28 Day Meal Plan for a Family of 4

This menu plan was designed to come in at around 50p per person per day. This is for those who are really struggling and in need of some cheap easy meal ideas.

Not to be expected to be nutritionally desirable or very big portions but is a great guide with ideas for you to survive on very little.

Shared with permission from a lovely contributor who prefers to remain Anonymous

A 28-day meal plan for a family of 4 for £58.11 (£0.52 per person per day).

Shopping lists

‘Shopping List 1’ includes all of the food for weeks 1 & 2 and some of the food for weeks 3 & 4 that is non-perishable or used in small amounts (e.g. oil, sugar, ketchup, mayo etc). ‘Shopping list 2’ is for weeks 3 & 4 and includes all of the fresh food for those weeks, although some might carry over from Shopping List 1.

Shopping List 1

• Tesco Stockwell & Co baked beans x 20 = £4.40
• Tesco H W Nevill’s bread (800g) (white or wholemeal) x 4 = 1.44 (freeze bread & defrost slices when needed)
• Ye Olde Oak 8 hotdogs 400g x 2 = £0.98
• Tesco Hearty Food Co tomato and herb pasta sauce x 2 = £0.78
• Tesco H W Nevill’s Part Baked Baguette (2 pack) x 1 = £0.42 (once opened, freeze spare baguette for week 3)
• Tesco Stockwell & Co soft spread x 1 = £0.69
• Tesco Stockwell & Co plain flour x 2 = £0.90
• Tesco 15 eggs x 2 = £2.36
• Tesco British Semi Skimmed Milk 3.408L, 6 Pints x 1 = £1.50 (in week 1, freeze 5x 300ml portions for pancakes/Yorkshire puddings in weeks 2, 3 and 4)
• Tesco Pure Vegetable Oil 1L x 1 = £1.15
• Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar 1Kg x 1 = £0.65
• Allinson Easy Bake Yeast Tin 100G x 1 = £1.00
• Tesco Growers Harvest Tomato Passata 500G x 6 = £1.92
• Tesco Table Salt 750G x 1 = £0.35
• Tesco Creamfields Mozzarella 210G x 1 = £0.43 (once opened, freeze half for pizza in week 3)
• Tesco Danish Ham 200G x 2 = £2.30
• Tesco Growers Harvest rice 1kg x 2 = £0.90
• Tesco Stockwell & Co Mayonnaise 450Ml x 1 = £0.40
• Tesco ‘s Choice 20 Pork Sausages (frozen) 907G x 4 = £4.00
• Tesco H.W Nevills 8 Plain Tortilla Wraps x 3 = £1.95 (once opened, freeze to keep fresh until next use)
• Tesco Hearty Food Co. Spaghetti Pasta 500G x 2 = £0.40
• Tesco Carbonara Sauce 340G x 2 = £1.30
• Tesco Growers Harvest Mixed Vegetables 1Kg x 1 = £0.79
• Tesco Iceberg Lettuce x 1 = £0.43
• Tesco Whole Cucumber x 1 = £0.43
• Tesco Nightingale Farms Cherry Tomatoes 250G x 1 = £0.48
• Tesco Willow Farm Whole Chicken x 1 = £2.66
• Tesco Hearty Food Co. Sweet & Sour Sauce 440G x 2 = £0.96
• Tesco Stockwell & Co Chocolate Spread 400G x 2 = £1.60
• Tesco Stockwell & Co Strawberry Jam 454G x 1 = £0.28
• Tesco Small Bananas 6 Pack x 2 = £1.28
• Tesco 4 Baking Potatoes x 2 = £0.78
• Tesco H.W.Nevills Pain Au Chocolat 8 Pack x 1 = £0.95 (once opened, freeze for week 3)
• Tesco Suntrail Farms Soft Citrus Pack 600G x 1 = £0.69
• Tesco Perfectly Imperfect Potatoes 2.5Kg x 1 = £0.89
• Tesco Stockwell & Co Gravy Granules 200G x 1 = £0.30
• Tesco Stockwell & Co Spaghetti Rings 410G x 4 = £0.52
• Tesco Hearty Food Co. Curry Sauce 440G x 4 = £1.40
• Tesco Pitta Bread 6 Pack (white or wholemeal) x 1 = £0.45 (once opened, eat spares or freeze for another time)
• Tesco Hearty Food Co 10 Fish Fingers 250G x 2 = £1.38
• Tesco Grower’s Harvest Garden Peas 900G x 1 = £0.55
• Tesco Stockwell & Co Tomato Ketchup 540G x 1 = £0.43

