Wellness Origin HubHealthy cooking on a budget: a pantry list and cheap meals
Healthy cooking on a budget starts with a short pantry list of beans, grains, tins and frozen vegetables, plus a handful of cheap meals that are not boring.
Healthy cooking on a budget is mostly about what you keep in the cupboard. A short pantry of dried or tinned beans and lentils, whole grains, tinned tomatoes, frozen vegetables, onions, eggs and a few spices makes dozens of cheap, filling meals. Add flavour with garlic, citrus, herbs and spice, plan a few meals a week, and the cost per plate can fall well below takeaways and ready meals.
The budget pantry list
| Group | Buy | Why it is good value |
|---|---|---|
| Pulses | Red lentils, chickpeas, kidney and black beans (dried or tinned) | Cheap protein and fibre; long shelf life |
| Grains | Oats, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, bulgur | Filling, versatile, keep for months |
| Tins | Chopped tomatoes, sardines or mackerel, sweetcorn | Base for sauces; oily fish without the fresh price |
| Frozen | Peas, spinach, mixed vegetables, berries | Picked and frozen quickly; no waste |
| Fresh basics | Onions, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, bananas, apples | Cheapest fresh produce, keeps well |
| Protein | Eggs, tofu, natural yoghurt, peanut butter | Low cost per serving |
| Flavour | Garlic, stock cubes, cumin, paprika, chilli, soy sauce, lemons | Makes cheap food taste good |
Buy store-cupboard staples in larger bags where you will use them, and check the price per kilo on the shelf label rather than the pack price. Supermarket own-brand pulses, grains and tins are usually much the same as branded ones.
Ten cheap meals that are not boring
- Red lentil dal. Onion, garlic, cumin, turmeric, red lentils and a tin of tomatoes, simmered for 25 minutes. Serve with rice or flatbread.
- Chickpea and spinach curry. A tin of chickpeas, a tin of tomatoes, frozen spinach and curry spices.
- Bean chilli. Kidney and black beans, onion, carrot, tomatoes, cumin and paprika. Makes a big pot that freezes well.
- Shakshuka. Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, with bread.
- Vegetable fried rice. Leftover rice, frozen peas and mixed vegetables, egg and soy sauce.
- Pasta with sardines. Wholewheat pasta, tinned sardines, garlic, chilli, lemon and frozen peas.
- Minestrone. Onion, carrot, cabbage, tinned beans, tomatoes and small pasta. Better the next day.
- Baked potatoes. With beans, tuna and sweetcorn, or cottage cheese and slaw.
- Tofu and cabbage stir-fry. Pressed tofu, shredded cabbage, carrot, garlic, soy and rice.
- Overnight oats. Oats, milk or yoghurt and frozen berries for a cheap breakfast; see our overnight oats ratio.
For more on getting enough protein from beans, lentils and tofu, see our guide to plant protein sources.
How to keep costs down
Plan before you shop
Pick four or five dinners for the week, write a list from them, and check the cupboards first. Planning stops the most expensive habit of all: buying food that gets thrown away.
Cook once, eat twice
Make double portions of stews, chillies and soups, and freeze half in labelled boxes. Our meal prep for people who hate meal prep shows how to do this without spending a whole Sunday in the kitchen.
Use frozen and tinned food freely
Frozen vegetables and fruit are frozen soon after picking and keep their nutrients well. Tinned beans and fish are among the cheapest healthy foods available. Choose tins in water rather than brine or syrup where you can, or rinse them.
Shop the seasons and the reduced shelf
Seasonal produce is often cheaper. Reduced-price items near their date are good value if you cook or freeze them that day.
Use cheaper cuts and less meat
Make meat go further by mixing lentils or beans into mince dishes, or by having a few meat-free days a week.
Know what you have
A tidy cupboard makes it easier to see what needs using up. Our guide to decluttering the kitchen helps with that.
A sample budget day
| Meal | What | Main ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Porridge with banana and peanut butter | Oats, milk, banana |
| Lunch | Leftover bean chilli with rice | Beans, tomatoes, rice |
| Snack | Apple or a carrot with yoghurt dip | Apple, yoghurt |
| Dinner | Red lentil dal with spinach | Lentils, tomatoes, frozen spinach |
Questions people ask
Is dried or tinned beans cheaper?
Dried beans usually cost less per portion but need soaking and long cooking. Tinned are more convenient. Red lentils are a good middle ground: cheap and quick, with no soaking.
Are frozen vegetables as healthy as fresh?
They are generally a good choice and can be as nutritious as fresh produce that has spent days in transit and in the fridge.
How do I make cheap food taste good?
Brown onions slowly, use garlic and spices generously, finish with lemon or vinegar, and season properly. A little salt at the end goes further than a lot at the start.
Photograph: AI-generated image
