Simple budget meal planning for UK households

Start with what you already have

Before planning meals for the week, check your fridge, freezer and cupboards thoroughly. Building meals around ingredients you already own cuts waste and directly reduces the amount you need to spend. Even a rough five-minute inventory before writing your shopping list can prevent buying duplicates and help you use up items before they spoil.

Batch cooking and freezing

Cooking larger portions and freezing the extras is one of the most reliable ways to reduce food costs over time. Soups, stews, curries, mince-based dishes and rice meals all freeze well for several weeks. Keeping ready-made portions in the freezer also reduces the temptation to order a takeaway on a busy or tiring evening.

Inexpensive but filling staples

UK households can eat well on a tight budget by making regular use of pulses, eggs, oats, frozen vegetables, tinned fish and cheap cuts of meat. These ingredients are nutritious, versatile and consistently inexpensive at most supermarkets. Planning at least two or three meals a week around these staples makes a noticeable difference to a typical household's weekly shopping total.