Last updated: 4 November 2026. Costs are estimates for 4 portions using own-brand budget supermarket prices. Prices vary by shop and change often, so check your own receipts.
When the food shop keeps creeping up, dinner is usually where the money goes. The good news is that some of the most filling, family-friendly meals are also the cheapest, especially when they’re built around pasta, rice, potatoes, lentils, beans, eggs and frozen veg.
Here are 20 cheap family dinners that come to about £1 a portion or less (based on my estimates for a family of four). They’re simple, mostly one-pan, and easy to adapt to what you’ve already got.
How I’ve worked out the costs
- Costs are for 4 portions, using own-brand ingredients from budget supermarkets
- They assume you already have store-cupboard basics: oil, salt, pepper, dried herbs, garlic granules, stock cubes and spices
- They only count the amount you use (half a bag of rice, not the whole bag)
- They’re estimates. Prices change all the time, so check against your own shop
If you’re feeding older children or big appetites, add extra bread, rice or potatoes. They’re cheap and filling.
Store-cupboard basics worth having
Buying these once makes every meal below cheaper:
- Dried pasta, rice, lentils (red and green)
- Tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans
- Stock cubes, curry powder, paprika, cumin, mixed herbs, chilli
- Plain flour, oats
- Frozen veg (peas, mixed veg, spinach), frozen onions
- Eggs, cheese (grated freezes well)
- Potatoes, onions, carrots (cheap and long-lasting)
Pasta dinners
1. Tomato and lentil pasta sauce (about 60p a portion)
Fry an onion and a grated carrot, add a tin of tomatoes, a handful of red lentils, a stock cube and some water. Simmer for 20 minutes and blend if your kids don’t like “bits”. Serve with pasta and a sprinkle of cheese. The lentils make it filling and add protein.
2. Tuna pasta bake (about 85p a portion)
Mix cooked pasta with a tin of tuna, a tin of sweetcorn and a simple cheese sauce (or a tin of tomatoes). Top with grated cheese and bake until bubbling.
3. Sausage pasta (about £1 a portion)
Slice 6 budget sausages (or squeeze out the meat), brown them with an onion, add a tin of tomatoes and some paprika, and stir through pasta. Add frozen peas or spinach for extra veg.
4. Pasta with peas, bacon and cheese (about 90p a portion)
Fry a pack of cooking bacon (offcuts are much cheaper), add frozen peas, then stir through pasta with grated cheese and a splash of pasta water for a quick, creamy sauce.
5. Meat and lentil bolognese (about 95p a portion)
Use half the usual mince (250g) and bulk it out with red lentils, grated carrot and courgette. Same taste, half the meat cost. Freeze leftovers for another night.
Curries, chillies and stews
6. Chickpea and spinach curry (about 70p a portion)
Fry an onion with curry powder, add a tin of chickpeas, a tin of tomatoes and frozen spinach. Simmer and serve with rice. Stir in a spoonful of yogurt for little ones who don’t like spice.
7. Red lentil dal (about 50p a portion)
Simmer red lentils with an onion, garlic, turmeric, cumin and a stock cube until soft and thick. Serve with rice or homemade flatbreads (flour, yogurt and a pinch of salt). One of the cheapest, most filling meals there is.
8. Bean chilli (about 75p a portion)
Kidney beans, a tin of tomatoes, onion, chilli powder and cumin, plus a tin of mixed beans or some lentils. Serve with rice, jacket potatoes or tortilla chips. Add a little mince if you like.
9. Sausage and bean casserole (about £1 a portion)
Brown 6 to 8 budget sausages, then add onions, a tin of baked beans, a tin of tomatoes and a stock cube. Bake or simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with mash or bread.
10. Chicken thigh and veg traybake curry (about £1 a portion)
Chicken thighs are much cheaper than breasts. Roast 4 to 6 thighs with chopped potatoes, onions and curry powder, then add a tin of chopped tomatoes for the last 15 minutes. Use a whole bag of frozen mixed veg to bulk it out.
Potato dinners
11. Loaded jacket potatoes (about 65p a portion)
Bake potatoes in the oven (or microwave first to save energy, then crisp in the oven or air fryer). Top with baked beans and cheese, tuna and sweetcorn, or leftover chilli.
12. Cottage pie with lentils (about £1 a portion)
Make a mince and lentil base with onion, carrot and gravy, top with mash and bake. Half-and-half mince and lentils keeps the cost down.
13. Potato, leek and cheese bake (about 80p a portion)
Thinly slice potatoes and leeks, layer with a simple cheese sauce and bake until golden. Serve with frozen peas.
14. Homemade potato wedges and egg (about 55p a portion)
Cut potatoes into wedges, toss in oil and paprika, and roast or air fry. Serve with fried or boiled eggs and baked beans. A favourite “fakeaway” with kids.
Egg and rice dinners
15. Egg fried rice (about 60p a portion)
Use cooked, cooled rice (leftover is best), fry with frozen peas and mixed veg, push to one side, scramble in 4 eggs and add soy sauce. Cool rice quickly, ideally within one hour, refrigerate and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout.
