What is a ₹400 budget plan for 7-day vegetarian tiffins?

Question

What is a ₹400 budget plan for 7 days of vegetarian tiffins? Get a sample menu and shopping list for affordable and healthy school lunches.

Answer 1

A ₹400 budget for 7-day vegetarian tiffins requires careful planning, focusing on affordable staples like rice, lentils, seasonal vegetables, and simple spices. Prioritize home cooking and bulk buying to maximize savings.

Detailed Explanation:

Creating a ₹400 budget plan for 7-day vegetarian tiffins involves strategic meal planning and cost-effective shopping. Here's a breakdown:

1. Planning: Start by outlining your meals for the week. Focus on dishes that use similar ingredients to minimize waste and maximize efficiency. For example, lentils can be used in dal, soups, or even as a filling for parathas.
2. Staple Ingredients: Allocate the largest portion of your budget to staple ingredients like rice (approx. ₹100), lentils (approx. ₹100), and atta (wheat flour, approx. ₹50). These form the base of most Indian meals and provide essential carbohydrates and protein.
3. Vegetables: Choose seasonal and locally available vegetables, as they are typically cheaper. Options like potatoes, onions, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and carrots are often budget-friendly (approx. ₹100 for the week). Buy in bulk from local markets if possible.
4. Spices and Oil: A small amount (approx. ₹50) should be reserved for essential spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, chili powder, and cooking oil. These add flavor and nutritional value to your meals.
5. Sample Meal Plan:
   • Monday: Rice, Dal (lentil soup), and Potato Sabzi (dry potato vegetable)
   • Tuesday: Roti (Indian flatbread), Spinach and Potato Sabzi
   • Wednesday: Rice, Tomato Dal, and Cabbage Sabzi
   • Thursday: Roti, Lentil and Vegetable Curry
   • Friday: Rice, Dal, and Carrot Sabzi
   • Saturday: Roti, Mixed Vegetable Curry
   • Sunday: Rice, Dal, and Onion Bhaji (onion fritters - use leftover onions)
6. Cooking Strategy: Cook in bulk whenever possible. For example, cook a large batch of dal that can be used for multiple meals. This saves time and energy.

Pro Tip:

Reduce costs further by growing your own herbs like coriander and mint in small pots. These can add fresh flavor to your tiffins without significantly impacting your budget.