Give peas a chance: 5 meals you can make with a tin of peas

A tin of peas might not be the most exciting thing in your kitchen cupboard, but you’d be surprised how many meals you can make with it.

And it’s one of the cheapest things you can put in your shopping trolley too.

1. Pea and mint soup

Cook the peas in vegetable stock, throw in a bit of mint and blend until smooth.

And if you want it a bit creamier, just stir in a spoonful of natural yoghurt.

2. Cheesy pea pasta

Cook up some pasta and about two minutes before it’s done, add some drained peas to the pan.

Then drain the pasta and peas, saving a splash of the cooking water.

Return the pasta and peas to the empty pan, stir in some grated cheese and mix with the leftover water until it melts into a simple sauce.

Sprinkle on some herbs and your favourite seasonings and serve.

3. Homemade fried rice

Fry some cooked rice with an egg, add the peas and any leftover vegetables or cooked chicken you have, then season with a splash of soy sauce.

4. Fish pie topping

Mix your peas into some mashed potato or stir them straight into a simple pie filling, such as fish pie, cottage pie or shepherd's pie.

5. Pea and potato curry

Make a simple curry sauce by adding a few spoonfuls of curry powder to a carton of passata or tinned tomatoes.

Add the peas and a tin of potatoes and heat it up in a pan.

Versatile, cheap and healthy

You can pick up a tin of peas in the supermarket for less than 30p, so they’re a great option if you’re counting the pennies.

They also last for months in the cupboard, they’re easy to cook and are a great way to bulk out meals.

Peas aren’t necessarily a glamorous option.

But sometimes it’s the simplest cupboard staples that go the furthest and the ones that save you the most money.