Ah, the Sunday roast. The smell of chicken in the oven, potatoes crisping up, Yorkshire puddings rising. It feels like the least “thrifty homesteader” meal, right? A big lump of meat, loads of sides, hours of cooking.
But here’s the truth: the Sunday roast is secretly one of the smartest, most frugal meals you can make.
Chicken Maths (It Works Out)
Let’s take a standard whole chicken — about £5 from Aldi. Sounds steep compared to a pack of sausages, but here’s the breakdown:
- Sunday Roast: feeds 4 with all the trimmings. We usually use half a large chicken.
- Leftovers: pick the meat off — usually another way more than 300–400g left. Perfect for curry, stir fry, or wraps or both. Sometimes it does lunches and teas for 2 more days.
- Stock: simmer the bones with onion, carrot, celery. That’s free soup base for the week.
One chicken = at least 3 meals. That’s £1.60 per meal for a family of four — cheaper than frozen pizza.
🥩 Other Joints of Meat
Yes, beef or lamb roasts cost more — but catch them yellow-stickered or on offer, and you get the same “stretch.”
- Roast beef → beef stew, sandwiches.
- Pork shoulder → pulled pork today, ragu tomorrow.
The trick isn’t the cut. It’s the mindset: roast once, eat twice (or thrice).
Filling It Out Without Anyone Noticing
Want to make it go further? Bulk the sides.
- Extra roast potatoes (pennies).
- Yorkshire puds (basically flour + egg + milk).
- Carrot & swede mash.
- Peas. Always peas.
Kids will fill up on puds and potatoes, meaning less meat needed on plates. Nobody leaves hungry. The old fashioned way - that’s pioneering right?!
The Stewed Beef Hack
Not found a bargain cut? Tinned stewed steak is your backup plan. About £3 a tin, and when you add it to your diced-veg stew base, it makes a hearty meal for 4 at ~£1.30 per portion. No faffing, no waste.
The Bottom Line
Sunday roast isn’t just tradition — it’s thrift in disguise.
- Buy the whole chicken.
- Stretch it into multiple meals.
- Use the bones for stock.
- Pad it out with cheap veg and Yorkshires.
So next time you sit down to a roast, don’t feel guilty — feel smug. You’re feeding the family like a thrifty homesteader, and you’ve got Monday’s dinner sorted too.
Next up: Freezer is King — Why Batch Cooking Beats Canning in the UK.