Saving money in the kitchen
Ian Bursnall is a pro at making sure home cooking doesn’t break the bank
Former roofer Ian Bursnall knows a thing or two about cutting costs in the kitchen. Growing up in a family of seven people, he says his mum “was able to stretch food a long way on a budget”, which is something he’s definitely inherited.
After setting up an Instagram account, The Skint Cook, which now has 12.8k followers, he appeared on Jamie Oliver’s The Great Cookbook Challenge television show in 2022.
Bursnall, 47, says he was practically forced to learn how to cook when he moved out of home around 17 or 18 years old.
“My mum gave me a load of pots and pans and some recipes scribbled down on pen and paper – there was no Facebook and all that in those days,” he remembers.
“It was either me cook, or eat rubbish. So I started to cook and then my mates used to come around on a Friday – I was doing things like chilli con carne or stews, and they seemed to love it.”
Health issues meant Burnsall had to step away from roofing, and now he cooks for his partner Donna and whoever from their children and grandchildren join the dinner table.
Reduce your meat intake “Meat’s obviously a big expense,” says Bursnall. Price-wise, he tends to stick to cheaper varieties – like chicken rather than beef or lamb – while generally cutting down a lot more.
Stock up on the essentials
If you’ve got a well-stocked cupboard, anything is possible in the kitchen.
“Build up your cupboard, all your spices – people say they go off, they don’t unless you don’t use them in five years,” Bursnall says.
“Build your store cupboard with all your spices, all your staples. You don’t have to do it all in one go, buy a bit here and there – even at Christmas and birthdays ask your family and friends. Don’t waste money on chocolate – get me some spices.”
Make your ingredients last longer
If you’re not constantly chucking out ingredients that have gone off, you’ll start saving a lot of money.
That’s why Bursnall recommends really thinking about how you store your fruit and veg: “Things like iceberg lettuce – when you’ve used a slice of it, wrap it really well and it lasts five times longer than it would otherwise.
“Wrap your cucumbers up, cover your tomatoes and peppers – that’ll put the shelf life up.”
Don’t worry about planning too much
“I never plan what we’re having – today I woke up and we weren’t going to have chilli con carne, but we are now. I don’t plan months in advance, I think that’s a bit boring.”
lThe Skint Cook: Over 80 Easy, Tasty Recipes That Won’t Break The Bank by Ian Bursnall is published by HQ, priced £20.