Takeaway vs Fakeaway

We all have those times when we don’t want to have to cook and fancy a takeaway as a treat. It can be extremely expensive, especially when you’re trying to save money. I’ve found the best way to resist wasting money on a takeaway is to get a meal deal. It’s minimal effort in the kitchen but packs all the taste of a tasty takeaway.

Here’s my favourite meal deals that are available right now…

Tesco Dine In

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know this is still a favourite of mine, it’s the usual £10 deal where you get a main, side dish, dessert and bottle of wine. Lots of supermarkets do them but the Tesco one is my absolute favourite; especially when the ranch steaks are on the deal. They’re easy to cook as they take just a minute on each side and they’re absolutely delicious. There are 8 other main dishes to choose from as well as a brilliant selection of sides, desserts and both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks.

** Meal deal hack ** if your local Tesco has run out of wine on the dine in deal, fear not! You can actually get any bottle of Tesco Finest wine up to the value of £7 from the regular wine aisle. At the checkout, the cashier will adjust the prices of the items to match the £10 deal cost. I would advise double checking this with a manager just to be on the safe side although all the staff in my local seem to be fully aware of this practice.

Rather than spending a fiver on a bottle of wine, £10 on a takeaway and a couple of quid on some sweet treats, I can get all of that on the meal for a tenner. There’s also the added bonus of using clubcard vouchers to get it even cheaper every now and again.

Co Op Frozen Meal Deal

If you’re in the mood for a bit something that requires less effort to make or if you;re looking to feed a family, then this could be the deal for you. Each month the Co-Op Food do five frozen items for just £5. There is always a main, a couple of side dishes and a pudding.

Each month it’s something different that would easily replace a chippy tea, KFC and Dominos Pizza. I know the taste isn’t exactly the same but £5 to feed a family of four verses the expense of the takeaway equivalent is a no brainer.

Asda Curry in a Box

These meal deal boxes offer brilliant value for money, especially when they’re on offer. They’re full price at the moment but even at £7, they’re still great value. The boxes contain onion bahjis, two curries, pilau rice and naan bread. The cost at a local takeaway for the same items would be around £17 plus delivery.

Despite these dishes being ready meals, I always find them to be extremely tasty and they do feel like more of a treat than making my own curry. At nearly a quarter of the price of a takeaway they’re definitely a brilliant alternative. You can get similar items at Sainsburys, Tesco and Morrisons prices and contents vary but they’re all still better value than a takeaway.

Fancy a Chinese?

I find the tastiest and most simple Chinese style dish to make at home is a stir fry. Plenty of supermarkets do stir fry deals, M&S do one that has all the ingredients to make a stir fry two for £7. You can get a similar deal from Tesco for £2.50 for the veg, noodles and sauce, you just have to buy the meat (or veggie alternative) of your choice. I find ready cooked, sliced chicken breast makes for a really quick and fuss free stir fry. I stumbled across this once when I picked up a yellow sticker pack and created a delicious chicken and egg fried rice dish. Simply heat according to the packet instructions and stir in with the stir fry sauce.

To make it feel even more like a takeaway why not pick up a bag of prawn crackers and sweet chilli dip? You can nibble on those whilst spending ten minutes making your stir fry. Although the idea of a fakeaway is not having to cook, ten minutes of effort isn’t bad at all. It’s also a far healthier choice!

Friday Night = Pizza Night

Tesco also do another £10 meal deal for those who fancy some indulgent pizza! For a tenner you get two HUGE pizzas, 2 sides such as garlic bread, dough balls, wedges etc. And you also get a dip! It’s like Pizza Hut or Dominos for a fraction of the price. The only downside to this deal is the fact it doesn’t come with drinks any more… You used to be able to get a four pack of beer or some Coca Cola too! Having said that, it’s still a fab deal and a huge amount of food for the price. Perfect for a family movie night or girls night in.

So the question is: Takeaway or Fakeaway?

The next time JustEat send you a code for money off your next takeaway, think to yourself: is it really is worth it? If the answer is yes and you’ve got the money, then go for it. If the answer is no, then try one of my alternative suggestions and have a fakeaway.

Let me know if you have spotted any fantastic meal deals that cost a fraction of your usual takeaway.

Happy Dining In,

Thrifty Clair x