Reporter TOM CURPHEY heads to the Isle of Man TT fan park to see if he can feed himself for less than £20...

Have you ever been handed an assignment that felt more like a culinary game show challenge?

Well, I certainly have.

Armed with a crisp £20 note, I was dispatched to the Isle of Man TT Grandstand to see if I could manage to buy myself a main, a side, a drink and a dessert without going over my nominal budget.

There’s been a lot of talk about the food options at the Grandstand on social media this year with both visitors and locals chipping-in with their views.

In a bid to give you a better idea of what to expect during your staff party on Senior Race Day this year, I went to see if you can keep yourself fed with just £20.

I have to be honest though, this isn’t my first attempt at this challenge - truth be told, I got sidetracked (excuse the pun) the first time I embarked on this culinary quest.

TT fans will be well aware that just opposite the row of food vans parked up on the Grandstand lies the irresistible lure of Trackside bar.

Tom Curphey with his £20 note set to embark on the challenge
Tom Curphey with his £20 note set to embark on the challenge (Dave Kneale )

The sound of laughter roaring from the venue coupled with the irresistible lure of a cold pint proved too strong for me to ignore and I gave the food options a miss.

I was determined that this time was going to be different however.

With my lesson learned and a £20 in my hand, I ventured out determined to get a full meal this time around.

My thoughts for the main course immediately led me to a burger, but looking at some of the menus it was likely going take a large chunk of my overall budget.

The delicious looking burgers packed with all sorts of extra ingredients ranged in price upwards from £12 and I was reluctant to part with that cash so early.

But after some serious searching, I spotted what I thought was a mega deal at one of the TT fan park’s food vans - a 100% Manx steak smash burger for just £7.

And while some of the extras, such as bacon and cheese would cost more, there was a selection of free toppings for me to choose from.

I’m told this is pretty standard, but when you’re on a strict budget it felt like I’d struck gold.

Lettuce, fried onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, you name it - they were free of charge. I loaded up, feeling like I’d cracked some sort of secret code.

Now down to £13, it was time to hunt for a relatively cheap side dish so I’d still have enough to buy a drink and a dessert too.

This proved more challenging than I thought.

I ended up settling for a side of fries for £5 and I must confess, I was underwhelmed.

Tom with his meal for under £20 at the Grandstand
Tom with his meal for under £20 at the Grandstand (Media Isle of Man/Dave Kneale )

These weren’t the dirty fries dripping with cheese and bacon that my heart (and stomach) desired, but they fit the budget.

A simple garnish of salt and ketchup had to do the trick.

Now with just £8 left, it was time for a beverage.

I opted for a good old cup of tea (not a Trackside beer this time) and despite my dislike for hot drinks in paper cups, it was warm and did the job.

£3 seemed pricey, but I was happy enough knowing that an ice cream would surely be less than a fiver to keep me under budget.

An ice cream tub for £4.50 sealed the deal.

Sweet, creamy, and the perfect end to my budget dining spree.

I did add a Monster Energy can into the mix as well.

Tom enjoying his burger
Tom enjoying his burger (Dave Kneale )

They’re available free from the Monster Tent and kept me going when I wasn’t sure I could finish the strict fiscal mission I’d been sent on!

Total spend: £19.50 - I made it with just 50p to spare.

In my imagination there was a chorus of cheers and claps as I dug into this meal on the bench.

But it is extremely likely that despite me thinking I was tactically smart in my choices, someone else with £20 could get a better meal from the Grandstand food vendors.

Happy hunting everyone!