Typical Food Bank Ingredients
MILK
SUGAR
FRUIT JUICE
SOUP
PASTA/RICE
PASTA SAUCES
SPONGE PUDDING
TINNED TOMATOES
CEREALS
RICE PUDDING
TEA BAGS
INSTANT COFFEE
INSTANT MASH
TINNED MEAT/FISH
TINNED VEG
TINNED FRUIT
Fishcakes with Tasty Tomato Sauce and Veg
Ingredients from Food Baskets Used
2 cups of Instant Mashed Potato mix
1 tin of fish (drain away any liquid or oil)
1 tin of vegetables
1 jar of tomato/pasta Sauce
Makes approximately 4 fishcakes to serve two people
Method
1. Make the instant mash according to the packet instructions.
2. Open the tin of fish and drain of any liquid or oil and combine with the
mash potato. (optional – add salt and pepper)
3. Divide the mixture into 4 and form into round shaped patties and fry,
grill or bake as below.
Fry
in a pan with a little oil
on a medium heat for
approximately 5
minutes on each side
or until golden brown
Grill
the fishcakes
on a medium
heat for about
6 minutes on
each side
Bake
the fishcakes on an oven
proof tray in a medium hot
oven for approximately 15-20
minutes. Turn the fishcakes
half way through the cooking
time.
4. While the fishcakes are cooking, heat the sauce and vegetables and
serve together.
Meat & Potato Pie with Veg
Ingredients used from Food Basket
2 cups of instant mash mix
1 tin of vegetables (any vegetable)
1 tin of meat (if meat is already in a sauce/gravy don’t add more stock)
2 stock cubes, or other ½ tomato sauce, or gravy granules (optional)
salt & pepper (optional)
Method
1. Make up the instant mash
2. Fry, or combine the tin of meat with the tin of veg in a pan
3. Add stock, or gravy granules (if meat is not already in a sauce)
4. Add Salt & pepper (optional)
5. Place in Dish and top with Instant Mash
6. Bake in medium hot oven until golden or crisp
Pasta & Sauce
Ingredients used from Food Basket
Pasta
Pasta Sauce/tin of tomatoes
Clove of Garlic (optional)
Salt & Pepper (optional)
Method
1. Cook pasta according to the packet
2. Fry garlic (optional), add pasta sauce, heat through
3. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of pasta water
4. Add pasta to the pasta sauce and also add the pasta water
5. This makes the pasta in the sauce silky rather than thick
Any pasta left over can be stored in the fridge to eat the following day.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients used from Food Basket
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tin of vegetables
2 stock cubes
1 tin of soup (if available)
1 cup of pasta
Salt & Pepper (optional)
Method
1. Combine the tin of tomatoes, stock cubes and tin of soup (if available) in a
pan and cook on a medium heat
2. Add 2 cups of hot water
3. Add pasta and cook until pasta is almost soft (check packet for cooking time)
4. Add the tin of vegetables
5. Add more water if the pasta absorbs too much liquid
6. Season & serve
Soup left over can be stored in the fridge or freezer in a suitable container.
Corned Beef Hash Patties
Ingredients used from Food Basket
Corned Beef (or other tinned meat which may be included)
1 packet of instant mash potato
Baked beans
Serves 2
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Pre heat oven to a medium heat
Chop up tin of meat
Make instant mash
Combine ingredients together
Shape into patties
Heat some oil in a pan
Place patties down into the pan brown on both sides
Put browned patties in the oven for ten minutes
Warm beans and serve with the patties
These are suitable for brunch, lunch or dinner.
Cereal Truffles
Ingredients used from food basket
1 mug of water
1 mug of sugar
7 Digestive biscuits (crushed)
2 Handfuls of Sugar Puffs (or other cereal you may have)
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil
Add most of the crushed biscuits and Sugar Puffs (or other cereal)
Stir on heat for 2 minutes
Pour onto a tinfoil or greaseproof lined tray
place in oven for twenty minutes at 160 degrees celcius
Take out tray allow to cool
Place in fridge 20-30 minutes
Remove from fridge and using a spoon take a small amount of mixture
and roll in to a ball and roll the ball in the left over digestive mix to coat
9. Store in plastic container in fridge.
Enjoy with a cup of Tea or Coffee
Eco Chef Food Waste Reduction Tips
1. Instead of buying little packages of food, i.e. sliced ham, mixed salad etc.
Buy the food in bulk for example whole roast ham, whole heads of
lettuce. It will appear more expensive to buy food in this method;
however it will be cheaper in the long run compared to buying the food
in small quantities.
2. If you have left over scraps of carrots, pasta, meat etc. Instead of
throwing it away you can make a pot of broth with the leftover scraps,
then perhaps strain or blend it to be smooth and serve with rolls.
3. People have a tendency to throw food away after the meal or when the
food is past the ‘best before date’. ‘Best before’ does not mean ‘use by
date’, it could still be ok to consume the product.
4. Plan your meals in advance. It will allow you to buy the ingredients you
only need for the given meal and prevent any food waste.
5. When cooking just for yourself, use the amount that satisfies your needs
only. By doing so you will save the rest of the product and can use it on a
different occasion.
6. When you cook a meal that’s big enough for leftovers, go ahead and
freeze them! You won’t have to eat it that day and you’ll have a meal
available anytime.
7. When you freeze things in bags, try to squeeze out all of the air you can.
This will make it smaller and it won’t take up much room in your freezer.
8. When you get to the end of a jar of sauce simply add a little hot water,
or milk depending on what the sauce is and give it a shake to get more
out of it.
9. If you have made too much of a meal, you could consider placing it in a
plastic box and you have a healthy lunch idea for the next day. Always
check packaging of processed foods as these may not be suitable for
reheating.
10. Some recipes such as fried rice or bread and butter pudding can use old
or not so fresh ingredients. (Bread and butter pudding is delicious with
at least day old bread).
These are some of our tips but you will find lots more by looking on the
internet such as www.lovefoodhatewaste.com