16. Spanish omelette (about 70p a portion)
Fry sliced potatoes and onions until soft, pour over 6 to 8 beaten eggs, and cook gently until set (finish under the grill). Serve hot or cold with salad or beans.
17. Vegetable risotto (about 85p a portion)
Use ordinary long-grain rice or risotto rice with an onion, stock cubes, frozen peas and mushrooms, and stir in grated cheese at the end.
Soups and quick dinners
18. Big pot of vegetable soup with bread (about 60p a portion)
Onions, carrots, potatoes, a handful of lentils and stock cubes, simmered and blended. Serve with bread or homemade scones. A great way to use up tired veg.
19. Homemade pizza (about 90p a portion)
Make a quick base from self-raising flour and yogurt (no rising needed), top with passata or puréed tinned tomatoes, cheese and whatever veg you have. Kids love making their own.
20. Pancake night (savoury) (about 50p a portion)
Make pancakes from flour, eggs and milk, then fill with cheese and ham, mushrooms, or spinach and cheese. Cheap, quick and fun.
Quick cost table
| Meal | Estimated cost per portion |
|---|---|
| Red lentil dal | About 50p |
| Savoury pancakes | About 50p |
| Wedges and egg | About 55p |
| Tomato and lentil pasta | About 60p |
| Egg fried rice | About 60p |
| Vegetable soup and bread | About 60p |
| Loaded jacket potatoes | About 65p |
| Chickpea and spinach curry | About 70p |
| Spanish omelette | About 70p |
| Bean chilli | About 75p |
| Potato, leek and cheese bake | About 80p |
| Tuna pasta bake | About 85p |
| Vegetable risotto | About 85p |
| Pasta with peas and bacon | About 90p |
| Homemade pizza | About 90p |
| Hidden veg bolognese | About 95p |
| Sausage pasta | About £1 |
| Sausage and bean casserole | About £1 |
| Chicken thigh traybake | About £1 |
| Cottage pie with lentils | About £1 |
All costs are estimates for 4 portions with own-brand ingredients, not including store-cupboard basics. Check your own receipts.
10 tips to make cheap dinners even cheaper
- Plan your meals around what’s on offer and what’s already in your fridge.
- Bulk out meat with lentils, beans and grated veg. Half the mince, same size meal.
- Buy frozen veg and frozen onions: no waste, and often cheaper than fresh.
- Choose cheaper cuts: chicken thighs, sausages and cooking bacon.
- Downshift a brand level. Own-brand tinned tomatoes, pasta and beans are usually just as good. Try my supermarket downshift challenge.
- Shop at budget supermarkets if you can. See Aldi vs Lidl.
- Use loyalty apps for extra discounts. My supermarket loyalty apps guide explains which are worth it.
- Check the yellow-sticker reductions later in the day and freeze what you can.
- Batch cook and freeze: double the bolognese, chilli or soup and freeze half.
- Cook once, eat twice: leftover chilli on jacket potatoes, leftover rice for fried rice.
My guides to cutting your grocery bill and a cheap weekly shop for a family of four have more ideas, and the grocery savings calculator shows how much small swaps can add up to over a year.
Save energy while you cook
- Use the microwave, air fryer or slow cooker for smaller meals. They often use less energy than the oven
- Fill the oven when you do use it: bake jacket potatoes alongside a traybake
- Put lids on pans and use the right size ring
See my 100 ways to save energy at home for more.
Eating out on a budget
For a night off, check my kids eat free and kids eat for £1 guide for restaurant deals.
Cheap family dinners: people also ask
What is the cheapest meal to make for a family?
Lentil dal, vegetable soup, savoury pancakes and egg fried rice are among the cheapest, often around 50p to 60p a portion with own-brand ingredients.
How can I feed a family of 4 cheaply?
Plan meals around cheap staples like pasta, rice, potatoes, lentils and eggs, bulk out meat with beans and veg, buy own-brand and frozen, and batch cook.
Can you make a meal for £1 a portion?
Yes. All 20 meals in this list come to about £1 a portion or less, based on typical own-brand prices, as long as you have basics like oil, stock cubes and spices.
What are cheap meals kids like?
Homemade pizza, potato wedges with egg, pasta bakes, fried rice, sausage casserole and pancakes are usually popular.
How do I make mince go further?
Use half the mince and add red lentils, grated carrot, courgette or mushrooms. It keeps the taste and texture while cutting the cost.
Summary
- 20 family dinners for about £1 a portion or less, based on own-brand estimates.
- Build meals around cheap staples: pasta, rice, potatoes, lentils, beans and eggs.
- Bulk out meat, buy frozen and batch cook to save more.
- Check prices against your own shop, because they change all the time.
Next step: try a cheap weekly shop for a family of four, or see how to cut your grocery bill.
Costs are estimates only and will vary by shop, region and offer.