family

Budget meal plan for a family of 4 (£60 a week)

Feeding four people without spending three figures on the weekly shop is the question every UK family is asking right now. This plan does it for around £60, with proper meals (not just beans on toast) and one or two grown-up flavours mixed in.

It's a balance: budget mains midweek, a treat night on Friday, and a Sunday roast that turns into two more dinners. Nothing here takes more than 40 minutes once the school run is done.

Total weekly shop: £58 to £62

the plan

A week of meals

  1. Monday

    Cottage pie

    500g mince, onion, carrots, mash on top. Big enough for everyone with seconds.

  2. Tuesday

    Chicken fajitas

    Chicken breast strips, peppers, onion, fajita seasoning, wraps. Set it on the table and let everyone build their own.

  3. Wednesday

    Veggie curry & rice

    Sweet potato, chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, coconut milk and curry paste. Plant-based, cheap, fills you up.

  4. Thursday

    Salmon traybake

    Four salmon fillets, new potatoes, broccoli and lemon. Twelve minutes in the oven, one tray to wash up.

  5. Friday

    Burger night

    Homemade beef burgers, brioche buns, a bag of chips and some salad. Cheaper than a takeaway, properly tasty.

  6. Saturday

    Leftover roast chicken pasta

    The other half of Sunday's chicken with pasta, cream, garlic and peas. Twenty minutes start to finish.

  7. Sunday

    Roast chicken dinner

    A 1.6kg chicken, roasties, carrots, broccoli and gravy. Half goes into Saturday's pasta.

the trolley

Your shopping list

Grouped by aisle so you walk the shop once. Prices reflect a typical UK supermarket basic range.

Meat & fish

  • Whole chicken 1.6kg £5.50
  • Beef mince 500g (cottage pie) £3.20
  • Beef mince 500g (burgers) £3.20
  • Chicken breast 500g £4.50
  • Salmon fillets x4 £6.50

Fresh fruit & veg

  • Potatoes 2.5kg £2.20
  • Sweet potato 1kg £1.50
  • Onions 1kg £0.95
  • Peppers 3-pack £1.50
  • Broccoli £0.80
  • Carrots 1kg £0.65
  • New potatoes 750g £1.40
  • Lemon £0.30
  • Salad bag £0.85
  • Bananas 6 £0.89

Dairy & eggs

  • Cheddar 500g £3.80
  • Milk 4 pints £1.95
  • Single cream 300ml £1.10
  • Butter 250g £1.80

Bakery

  • Brioche burger buns 4 £1.50
  • Wraps 8-pack £1.20

Cupboard staples

  • Pasta 500g £0.75
  • Long-grain rice 1kg £2.20
  • Tinned chickpeas 1 £0.55
  • Chopped tomatoes 2 £0.90
  • Coconut milk 1 £1.20
  • Curry paste £1.80
  • Fajita seasoning £0.70
  • Gravy granules £1.20
  • Frozen peas 1kg £1.40
  • Oven chips 1kg £1.80

Prices are guides and may vary by store and region.

good to know

A few tips

  • 1

    Roast the chicken whole on Sunday and you've got two meals for the price of one. Don't bother with chicken breast alone — whole birds are far better value per kilo.

  • 2

    Make the burger patties yourself: just 500g mince, an egg and a pinch of salt. Cheaper and tastier than any pre-made pack.

  • 3

    The veggie curry doubles up beautifully — make extra and you've got a free lunch on Thursday.

your own plan

Want a plan built for your family?

These ready-made plans are a great starting point. For a plan that fits your exact budget, your dietary needs and the kids' fussy bits, make your own in about five minutes.

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More plans: Cheap weekly meal plan UK (under £50 for a family of 4), Aldi meal plan, £50 a week (UK family of 4), Slow cooker family meals (UK weekly plan), Batch cook freezer meals UK (Sunday cook, whole week sorted)