There was a post on a facebook group I am on recently where someone asked on ideas to feed 4 people for 8 days for less than £20. In fact the specific amount was £17.64 and they actually wanted lunch and dinner but I thought that this was a good challenge to undertake so here is my list of dinners for that amount:
Ingredients
1 chicken – £4
Carrots – 57p
Broccoli – 68p
Potatoes (2.5kg) – 79p
Fish fingers – 69p
Rice – 1kg – 45p
Pepper – 45p
Frozen peas – 62p
Frozen sweetcorn – 77p
3 onions – 27p
Pasta (fusilli) – 29p
Courgette – 40p
4 Tins Chopped tomatoes – £1.39
Mushrooms – 95p
Garlic – 16p
Sausages – £1.50
Beef Mince – £1.55
Spaghetti – 20p
Cheddar cheese – £1.55
Total £17.28
The prices shown above are from Tescos but you may be able to get things cheaper from other supermarkets and your local butcher/greengrocer. Vegetables in particular are very cheap and can really bulk up a meal plus obviously they are healthy.
As I say, this doesn’t include lunches but if you shop in Lidl/Aldi you can probably get things cheaper to enable you to get some bread and fillings, maybe eggs etc. You could also use some of the pasta for a pasta salad.
Day 1 dinner
Roast chicken, potatoes, carrots and broccoli
Then break up the remainder of the chicken carcass and cover with water in a large pan. simmer for one hour, remove the stock/liquid and let the chicken cool. Pick off all remaining meat once the chicken carcass is cool and set aside with the stock.
Day 2 & 3 dinner (make enough for 2 days) – chicken and rice
Chop up one onion finely, half the red pepper and 2 cloves of garlic. Fry in a large pan for a few minutes until soft. Add 2/3 of the packet of rice and fry for another minute. Add one tin of chopped tomatoes and stir, chop half a box of mushrooms and then add the chicken stock. Allow the rice to cook in the stock and add more water if required. When the rice is nearly cooked, add a large handful of frozen peas and sweetcorn and the chicken and heat through for 5 minutes (make sure the chicken is fully heated). Add salt and pepper to taste.
This should be enough for 2 days so set aside half of it for the next day.
Day 4 – pasta and sauce
Chop up 1 clove of garlic (or more!), the courgette, an onion and fry until soft and slightly browned. Add in a tin of tomatoes and salt and pepper. Cook the pasta as per the instructions. Once everything is cooked mix together and serve with grated cheese on top.
Day 5
Sausages, mash (using potatoes bought) and carrots.
Day 6 & 7 (make enough for 2 days) – spaghetti bolognaise
Chop an onion, the remaining half of the red pepper and 2 cloves of garlic up and fry for 5 minutes. Add the minced beef and fry until the meat is coated brown. Add 2 tins of chopped tomatoes and the remaining half of the mushrooms. Add salt and pepper and a beef stock cube if you have one. Cook for 10-20 minutes and in the meantime cook the spaghetti. Set aside half of the bolognaise sauce to have the next day. Serve (with grated cheese if wanted).
Day 8
Fish fingers, potatoes, peas and sweetcorn.
So it is possible to feed 4 people for 8 days for less than £20 but you need to be careful with your planning and shopping.
