and place greater emphasis on the Eatwell Guide to nutrition – the classes with the High Park students take a more informal approach. Turner often offers students two choices – chop or tear mushrooms, chop or peel courgettes. 

Choosing recipes that require a variety of skills has the benefit of “improving students’ fine motor skills”, says Allison. Social skills also develop. “We have a big push at school on our students socialising outside their classrooms,” she says. “Even though they may be non-verbal, they’re very aware.” The students who attend Inn Churches are from three different classrooms, and two of them, who are in different classes at school, have become particularly close, communicating via touch. 

“Students for whom routine’s really important might not experience going out. By giving them experience of being around different people, the idea is that eventually, we’ll be able to take them to a supermarket to buy their food.” 

High Park School places high value on offering participants the ability to make independent choices and to communicate their needs and desires. These are values shared by the Ministry of Food. 

During the course of the session, they decide that they will cook a pasta dish next week as the students recently enjoyed cooking pasta at school. 

They also embrace different styles of learning and expression. While some enjoy responding to questions, others learn better by touch, and Turner explains the process of cooking to one student by allowing him to compare the sensation of raw and boiled noodles. 

Since their involvement with the Ministry of Food, the students have made significant gains in independence. One of them might even participate in public demonstrations. 

The Ministry of Food provides lesson plans, talking points and recipes, but ultimately, the Inn Churches staff and High Park teachers and students shape the sessions. “The working relationship we’ve got with Jamie’s team is really good,” Overend says. 

The recipes have changed over the last 15 years to place increasing emphasis on health, but also on taste – salt, sugar and oils are replaced with herbs and spices. The students try coriander, ginger and pepper – and go back for seconds and thirds. 

“Celebrating 15 years of my Ministry of Food programme has to be one of my proudest achievements, and this is still just the beginning,” Jamie Oliver told Big Issue. 

“We’ve set ourselves the ambitious target of teaching one million people to cook by 2030, and we are ramping up our programmes in secondary schools and in even more communities around the country. 

“Knowing how to cook from scratch is one of the most important skills you can learn – it will set you up to feed yourself and your loved ones for life. So, if you know of a school or community group that would love to join the Ministry of Food programme, get in touch!”  

Find out more about The Storehouse here

For more about Jamies Ministry of Food click here

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member. You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play

Rosy Hunt in Norwich sent us her recipe for this lentil dish, which is packed with healthy vegetables and uses a little Marmite for added depth of flavour. Lentils are a really good source of protein, yet are cheap to buy and particularly easy to prepare if you opt for tinned.

Rosy told us: “This is a good budget recipe and is great with mashed potato. It can easily be made vegan without using dairy in the mash.” She also had this top tip for fussy palates: “Hide under a layer of mash if kids are wary of trying lentils.”

Ingredients 

1 onion
1-2 sticks of celery
1 carrot
2 tbsps of cooking oil (olive if you like but vegetable or sunflower are fine too)
1 tin of cooked lentils
1 tsp vegetable stock
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
Pack of mushrooms
1 tsp of Marmite
Salt and pepper to taste
Bag of potatoes for mash with a splash of milk and knob of butter (use vegan versions if you like).

COST The whole meal should cost about £6, more if you’re buying Marmite especially, but you can just leave it out.

1. Slice the onion thinly and fry with the celery and carrot for 10 mins on medium in a tablespoon of cooking oil.

2. Add the lentils for a couple of minutes stirring (if you have a bottle open, you could add a glug of red wine now and let  it burn off, stirring for a couple  of minutes)

3. Stir in a teaspoon of vegetable stock to about 250ml of boiling water in a jug/bowl and add.

4. Add the tinned tomatoes. Leave to simmer while you do the next bit.

5. Fry the mushrooms in a separate pan in the remaining oil and when they’ve shrunk and gone dark, about five mins, add to the lentil mix.

6. Add Marmite if using – you may want pepper and salt – though try it first as vegetable stock is salty.

7. Leave for a few mins to simmer, turning it up to bubble while you stir, if it’s too wet. Serve with mashed potatoes.

TIP: You can add any veg you need to use up, such as spinach (see image). It’s nice served with roasted cabbage. (To roast cabbage, just quarter any cabbage, and roast with a bit of oil drizzled over and a pinch of salt on about 180°C for about 20 mins – even the black leaves are tasty.)

You can also use dry lentils (lentils vertes) instead of tinned which are even cheaper. It’s not essential, but some prefer to soak them first. Weigh out 100g dry, and before cooking rinse in cold water. Cook them in a separate pan according to packet instructions.

• How do you cook for your family on a tight budget? All you need to know about finding cheap recipes
• What soaring inflation actually means for the cost of your weekly food shop
• How to keep cooking and hot water costs down if the energy crisis has increased your bill

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!

If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member.

You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play