Cheap bulk food for my students?

[paolow]

Every year we host German students at Paolow towers for between 7 and 21 days. We generally have 2 at a time and the deal is that we feed them.
Obviously this is a deal borne by the economic situation I exist in rather than a love of our Teutonic brothers and so keeping costs down is the key.
Last year we worked well on Morissons/Tescos buy 5 meals for £4 microwave meals that included macaroni cheese, chilli, shepherds pie, lasagne etc etc.
Everyones a winner, they can take thier pick and everyone knows how to work a microwave etc.
The only trouble is that the microwave meals are pretty tiny so caused the effect of coming back for seconds meaning that for the pair of them they would eat a fair few. On top of this I know deep down that they are fairly crappy after any length of time.
What I need then is some good stodgy ideas to feed em up (and I like cooking so preparing stuff I am perfectly happy to do) rather than rely on crappy microwave nonsense to feed them.
Obviously this cuts out expensive meats and ingredients etc so ive currently got:
A chilli with rice
cottage pie
home made lasagne with garlic bread
pizze and chips
fish fingers (budget brand) chips and beans
pasta bake
tuna pasta with garlic bread
More than that Im a little stuck. At the moment I just cant decide whether or not to continue with the 'open freezer door and help yourself' angle or actually cooking is going to work out better. Obviously I want the guys to be happy during thier stay though know that, like most 14-18 year olds, they will be stuffing thier faces with maccy d's when they are out in any case.
I suppose the question is then - does it make better economic sense to buy in cheap microwave food or actually cook? Economics is the only factor here - I am not too concerned in food quality so long as it keeps the guys fed!

[Dupont666]

Dont forget a nice thick veggy soup with fresh bread is an awesome and very cheap way to do meals...

Mince and Dumplings

Black Beans and Polenta

to name a few... use this:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=cheap+meals

[grumbledoak]

You can definitely cook cheaper than microwave meals! From your own list, clearly you have spotted that potato, rice, and pasta are cheap. Ditto eggs and flour. So, more of the same, really.


Make a shed-load of tomato sauce and use it for pasta dishes, or on pizzas (make your own bases, or make the kids do it; they don't need to rise well).

Don't forget bangers, mash, and beans.

You can get four servings out of even a small chicken, with leftovers to put in a pie (mash potato topped). Stock, too, if you want to be really thrifty.

And, don't forget the vegetables. Whatever is in season will be cheapest.

[Shaw Tarse]

I'd say if you've got the time & inclination can be arsed then cooking things yourself will workout better.
The ready meals, I'll quite happily eat a couple by myself, those meal deals for 2 in Saintecrose mum said one of those would suit me
Add jacket pots to the menu.

[krallicious]

They are German so wurst, kaese, brotchen und Bier. It is all they need to survive and they will not be home sick

[Rude Girl]

You've got 2 guys to feed, plus yourself - is that everyone?

What's your budget range for a week's food?

[Wadeski]

big curry. nothing fancy, just onions, garlic, chilli, curry powder, meat (stewing beef, chicken thighs or tougher cuts of lamb), and a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes. to make meat go further, add potatoes.

[Watch-Collector]

Sorry but to obtain some useful information, you dont include enough yourself!!

Obviously this is a deal borne by the economic situation I exist in rather than a love of our Teutonic brothers and so keeping costs down

WHY????YOu make your self sound like a cheapskate trying to have a few visitors over!!


What I need then is some good stodgy ideas to feed em up (and I like cooking so preparing stuff I am perfectly happy to do) rather than rely on crappy microwave nonsense to feed them

`But you fed them Crap last year!!` So maybe you feel guilty and want to still serve them rubbish??

If you like cooking, then cook them something decent, if they are only here a short while then make the effort, surely you dont need to post in on a PIstonhead site to get recipe ideas if you like cooking!!! LMAO.

No wonder visitors to this country go home thinking we cant cook, have no idea of decent food and are happy to get home...




[]

Edited by Watch-Collector on Thursday 12th March 23:59

[juice]

Paolow's house later....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE


SPAM, SPAM, Eggs and SPAM
EGG CHIPS AND SPAM
SPAM SPAM SPAM EGG AND SPAM

Edited by juice on Friday 13th March 00:27

[sherman]

Aldi or lidl is your friend with this plus whilst your cooking it'll give your students something to read.

[Bounty Hunter]

I did this one last week - Cost £6 (could be less), gives you 6+ servings -

100g butter - Fry in pan - 2 mins
4/5 garlic cloves - chop and add to butter - 5mins fry

Add mushrooms (those big fat flat ones are good - I used 5 of them) 400g - chopped to 2cm cubes - 10 mins fry - till mushrooms soften up a bit.

Add four coarsely grated courgettes and loads (50g / big handful) of finely chopped thyme.
10/15mins fry (this may take longer, as it will start out being wet from the gettes!!!)

At the same time cook the pasta (I used small spiral shaped pasta)

Then mix all together

= Tasty Pasta

[BigLepton]

paolow said:

Last year we worked well on Morissons/Tescos buy 5 meals for £4 microwave meals that included macaroni cheese, chilli, shepherds pie, lasagne etc etc.

Christ on a bike!

I'll bet the poor sods hate you. No wonder foreigners think British food is sh!te.

Cook them some big pots of stew and dumplings with crusty bread, a big toad-in-the-hole made with german sausages, a great big lasagne, a big spag bol, a big curry and rice, homemade burgers and chips, big pot of homemade chilli con carne, big pack of cheap pork steaks - flatten and fry in breadcrumbs with mash, etc, etc.

All cheaper than microwave sh!t and may avert world war three in the long run!

[captainzep]

Its all about education, history and experiencing a new culture isn't it?

The food should reflect that.

Give them a 'ration book' each.

Ration foodstuffs like powdered egg, sugar and lard.

They'll thank you in the long run.

[bazking69]

I would never feed students anything I wouldn't be happy to eat myself, and firmly believe that the whole experience should be sitting down round a table and enjoying good food along with chat. The culture and education should be a two way experience, not a money making exercise.
We take students on an intermittent basis, and I've heard stories from them about their friends who are with other host families and how they are sat and fed seperately from them and literally thrown Smartprice microwave meals in the plastic along with bread every night, ignored as they eat then ushered back up to their rooms when they are finished. Talk about being made welcome and giving them an accurate reflection of our culture...
If people want to treat students like dogs (and dogs they don't even want about at that) then they shouldn't be allowed to take students purely for financial gain IMO. The host family should make the effort to integrate students into our ways, food and culture. I personally enjoy having good students and the culture they bring to the house and actually take pride in cooking good food and entertaining just like I would for friends or family.
Get a good student and the money is merely a bonus, get a bad one and it covers the inconvenience....

[Shaw Tarse]

juice said:

Paolow's house later....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE


SPAM, SPAM, Eggs and SPAM
EGG CHIPS AND SPAM
SPAM SPAM SPAM EGG AND SPAM

Edited by juice on Friday 13th March 00:27

I like Spam