Homemade food – home and away – is a winner for a tasty, cheap summer

A surge in demand for self-catering holidays coupled with Met Office predictions of more settled warm weather over July could give us all a chance to save money this summer by getting clever with our food.  Tips from Love Food Hate Waste show us how.

While a recent survey shows demand for self-catering holidays in England is up by a third, with 42 per cent of those questioned citing ‘money saving’ as the reason, better summer weather coming our way will also provide lots of opportunities for those at home to dust off the picnic hamper and fire up the barbecue. 

Times are tough and we’re all feeling the pinch at the moment.  But the good news is summer food tips from www.lovefoodhatewaste.com will help all of us going on a self-catering break – or simply enjoying the long light days at home – to turn leftover food we already have into some truly fabulous seasonal dishes and save money at the same time.

With a little planning before you leave, together with a cool box and supply of freezer packs, its easy to take key ingredients with you and be well equipped for picnics and days out while you’re away.

Tips include:

• If you have cooked too much for a meal such as fish pie, chilli or lasagne, simply pop it in an airtight container and store in the freezer as a homemade ‘ready meal’ or take with you for an easy first night supper.
• If you take some lettuce or salad leaves with you and they’re looking tired and wilted after the journey, put them in a bowl of water with a couple of ice-cubes and they will become nice and crisp again.
• Quiches are an ideal way to help use up eggs and spare cream before you go. Add flaked, cooked fish or fry that last rasher of bacon and some onion for classic quiche Lorraine; a perfect, simple dish to take with you, in your cool box, for the first meal of your holiday - lunch or supper.
• Filling sandwiches filled with tasty and unexpected combinations of leftovers, such as chicken, bacon and mayonnaise, lamb and mint sauce or cheese and coleslaw.
• Making leftover potatoes into a tasty potato salad with sliced red or spring onions and mayonnaise – a tasty salad that also travels well.

For more invaluable tips for a cost-effective enjoyable summer home or away, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for recipes and inspiration!