Cheap Family Meals: Budget Recipes
This budget-friendly meal plan covers a week's worth of dinners for four adults, coming in at under £28 in total. All the recipes are flexible too, so you can swap in different ingredients to make the most out of leftovers and supermarket deals, as well as appease picky eaters.
We have stuck to a strict ingredient budget of £7 per person for the week, which averages out at just under £1 per portion. All of which are priced from a variety of supermarkets including Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's, and Aldi. Food prices are rising consistently, and by April 2022 they were 6.7% higher than this time last year. Planning is key to sticking to a budget, but don’t forget to be flexible too. Seasonal veg is usually cheaper, so adapt plans when you find good deals. For example, using chicken thighs rather than breasts, and frozen white fish rather than fresh cod. What really makes the difference is planning meals over a week or more, rather than focusing on a single recipe with too much waste! Binning food is like setting fire to fivers.
Day 1 - Beany quesadillas by Justine Pattison
Time: 30 Minutes/ Serves: 4/ Dietary: Vegetarian/ Cost Per Head: 95p
A super-quick way to make a Tex-Mex style supper in under 20 minutes! These cheesy chilli-beany pockets are quick to assemble and bake quickly in the oven rather than one at a time in a pan on the hob. Any leftovers can be eaten cold the next day or reheated in the microwave.
Ingredients
400g tin mixed beans in chilli sauce
400g tin red kidney beans in water, drained
150g/5½oz frozen sweetcorn
8 regular flour tortillas
150g/5½oz cheddar, finely grated
100g/3½oz cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (optional)
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put all the beans and the sweetcorn in a frying pan or saucepan and warm over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, or until hot, stirring regularly.
Take one of the tortillas, place on a board, and spoon a couple of heaped spoonfuls, roughly an eighth of the bean mixture, over half of it, leaving a 15mm/⅝in border around the edge.
Top with a small handful, roughly an eighth, of the grated cheese. Fold over and press tightly around the edges to seal – this is easier if a little of the cheese is on the border. Place on a large baking tray.
Continue making another seven quesadillas in the same way. Don’t worry if they overlap slightly on the tray, or if the edges open slightly once they are placed on the tray – the melted cheese will keep them together as they bake.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are lightly browned in places. Scatter the tomatoes over, if using, season with ground black pepper, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing if you like.
Day 2 - Budget cottage pie with baked beans by Daniel Clifford
Prep Time: 30 Minutes/ Cook Time: 1 Hour/ Serves: 4/ Cost Per Head: 97p
This cheap and cheerful cottage pie has a lighter touch, with everyone's favourite baked beans and plenty of lovely mash. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
250g/9oz beef mince
1 x 410g/14½oz tin baked beans
1 x 400g/14oz tin tomatoes
400ml/14fl oz stock, made from stock cube (ideally beef but chicken or vegetable is fine)
900g/2lb potatoes, chopped into equal size pieces
100ml/3½fl oz milk
50g/1¾oz butter
salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the oil. Once hot, fry the onions and carrots gently with a pinch of salt for 6-7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes.
Add the mince and stir to mix. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until all the raw meat has turned brown. Add the baked beans, tomatoes and stock. Simmer the mixture for 30-40 minutes without a lid to allow the mix to reduce and thicken a little.
Once cooked, pour into a medium sized baking dish about 21x27cm/8x11in. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Leave to cool and then chill in the fridge for 20 minutes - this will prevent the mashed potato sinking into it too much.
Meanwhile boil the potatoes in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 15 minutes until tender. Remove and drain, leaving to steam dry in the colander for 3-4 minutes.
Heat the milk and butter together in the pan you used to cook the potatoes, until the butter is melted. Once the potatoes are dried a little, place back into the saucepan and mash with a potato masher until smooth, mixing well with the butter and milk. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
Layer the mashed potato on top of the meat base in the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven to 25-30 minutes, or until bubbling and the potato top is golden-brown.
Day 3 - One-pan sausage pasta by Justine Pattison
Prep Time: 30 Minutes/ Cook Time: 1 Hour/ Serves: 6-4/ Cost Per Head: 95p
One pack of sausages will easily feed up to six people if you squeeze the meat out of the skins and cook with pasta and a rich tasting tomato sauce. You’ll need a large pan to cook everything as it all simmers together. Leftovers can be warmed up the next day or frozen for up to a month.
Ingredients
454g pack sausages (6–8 sausages), separated
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
350g/12oz dried penne pasta, or any other pasta shapes
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
½ tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano
1 head broccoli (about 350g/12oz), cut into small florets
salt and ground black pepper
Method
Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins and drop small pieces straight into a large, deep, non-stick frying pan, large wide-based saucepan or flame-proof casserole (it needs to be large enough to combine all the ingredients, including the pasta and water).
Add a tablespoon of the oil and cook the sausagemeat for 3 minutes over a high heat, or until beginning to brown, stirring regularly. Add the remaining oil and onion and cook together for 3 minutes more, or until the onion is softened and the sausage pieces are lightly browned, stirring regularly. Add a little more oil if needed.
Add the tinned tomatoes, 700ml water, the pasta, ketchup and mixed herbs. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Then, reduce the heat and simmer gently with the lid on for 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick, stirring regularly. Stir more often towards the end of the cooking time so the pasta doesn’t stick to the pan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Just before the pasta is ready, place the broccoli in a microwave-proof dish, add 3 tbsp water, cover and cook on high in a microwave for 5–7 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, or until tender. (Alternatively, boil in a saucepan of water on the hob.) Serve the broccoli alongside the pasta.
