As the average British family spends over £500 on Christmas, according to charity Family Action, it’s no wonder we’re all feeling the pinch this month. And when the finances are looking precarious, it can be hard to know where to make savings.

The kitchen is a great place to start. Cooking low-fat, nutritious and filling food doesn’t need to be expensive and time consuming. With a little imagination, the most humble ingredients, from carrots to lentils, can deliver winter warming suppers with serious taste bud appeal.

Tips for affordable grub

• Always ensure you’ve got eggs in the fridge. Although scrambled eggs are normally eaten for breakfast or brunch, they also serve as a quick, cheap, protein-rich dinner.
• Make soup from your leftovers. Blend vegetables and meat with some low-fat creme fraiche and add beans or pearl barley to bulk it up.
• Cut out your most expensive ingredients. Meat and fish tend to be the priciest food, so opt for cheaper cuts and alternatives.
• Get your fingers on the pulse. Lentils and chickpeas are low-cost and can be quickly transformed with the help of onions and spices into a delicious curry.
• Bulk buy. If your family gets through carbohydrates quicker than an Olympic athlete, consider buying rice and pasta in two-kilogram bags.

Leek Clafoutis

(Serves 4)

750g leeks, trimmed and washed

350g fromage frais

2 eggs, beaten

75g Roquefort or Stilton cheese, grated or grumbled

1tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Butter for greasing

2tbsp hazelnut oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Green salad, to serve

Heat the oven to 225C/Gas mark 7.

Cook the leeks in plenty of boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes, then drain well. Alternatively, steam the leeks for 10 minutes. Mix the fromage frais with the eggs, half the cheese, salt, pepper and parsley.

Butter an ovenproof dish and pour in half the egg and cheese mixture. Lay the well-drained leeks on top and cover with the remaining sauce. Dot with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with the oil.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Serve either hot or at room temperature, accompanied by a green salad.

Chunky Ham, White Bean and Leek Casserole

(Serves 4)

50g butter

3 whole leeks, trimmed and white parts cut into thin slices

2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained

400g ham ends (or gammon), cut into chunks

500ml vegetable stock

2tbsp cream cheese

2tbsp wholegrain mustard

1/2 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crusty bread, to serve

Put a casserole dish or saucepan onto the stove on a medium heat. Add the butter, then the leeks and cook them for about 10 minutes, until they have wilted and softened. Keep stirring so they don’t burn.

Add the beans and the ham ends along with the vegetable stock, cream cheese and mustard. Season with lots of black pepper but use less salt, as the ham will be quite salty.

Bring the sauce to the boil before adding a squeeze of lemon juice. (If you’re using gammon steaks, you’ll need to allow the stew to simmer for 30 minutes before adding the lemon juice to allow the meat to become tender.)

Serve in bowls with slices of crusty bread.

Bubble and Squeak Soup

(Serves 4)

400g potatoes, thinly sliced

1.2 litres chicken stock

150g streaky bacon, thinly sliced into strips, plus another 100g cut into small squares

1 medium carrot, diced

1 medium onion, sliced

3 sticks of celery, sliced

1/2 leek, sliced

1 heaped tbsp of butter

1/2 small cabbage, shredded

100ml double cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sprig of flat-leaf parsley and sage

Simmer the potato slices in the chicken stock for 20 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, grill the strips of bacon until crispy and reserve.

Gently fry the carrot, leek, celery, onion and diced streaky bacon in the butter for about 15 minutes until soft. Blend the potatoes with the chicken stock until smooth, then pour in with the vegetables. Add the cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the double cream then season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, sage and the crispy bacon strips.

Retro Risotto, Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese

(Serves 4)

2 large beetroot

50g butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 leek, white part only, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

Sprig of thyme, leaves only

350g risotto rice

150ml white wine

1 litre hot vegetable stock

150g goat’s cheese, crumbled

75g Parmesan, finely grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and dice the beetroot as small as you can.

Melt the butter in a shallow-sided pan and add the shallots, leek, garlic and diced beetroot. Cook them slowly and allow the shallots and leeks to go translucent. Once this has happened, add the thyme and rice. Turn the rice over and ensure that every grain is coated in butter.

Turn up the heat slightly and add the white wine. Keep the rice moving at all times. When the liquid has all been absorbed, add a ladleful of hot stock. Continue to add a ladleful at a time, stirring to keep the rice constantly on the move. This takes about 15 minutes.

When the rice is just under done, add the goat’s cheese and the Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Spaghetti with Chilli,Prawns and Parsley

(Serves 4)

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 large red peppers, diced

450g spaghetti

225g prawns, cooked and peeled

Red chilli flakes (optional)

175ml cream

2-4tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, add the garlic and peppers, season with salt and pepper and cover. Sweat on a gentle heat until tender but not coloured.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water. When it’s almost al dente, add the prawns to the peppers, toss for a minute or two to heat through and add the cream and chilli flakes, if using. Bubble up and taste for seasoning.

As soon as the pasta is al dente, drain well, add the sauce to the pan and toss over the heat until well coated.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

• Family Food For A Steal edited by Kyle Cathie is published by Vincent Square Books, priced £6.99. Available now