Healthy, simple and affordable meals

Healthy, Simple & Affordable Meals

UK-focused, family-friendly, Aldi/Lidl-style budgeting. Includes batch-cook tips and £ per portion estimates.

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Start Here Smart Shopping Batch Cooking Checklists Quick Quiz Recipe Library

Start Here: The Simple Formula

Most affordable, healthy meals follow the same template: carb + protein + veg + sauce. If you keep those four things in the house, you can always make something filling without wasting money.

Carbs
Rice, pasta, potatoes, wraps, oats.
Protein
Eggs, beans/lentils, tinned fish, frozen chicken, tofu.
Veg
Frozen mixed veg, peas, spinach, carrots, onions.
Sauces
Tinned tomatoes, curry powder, stock, yogurt, soy sauce.
Budget rule that works: Plan 3 dinners, cook 2 batch meals, and schedule 1 leftover night. That’s usually enough structure to cut waste without feeling strict.

Smart Shopping (Aldi/Lidl Style)

Goal: keep costs predictable and reduce food waste.

1) Shop your cupboards first
Before you buy anything, check: pasta/rice, tins, frozen veg, eggs, spices.
2) Buy “flexible” veg
Frozen mixed veg + onions/carrots work across curry, pasta, soup, fried rice.
3) Pick 2 cheap proteins
Example: eggs + chickpeas (or tuna + lentils).
4) Choose store-brand staples
Tinned tomatoes, oats, beans, rice, pasta, yogurt—usually best value.
Example “Weekly Core Basket” (family friendly)
  • Rice + pasta + oats
  • 2–3 tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tins beans + 2 tins chickpeas (or lentils)
  • Frozen mixed veg + frozen peas/spinach
  • Eggs
  • Onions + carrots + potatoes
  • Plain yogurt
  • Stock cubes + curry powder + mixed herbs
Quick money saver: If you only buy one “fresh” item, make it fruit (bananas/apples) and get veg frozen.

Batch Cooking for Families (Without Boredom)

Batch cooking saves money when you re-use the base in different ways. Example: cook a big pot of tomato & lentil sauce, then use it for pasta, jacket potatoes, or as a chilli base.

Best batch meals
Chilli, curry, pasta sauce, soups, stews, traybakes.
Freeze smarter
Freeze in 1–2 portion containers so you don’t have to defrost everything at once.
Label everything
Name + date. (It stops mystery tubs and wasted food.)
Leftover “remix”
Curry → wraps. Chilli → baked potatoes. Traybake → sandwiches/salad bowls.
Food safety (simple + practical)
  • Cool cooked food quickly, then fridge within 2 hours.
  • Use leftovers within 2 days, or freeze.
  • Reheat until piping hot all the way through.
  • Rice: cool quickly and store safely; don’t leave it sitting warm for long.

Checklists (Track Your Habits)

Planning Checklist

Score: 0/3

Protein Habit Check

Score: 0/2

Leftover Safety Checklist

Score: 0/3

Budget Meal Quick Quiz

1) Which is usually the best value way to buy vegetables?

2) A good way to cut the cost of mince-based meals is:

Your Simple Weekly Action Plan

Focus Do this
Plan Pick 3 dinners + 1 leftover night.
Shop smart Buy frozen veg + 2 cheap proteins (eggs/beans/tinned fish).
Cook fast Use “carb + protein + veg + sauce”.
Reduce waste Label leftovers and freeze extra portions.

Recipe Library (Healthy + Affordable)

Tap each card to open ingredients and method. Designed for busy households and budget shopping.

One-Pot Tomato & Lentil Pasta

Serves 425 min~£0.80/portion
Ingredients
  • 300g pasta
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 150g red lentils (dry)
  • 700ml water + 1 stock cube
  • Mixed herbs
  • Frozen spinach/veg (optional)
Method
  1. Fry onion 3–4 min.
  2. Add tomatoes, lentils, stock water, herbs.
  3. Add pasta; simmer 10–12 min, stirring.
  4. Stir in spinach/veg 2–3 min; season.

Batch-cook: Freeze portions flat for faster defrosting.

Chickpea & Spinach Curry (with Rice)

Serves 430 min~£0.95/portion
Ingredients
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2–3 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tins chickpeas
  • Frozen spinach/veg
  • Rice
Method
  1. Cook rice.
  2. Fry onion 5 min; add spices 30 sec.
  3. Add tomatoes + chickpeas; simmer 10–15 min.
  4. Stir in spinach/veg; season.

Cheaper: Add extra frozen veg to stretch portions.

Egg & Veg Fried Rice

Serves 415–20 min~£0.70/portion
Ingredients
  • Cooked rice (cold is best)
  • 2–4 eggs
  • Frozen mixed veg
  • Soy sauce
  • Oil
Method
  1. Cook veg 3–4 min in hot oil.
  2. Scramble eggs in the pan.
  3. Add rice; fry until hot; season with soy.

Extra protein: Add tinned tuna or leftover chicken if you have it.

Tuna Sweetcorn Pasta

Serves 420 min~£1.10/portion
Ingredients
  • 300g pasta
  • 2 tins tuna
  • Sweetcorn (tin or frozen)
  • Plain yogurt (or soft cheese)
Method
  1. Cook pasta; save a splash of pasta water.
  2. Mix tuna + sweetcorn + yogurt.
  3. Toss through pasta; loosen with pasta water.

More veg: Add frozen peas at the end of pasta cooking.

Chicken & Root Veg Traybake

Serves 5–645–55 min~£1.25/portion
Ingredients
  • 1kg chicken thighs/drumsticks
  • Potatoes + carrots + onions
  • Oil
  • Salt/pepper + herbs
Method
  1. Oven 200°C (180°C fan).
  2. Toss chopped veg with oil + seasoning on a tray.
  3. Add chicken; bake 45–55 min until cooked.

Leftovers: Shred chicken for wraps/sandwiches next day.

Sausage & Bean Casserole

Serves 4–530–40 min~£1.00/portion
Ingredients
  • 6–8 sausages
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tin baked beans (or cannellini)
  • Stock cube
Method
  1. Brown sausages.
  2. Fry onion; add tomatoes, beans, stock.
  3. Add sausages; simmer 15–20 min.

Stretch it: Use fewer sausages, add extra beans + veg.

Jacket Potatoes (Budget Toppings)

Serves 410 min prep~£0.90/portion
Ingredients
  • 4 large potatoes
  • Topping ideas: beans + cheese / tuna + yogurt / leftover chilli
Method
  1. Oven 200°C ~60 min (or microwave then crisp).
  2. Split, fluff, add topping. Add frozen veg or salad if possible.

Family tip: Make it “topping night” so everyone chooses.

Overnight Oats (3 breakfasts)

Serves 35 min~£0.45/portion
Ingredients
  • 150g oats
  • 450ml milk
  • Yogurt (optional)
  • Banana or frozen berries
Method
  1. Mix oats + milk (+ yogurt). Refrigerate overnight.
  2. Top with fruit in the morning.

Cheapest fruit: bananas or frozen berries usually win on value.