Six cheap tricks to make dinner time fun for all the family

HAS dinner time become a little dull?

With most of us saving for a break or the school holidays, it often means eating the same budget meals on repeat.

But there are some trade secrets you can use to add the wow-factor.

Follow these cheap tweaks to transform teatime . . . 

SOUR POWER: The late chef Anthony Bourdain swore by using sour cream to make scrambled eggs and it is a real game-changer.

Pick up Aldi’s sour cream, 95p for 300ml, and fold into your eggs just as they are cooked to take your breakfast to the next level.

A CUT ABOVE: Turn cheaper cuts of beef into tasty morsels using a technique called velveting. Sprinkle your strips of beef with half a teaspoon of baking soda, leave for 30 mins and then stir-fry.

The meat should be tender. You could also do this with corn starch. And always rest meat for at least four to five minutes after cooking.

RE-STRAIN YOURSELF: Instead of using a colander to drain pasta water, tip the starchy water into a jar. Add to a bread mix instead of water to give it an extra flavour ‘kick’ or cook rice in the water for added richness.

SAY CHEESE: Want to be king of the BBQ? Make the ultimate cheeseburger by adding the cheese to the burger as it’s cooking, not after.

If cooking indoors in a pan, do the same and flip it at the last minute and let the cheese bubble and crisp up before serving. It will leave a crusty cheese edge known by chefs as a “cheese skirt” – and it’s delicious.

STOCK UP: Instead of cooking pasta in water, top chefs switch to using chicken stock. Also cook couscous, rice and quinoa in meat stock as it adds real depth to a dish.

DRESS IT DOWN: The secret to an incredible salad dressing? A light sprinkling of sugar. Add it while whisking and it should tame any sharp acidic notes. Honey can also be used and it works especially well in a mustard dressing.

• All prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

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