Looking for meal ideas for 5

[SweetChickPea]

I'd like some meal ideas which would feed 5 people please. We're on a pretty limited budget and are finding it difficult.

Non-veggie but healthy-ish if possible.

Thanks

[DLI]

pasta bolognaise, - pasta (any shape really), pasta sauce, mince, and to make it go further add mushrooms, onions, courgettes, topped with grated cheddar. and if you want serve it with garlic bread or homemade flat bread.

Toad in the hole (yorkshire puddings are pretty cheap and easy to make)served with mash, carrots and peas,

there are only three in our family but we are also feeling the pinch of the recession and i have found that making things such as my own bread, fairy cakes, pizza, pies etc i have saved lots of money and we have started eating healthier.

[thesecondcocking]

assuming you already use thighs rather than chicken breasts and cheaper cuts of meat?
we pad stuff out with tinned chick peas/lentils/beans ie shepherds pie/curries etc etc.
have meat free mondays-omelettes/on toast/jacket spuds/bean burritos
one night we have pasta with sauce (little bit of creme fraiche bit of smoked salmon,some peas or a risotto.
i buy value biscuits and shop at iceland for other stuff ie eggs/milk/sugar/cereal/tins of stuff-they do proper branded stuff btw as mine wont eat anything but heinz/kelloggs/walkers etc etc!
We don't eat ready meals of any sort tbh not because i am precious but because they give me the burps.
Think of comfort food and if you have a 'shit tea' (ie beans on toast) then whack a pie and some cream on the table and it's a posh tea.

[Trinaj]

I am the same, 5 to feed on a limited budget.
I find pasta and mince my saviours - pasta bakes, lasagne, bolognese, shepherd's pie, Chilli.
Anything you can cook in a big pot and add lots of veg too is excellent - hotpot, ratatouille, stews, casseroles.
One of my faves is chicken in cheese sauce, easy to make, i use chicken thighs and add value bacon to bulk, lots of onions, and potatoes or pasta or rice added to the dish (best pre-cooked) and served with more veg.
Also we eat a lot of jacket potatoes, they're cheap, healthy and you can have anything with them - tuna, chilli, beans etc...
My husband loves soup - always a cheap, quick alternative.
HTH?

[orangina]

A half shoulder of lamb, slow cooked in the oven, is delicious and not too £££. Will feed 5 if some of them are children.

here

[bogie]

I was planning on throwing this together this week sounds good but I am just going to throw in in the slow cooker for a few hours :-) www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13373/bonfire-bangers-and-beans