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Original poster

What’s your favourite cheap & healthy meals?

42 replies

Budget37477483 · 30/05/2025 21:01

Hia,

We are going on an economy drive! I am looking to expand my repertoire of cheap and healthy meals.

By healthy I don’t mean diet. I mean healthy as in still giving us good calories, good protein, dairy, carbs, veg etc. despite the lower budget.

What are your favourites?

No dhall please! 😂

OP posts:
LovedFedAndNoonesDead · 31/05/2025 08:05

Risotto with mixed veggies and bacon.
spaghetti bolognese
chicken thighs and vegetable tray bake
vegetable curry and rice
chicken enchilada bake with green salad
ham, egg and chips

Bleachedlevis · 31/05/2025 07:59

I love threads like this. Real people swapping great ideas which actually work. Not like some silly Jamie Oliver ideas which use small amounts of expensive ingredients. Or those ‘feed your family for a week for £20’ articles which allow for one meal a day. How many families eat one meal a day for goodness sake?

Bleachedlevis · 31/05/2025 07:53

Katemax82 · 30/05/2025 21:11

Chicken rice tray bake, bake chicken legs seasoned with cajun seasoning alongside red onion, peppers and garlic in the oven till the chicken is done, take it out, mash the garlic then add rice, chicken stock and put it back in the oven with foil on it till the rice is done. I think its a Jamie oliver recipe

Chicken legs are a great buy. A kilo is around £2.50-£3. Can be roasted on a tray to make a massive Sunday dinner with lots of roast potatoes and vegetables.

EleanorReally · 31/05/2025 07:51

oh, no dhal
this is lovely
Gigantes Plaki – COOKING ON A BOOTSTRAP

Bleachedlevis · 31/05/2025 07:50

Hollowvoice · 30/05/2025 21:33

Random veg pasta - whatever veg needs to be used cooked up with a tin of tomatoes and herbs and seasoning, finish with cheese on top

Also chilli. Can pack in loads of veg and will make several portions.

Good one. I do this.

LimeQuoter · 30/05/2025 22:00

I find powdered soup mix great or tinned soup. Its very flavoursome so you can add your own lentils/chickpeas veg/potatoes and can be put on the fridge or freezer for other days. Many are healthy except for the higher salt and making a big pot will bring it down. Very economical and nutritious. Homemade bruchetta is handy too. The balsamic vinegar, olive oil, frozen garlic, basil in a pot from Tesco will last weeks

Endofyear · 30/05/2025 21:58

Mackerel fajitas - tinned mackerel, onions & peppers, fry with garlic, cumin and paprika, served in warm wraps or pitta.

Or get a bag of flour and make your own flatbreads - dead cheap and quick and easy!

Butter beans or chickpeas in a curry with a bag of spinach.

RainbowsAreLovely · 30/05/2025 21:57

Jacket potato with beans, cheese, chili, tuna anything really.

Karmakamelion · 30/05/2025 21:47

Smashed chicken flatbreads
Take chicken mince with herbs spices of choice flatten on a wrap and fry meat side down when cooked fill with salad and sauce if choice
Quick tasty and cheap

Hollowvoice · 30/05/2025 21:33

Random veg pasta - whatever veg needs to be used cooked up with a tin of tomatoes and herbs and seasoning, finish with cheese on top

Also chilli. Can pack in loads of veg and will make several portions.

Bleachedlevis · 30/05/2025 21:29

Old fashioned Potato Hash made with 5% fat minced beef:

  • 250g minced beef
  • 1-2 onions, chopped
  • 1-2 beef stock cubes
  • Bisto powder and flour
  • 2-4 carrots chopped
  • 2 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped into biggish chunks.
Fry onions in a little oil. Add beef and brown. Add beef stock cubes and water to cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add carrots. Simmer another 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Simmer until almost done. Make a thickener with heaped teaspoon of Bisto and heaped teaspoon flour and water. Pour gradually into hash whilst stirring. Stir until thickened and simmering. Simmer 10 minutes or so. You can serve it as it is or pour into a large pie dish and top with pastry to make it really filling. This is a recipe from my childhood that I have reverted to during the COL crisis. You can make it your own by adding more meat, fewer or more potatoes, different stock powder or cubes. Feeds at least 4. A 750g pack of beef will cost around £6.50 which means you can make 3 of these for around £2.20 plus onions, carrots, potatoes.
Chocolateorange22 · 30/05/2025 21:24

Roasted vegetable and hummus wraps. Sometimes chuck some falafels in there with it.
Black bean burritos
Roasted veg and pesto gnocchi
Black bean enchiladas

Butchyrestingface · 30/05/2025 21:14

Beans and toast (wholemeal bread, natch).

Anything with egg.

Ps34 · 30/05/2025 21:13

Savoury rice with chopped tofu, pepper, onion, and mixed beans chucked in.

Katemax82 · 30/05/2025 21:11

Chicken rice tray bake, bake chicken legs seasoned with cajun seasoning alongside red onion, peppers and garlic in the oven till the chicken is done, take it out, mash the garlic then add rice, chicken stock and put it back in the oven with foil on it till the rice is done. I think its a Jamie oliver recipe

ByDreamyNavyDreamer · 30/05/2025 21:07

We like fried rice with veggies- using brown rice, Shaksuka, and sweetpotatos with cottage cheese or sweet potato nachos.