8 Budget Recipes | Chef Ari’s Smart Grocery Shopping & Affordable Meals 🇹🇹 Foodie Nation

January is always a “make it stretch” month in Trinidad & Tobago — when the Christmas bills hit, but the stomach still calling! 💸🍲

Chef Arianne hits the grocery aisles to show how to shop smart, plan ahead, and turn one grocery trip into a week of affordable, flavour-packed meals. Then she heads to the kitchen to prepare 8 budget-friendly recipes, including one-pot wonders, repurposed meals, and ultra-low-cost dishes that prove great food doesn’t need a big budget.

One Pot Category

LAMB NECK CASSEROLE

Serves 4 | Easy

Utensils: Large bowl, baking dish, small bowl, fork, foilIngredients:8–10 lamb necks, 2 tbsp oxtail seasoning, 2 seasoning cubes, 3 tbsp green seasoning, pinch salt & pepper, 3 cloves garlic (sliced), 6 medium potatoes (peeled & halved), 2 carrots (cut into rounds), 2 celery stalks (chunked), 2 onions (wedged), ¼ cup tomato sauce, 1 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ½ cup water, drizzle oil.Garnish: Watercress

Steps:

1. Place potatoes, carrots, onions & celery at bottom of baking dish; season with salt & oil.

2. Layer lamb necks on top, add salt, seasoning cubes & oxtail seasoning.

3. Mix tomato sauce, mustard, soy & water. Pour over all, cover with foil, and bake at 375°F for 1–1¼ hours.

WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN TRAY BAKE

Serves 4 | Easy

Utensils: Baking tray, rack, knife, cutting board, bowlIngredients:2 spatchcocked chickens, 3 garlic cloves (minced), 3 tbsp margarine, 4 tbsp oil, 1 pack Tex-Mex seasoning, 2 tbsp Island Spirit, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt & pepper, 3 sweet potatoes, 2 sweet peppers, 1 eggplant, 1 cup cubed pumpkin.

Steps:

1. Prep tray with vegetables, salt, cumin, Tex-Mex.

2. Make garlic-margarine paste and stuff under chicken skin.

3. Drizzle with oil, season, and bake at 375°F for 1 hour.

Transformation Meals

LAMB SAMOSA WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Serves 4 | Easy

Utensils: Rolling pin, pot, rack, trayIngredients:Dough: 2 cups self-rising flour, ½ cup water, pinch saltFilling: 1 tsp oil, 2 potatoes (boiled/diced), ½ tsp turmeric, pinch geera, ½ onion, ½ green chili, 1 tsp ginger, ½–1 cup leftover lambChutney: ¼ cup tamarind, 1 tbsp blended pimento & shadon beni, ¼ cup sugar, 4 tbsp water, pinch salt

Steps:

1. Make stiff dough, rest.

2. Sauté filling ingredients and cool.

3. Simmer chutney until thick.

4. Roll dough, fill, fold, and fry until golden. Serve with chutney.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Serves 4 | Easy

Ingredients:1 onion & 1 sweet pepper (diced), 2 cups leftover chicken, 1 cup black beans, 1 tin taco sauce, 2 cups shredded cheese, tortillas.Pickled Onions: 1 onion, salt, sugar, vinegar, grated beet.Crema: 1 cup mayo/sour cream, 1 tbsp pimento sauce, 1 tbsp shadon beni, pinch salt.

Steps:

1. Mix chicken, beans, onions, and peppers.

2. Fill and roll tortillas; place in greased dish.

3. Pour taco sauce & cheese on top, cover with foil, bake 20 mins at 350°F.

4. Top with crema, pickled onions, avocado & chives.

CHICKEN SALAD

Serves 4 | Easy

Ingredients:1½ cups leftover chicken, ½ cup mayo, ¼ cup raisins, 1 tbsp jam, ½ tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp chives.

Steps:Mix all ingredients, chill for 3–4 days. Great for sandwiches or wraps.

Ultra-Low Budget Meals

PIG TROTTERS AND BEANS WITH RICE

Serves 4–6 | Easy

Ingredients:2 lbs pig trotters, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 chives stalks, 1 cup kielbasa, 2 cups beans, 3 tbsp green seasoning, 2–3 allspice berries, salt, 5 cups water, 2 cups rice, 2 tbsp Island Spirit, optional hot pepper.

Steps:

1. Add all ingredients (except rice & kielbasa) to pressure cooker; cook 45 mins.

2. Sear kielbasa separately, add in.

3. Steam rice and serve together.

SALTFISH & EGG CASSEROLE

Serves 4–6 | Easy

Ingredients:6 potatoes (sliced), 6 boiled eggs, 1½ cups flaked saltfish, ¼ cup mayo, ¼ cup parsley, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp pimento sauce, 2 onions (steamed), 2 chilies (sliced), ¼ cup chives, 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp oil.

Steps:

1. Steam potatoes, slice eggs, and flake saltfish.

2. Blend egg yolks with mayo, oil, vinegar, salt & pimento sauce.

3. Layer potatoes, saltfish, onions, herbs & dressing in baking dish.

4. Garnish with sliced eggs & herbs.

Vegetarian Meal

CHINESE EGGPLANT NOODLE BOWL

Serves 4 | Easy

Ingredients:Chilli Eggplant: 1–2 eggplants (cubed), 2 cups crushed crix, ½ cup flour, 1 sweet pepper, 1 onion, 2 tbsp garlic-chili paste, 2 tbsp chives, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, drizzle sesame oil.Noodles: 4 packs instant noodles, 1 head patchoi, ½ cup cabbage.

Steps:

1. Coat eggplant in batter & crushed crix, fry until golden.

2. Stir-fry with onions, peppers, chili paste, oyster sauce & chives.

3. Steam noodles with patchoi & cabbage in sesame oil and soy sauce.

4. Top with eggplant, sprinkle sesame seeds, and serve.