Feeding the family on a budget doesn’t need to mean sacrificing flavour. Chef Tom Walton shares his top three tips for creating delicious and cost-effective meals. Here’s how you can transform simple ingredients into multiple crowd-pleasing dishes without breaking the bank.

Repurpose leftovers: "There is nothing worse than wasted leftovers, and my top budget-friendly tip is to repurpose them. As Australia’s #1 home-cooked dinner is Bolognese, I’ve created a ‘cook once, eat twice’ Spag Bol recipe using affordable pantry staples like Dolmio Bolognese sauce, and repurposed the leftovers to create a pizza, making two affordable and delicious family meals for just $3.65 per serving,” says Chef Tom Walton.

Stock your pantry and fridge with versatile staples: “Keeping your pantry and fridge well stocked with essentials like pasta, canned beans, frozen veggies, pasta sauce, rice, and pastry sheets or pizza bases allows you to quickly whip up delicious and affordable meals. A jar of Dolmio, for example, is incredibly versatile - it works for pasta dishes, casseroles, pie fillings, or even as a topping for baked potatoes, making it a lifesaver on busy nights.”

Plan ahead for the week: “Set aside a few minutes each weekend to plan your meals. Choose recipes that share similar ingredients to save money and minimise waste. Prep what you can in advance- chop veggies or cook grains. This simple step will help you avoid last-minute stress and make dinner hassle-free.”

Chef Tom Walton’s Spaghetti Bolognese + Bolognese pizza

Prep/cook time for the pasta: approx. 25 minutes

Prep /cook time for the pizza: approx. 15 minutes

Ingredients

Bolognese

1 brown onion, diced

1 medium beetroot, grated

1kg beef mince

500g pork & fennel sausage

2 jars Dolmio Bolognese Pasta Sauce

2 tbsp BBQ sauce

Pasta

500g spaghetti, cooked according to packet instructions

Basil, finely grated parmesan to serve

Pizza

220g fresh pizza dough or use a pre-made pizza base

Flour to roll

½ cup grated mozzarella

Basil, finely grated parmesan to serve

Method

Place a large frying pan over medium, high heat and add the olive oil, onion, beetroot, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes to soften, then increase the heat and add the beef & sausage mince. Cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up as it cooks, then add the Dolmio Bolognese sauce, BBQ sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, reserving ½ cup pasta water. Drain, add to the Bolognese sauce with the pasta water, and toss well.

Season to taste and serve scattered with parmesan and basil.

For the Pizza preheat an oven to 240C. Roll or stretch the dough into a 30cm circle, place into a large frying pan or a tray, spoon over 1 cup of chilled Bolognese. Top with the mozzarella, some parmesan cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Serve scattered with basil and some more parmesan grated over if desired.

*Cost per serve is based on ingredient prices from Woolworths and Coles in NSW as of November 2024. Prices and availability may vary by state and are subject to change.