Shopping List 2

• Tesco H W Nevill’s bread (800g) (white or wholemeal) x 3 = £1.08 (freeze bread & defrost slices when needed)
• Tesco 15 eggs x 2 = £2.36
• Tesco Iceberg Lettuce x 1 = £0.43
• Tesco Whole Cucumber x 1 = £0.43
• Tesco Nightingale Farms Cherry Tomatoes 250G x 1 = £0.48
• Tesco Willow Farm Whole Chicken x 1 = £2.66
• Tesco Small Bananas 6 Pack x 2 = £1.28
• Tesco 4 Baking Potatoes x 2 = £0.78
• Tesco Suntrail Farms Soft Citrus Pack 600G x 1 = £0.69
• Tesco Pitta Bread 6 Pack (white or wholemeal) x 1 = £0.45 (once opened, eat spares or freeze for another time)

Leftover ingredients after 4 week menu:

• Soft spread
• Oil
• Sugar
• Mayo
• Ketchup
• Gravy
• 2 pittas per fortnight
• 4 satsumas per fortnight
• 800g plain flour
• 6 eggs
• Yeast (enough for 5 more pizza nights)
• 580g peas
• 500g rice
• 24 sausages
• 240g frozen veg
• 1/3 pack cherry tomatoes per fortnight
• 18 slices bread

Use these spares up whenever necessary during the month, or carry them over into the next month. A batch of these biscuits can be made from the leftover ingredients: https://recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/recipes/easy-biscuits

Days	Breakfast/lunch	Tea
1 & 15 (£1.98)	Chocolate and banana pancakes	Fish fingers, homemade wedges, peas and ketchup
2 & 16 (£1.98)	Beans on toast	Chicken salad wraps
3 & 17 (£1.93)	Toast and jam, Banana	Chicken and spaghetti with lettuce
4 & 18 (£2.05)	Pain au chocolat Satsuma	Chicken salad sandwiches
5 & 19 (1.93)	Pancakes	Sweet and sour chicken and rice
6 & 20 (£1.94)	Sausage and eggs with buttery toast	Fakeaway – chips, rice and curry sauce
7 & 21 (£2.00)	Chocolate spread on toastBanana	Toad in the hole with mash, veg and gravy
8 & 22 (£2.06)	Egg mayo and sausage wrap	Spaghetti carbonara
9 & 23 (£2.00)	Ham and scrambled egg on toast	Enchilada with homemade wedges
10 & 24 (£2.01)	Pancakes	Cheesy ham pizzas
11 & 25 (£1.92)	Beans on toast	Hotdog spaghetti with warm baguette and lettuce
12 & 26 (£1.88)	Toast and jamSatsuma	Baked potatoes with beans and sausage
13 & 27 (£1.96)	Spaghetti hoops on toast with sausageBanana	Vegetable curry with rice and toasted pitta bread
14 & 28 (£1.97)	Full English	Baked potato and beans

Day 1 & 15

Breakfast/lunch: chocolate and banana pancakes

• 100g plain flour (£0.03)
• 2 eggs (£0.16)
• 300mls milk (£0.13)
• 4 tbsp oil (£0.12)
• Chocolate spread (0.20)
• 2 bananas, mashed (£0.22)

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-pancakes

Once cooked, spread chocolate on pancakes and top with mashed banana.

Tea: Fish fingers, homemade wedges, peas and ketchup

• 1 box fish fingers (£0.69)
• 160g peas (£0.10)
• 8 tbsp ketchup (£0.10)
• 300g potatoes (£0.11)
• 4 tbsp oil (£0.12)

Cut potatoes into wedges, cook in microwave for 7 minutes before transferring to ovenproof dish, drizzle with oil and bake for around half an hour until golden. Cook fish fingers, and peas according to packaging.

Day 2 & 16

Breakfast/lunch: beans on toast

• 2 tins of beans (£0.44)
• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)

Tea: chicken salad wraps

• 4 wraps (£0.33)
• ¼ of a whole lettuce (£0.11)
• 3 tbsp mayo (£0.04)
• 2 slices of cucumber per wrap (£0.07)
• ¼ cooked whole chicken (£0.67)
• 1/3 pack of cherry tomatoes (£0.16)

Day 3 & 17

Breakfast/lunch: toast and jam, and a banana

• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)
• 8 tsp butter (£0.08)
• 8 tbsp jam (£0.08)
• 4 bananas (£0.43)

Tea: chicken and spaghetti, served with lettuce

• 200g dried spaghetti (£0.08)
• ¼ cooked whole chicken (£0.67)
• 1 carton passata (£0.32)
• ¼ of whole iceberg lettuce (£0.11)

Day 4 & 18

Breakfast/lunch: pain au chocolat and a satsuma

• 4 pain au chocolat (£0.48)
• 4 satsumas (£0.36)

Tea: chicken salad sandwiches

• 8 slices of bread (£0.16)
• ¼ whole cooked chicken (£0.67)
• 3 tbsp mayo (£0.04)
• ¼ of whole iceberg lettuce (£0.11)
• 1/3 pack of cherry tomatoes (£0.16)
• Couple of slices cucumber per sandwich (£0.07)

Day 5 & 19

Breakfast/lunch: pancakes

• 100g plain flour (£0.03)
• 2 eggs (£0.16)
• 300mls milk (£0.13)
• 4 tbsp oil (£0.12)
• Top with sugar or chocolate spread (0.20)

