Monday 24-07-2023 - 10:01

Hello and welcome to our first blog from our series ‘Savvy Students’. As you may have seen from our welcome video, myself & Maisie’s manifestos have aligned to create a new campaign all about teaching you how to live confidently independent including tips on budgeting, eating well for less and even how to keep a clean living space, just to name a few of the tips we will be giving out along the way! 

Each week we post a ‘how to’ video on our Instagram pages – follow us on @wrexhamsupres & @wrexhamsuvp to keep up to date with all things ‘Savvy Students’ related. 

This week we have shown you everything you would need to make a tasty Spaghetti Bolognese on a budget. 
As you might not have a caught all the ingredients and recipe in the video, we have done a full breakdown for you below: 

 
Utensils you will need: 

⁃ Saucepan 
⁃ Frying pan 
⁃ Chopping board (if you’re having mushrooms and onions) 
⁃ Knife (if you’re having mushrooms and onions) 
⁃ Spatula 
⁃ Spaghetti strainer 
⁃ Colander 
⁃ Cheese grater (if you’re having cheese) 
⁃ Tin opener (if you get tinned tomatoes that require one) 
⁃ Baking tray (we forgot one!) 
⁃ Plate/bowl 
⁃ Cutlery 
 
Shopping list: 

⁃ Quorn mince, 500g (will use about 100g) OR Beef Mince Meat 5% fat, 250g (will use all of it) 
⁃ Spaghetti, 500g (will use about  65g) 
⁃ Tinned tomatoes, 400g (will use all of it) 
⁃ Dash of Oil (or fry light spray) 
⁃ Extras to put in: 
⁃ Mushrooms, 400g (use half) 
⁃ Red onions x3 (use 1/2 of 1 onion) 
⁃ Herbs & Garlic, 52g (£0.55 to buy and can use them in all sorts of meals, add a dash of each to this one) 
⁃ Cheese block, 400g (will use about 1/8 of the block) 
⁃ Garlic bread, 170g (feeds about 4, but you can eat half each if you feel like it!) 
 

Method: 

⁃ Pre-heat your oven to the recommended heat for the garlic bread (every brand differs, we cooked at ours for 15mins at 180•c) 
⁃ turn the hob onto a medium heat, and add a dash of oil to the frying pan. 
⁃ Fill your saucepan with water and set on the hob on a medium heat to reach a steady boil. 
⁃ When your frying pan is hot enough, add in your mince (meat or veggie alternative) and keep an eye on, regular turn it. 
⁃ Meanwhile, chop one onion in half and peel the skin off. Chop into pieces small enough to your liking. Put on a side plate when chopped. 
⁃ Keep an eye on your mince, and maybe give it a turn. If it’s Beef Mince, it will be turning a nice brown colour. When it is brown all the way through, it is cooked. Quorn goes brown too, but it must be soft to be done. 
⁃ Rinse your mushrooms so there is no soil remaining and chop to your desired size.  
⁃ When your mince is cooking nicely, add in your onion and stir. 
⁃ By now, your water should be boiling. Add in your spaghetti portions and wait for it to cook. 
⁃ At this point, you’ll need to pop your Garlic Bread on the baking tray and into the oven for the designated time. Read the package for instructions. 
⁃ Next, add your mushrooms to the frying pan and turn regularly. They will be smaller and softer when they are cooked. 
⁃ When cooked, add your chopped tinned tomatoes and stir. Turn down the heat to a simmer at this point. 
⁃ Now add your tasty herbs and garlic granules, just a dash of each is enough, and stir through thoroughly. 
⁃ Whilst you’re waiting for everything to cook, grate about 1/8 of the cheese block and keep to one side. 
⁃ Now you’re only a few minutes off, so make sure you’ve got your table laid for you and your friends, grab a drink and get ready to dish up! 
⁃ You’ll know your bolognese is cooked when the tomatoes juices have turned into a thicker sauce. Your spaghetti should be soft too. It should align nicely with when your garlic bread is cooked! 
⁃ Turn off the hob and grab your colander and tip your spaghetti into the colander and drain all the excess water off. Use your spaghetti strainer to dish up the pasta onto each plate. Follow with the bolognese on-top of the pasta.  
⁃ Get your garlic bread out the oven and cut into slices and pop on a plate for sharing. 
⁃ Sprinkle over your desired amount of cheese (we like A LOT!) and tuck in! 
There you have it! A quick, cheap and easy to cook Spaghetti Bolognese! 
 
A full breakdown of the costs (Aldi supermarket) 

⁃ Beef mince meat 5% fat, 250g - £2.09 
⁃ Quorn Mince, 400g - £2.95 
⁃ Tinned tomatoes, 400g - £0.35 
⁃ Spaghetti, 500g - £0.28 
⁃ Red onions x3 - £0.95 
⁃ Mushrooms, 400g - £0.99 
⁃ Extra mature cheese block, 400g, £2.85 
⁃ Garlic Bread, 170g - £0.37 
⁃ Mixed Herbs Jar, 52g - £0.55 
⁃ Garlic Granules, 52g - £0.55 
 

In summary...

 
Based on having the ingredients for the basic Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese, it all comes to £3.58, working out at £1.43 per person. 
 
If you were to have Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese with the extras, it all comes to £8.94, but it works out at £2.80 per person as most of it you won’t use in the one meal. 
 
Based on having the ingredients for the basic Beef Mince Spaghetti Bolognese, it all comes to £2.72 working out at £2.52 per person, as you’re using mostly all the ingredients. 
 
If you were to have the Beef Mince Spaghetti Bolognese with the extra ingredients, it comes to £8.08 and works out at £3.89 per person, again as you are using most of the ingredients in this one meal! 
 
Overall, ALL versions cost less than £10 for ALL the ingredients and all work out at less than £4 per portion!  

 
We really hope you enjoyed watching our first cooking video in our series of Savvy Students and continue to watch and learn more about how to budget, shop savvy and become more confidently independent! Remember, you can refer to this blog and our videos at any time to refresh yourself!  
 
From, Amy & Maisie, your Wrexham SU Sabbatical Team! 

 

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