Physical cookbooks for really cheap meals

[shelivesthedream]

I've just moved to a new house and I'm trying to have another go at the grocery bill. I work part-time mostly from home and my husband's new job is within ten minutes walk of our house so we'll both be home for most meals. There's a great fishmongers nearby and a fruit and vegetable stall next to it, so hoping to focus on those now they're more convenient than Tesco! We usually eat mostly vegetarian with modest amounts of pork and fish and occasional other meats. My husband is a very adventurous eater and loves trying new foods. I'm less adventurous but very willing to have a go. We got into a bad habit of eating out a lot just before we moved and I want to make sure that doesn't become the new normal here - particularly when it comes to socialising as we do like to have people over but I don't want it to end up being as expensive as going out with them would be!

Can anyone recommend some physical cookbooks for cheap meals? Ideally nice shiny ones with pretty pictures that we can flick through for inspiration. I'm planning to reserve a stack at the library and maybe buy a few if we really fall in love with them. I'm British so grams and ml preferred over cups and ounces, but we'll cope!

[cerat0n1a]

My mum has one called "how to feed your family for £5 a day." and another called "one pound meals" which was published pretty recently, both findable on Amazon I imagine. Jack Monroe has a couple of books out.

[R62]

Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge by Grace Young.

Recipes feature small amounts of protein and lots of veggies.   Book gives lots of useful info on stir frying techniques. 

Silly American measurements, however (ie: cups and tablespoons).

[Dee18]

My favorite is Thug Kitchen, despite the authors' excessive use of profanity.  There is also a blog by that name.

[Rural]

If you can handle the American measurements, the Southern Living Inflation cookbook is quite good - I've been turning to it for four decades. It is very regional cooking from the American South (as am I...)

Probably long since out of print, but here's a used copy to look at:

https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Living-Inflation-Cookbook-Sturges/dp/B000MV27JY

[Noodle]

Again, US measurements, but I was impressed with Good and Cheap.
 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761184996/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_H9zszbYF2KPBX There's a free PDF version as well as the print version. A lot of "economical cooking" cookbooks are only so when compared to lobster and caviar, and a lot of cookbooks that truly are frugal are rather bland. Good and Cheap was a good combination of inexpensive and flavorful.

[Poeirenta]

I really like the Monday to Friday Cookbook by Michelle Urvater. Most of the recipes use simple ingrediants and are easy to put together. She is a professional chef who wanted to make nutritious, delicious, and uncomplicated meals for her family after a day of making fancy pants meals for paying customers.

[shelivesthedream]

Thanks for the suggestions! I shall hit the library catalogue this weekend.

[Moonwaves]

Check out Jack Monroe's books (first one was called A Girl Called Jack, can't remember what the others are called, or even if they're already published but the blog changed its name to Cooking on a Bootstrap). I've made a few things from the blog and they've always worked out well.

[Mgmny]

My favorite is Thug Kitchen, despite the authors' excessive use of profanity.  There is also a blog by that name.

I have this cookbook and would not recommend it. The recipes are complicated and include a lot of ingredients that will require you to search out. I'm an avid Aldi shopper, and 50% of the ingredients in that cookbook cannot be found or are on the "unreliable" list at Aldi.

[debbie does duncan]

More-with-Less-Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre.
It is a guide  by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the worlds limited food resources.
  First printing 1976 by Herald Press , ISBN 75-23563 .
There is also a second book.....Living more with less, same author.
Very simple, easy.
Good luck on the hunt.

[Moustachienne]

More-with-Less-Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre.
It is a guide  by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the worlds limited food resources.
  First printing 1976 by Herald Press , ISBN 75-23563 .
There is also a second book.....Living more with less, same author.
Very simple, easy.
Good luck on the hunt.

I was thinking of recommending this exact title.  :) it can be a bit hard core - a LOT of bean dishes - but also inspiring (as is Living More with Less). The amino acid combining for veg meals is no longer considered necessary for complete protein but the fundamentals are sound.  Ah, it takes me back to the 70s; macrame, making our own yogurt and granola, Diet for a Small Planet, sprouting mung beans, Peter Frampton Comes Alive,..

