Food
Thrifty supper party menu: feed four for £20
by Abigail Spooner
Cheer up January with this brilliantly cheap and cheerful three-course menu – perfect for a casual supper party with your favourite friends. At the time of writing this menu, the total cost was £19.70*, and the menu serves four.
Starter: roast squash, apple and barley soup
Not only is pearl barley a great budget buy, but it’s also highly nutritious and adds a lovely texture to this warming winter soup. Parsnip, swede or celeriac would also work well if you want to vary the veg.
Get the recipe for roast squash, apple and barley soup.
Main: creamy tarragon roast chicken
Spreading a layer of herby soft cheese under the skin gives a roast chicken extra-luxe succulence at a purse-friendly price.
Get the recipe for creamy tarragon roast chicken.
Side: winter vegetable and bean crumble
Combine Savoy cabbage, leeks and cannellini beans in a creamy mustard sauce, then top with a cheesy crumble for a hearty all-in-one side dish.
Get the recipe for winter vegetable and bean crumble.
Dessert: plum meringue pots
These five-ingredient dessert pots look impressive but are in fact very easy to whip up. The tangy ruby-red plums contrast with the sweet meringue.
Get the recipe for plum meringue pots.
