10 meals that cost less than £1 – part 2 (6-10)

Discover more tasty dishes for under £1! 

This is the second section with budgeting tips on 10 meals which cost less than £1. Featuring cupboard staples such as oats, beans, tinned tomatoes, pasta and eggs, you’ll be surprised at how much you can do with some simple ingredients!

6. Porridge

Porridge is an amazing breakfast as the slow-release energy of the oats will keep you going until lunch. Oats are among the healthiest grains, and a great source of important vitamins, minerals and fibre. They’re a cheap way of packing nutrients into your day at 5p per serving.

The base of your porridge usually consists of oats, milk, water and a bit of sweetener, such as honey. The more milk you add, the creamier they will be, you can also add cinnamon for a warming spice. You can cook them on the hob or in the microwave until you’ve reached your desired thickness. Alternatively, you might prefer cold oats, which are made overnight to allow the oats to absorb the liquid. Once you’ve got your base, get creative with your toppings:

Fruit, such as berries:
You can get frozen mixed berries for cheap and when microwaved they make a great compote. You could add some sliced banana, or even mash it into the base! Or, chopped apple pairs great with cinnamon.

Nut butter:
You can add peanut butter on top of your oats to make them really creamy and nutty.

Yoghurt:
Pairing hot porridge with cold yoghurt is delicious – play around with yoghurt flavours or go plain.

Dried fruit:
Raisins, cranberries and chopped dates really elevate porridge!

Nuts and seeds:
Try adding some pumpkin seeds, almonds or pecans to make your porridge more filling. Toast the nuts and seeds beforehand for an added crunch.

Vegetables:
Try adding some grated carrot to your oats, with some cinnamon, raisins and walnuts for the taste of carrot cake.

7. Pasta

Pasta is a quick and easy mid-week dinner, which you’re likely to have at the back of your cupboard most of the time! If not, you can grab a 500g bag for under 30p at the supermarket. Its ability to bulk out a meal makes it incredibly good value. Pasta acts as a great base for a variety of ingredients, such as meat, cheese, vegetables, and herbs. Adding a cheap herb like fresh basil will take any simple pasta dish to the next level.

Showcasing vegetables as the main ingredient is a great way to cut the expense but still pack in some fantastic flavours. We have a great Roasted Vegetable Pasta in the recipe section which uses roasted vegetables, olive oil and basil as the ‘sauce’ for an easy yet delicious pasta.

Pasta is one of the easiest meals to meal prep. Whenever you’re making some for dinner, it’s easy to make extra for lunch the next day, as pasta tastes equally great cold. Just liven it up with some extra olive oil!

8. Shakshouka

The word ‘shakshouka’ comes from Arabic, meaning ‘a haphazard mixture’ or ‘all mixed up.’ So, as you can imagine, shakshouka is a flavour explosion! It consists of eggs poached in tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic. Spiced with Mediterranean flavours, such as cumin and paprika. This dish is a great example of taking the cupboard essential of tinned tomatoes and making it really special. Equally perfect for brunch or a lighter evening meal, you can serve with some crusty bread to dip in the yolk and mop up the tomatoes or you could also add some plain yoghurt or feta on top.

You can find a great recipe for this in our recipe section!

9. Chickpea curry

Curries often use cupboard staples, such as tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, spices and rice as the main ingredients, making it one of the best budget recipes you can make! Plus, once you find a simple base you’re comfortable with making, you can experiment with adding different vegetables and spices.

Swapping out meat for another source of protein, such as tinned chickpeas, is a really cost-effective way of making cheap but filling meals. In a really flavourful dish like a curry, even the most avid meat-eater won’t miss the taste of meat! You can find a tin of chickpeas for 40p in the supermarket – just 10p per serving!

We have a delicious (and cheap) chickpea curry waiting for you in the recipe section!

10. Mexican bean wraps

Similar to chickpeas, tinned beans are a really cheap way of adding protein to a dish. They absorb flavour really well, so make an excellent base for spicy cuisines, such as Mexican. Often, the go-to Mexican beans are kidney beans, commonly found in a chilli con carne. Less common but just as delicious are black beans, which are a great source of fibre and protein. Black beans have a mild, sweet taste, and their soft texture makes them ideal for dishes which which call for a mashed bean.

Wraps are a great way to bulk out a dish, like vegetarian beans, which becomes a completely different dish when wrapped up! Bean wraps are really healthy, super simple to make and work just as well when meal prepped. Your bean mixture can be stored in the fridge and added to a wrap when you’re ready to eat throughout the week.

Try out our Mexican Black Bean and Feta Wraps recipe which costs less than £1 per serving!