[ohsnap]

More-with-Less-Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre.
It is a guide  by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the worlds limited food resources.
  First printing 1976 by Herald Press , ISBN 75-23563 .
There is also a second book.....Living more with less, same author.
Very simple, easy.
Good luck on the hunt.

I was thinking of recommending this exact title.  :) it can be a bit hard core - a LOT of bean dishes - but also inspiring (as is Living More with Less). The amino acid combining for veg meals is no longer considered necessary for complete protein but the fundamentals are sound.  Ah, it takes me back to the 70s; macrame, making our own yogurt and granola, Diet for a Small Planet, sprouting mung beans, Peter Frampton Comes Alive,..

I was going to recommend this one, too!  I love this book.  It doesn't meet the OP's request re: nice shiny book with pretty pictures.  But it has very tasty recipes, especially considering how simple and inexpensive they are.  And it's inspirational if you're looking to use fewer resources in your cooking (from both a household-budget and planet-saving perspective).

[debbie does duncan]

I love the Australian Women's Weekly Home Library series for great pics. Drool worthy pics.
Easy to pick up second hand. I can personally recommend the Sweet Old-Fashioned Favourites copy!
I find if I use the measurements they give and do NOT change into US/UK all is well.
 Glossary in the back with sizing and oven temps in every copy. All mistakes have been eaten !

[moonpalace]

Can anyone recommend some physical cookbooks for cheap meals? Ideally nice shiny ones with pretty pictures that we can flick through for inspiration. I'm planning to reserve a stack at the library and maybe buy a few if we really fall in love with them. I'm British so grams and ml preferred over cups and ounces, but we'll cope!

Definitely not nice and shiny, but I'd recommend an older edition of the Joy of Cooking. I have from the early '60's and it's an amazing resource for making anything from scratch, using odd cuts of meat, etc. And it comes from an era when there just weren't that many fancy ingredients around, so it doesn't ever call for them.

[MBot]

More with less is a great suggestion!

The Budget Bytes  cookbook has nice pictures, variety, and is focused on tasty and cheap food. I like the website but still found the book quite useful for a few winning recipes.

[MBot]

Also I find Bittmans  How to Cook Everything is great for going by ingredient. No pictures, but it will often show a preparation of a meat or veg I've done before, then three or five other techniques or approaches. It is very useful in that way.

However, it lacks a few recipes needed to be truly comprehensive, so I wouldn't find the title completely accurate.

[shelivesthedream]

Not many suggestions available at the library, but I've reserved:
One Pound Meals by Miguel Barclay
A Year in 120 Recipes by Jack Monroe
The Complete Nose to Tail by Fergus Henderson

I've also downloaded the Good and Cheap PDF. That ought to get me started, and then there's a couple in this thread I might buy if I need a further culinary pick-me-up down the line. I'm particularly interested in The More With Less Cookbook and The Monday to Friday Cookbook.

Thanks, all! I love this forum!

[tralfamadorian]

Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge by Grace Young.

Recipes feature small amounts of protein and lots of veggies.   Book gives lots of useful info on stir frying techniques. 

Silly American measurements, however (ie: cups and tablespoons).

I love this book!  And I enjoy saying its goofy name when I recommend it to people.

[rdaneel0]

Go to the library! Good libraries usually have pretty huge cookbook sections. I find that most cookbooks only have a few recipes that ultimately become regulars in my kitchen. I just photocopy the best recipes, or print them from online, and then put them in my recipe binder. I have a pretty sweet collection now. Cost= $0

[meghan88]

Go to the library! Good libraries usually have pretty huge cookbook sections. I find that most cookbooks only have a few recipes that ultimately become regulars in my kitchen. I just photocopy the best recipes, or print them from online, and then put them in my recipe binder. I have a pretty sweet collection now. Cost= $0

This.  Unless you want to do a Julia & Julia thing and blog about it, those books will cost you and will just be taking up space.  There are lots of online resources.

