5 nights of budget-friendly meals
Want to feed the family without breaking the bank? Check out our delicious, budget-friendly suppers for every night of the working week.
These recipes have been picked to provide homemade, delicious suppers for four people across a working week, making the most of lower cost ingredients and including ideas for using up leftovers.
Looking for more budget-friendly recipes and cookery advice? See our main collections of budget recipes and leftover recipes, plus follow our guide to a week of budget-friendly meals. You can also find plenty more recipes and tips on our budget section.
Are you worried about the cost of living? The Which? Money Health Check Tool is free and for anyone looking for ways to help them save money.
MONDAY
Beetroot & feta pasta
Start the week with a burst of colour on your plate. This vibrant veggie pasta dish is packed with nutrients and delivers two of your 5-a-day, providing a healthy yet affordable lunch or supper option. The homemade beetroot and carrot sauce is a great way to hide veg for veg-dodgers, while creamy feta cheese provides a delicious tangy twist. This dish can also be easily made vegan by using a plant-based crème fraîche and vegan feta.
Use up any leftover beetroot and feta to make this luxurious beetroot risotto with feta or sprinkle it on other pasta or salads. Crème fraîche can be stirred into many dishes to add a creamy texture.
Also check out more budget pasta recipes.
TUESDAY
Lemon & herb chicken traybake with butter beans and potato wedges
This fuss-free, versatile chicken traybake makes the most of store cupboard ingredients such as chopped tomatoes and canned beans, while the chicken thighs are a lower cost cut of meat. Stuff the chicken with herbs to maximise flavour, before roasting and serving with potato wedges for a hearty family supper.
Lemon & herb chicken traybake with butter beans & potato wedges
Discover more simple traybake recipes.
WEDNESDAY
Sausage & fennel risotto
Adding sausage meat to dishes is an easy way to pack in plenty of flavour and make less meat go further. This creamy and comforting sausage risotto also has a wonderful herby fragrance thanks to the fennel, thyme and garlic. Replace the white wine with equal amounts of chicken stock for even better value.
Use up any leftover sausages to make our simple sausage ragu.
THURSDAY
Tomato & pasta soup
If you're looking for a bowl of comfort, stir up a batch of this hearty and nourishing tomato, pasta and chickpea soup in just 30 minutes. Finished with a swirl of basil pesto and served with crusty bread, it's full of flavour but low in fat and uses cheap ingredients.
Warm up with more budget soup recipes. Used up any leftover pesto in this easy recipe for pesto, cannellini bean & tuna jackets.
FRIDAY
Roasted cauliflower with tomato & cashew sauce
A fragrant and satisfying supper to round off the week, this simple veggie dish involves roasting cauliflower with spices, then cooking in a rich tomato and cashew sauce. If you can't find cashew nut butter, then peanut butter will also work really well. Serve with rice and naan breads to mop up the aromatic flavours.
Roast cauliflower with tomato & cashew sauce
Find more affordable meat-free meals with our collection of budget vegetarian recipes.
Get more inspiration for budget family recipes...
10 easy budget family meals
Top 10 healthy budget dinners
One week of budget-friendly dinners
Top 10 quick budget family meals
Cook Smart is a supportive campaign developed by Good Food to bring together knowledge and ideas on how to help everyone eat well on a budget. Read more about Cook Smart with Good Food.
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