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5 easy family dinners for £25 - Sausage stew, cajun beef, lemon pasta...

Planning family dinners doesn't have to be stressful or costly – enjoy a week of hearty burgers, classic pastas and comforting stews all for less than £25* with our collection of wallet-friendly family dinners. The handy shopping list at the bottom of the page makes it so easy to make hearty meals with the whole family.


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  1. Monday: Kale, anchovy and lemon pasta

    Monday: Kale, anchovy and lemon pasta

    3 tbsp olive oil
    6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
    4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    1 lemon, zested and ½ juiced
    180g curly kale
    300g fusilli
    4 tbsp double cream
    Parmesan, grated, to serve (optional)

    1. In a large frying pan, gently heat the olive oil with the anchovies and garlic. To avoid burning the garlic, cook it over a very low heat and push it all to the side of the pan.

    2. After about 5 mins, add the lemon zest and kale. Give it all a stir and cover with a lid. Cook for another 10 mins.

    3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of salted boiling water, following the packet instructions. Stir the cream through the kale, add a little lemon juice and turn off the heat.

    4. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the kale. Stir and serve with a little grating of Parmesan, if you like.

  2. Tuesday: Sausage and bean stew

    Tuesday: Sausage and bean stew

    1 tbsp olive oil
    2 onions, finely sliced
    1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
    8 frozen pork sausages
    400g tin Grower's Harvest chopped tomatoes
    2 tsp Dijon mustard
    ½ chicken or vegetable stock cube, made up to 175ml
    420g tin Stockwell & Co. baked beans
    100g sliced spring greens, thick stems discarded

    1. Heat half the oil in a lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 6 mins. Stir in the garlic and fry for 2 mins. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

    2. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the remaining oil and the frozen sausages and cook for 5 mins until browned all over.

    3. Return the onion and garlic to the pan with the tomatoes and mustard. Add the stock, season with pepper and cook over a medium heat for 10 mins, adding the beans after 5 mins.

    4. Stir through the spring greens, cover and cook for 4-5 mins more until the sausages are cooked through and the spring greens are tender.

  3. Wednesday: Cajun beef and veg rice bowl

    Wednesday: Cajun beef and veg rice bowl

    1 tbsp vegetable oil
    1 Nightingale Farms celery stick, finely chopped
    3 large carrots, sliced into rounds
    2 Nightingale Farms peppers, sliced
    4 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
    500g Grower's Harvest long-grain rice
    500g pack Boswell Farms beef mince
    2 tsp Cajun seasoning
    1 tsp tomato purée

    1. Heat the oil in a large, shallow casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, peppers and white parts of the spring onions. Cook for 10 mins until the veg is starting to soften.

    2. Meanwhile, cook the rice to pack instructions.

    3. Add the mince to the veg, season generously and cook for 10 mins until the mince is browned and beginning to go crispy.

    3. Add the Cajun seasoning and tomato purée; stir to coat the mince. Tip in the rice along with 4 tbsp water. Stir to fully combine and heat until the rice is piping hot. Scatter over the remaining spring onion before serving.

  4. Thursday: Egg-topped veggie bean burgers

    Thursday: Egg-topped veggie bean burgers

    400g tin Grower's Harvest red kidney beans in water, drained
    400g tin three bean salad, drained
    1 tsp dried mixed herbs
    5 soft wholemeal rolls, halved, cut-side lightly toasted
    40g 50% reduced-fat mature cheese, grated
    1 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp
    4 eggs
    100g fresh salsa
    260g bag Nightingale Farms sweet leaf salad

    1. Pat the beans with kitchen paper to remove as much liquid as possible. Put in a large bowl with the mixed herbs; season with pepper. Mash to a pulp with a little texture.

    2. Blitz 1 roll in a food processor to fine breadcrumbs. Stir into the bean mixture a little at a time (you might not need them all) until the mixture is firmer and holds its shape. Stir in the cheese. Shape into 4 patties.

    3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers for 4-5 mins each side, nudging occasionally with a spatula to stop them sticking.

    4. In a separate large, lidded frying pan, heat 2 tsp oil and crack in the eggs. Fry for about 1 min until the white is opaque. Cover and fry until the yolk is set to your liking. Load into the buns with the burgers, salsa and some salad. Serve any extra salad and salsa on the side.

  5. Friday: Easy spaghetti Bolognese

    Friday: Easy spaghetti Bolognese

    1 tbsp olive oil
    500g Boswell Farms beef mince
    2 stalks Nightingale Farms celery, finely chopped
    150g Redmere Farms mushrooms, sliced
    400g tin Grower’s Harvest chopped tomatoes
    170g pack Hearty Food Co garlic baguette
    500g Hearty Food Co spaghetti

    1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the mince and season. Cook for 5-10 mins, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned.

    2. Add the celery and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3-5 mins until softened.

    3. Tip the tomatoes into the pan along with 200ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 mins.

    4. Meanwhile, cook the baguette and spaghetti to pack instructions. Drain the spaghetti, then divide between bowls and top with the Bolognese sauce. Serve with the garlic baguette.

  6. Shopping list

    1 Tesco lemon
    1 Tesco garlic bulb
    2 Tesco brown onions
    3 Tesco carrots
    260g pack Nightingale Farms sweet leaf salad
    450g pack Nightingale Farms celery
    100g bunch Tesco spring onions
    180g pack Tesco curly kale
    300g pack Tesco sliced greens
    375g pack Nightingale Farms peppers
    380g pack Redmere Farms mushrooms
    2 x 500g packs Boswell Farms 20% fat beef mince
    200g pot Tesco fresh mild salsa
    170g pack Hearty Food Co. garlic baguette
    150ml pot Tesco fresh double cream
    220g pack 50% reduced-fat mature cheese
    6-pack Tesco medium free-range eggs
    6-pack Tesco soft wholemeal rolls
    2 x 400g tins Grower's Harvest chopped tomatoes
    420g tin Stockwell & Co. baked beans
    400g tin Grower's Harvest kidney beans in water
    400g tin Tesco wholefood three bean salad in water
    50g tin Tesco anchovy fillets in olive oil
    185g jar Tesco Dijon mustard
    200g tube Tesco tomato purée
    1kg pack Grower's Harvest long-grain rice
    500g pack Hearty Food Co. spaghetti
    500g pack Tesco fusilli pasta
    30g pot Tesco mixed herbs
    45g pot Tesco Cajun seasoning
    900g pack Tesco frozen Cumberland sausages

    +From your storecupboard:
    chicken or vegetable stock cube, olive oil, vegetable oil

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    *Based on a family of four. Total cost is based on online prices at the time of publishing and is subject to change. Dependent on product availability, total basket price online may change due to substitutions.