Pretty much all meat prices have skyrocketed lately almost making it a luxury item on the menu. Beef mince has increased from $5 a kilo in 2013 to $13 a kilo in 2022. Considering beef mince is usually a family staple, that increase really hits the family food budget hard.
We still eat beef mince but some recipes are now off our menu or rarely eaten. I do stretch beef mince with TVP ( textured vegetable protein ) to help keep costs down. We don't notice the ever so slightly different texture and color of TVP but I think the trick is to choose your recipes wisely and add lots of veggies.
Here are the links to 3 main meal recipes that I've successfully used TVP and beef mince in and still feel like we are getting plenty of meat. Maybe you can try them on your family. Just don't tell them about the TVP until they have finished eating.
As per usual, use whatever veggies you have on hand or can afford.
.JPG)
I add lentils, grated carrot and zucchini as well to mince when making spaghetti bolognese. When I have spinach or silverbeet in my garden, then I chop that up finely and add it in as well. You could use frozen spinach instead.
ReplyDeleteI also sometimes make shepherdess pie which is a meat-free version of shepherd's pie. It's made with lentils, stock, veg and herbs. Topped with mashed potato. It's delicious!
Meg
I have used TVP with ground chuck in dishes for years. No one in my family has ever noticed, so I have never told them.
ReplyDeleteI used finely chopped aubergine (egg plant) in mince as it has a similar texture. My family never noticed. Plus I grow my own so was free.
ReplyDeleteOne traditional way to strech minced meat is to grind some mushrooms and mix them with meat. My grandparents did that, too. Now I can't do that, because hb can't eat mushrooms (trehalose intolerant). But my go-to receipe for "bolognese" is about 400g mince, two carrots, one smallish beet, maybe some swede, some parsnip, some zucchini all grated and mixed with frying mince in the pan. So it's more ore less like 40/60 ratio meat and veggies. Sometimes I use just soya mince, I just fry it before adding any veggies. I've left beet out sometimes, if I don't have it, and kids have been asking what's wrong with this, something's different!
ReplyDeleteOne of my children can't eat much beans or pulses, so I usually don't add lentis or any beans (she can eat soya mince).
But I've made lasagna totally without real meat and nobody knew nothing ;-)
For meat loaf, meatballs or anther stuff like that I use a bit less veggies and add breadcrumbs, oats or brans.
We found we like to eat a lot of mexican style meals so I add a tin of black beans to the mince which bulks it out and adds extra protein and fibre
ReplyDelete