Budget meal ideas for different diets

[hurtingheart19]

Hi, me and my soon-to-be dh are trying to save for our wedding next year and I think an area we can make some savings is the food budget. We are lucky at the minute in that we don’t have to worry about what we pick up, however I think just a bit of thought and we could probably eat better and save some money! I am vegetarian and he isn’t - he’s happy to eat vegetarian but when we do things like burgers he will have meat and I’ll have an alternative, so where it’s an easy sub he will eat meat.
neither of us are particularly foodies and aren’t fussy (just no mushrooms) so if anyone could provide some ideas on:
cheap meals - easy/batch cooking even better
meals where we can make a meat/veggie option
any delicious regular weekday staples your family enjoy

it will be interesting to see if the Monzo account notices a difference haha!

https://beatthebudget.com/recipe/nandos-spicy-rice/#wprm-recipe-container-21723 I make this and add extra vegetables plus some protein (could do a meat and vegetarian option). The website has a few good recipes.
Also you could do this https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/tomato-pepper-chorizo-pasta/#recipe adding the chorizo to half and adding a vegetarian protein to the other half.
Vegetarian chilli or chickpea curry is easy to batch cook too.
I buy my spices in bulk then look for recipes that use some of the same spices.

Dahl is cheap to make - I'd never even had it til a few months ago. I think this is the recipe I used

kaynutrition.com/lentil-spinach-sweet-potato-dahl/

Also, I make a chicken and veg chilli which doesn't have a recipe...but I chop up a couple of chicken thigh fillets (cheaper than breasts and better in my opinion). Fry them off with a large onion and some garlic. Add any chopped veg you've got available (peppers, courgettes, aubergine are my usual but carrots/chopped green beans, cauli etc is fine). I add a tablespoon of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and chilli powder, fry that off for a min then couple of tins of chopped tomatoes, worcester sauce if you've got it and a crumbled stock cube. Top up with some water If it needs it then simmer with lid on for an hour. This is a very vague recipe but taste it and add other things if it needs it.

Risotto - pea or butternut are particular favourites here. Add chicken or parma ham for the meat eaters (at the end).

Our favourite pasta is chorizo, aubergine, onion, garlic and chilli cooked in tinned tomatoes and water then, if necessary, a spoon of creme fraiche/cream cheese/cream etc. I do a veggie version without the chorizo and just add lots of paprika and extra chilli. I usually add some oregano to both versions. With the veggie version, I usually serve it with feta cheese.

I have been known to cook chorizo separately for those who can't live without it.

Roasted veg on couscous with feta / goats cheese - can be as elaborate or as simple as you like.

Vegetarian curries - we are currently liking a sort of Brinjal Bhaji style one. but we experiment according to the day, often doing thai style with a paste and coconut milk.

Daal and brown rice is your friend, then add a side of vegetables (I like aubergine and ginger in a light pickle) or meat eg chicken tikka (buy the large tray at Asda, cook all them freeze in single portions, defrost overnight and warm in the microwave.)