Cheap weekday meals ideas please & how much do you spend?

[velvet24]

Had a chat with a friend who uses Gousto and said it works out £12.50 per meal, (2 adults and adult son) , I said that's expensive but she thinks she spends that anyway per meal, I try and spend no more than £5 per meal (2 adults, adult child and teen child and often +1 for dinner).

What do you spend and can we share some cheap meal ideas as i need to cut costs ?

My cheap ideas:

sausage pasta in home made sauce
macaroni cheese
toad in the hole

Thanks :)

We are 2 adults and spend between £30-£40per week on food, including booze.
Tonight we are eating out of fridge, leftovers.
Bacon, mushrooms, half a jar of pasta sauce, pasta and grated cheese.)
I buy veg from the market when I can, much cheaper. Meat from our local butcher as cheaper than most supermarkets.
Stews made in slow cooker, minimal amount of meat and lots of root veg.
I use chicken thighs for curries and pad out with veg.

Spag bol
Lasagne
Chicken & salad
Baked potatoes (tuna, coleslaw or beans/cheese filling)
Tuna pasta with sweetcorn
Make your own pizza base with the 3 ingredients recipe, add passata cheese, whatever veg you want
Vege noodle stir fry

Wanted to add i try and get thigh meat not breast as so much cheaper!

We have a mix of more expensive meals (meat) and cheaper. Our cheaper standards cost about £1 or less per person and are:
Pasta with homemade tomato sauce
Gnocchi, tomato and mozzarella (aubergine when in season)
Tagliatelle with mushrooms
Risotto with parmesan and saffron (which is an expensive ingredient but you don't need much)
Spaghetti with sardines
Spaghetti with garlic and chilli
We're in Italy so we do eat a lot of pasta!

We eat a lot of expensive meals, but our cheap and interesting options include:
Sardine and raisin pasta with broccoli stems (the original Sicilian recipe includes fennel but broccoli stem is similar texture and a very cheap alternative).
Khosheri (rice, tomatoes, lentils, vermicelli, fried onions and spices)
Kedgeree made with smoked mackerel

I’ve started using chicken legs - £2 for 4 (so 50p).

Soups with cheese on toast is another

Chilli/bolognese etc adding in lentils and more veg

Pearl barley added to leftover chicken and some stock cubes/ root veg

I think the key is to not spend lots in every meal but have perhaps one nicer meal per week and mix it up a bit :)

I spend more on Sunday lunches though to use meat during the week.

I have a well stocked condiment/oil cupboard spend a bit more here to add flavour to things.

I have allergies, so have to always do fake-always for most things. My fridge is always loaded with a good range of veg. I would also get a good mix of spices, I literally have a whole cupboard and use them all and buy in bags rather than little glass jars, then when I finish a coffee jar, that becomes my spice container. Spice is life basically, can turn anything into something tasty.

Rasta pasta. I don't eat meat, but you can add chicken, but not really needed. With garlic bread. Make normal Mac n cheese, but add in pepper, onions (chicken) and a dollop of jerk seasoning. Scrum, always a clear plate in my house.

Batch cook, then buy bigger amounts of meat, soya or swap for green lentils as very meaty texture.

Chilli con carni - then turn the left overs into Buritos.
Spaghetti Bol - left overs into lasagne
Chinese stir fry
Taco's
Shepherds/cottage pie
Curry, dhal and rice.
Shawarma
Thai green curry
Steamed puddings are lovely and very filling. Cook in the slow cooker and you get a crust around the edge.

I think you just have to have a mix, so don't just keeping eating, rice, pasta or potatoes.

I also cook foods from around the world and will give anything a try. I like my food to cover the rainbow, so have lots of colour.

Don't be afraid to try something new, variety is the spice of life. If you eat at someone's house, don't be afraid to ask for the recipe and give it a go yourself.