“Thank You for This”: Olive Impresses Mzansi With a Shoprite Home-Cooked Meal Under R20

• A South African food content creator went viral after demonstrating how to cook a complete meal for just R16.15 at Shoprite
• The budget-friendly dish features sausage, cubed butternut, and long-grain white rice, all bought for under R20
• Social media users praised the practical cooking tip, noting how helpful it is for cash-strapped households facing high living costs
• Briefly News reached out to Olive, a food content creator whose low-cost recipe videos have resonated with South Africans looking to cut down on daily living costs

With food prices placing pressure on household budgets across South Africa, popular food content creator, TikTok user @olive_foodie, went online on 5 October 2026 to show how far a modest budget can stretch. In a video that quickly caught the attention of budget-conscious South Africans, she shared step-by-step instructions for preparing a warm, filling dinner for just R16.15.

The Bellville-based foodie sourced her ingredients directly from a local Shoprite store, selecting a portion of champion boerewors/sausage for R8.39, pre-cut butternut for R4.51, and a 500g bag of long-grain white rice priced at R12.99. Using a quarter of the packet of rice (valued at R3.25), she brought the total cost of the hearty single plate well under her initial R20 target.

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Quick one-pan cooking method for budget dinners

Demonstrating her hassle-free preparation technique, the content creator pan-seared the sausage along with the diced butternut in a single skillet with a dash of oil, salt, and pepper. Addressing critics who often point out household staples, she reminded viewers to be realistic, as basic cooking oil and seasonings are typically kept in most home pantries.

After boiling a portion of fluffy white rice, she assembled the plate with the cooked sausage and golden butternut cubes, creating a wholesome and presentable meal. Reminding viewers to remain empathetic toward differing economic circumstances, she highlighted that simple budget meals like this can make a significant difference for anyone struggling to secure daily sustenance.

Watch the R20 meal preparation in the TikTok video below:

Olive opens up about viral low-cost recipes

The Briefly News team spoke directly with Olive following the overwhelming online response to her practical cooking content, where she opened up about the inspiration behind her ultra-budget meal challenges and shared her top grocery tips.

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We asked what inspired her to start sharing these ultra-budget meal challenges online. She shared:

“The reason I started sharing these budget meals online was that there are people really struggling out there and living on a tight budget. I always feel if you have an idea, share it with people. It might make life just a bit easier for someone who is struggling.”

The team asked if she expected this specific video to gain so much love and appreciation from viewers. The foodie responded:

“I was hoping it would gain so much love and appreciation, but my biggest hope was that it would reach people who really need this, and I believe it has. Unfortunately, the hate comments can get a bit much, but it is worth seeing the positive impact this video has made for some.”

When asked what her top tip is for South Africans trying to stretch their grocery budget right now. Olive said:

“My top tip would be to shop smart and look for the best deals. If you are able to buy in bulk, then do so, but make sure to repackage it into smaller quantities. This way, it will go much further and most definitely save you a bit more in the long run.”

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Mzansi reacts to the R20 dinner challenge

The video sparked widespread appreciation online, with viewers commending her practical approach to low-cost meal preparation:

@Tyra_Something said:

"You're literally feeding and saving someone with this 👏🏼."

@Miapret added:

"I love when people make useful content like this! ❤️👏🏼."

@Vincents Finds wrote:

"That is a lot of good food for that price. Home cooking so budget-friendly. Awesome post, Olive 👏🏼❤️."

@Jack_781 shared:

"I'm not 100% certain how to do this, but I know that you could make a gravy with the bit of fat and drippings in the pan. This looks like a delicious meal for R20!"

@Adam Colborn commented:

"I can't believe this meal was so reasonable. Wow, thank you for this 😊."

@mavigesta wrote:

"Keep up the good work. Someone will sleep with a full stomach."

More articles about budget meals

• A Cape Town chef shared a viral TikTok video demonstrating how to prepare a gourmet-style chicken bao bun meal for a family of four for just R148 using ingredients from Pick 'n Pay.
• A content creator demonstrated how she successfully bought enough ingredients at Pick 'n Pay to prepare two full days of meals on a strict R50 budget.
• Veronica challenged herself to get a proper lunch for under R30 at Woolworths and made it work, surprising many viewers with her choices.

Source: Briefly News