Day 4 - Ham hash by Lorna Cooper
Prep Time: Less than 30 Minutes/ Cook Time: 30 Minutes / Serves: 4/ Cost Per Head: 98p
A quick one-pan hash using cooked ham, eggs and tinned potatoes. Any cooked potatoes can be substituted for the tinned ones, if you have any leftover boiled potatoes they are ideal.
Ingredients
2 x 540g tins whole new potatoes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pepper (any colour), deseeded and chopped into small chunks
200g/7oz cooked ham cut into bite-size peices
4 eggs (preferably free range)
Method
Drain the tinned potatoes and pat dry using with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Tip onto a board and cut into small chunks.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the potato pieces for around 6–8 minutes, or until they are beginning to brown in places, stirring regularly. Add the onion and peppers and gently fry until softened. Add a little extra oil if needed.
Add the ham and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring.
Make four wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each. Cover the pan with a lid, or large piece of kitchen foil, and cook for around 5–7 minutes, over a low-medium heat or until the egg white is set but the yolk remains runny. Remove the lid and check the eggs every now and then. (Alternatively, for 3–4 minutes then finish under a hot grill for 5 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.)
Sprinkle with a little black pepper and serve.
Day 5 - Courgette and Pea Pasta by Saskia Sidley
Time: 30 Minutes/ Serves: 4/ Dietary: Vegetarian/ Cost Per Head: 94p
Vivid green and an amazing way to increase your veg intake, this pasta tastes like so much more than the sum of its parts. Garlicky, fresh and vibrant, it’s wonderful.
Ingredients
300g/11oz penne pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 courgette, chopped into small cubes
300g/11oz frozen peas
30g/1oz fresh parsley
salt and ground black pepper
Method
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the penne until al dente (around 9 minutes).
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium-low heat. Fry the garlic for a minute to get it going before adding the courgettes and frying for a further 7–8 minutes, stirring often, until tender and just coloured on the edges. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, defrost the peas by putting them in a bowl and pouring over boiling water. Leave for 2 minutes, then drain.
Transfer 200g/6oz of the peas and the parsley (holding back a little to serve) to a blender along with 3 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (or use a stick blender in a saucepan). Blend to a purée, then pour the sauce into the cooked courgettes along with the 100g/3.5oz reserved peas. Alternatively, finely chop the peas and parsley together, then mash using a fork, potato masher or pestle and mortar (you won't be able to get it completely smooth) before adding the pasta cooking water.
Drain the pasta, keeping a cup of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta and a few splashes of the cooking water to the pea sauce and cook over a low heat, stirring, until the sauce is coating the pasta. Add a few more splashes of pasta water if needed and season with salt and ground black pepper if needed.
Chop the remaining parsley and serve sprinkled over the pasta.
Day 6 - Vegetarian Lancashire hotpot by Nigel Haworth
Time: 1 Hour / Serves: 4/ Dietary: Vegetarian/ Cost Per Head: 98p
Packed with goodness, tasty vegetables and layered slices of potato, this hotpot is easy on the wallet too. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ swede (about 350g/12oz), peeled and chopped
200g/7oz parsnips, peeled and chopped
25g/1oz plain flour
750ml/1⅓ pint–1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable stock, made from stock cubes
4 tbsp pearl barley
3 sprigs thyme, leaves only
900g/2lb potatoes, peeled and sliced into 2mm slices
25g/1oz butter
salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil and, once hot, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Add the carrots, swede and parsnip, plus another pinch of salt. Cover with a lid on and gently fry for 10 minutes, or until softened a little.
Remove the lid, sprinkle in the flour and stir around to coat the vegetables and soak up any cooking juices. Add the stock, pearl barley and thyme and stir to mix well. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to soften the veg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, heat a large pan of water and cook the sliced potato in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to soften slightly. Drain and then put them into cold water to cool them and make them easier to handle.
Pour the vegetable mix into a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the potato slices over the top of the vegetables, seasoning between layers with salt and pepper to taste and finishing with a neat layer of slices. Dot over the butter and finish with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place into the preheated oven and cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are golden-brown on top.
Day 7 - Honey broccoli noodles by Miguel Barclay
Time: 30 minutes/ Serves: 4/ Dietary: Vegetarian/ Cost Per Head: 95p
Stir-fried broccoli is the star of this simple noodle salad, but it would be happy to share the stage with other vegetables you have in the fridge. Carrots, mushrooms, peppers and cabbages can all join in.
Ingredients
300g/10½oz dried wholewheat noodles, around 6 nests
1 tbsp vegetable oil
250g/9oz broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets including pieces of stem (see recipe tip)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
60g/2oz cashews, roughly chopped
½ tsp dried chilli flakes, plus extra to garnish
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime, quartered
Method
Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, or according to the instructions on the packet, until tender, stirring regularly to separate the strands. Drain in a sieve and rinse in cold water. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat and stir-fry the broccoli for 5–6 minutes or until just softened. Then add the garlic and cashews and continue to fry for 1 minute more.
Add the chilli flakes, honey and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 1 minute, or until the sauce reduces and thickens a little.
Add the well-drained noodles and toss everything together. Divide between bowls and squeeze over a little lime juice and a pinch more chilli to serve.