Cheap Family Meal Plan for the Week
If you're a busy parent looking for affordable meals to make for the week, look no further! In this guide you will find a full, cheap family meal plan for the week, with average UK prices and cost per recipe! Grab your shopping list, and let's get cooking!
Monday to Sunday meal plan
Budget recipes using simple ingredients from UK supermarkets like Aldi, Tesco and Asda.
Weekly Meal Plan
- Monday: Tuna & Tomato Pasta
- Tuesday: Sausage & Potato Tray Bake
- Wednesday: Vegetable Fried Rice
- Thursday: Chicken & Veg Curry
- Friday: Pizza Toasts
- Saturday: Slow Cooker Chilli & Rice
- Sunday: Roast Chicken & Vegetables
Breakfast Ideas
- Oaty Banana Muffins
- Egg Breakfast Muffins
- Porridge
- Toast
Estimated Weekly Budget Shop (£35–£40)
- Whole chicken – £3.50
- 1 kg sausages – £2.50
- 500 g mince – £2.40
- 2 tins tuna – £1.60
- Pasta – £0.75
- Rice 400 g (for Vegetable Fried Rice) – £2.40
- Tinned chopped tomatoes x4 – £1.40
- Potatoes 2 kg – £2.50
- Frozen veg / stir-fry veg 400 g – £2.60
- Onions – £1.00
- Cheese – £2.25
- Bread – £0.85
- Eggs – £2.50
- Milk – £1.60
- Bananas – £1.00
- Porridge oats – £0.90
- Teriyaki sauce (4 tbsp for rice) – £0.40
Oaty Banana Muffins (12 muffins)
Cost: approx £2.80 for 12 muffins (around 23p each)
Great for using up overripe bananas and perfect for breakfast on the go.
Ingredients
- 200g plain flour
- 80g porridge oats
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 175ml milk
- 75ml vegetable oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 250g mashed bananas
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200°C.
- Line a muffin tin with 12 cases.
- Mix flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- In another bowl lightly beat the egg.
- Stir in milk, oil and vanilla.
- Add mashed banana and mix well.
- Combine dry ingredients with banana mixture.
- Divide batter into muffin cases.
- Bake about 20 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack.
Breakfast Egg Muffins (12 muffins)
Cost: approx £2.40 for 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 50g grated cheese
- 1 small onion diced
- ½ pepper diced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Whisk eggs.
- Add vegetables and cheese.
- Pour into muffin tray.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes.
Tuna & Tomato Pasta (serves 2/3)
Cost: approx £3.20 total
Ingredients
- 300g pasta
- 1 tin tuna
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion
- Mixed herbs
Instructions
- Cook pasta.
- Fry onion.
- Add tomatoes and herbs.
- Stir in tuna.
- Mix with pasta and serve.
Sausage & Potato Tray Bake (serves 3/4)
Cost: approx £4.00 total
Ingredients
- 6 sausages
- 600g potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 pepper
- Oil and seasoning
Instructions
- Chop vegetables.
- Add sausages to tray.
- Drizzle oil.
- Bake at 200°C for about 35 minutes.
Vegetable Fried Rice (serves 4)
Cost: approx £6.20 total
Ingredients
- 400 g stir‑fry vegetables (mixed bag)
- 400 g cooked rice (about 2 pouches or 2 cups uncooked)
- 4 eggs
- 4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
Instructions
- Stir‑fry the vegetables for 1–2 minutes until slightly soft.
- Add the rice and warm through.
- Crack in the eggs and stir through with the teriyaki sauce until evenly mixed.
Slow Cooker Chilli (serves 4)
Cost: approx £5.00 total
Ingredients
- 500g mince
- 1 onion
- 1 tin tomatoes
- 1 tin kidney beans
- Chilli powder
Instructions
- Brown mince and onion.
- Add ingredients to slow cooker.
- Cook for 4–6 hours.
Eating Well on a Budget
Planning meals ahead is one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce food waste. With a simple weekly meal plan, affordable ingredients from UK supermarkets, and a few batch-cooked recipes, families can enjoy healthy and filling meals without overspending.
The recipes in this guide focus on cheap family meals, budget friendly cooking, and easy weekly meal planning. By shopping smart at supermarkets like Aldi, Tesco, or Asda and choosing versatile ingredients such as rice, pasta, eggs, and seasonal vegetables, you can keep your grocery bill low while still feeding the whole family.
If you're looking for more ways to stretch your food budget, discover extra tips, meal ideas, and helpful resources below.
