Cut down your energy bills with Taylors

One pot meals are the perfect way to feed the family and they have the added bonus of being able to help us all save on energy costs. We know that the cost of living is a cause of concern this winter. So we’ve put together some tips and meat selections to help you feed the whole family and save on the energy bills too.

It starts with slow cookers, air fryers and microwaves – all great low-cost, low-carbon cooking options.

Slow Cookers

Slow cookers save energy by cooking food at much lower temperatures than the traditional fan oven, which makes them much cheaper to run. Although they cook food for longer, some slow cookers actually use less energy to run than a conventional light bulb!! If you need any more persuading… Slow cooker meals are easy to prep. Most simply require adding all the ingredients in the pot, turning it on and leaving for a few hours. AND your home smells amazing too.

Air Fryers

Air fryers work by circulating hot air around your food. Not only are air fryers energy-efficient, but they also require less oil when cooking, which makes them a healthier option too. Both air fryers and slow cookers require fewer kilowatts per hour to heat them up as there is a much small space to heat up.

Microwaves

Microwaves really are a quick and cheap way of cooking. When cooking a potato in a traditional oven, it can use up to 10x more energy than using a microwave. Although you can’t cook all foods in a microwave, they can be useful for certain foods such as jacket potatoes, rice and heating up your canned food.

So, you have your cooking methods, but what will you be cooking and will it save you money? There are so many flavourful and cheap cuts of meat that are perfect for slow cooking and one pot meals.

Beef

Brisket

Beef brisket is a great option for slow cookers and one pot meals. It is a cheaper, tougher cut of meat that benefits from being cooked slowly to help break down the tough meat fibres and render the fat. When cooked properly, brisket is incredibly tender and full of flavour.

Shin

Beef shin is another great option for slow cookers and one pot meals. Slow cooking in casseroles and even curries, beef shin is a flavourful and tender cut of meat when cooked slowly.

Beef skirt

Beef skirt is not necessarily best for slow cooking, but it is a cheap cut that can be seared on a high heat for a quick and easy meal.

Pork

Pork shoulder

Pork shoulder is a great, low-cost meat perfect for slow cooking to create a fabulous pulled pork meal. There are so many flavours to explore with this cut of meat and it can be done in the slow cooker to save on that all-important energy cost.

Lamb

Shoulder

Lamb shoulder is a great option for slow cookers and one pot meals. It is a cheaper, tougher cut of meat that benefits from being cooked slowly to help break down the tough meat fibres and render the fat. When cooked properly, lamb shoulder is incredibly tender and full of flavour.

Chicken

Chicken thighs

Chicken thighs are great for slow cooking and casseroles. Unlike chicken breast, they have a higher fat content, which makes them perfect for one pot and slow cooker meals. Perfect for use in casseroles or in recipes such as coq au vin or chicken chasseur.

Whole chicken

The humble chicken is a firm favourite when it comes to Brits. With so many options, the chicken is perfect for one pot family meals.

If you want more advice on picking up the cheapest cuts of meat, just talk to our team at St John’s Market, Scunthorpe or visit our Ashby shop.