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

I don't cook, but my wife does, and she is a big fan of the Rachel Ray books. Some of these recipes are quite cheap, and the books themselves can be bought cheaply at used bookstores or Amazon. Most of the meals are quite easy to do.

[jengod]

An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler
&
Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Finn

[Moonwaves]

Go to the library! Good libraries usually have pretty huge cookbook sections. I find that most cookbooks only have a few recipes that ultimately become regulars in my kitchen. I just photocopy the best recipes, or print them from online, and then put them in my recipe binder. I have a pretty sweet collection now. Cost= $0

This.  Unless you want to do a Julia & Julia thing and blog about it, those books will cost you and will just be taking up space.  There are lots of online resources.

From the original post (my bolding):

Can anyone recommend some physical cookbooks for cheap meals? Ideally nice shiny ones with pretty pictures that we can flick through for inspiration. I'm planning to reserve a stack at the library and maybe buy a few if we really fall in love with them.

[Moonwaves]

Go to the library! Good libraries usually have pretty huge cookbook sections. I find that most cookbooks only have a few recipes that ultimately become regulars in my kitchen. I just photocopy the best recipes, or print them from online, and then put them in my recipe binder. I have a pretty sweet collection now. Cost= $0

This.  Unless you want to do a Julia & Julia thing and blog about it, those books will cost you and will just be taking up space.  There are lots of online resources.

What made you think she was going to go out and buy all of these books? From the original post (my bolding):

Can anyone recommend some physical cookbooks for cheap meals? Ideally nice shiny ones with pretty pictures that we can flick through for inspiration. I'm planning to reserve a stack at the library and maybe buy a few if we really fall in love with them.

[WhiteTrashCash]

Can anyone recommend some physical cookbooks for cheap meals? Ideally nice shiny ones with pretty pictures that we can flick through for inspiration. I'm planning to reserve a stack at the library and maybe buy a few if we really fall in love with them. I'm British so grams and ml preferred over cups and ounces, but we'll cope!

Definitely not nice and shiny, but I'd recommend an older edition of the Joy of Cooking. I have from the early '60's and it's an amazing resource for making anything from scratch, using odd cuts of meat, etc. And it comes from an era when there just weren't that many fancy ingredients around, so it doesn't ever call for them.

+1 for the Joy of Cooking. Quite an extensive range of recipes and it's a great starting point for anyone who wants to learn the skill of cooking.

[debbie does duncan]

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=&tn=more+with+less+cookbook&kn=&isbn=

[jeninco]

An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler
&
Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Finn

I was going to suggest the Adler book too -- few measurements given, and you can adapt them most of the time anyhow. It's a really, really good book about how to think about how to eat fantastically well without waste (or food or time). She's very big on using all the bits'n'bobs of whatever it is you have. No pretty pictures, though. On the other hand, it's a great bedtime reading book.

[shelivesthedream]

Go to the library! Good libraries usually have pretty huge cookbook sections. I find that most cookbooks only have a few recipes that ultimately become regulars in my kitchen. I just photocopy the best recipes, or print them from online, and then put them in my recipe binder. I have a pretty sweet collection now. Cost= $0

This.  Unless you want to do a Julia & Julia thing and blog about it, those books will cost you and will just be taking up space.  There are lots of online resources.

What made you think she was going to go out and buy all of these books? From the original post (my bolding):

Can anyone recommend some physical cookbooks for cheap meals? Ideally nice shiny ones with pretty pictures that we can flick through for inspiration. I'm planning to reserve a stack at the library and maybe buy a few if we really fall in love with them.

Thanks for chipping in - I appreciate it. :) It frustrating when people reply without having read the OP.

[shelivesthedream]

I am SO SO impressed by One Pound Meals! It's absolutely brilliant. I'll admit that I suspect he must be buying some very VERY cheap meat to get some of those meals under £1, but I love the fact that it's fancy cooking for normal people and that all the recipes are for one portion as standard. Double plus good!