A dietitian and financial advisor have revealed how you can make your favourite takeaway at home for under $10, and why it’s much cheaper and healthier for your family.
Sydney clinical dietitian Susie Burrell and financial advisor Canna Campbell shared a video in which they revealed how being just a little bit organised can mean there is ‘no excuse to break your budget and order takeaway’.
‘These ideas are great for a family, couple or single who is at home and looking to something nutritious and cheaper,’ Canna said.
A dietitian and financial advisor have revealed how you can make your favourite takeaway at home for under $10, and why it’s much cheaper and healthier for your family (both pictured)
The first thing you could try this weekend instead of ordering out is making your own homemade pizza, which is much healthier and cheaper (stock image)
1. HOMEMADE PIZZAS
The first thing you could try this weekend instead of ordering out is making your own homemade pizza.
‘Everyone loves pizza, and the great thing is you can make it with minimal ingredients that you probably already have,’ Susie said in the video.
‘I like using up any leftover veggies we have, whether that’s half a Spanish onion, some avocado or a bit of tomato.’
To make it healthier, the dietitian recommends incorporating healthier pizza base choices, like wholemeal Lebanese bread, which is rich in fibre and retails for about $4 for six slices.
‘This will either serve your entire family, or you can freeze any of the leftover bread for a later occasion,’ she said.
Once you have your base, Susie recommends adding some tomato passata, tomato paste and whatever cheese you have – as well as leftover vegetables and meat.
‘What I find with my kids is that they don’t actually care whether the pizza is store or restaurant-bought or homemade,’ Susie said.
‘This is a great way to make it healthy and cost-effective.’
2. DIY OVEN CHIPS
Hot chips are a staple takeaway order for many households across Australia.
But they don’t have to be full of saturated fats and oils.
Instead, Susie said she makes homemade potato chips, either from potato, sweet potato, pumpkin or zucchini.
‘You don’t need one of those bulky, fancy humidifiers,’ she said.
‘Simply peel, chop and pop them in the oven with some olive oil and salt for 40-60 minutes.’
The dietitian said that homemade hot chips is don’t have to just be a weekend treat; Susie said she makes them almost every night to accompany her children’s dinners.
‘Lots of people say you can’t cook with olive oil, but you absolutely can if you’re roasting in the oven,’ she said.
If you’ve got a bit more time, say on a Saturday night, the dietitian said there is no better meal than making your own DIY burger (stock image)
3. BURGER FEAST
If you’ve got a bit more time, say on a Saturday night, the dietitian said there is no better meal than making your own DIY burger.
‘Use any mince you have, whether it’s lean beef, turkey or pork,’ Susie said.
‘I love turkey, because it’s only $5 or $6 for a big 500 or 600 gram packet. It’s also healthy, and can be low-carb if you pair it with lettuce instead of English muffins or burger rolls.’
Add breadcrumb and onions to your homemade burgers to make them even tastier, and pair the dish with sweet potato fries for a nutritious, budget-friendly dish.
The pair (both pictured) said your love of takeaway needn’t set your budget goals back, as you can make your own ‘fakeaway’ easily
4. HOMEMADE STIR FRY
Stir fries and Asian food in general are incredibly popular, but Susie said the problem with Asian takeaway is that it’s all usually deep-fried in vegetable oil and then paired with fatty meat and calorie-laden sauces.
But when you make your own stir fries and dishes from home, you can make them so much healthier and cheaper, plus they are a great way to use up leftover vegetables and get rid of whatever needs eating most.
5. POPCORN
Finally, the dietitian said popcorn is very much a big hit with her family.
But buying ready-made bags often means she overspends and they end up eating the entire bag.
‘If you buy packets of popcorn that need to be popped in the microwave, they’re much cheaper, plus there are 20 serves in this packet, so you can be more portion-controlled,’ she said.
‘I love these for an at-home movie night.’