🟢 Introduction
If you’re looking for cheap meals in the UK, one of the best ways to save money is understanding what your meals actually cost per portion.
A lot of “budget meal” advice isn’t realistic — so in this post, I’ve broken down real meal costs using typical UK supermarket prices. I’ve tried to do my main shop from cheaper supermarkets to save extra money, but haven’t always bought the cheapest supermarket own brand, as I believe quality food is important.
These meals are simple, filling, and based on real-life cooking — not ideal situations.
👉 This is also how I manage my food budget as part of my £1,000 savings challenge UK.
🟢 Why cost per portion matters
Looking at cost per portion helps you:
- See what meals actually cost
- Compare options properly
- Plan weekly budgets more accurately
- Avoid overspending on food
👉 Many meals cost far less than expected when spread over multiple portions.
1. Spaghetti Bolognese
Cost: £2.50 – £3.00
- Pasta
- Minced beef or Quorn mince
- Jar of bolognaise sauce
- Onion
Make extra and freeze – great value
2. Jacket Potato with Beans & Cheese
Cost – £1.00 – £1.50
- Potatoes
- Baked beans
- Cheese: Cheddar
- Alternatives for variety: coleslaw, salad tuna, and sweetcorn
Very filling and super cheap
3. Vegetable Risotto
Cost: £2.00 – £3.00
- Rice
- Broccoli (or alternate veg of your choosing)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Stock
- For extra flavouring add a little white wine and cream (optional). Small bottles of wine will do several servings.
Healthy and filling
4. Pasta
Cost: £2.50 – £3.00
- Pasta
- Jar pasta sauce or homemade cheese sauce
- Broccoli
- Tuna (optional)
- Cheese for sprinkling on top
Cheap healthy meal
5. Red Pepper and Courgette Homemade Soup
Cost: £1.50 – £2.00
- Red peppers
- Courgettes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Stock
- Cream (dash of cream if you like it creamy)
Good hearty ‘5 a day’ meal
6. Sausage and Mash with Onion Gravy
Cost: £1.50 – £2.00
- Sausages or Quorn sausage
- Potatoes
- Onion
- Gravy
Classic UK budget meal
7. Curry
Cost: £1.50 – £2.50
- Rice
- Jar curry sauce
- Vegetables
- Chicken if desired
Good tasty cheap meal
🟢 What these cheap meals in the UK show
When you break meals down properly:
- Many meals cost £1.50 –£2.50 per portion
- Batch cooking saves a lot of money, plus time (freeze leftovers)
- “Expensive” meals can still be cheap per serving, such as the risotto or roast
👉 This is key for managing a low-income budget.
🟢 Related posts
👉 How to Spend Only £50 a Week on Food (UK Budget Plan)
👉 £1,000 Savings Challenge UK (Starting From £0)
👉 Can You Live on the UK State Pension in 2026?
🟢 Final thoughts
Saving money on food doesn’t mean cutting everything — it’s about making smarter, simple choices.
👉 These cheap meals in the UK show that you can eat well while still staying on budget.