Summer budget meal plan
Prep a week of summery meals without the costly bill with these budget-friendly dinners, including flavourful pasta dishes, curries, stews and more
Looking for ways to keep costs to a minimum this summer? With the school holidays in full swing, and potential getaways and holidays in the calendar, we're constantly thinking of ways to lower our food bills.
To help you add more budget-friendly recipes to your rotation, we've collated our favourite summery recipes which are easy on the wallet, so you can plan a whole week of dinners with ease. This meal plan features flavour-packed pasta dishes, seasonal curries, easy traybakes and more, with any leftovers perfect for lunch the following day.
If you're looking to expand your repertoire, check out our more of our budget summer recipes, as well as these quick dinner ideas. For seasonal recipe inspiration, we have the best summer dinners, healthy summer recipes and high-protein summer meals.
For more cost-effective recipes that take everyday ingredients to new heights, visit our budget hub, featuring guides such as budget salads, budget comfort food and budget 'superfood' swaps.
Our new meal plan hub has all our meal plans in one place.
7-day summer meal plan on a budget
Sunday: Summer roast chicken traybake
Revamp your roast chicken for the summer months with just a few seasonal ingredients. This recipe features a handful of kitchen staples to ensure costs are kept to a minimum, such as a bag of frozen roasted veg, cannellini beans and cherry tomatoes. Serve this easy traybake with salad or crusty bread for a winning chicken dinner.
If you like the look of this, you'll love these summer chicken recipes.
Monday: Microwave cheat's paella
Use yesterday's chicken leftovers to make Monday night's dinner. It's a shortcut version of the Spanish classic paella, combining chicken with chorizo for an easy midweek meal. Using the energy-efficient microwave rather than the oven means you'll save yourself time and money.
Discover our best microwave recipes.
Tuesday: Sticky miso aubergine traybake
Make a simple vegetarian dish on Tuesday with this sticky miso aubergine traybake. It makes use of storecupboard ingredients to pack in umami flavour, and makes seasonal aubergines centre stage. It also offers health benefits, being low calorie, low fat and high fibre. You'll find mirin in supermarkets, however if you can't find it, use white wine vinegar as a substitute.
Find more aubergine recipes.
Wednesday: Pasta with ham & minty pea pesto
Use up whatever pasta you have in the cupboard to make this great-value herby dish, combining ham with a vivid green sauce made from peas, mint and crème fraîche. This is a great way of transforming a handful of simple ingredients into a fancy dish, without much effort involved. It also helps to use up that bag of frozen peas.
Try more budget-friendly pasta recipes.
Thursday: Budget kedgeree
UK guidelines suggest we eat two portions of fish per week, with at least one being a fatty variety. Sardines count as a fatty fish – a valuable source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats, as well as a useful source of vitamin D. Here we've used sardines in a budget kedgeree, a healthy, flavour-packed dish.
Try more ways with sardines.
Friday: Courgette curry
A homemade curry is always a good idea on a Friday, and what better way to cook with seasonal produce than a curry packed with courgettes? Make sure to scoop out the seeds before slicing and frying the courgettes to achieve a firmer texture in this curry. Nothing is wasted – the seeds bulk out the sauce.
Give more of our vegan curry recipes a go.
Saturday: Air-fryer fish & chips
Recreate a British classic in the air-fryer with this brilliant recipe from Becky Excell. This version is easier and more energy-efficient than the standard recipe, however it stills feels and tastes like a treat. Choose white fish such as cod, haddock or basa, and serve with mushy peas and tartar sauce for the ultimate Saturday night dinner.
Get more use out of your air-fryer with our summer air-fryer recipes.
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