cheap family recipes 

feed a family of 4 for less than £200 a month

The planners are designed for a family of four – two adults and two teenage children – but can be easily adapted to suit any situation. Whether you are a single or have a larger brood, please don’t feel daunted or think it can’t be done unless you’re cooking for exactly four. It most certainly can and our testers have proved it!

Read on for our tips on how to make life easier, however many you’re catering for…

When starting the planner as a single, simply dividing the shopping list by four will give odd amounts so round up to nearest size. This will leave things over but they can be used next month. The first month’s shop will be slightly more than £25 but will average out over time, if you continue the planner for longer.

If following planner one, a single person will need approx 1-2 pints of milk per week – this will vary somewhat, as it’s used in some recipes and also depends on how much you like in your tea. This is not a concern for those following planner 2, as it is vegan so contains no milk or dairy.

You’ll need two loaves of homemade bread per week as a single person following the plan to the letter, including all breakfasts and lunches – which is half a batch of your bread recipe. Simply halve all the ingredients stated except the yeast, which you must always use at least 10g of, however small a batch you’re making of any of the recipes it is used in.

Why Not Try....?

Porridge (meal plan 2)

Porridge (meal plan 2)

cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for (just over) £100 a monthPorridge - Meal Plan 2Raisins are used as they are a purple portion, the  hardest one to get. If you don't have them, use any other dried fruit - sultanas, home dried foraged apples or plums for...

Hummus Sandwich

Hummus Sandwich

cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for less than £200 a monthHoumous SandwichWhat you need to make hummus sandwiches 140 g chickpeas dry weight chickpeas cooked as per packet instructions, or one tin, drained 110 ml oil 15 ml vinegar ½ lemon, juice only, retain...

Potato Wedges

Potato Wedges

cheap family recipesfeed a family of 4 for (just over) £100 a monthPotato WedgesPotato wedges are used in various places in the meal plans They can also be substituted whenever potatoes are used for mash etc if you prefer wedges potato wedges oven...

Take care of your family and your budget

Before putting together our meal planners we surveyed over 600 people to ask when faced with a tighter budget, which things they would struggle to give up.

Want to know more about how to feed yourself fantastically frugal food?