Low Cost Meal Plan

A delicious budget meal plan full of tasty cheap meals ideal for spring and summer and perfect if your cooking on a budget, 

butternut squash carbonara

A healthy tagliatelle butternut squash carbonara with creme fraiche, crispy bacon, roasted butternut squash, roast peppers and sliced olives coated in a parmesan, pine nut and sage creme fraiche sauce. The carbonara is served with a sprinkle of parsley and crispy garlic bread. 

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Peach & Lentil Salad with Pork Tenderloin

Pork fillet marinated with garlic and fennel seeds and roasted in the oven. The pork is sliced and served on a bed of spinach, peaches, prunes and lentils. The dish is dressed in a light lemon dressing.

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Chinese Black Pepper Chicken with Noodles

A spicy black pepper chicken with strips of chicken breast marinated in five spices, soy and sesame oil, stir-fried with onions, red peppers, spring onions and cashew nuts, finished with Szechuan pepper, chilli, hoisin, wine and soy stir fry sauce.  Serve this deliciously spicy stir fry on a bed of egg noodles

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Beef & Black Olive Burgers with Courgette Chips

A chunky beef burger made from minced beef and flavoured with chopped olives, crushed garlic, ground cumin, tomato paste and torn basil served in a crusty ciabatta rolls with lettuce,  fried onions and tomato sauce. The burger is served with oven baked parmesan courgette chips and garlic mayo

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Chicken Shawarma Pitta Breads

Spicy shawarma chicken pitta breads, roasted chicken shawarma thighs marinated in garlic, lemon, paprika, cumin and coriander served in toasted pitta bread and a lemon creme fraiche sauce, served with a green olives and a green salad dressed with chilli coriander and lemon. 

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More menus you might like: Easy Meal Plans, Spring and Summer Meal Plans, Meal Plans, Balanced Meal Plans

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More About our summer budget meal plan

cheap and easy meals organised into a low cost menu plan perfect for reducing your grocery bills

Monday's Meal

Squash, bacon and olive tagliatelle, al dente tagliatelle with roasted chilli garlic butternut squash, crispy bacon, red peppers, olives and toasted pine nuts, served with a creamy creme fraiche and parmesan sauce. The tagliatelle is served with garlic bread and a sprinkle of parsley.

Tuesday's Meal

A chunky Mediterranean burger with minced beef, chopped olives, tomato paste, flavoured with crushed garlic, ground cumin and torn basil served in a crusty ciabatta rolls with lettuce, fried onions and tomato sauce. The burger is served with baked parmesan courgette chips and garlic mayo

Wednesday's Meal

Chinese stir fry peppered chicken, chicken goujons marinated in Chinese five spice, sesame oil and soy sauce. The chicken is stir fried with onions, peppers, chilli, garlic and spring onions and a black pepper, chilli paste, wine, hoisin and soy sauce. This delicious chicken stir fry is served on a bed of egg noodles. 

Thursday's Meal

Peach and lentil salad with pork tenderloin, pork fillet marinated with fennel and garlic, seared and baked in the oven. The fillet is sliced and served on a bed of lentils with spinach, peaches, prunes and chopped parsley with a lemon dressing. 

Friday's Meal

Roasted chicken shawarma thighs, served in warm pitta bread and a lemon creme fraiche  sauce,. The chicken shawarma is served with a green salad dressed with chilli coriander and lemon and green sliced olives

Who is this plan for

This meal plan is an easy meal plan with simple recipes ideal novice cooks. 

  • people with basic cooking skills 
  • people looking for modern dishes
  • people on a budget

Difficulty Rating

All these dishes are simple to cook