About

Bangers & Mash is a blog for anyone who, like me, is trying to cook good food and eat well on a budget.

My name is Vanesther Rees and I’m a working mum based in Somerset, England.

You might have a family to feed, or not. But you are looking for ideas and recipes to keep meals interesting without breaking the bank and without compromising on taste or quality of ingredients.

Earlier this year I changed the way I cook and shop, and pretty much halved my grocery budget in the process, simply by putting a bit more time into planning our meals.

As well as slashing costs, I’ve also cut down on food waste and my family is eating a healthier, more varied diet. You can read more about this in my first blog post. And I still manage to buy mainly organic fruit and vegetables, while most of our meat comes from local butchers.

When I’m not cooking, writing or thinking about food you’ll find me helping organisations, particularly those in the charity and public sector, with their PR and marketing needs. Sometimes I work from home and sometimes I work in clients’ offices. So I understand the time pressures on working parents and the temptations of the ready meal. But planning and preparing meals in advance really does make for more enjoyable mealtimes.

The way I shop and cook works for me and my family. In Bangers & Mash I share my experiences of what works and what doesn’t. I offer them up in case they’re of use to anyone else. As well as posting regular recipes on the blog, you’ll find all my latest meal plans here.

Do let me know what you think and if you’ve got any recipes or suggestions I’d be only too pleased to receive them. Email me at vanesther@reescommunications.co.uk.

Vanesther Rees
November 2011