Tea: sweet and sour chicken and rice

• 300g rice (£0.14)
• ¼ whole cooked chicken (£0.67)
• 1 jar sweet and sour chicken (£0.48)

Day 6 & 20

Breakfast/lunch: sausage and eggs on buttery toast

• 8 eggs (£0.64)
• 8 sausages (£0.40)
• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)
• 8 tsp butter (£0.08)

Tea: fakeaway – chips, rice and curry sauce

• 1 jar curry sauce (£0.35)
• 500g potatoes (£0.18)
• 2 tbsp oil (£0.06)
• 150g rice (£0.07)

Day 7 & 21

Breakfast/lunch: chocolate spread on toast, and a banana

• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)
• 8 tsp chocolate spread (80g) (£0.16)
• 4 bananas (0.43)

Tea: toad in the hole, mash, veg and gravy

• 8 sausages (£0.40)
• Yorkshire puddings (use pancake recipe) (£0.45)
• 200g frozen vegetables (£0.18)
• 1 pint gravy (using 80g of granules) (£0.06)
• 300g potatoes (£0.11)
• Dash milk (£0.01)
• 4 tsp butter (£0.04)

Day 8 & 22

Breakfast/lunch: egg mayo and sausage wraps

• 3 eggs (boiled) (£0.24)
• 3 tbsp mayo (£0.04)
• 2 sausages (£0.10)
• 4 tortilla wraps (£0.33)

Tea: spaghetti carbonara

• 300g spaghetti (£0.12)
• 1 jar carbonara sauce (£0.65)
• ½ tin Danish ham (£0.58)

Day 9 & 23

Breakfast/lunch: Ham and scrambled eggs on toast

• 4 eggs (£0.32)
• Dash of milk (£0.01)
• 1 tsp butter (£0.01)
• ¼ tin Danish ham (£0.29)
• 4 slices toast (£0.08)

Tea: enchilada with homemade wedges

• 4 sausages (£0.20)
• 4 tortilla wraps (£0.33)
• 1 carton passata (£0.32)
• 1 tin of baked beans (£0.22)
• 80g mixed frozen vegetables (£0.07)
• 250g potatoes (£0.09)
• 2 tbsp oil (£0.06)

Cook and sliced sausages. Mix the beans, frozen veg and half of the passata in a pan until the veg is cooked. (Add half a teaspoon of sugar to sweeten the sauce if preferred. Also add paprika, garlic and chilli flakes if available). Add the sliced sausages. Divide the mix between the wraps and fold. Add the wraps to an oven-proof dish, top with the remaining passata and bake for 20 mins. Cook wedges using the instructions above (see day 1)

Day 10 & 24

Breakfast/lunch: pancakes

• See day 5 list (£0.64)

Tea: cheesy ham pizzas

• Pizza bases (makes 4 regular sized pizzas)
• 800g plain flour (£0.24)
• 14 g yeast (£0.14
• 1 tsp salt (£0.02)
• 1 tsp sugar (£0.02)
• 2 tbsp oil (£0.12)
• Toppings
• 1 carton passata (£0.32)
• 100g mozzarella (£0.22)
• ¼ tin Danish ham (£0.29)

https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/bread/quick-pizza-dough

Day 11 & 25

Breakfast/lunch: beans on toast

• 2 tins of beans (£0.44)
• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)

Tea: Hot dog spaghetti with warm baguettes and lettuce

Day 12 & 26

• 200 g dried spaghetti (£0.08)
• 1 jar pasta sauce (£0.43)
• 1 tin hot dogs (£0.49)
• 1 part baked baguette (£0.21)
• 4 tsp butter (£0.04)

Breakfast/lunch: Toast and jam, and a satsuma

• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)
• 8 tsp butter (£0.08)
• 8 tsp jam (£0.08)
• 4 satsumas (£0.36)

Tea: Baked potatoes with beans and sausage

• 4 baked potatoes (£0.39)
• 2 tins beans (£0.44)
• 8 sausages (£0.40)

Day 13 & 27

Breakfast/lunch: Spaghetti hoops on toast with sausage, & a banana

• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)
• 2 tins spaghetti hoops (£0.26)
• 4 sausages (£0.20)
• 4 bananas (£0.44)

Tea: vegetable curry with rice and toasted pitta bread

• 100g frozen mixed vegetables (£0.09)
• 1 jar curry sauce (£0.35)
• 300g rice (£0.14)
• 4 pitta breads (£0.32)

Day 14 & 28

Breakfast/lunch: Full English

• 8 slices of toast (£0.16)
• 4 tsp butter (£0.04)
• 8 sausages (£0.40)
• 4 eggs (£0.32)
• 1 can baked beans (£0.22)

Tea: baked potato and beans

• 4 baked potatoes (£0.39)
• 2 tins baked beans (£0.44)