Broccoli soup with cashew sound interesting. Will try it - minus onions!

We batch make stock paste which lasts in the fridge a fair while and is easy to make up for soups, sauces and stews of all kinds. Maybe you could send with your DD when the time comes. Might not get used by others if they don't know what to do with it

That is a really good idea sending basic stock for soups means that they taste good and can be very nutritious.
I don’t think I would like broccoli soup without the onion. Stilton pairs well but not cheap.

You get used to not being able to eat onion

I always use chicken carcasses to make stock and then I freeze it so we always have a good supply. You can buy chicken thighs to achieve the same result so that is easy enough for a student. I only put the carcass (minus skin because of the fat), some celery (essential), onion (and you probably could get away without it KB), carrot and then bouquet garni and peppercorns in it. The key is to boil and then simmer it for a long time - the smell is wicked so that is easy - as in, at least and hour to get the most out of the bones. This is a fabulous basis for any soup and is also handy for sauces and gravies.

Eccentric, like you I won't buy meat which doesn't comply with my own standards (in my case I need it to be free range, not so bothered about organic) - so not every principle needs to be compromised. I add loads of vegetables to all my pasta/chilli sauces as with 3 hungry children the meat wouldn't go far if I didn't. I think your daughter will manage just fine in however many years' time it is as long as she is careful where she shops and reduces her meat intake.

I made a spicy root and lentil curry last night and, because of this thread, was keeping an eye on cost. I bought a "casserole pack" of root vegetables which was £1 for swede, parsnip, onion and several carrots. I used 3 big potatoes, dried red lentils, veg stock and spices I already owned (I think I would stock my children up with herbs and spices at the start of a year). The most expensive item was fresh coriander which I guess is optional and rice (we're fussy about our rice!) but I reckon it cost around 60p a portion. It served 6 so I'm planning to whizz up the remains for soup and I think it will work well (sadly my liquidiser attachment died this week, rather spectacularly as I had no idea you weren't meant to add hot liquids to it - I'm sure I've done it loads of times!)
So maybe your dd can gravitate to eating more vegetarian meals which are often cheaper and v healthy!

That reminds me Loobylou, DD likes to use spices a lot as well and has found that they, and a lot of her other staples, are cheapest at ethnic shops (where she lives there is a Turkish one, an Asian one and a Polish one). She buys big bags of spices for less than I buy the cute little pots; she then puts them into airtight boxes herself.

Sounds good and about right for the cost - I think I must work on soups more, I like the idea but don't always think in advance.
shame about the liquidiser, ours seems to cope with v hot liquids though the lid of the old one eventually fell apart so maybe that was the cause of it. Got a really nice new one half price in Tesco.

Agreed Amber we have a fab shop for that, I bought huge back of black mustard seeds for 89p. Also have been told that cayenne pepper may keep the cats off my garden so am off to see if I can get that in bulk from there too.

Definitely, definitely don't put hot stuff in a nutribullet....they explode and can cause serious damage!

I make stock out of the Sunday roast chicken carcass - never with celery (whilst I like it raw I can't abide anything with cooked celery in!) - the stock usually gets made straight into a stewy soup though so doesn't make the freezer!!

Good point. They are much cheaper in those bags. (But they make my cupboard smell more!).