Don’t you feel no matter what you do, the end of the month gets a little stringent on budget?
Eating out and takeaways take a toll on the budget. But there is a balancing act – great meal ideas under £10.
Due to a lot of splurging, I have become some kind of pro at managing meals that are very economical, yet my family doesn’t find anything off-putting about these budget meals.
Some of the dishes are my kid's favourites and they look forward to having these meals.
So, grab a cup of coffee, kick back, and clear your schedule for this quick read. Because I am going to share the method, and the whole process behind my planning for budget meal ideas.
How To Plan Your Budget Family Meals
The best way to plan budget family meals is to create a per-meal budget. Initially, it might seem intimidating, but it is a great way to reduce your grocery expenses. Simultaneously, you get a vivid idea of what your total weekly budget should be.
Although a 10-pound to prepare a meal might seem challenging, with a few tips and tricks you will get the job done easily.
Create An Inventory
One of the main reasons we go overboard is that we are unaware of the items already stacked in our pantry.
Hence, before going grocery shopping you must prepare an inventory of all the items stacked, and are used less.
Shop During Sales
Buying produce during sales will also cause your budget to remain intact. Make sure to keep a lookout for store flyers, and online sales.
Plan Weekly Menus
Planning weekly menus is a great way to keep your budget in check. Moreover, you can plan your menu according to the items bought on sale.
Make sure to add plant-based proteins to your weekly menu to maintain your budget. Not only are they easy on the pocket, but they provide you with all the nutrients you need for good health.
Use Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are quite cheaper compared to non-seasonal fruits. Therefore use seasonal produce to keep your budget intact.
Use Leftovers To Create Another Meal
I love creating different dishes with leftover food. If I have some chicken left from chicken biryani, I shred it and toss some sauces and veggies to make chicken sandwiches. Similarly, if I have some leftover chicken roast, I use the chicken to make chicken fried rice.
This is an excellent way of keeping your budget under control and utilising leftover food.
3 Great Meals Under £10
Now let's discuss some meals you can easily prepare under 10 quid.
Honey Garlic Chicken
This amazing recipe can be easily made using pantry staples; you won’t need to rush to the store to buy anything extra.
Even then, I am listing these recipes with price breakdowns, in case you are out of an ingredient and require restocking it.
Ingredients
Chicken
- Chicken breast diced - 500g (£4.50)
- Black pepper - ½ tsp
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Olive oil - 3 tbsp ( £0.25)
- All-purpose flour - 2 tbsp (£0.03)
- Butter - 2 tbsp (£0.25)
- Garlic powder - ½ tsp
- Garlic - 3 cloves (£0.27)
- Spring onions - 2 sliced (£0.20)
Sauce
- Roasted sesame oil - 2 tsp (£0.15)
- Honey - ⅓ cup (£0.30)
- Soy sauce - 2 tbsp (£0.12)
- Vinegar - 1 tbsp (£0.08)
- Cornstarch - 1 tbsp (£0.03)
- Sriracha - 1 tsp (£0.05)
Directions
- Prepare the sauce first. Mix all the ingredients of the sauce except the cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
- Season the diced chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and garlic powder then sprinkle all-purpose flour and toss well until the cubes are evenly coated.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the coated chicken cubes and cook until they change colour and turn into a light brown shade. Remove from oil and set aside.
- Now, lower the heat and in the same skillet add butter, crushed garlic cloves, and saute for 30-40 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour the mixed sauce into the skillet and let it simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes.
- Then add 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water and let it cook for another 2 minutes until a thick consistency is achieved.
- Add the cooked chicken into the sauce and stir well until the cubes are evenly coated with the sauce. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes so the flavours of the sauce absorb into the chicken.
- Sprinkle some sliced spring onions and enjoy with boiled white rice.
Chana Dal With Palak (Spinach)
Ingredients
- Chana dal - 200g (£1.50)
- Oil - 4 tbsp (£0.05)
- Onion - 2 chopped (£0.35)
- Tomatoes - 2 chopped (£0.30)
- Fresh Spinach - 200g (£1.69)
- Red chilli - 1 tsp
- Haldi - ½ tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Whole zeera - ½ tsp
- Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
- Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp (£0.05)
- Coriander - for garnishing (£0.15)
- Green chillies - 3 sliced (£0.10)
Directions
- Soak the chana dal in hot water for half an hour. Boil the chana dal by adding some turmeric and 1 tbsp oil in 2 cups of water. You can use a pressure cooker (10-12 minutes) or an instant pot (7-8 minutes).
- In a separate pot, heat oil on medium crackle whole zeera, add chopped onions, and saute until translucent. Then add ginger paste, tomatoes, and all masalas, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes until oil separates.
- Add the boiled dal with the remaining water into the masala and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Separately blanch the spinach and grind it to a fine paste.
- Add this spinach paste to the dal and let it cook for 10 more minutes.
- Garnish with sliced green chillies and some coriander.
- Serve with flatbread or white rice.
Grilled Chicken
We all fancy grilling so thought to add our family favourite for Sunday. Not only, it is delicious and fancy, but it also works within the budget.
I brine the chicken breasts, this method retains the moisture of the chicken making the meat super juicy and tender.
Ingredients
- Chicken - 1kg (£7.50)
Brine
- Salt - ¼ cup (preferably kosher salt )
- Granulated sugar - ¼ cup (£0.27)
- Water - 1 litre
Spice Rub
- Black pepper - ¼ tsp
- Onion powder - ½ tsp
- Brown sugar - 1 tsp ( £0.05)
- Garlic powder - 1 tsp (£0.03)
- Smoked paprika - 2 tsp (£0.10)
- Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
- Salt - 1 tsp
Instructions
- Create a mixture of water, salt, and granulated sugar and whisk well.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over the chicken breasts then place them in a ziplock bag.
- Pound the chicken breasts to flatten them.
- Pour the brine solution into the ziplock bag and let it brine for half an hour.
- Now make the spice rub by combining all the dry spices in a small bowl.
- Take out the brined chicken breasts from the ziplock bag, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Apply the dry seasoning on both sides of the breasts, making sure to apply a generous amount.
- Cook the chicken on a grill for about 5-7 minutes each side.
Your juicy, tender grilled chicken is ready to devour.
Wrap Up
Hence proven, that eating healthy, delicious meals does not always mean using extravagant ingredients that cause a burden on the wallet.
These budget meals come in handy when you are tight on your budget or want to save some for that special weekend dinner in that fancy restaurant.
I love challenging myself to create meals that are budget-friendly and every once in a while I even surprise myself by creating super delicious meals that hardly cost 10 quid.
