This post may contain affiliate links.

We’re on to week 3 in my Money Saving Meals series, where we’re bringing you a month of detailed budget meal plans so you don’t have to do the thinking of ‘what’s for dinner’ every evening.

You will find everything you need to follow for an easy, flavour-packed and healthy ease into the New Year – including a full FREE shopping list, additional notes and a breakdown of cost.

Money Saving meal plan week 3 collage of recipes included.

On these freezing days of January, there’s one thing we need, and that’s hearty and delicious home cooked food that doesn’t break the bank – right?!

I got you my friends!

This is the THIRD budget meal plan in our Money Saving Meals series, where we bring four weeks of family friendly midweek dinners that tick all the boxes. Here is the first of my budget meal plans if you haven’t seen it yet.


About this budget meal plan

We have concentrated here on bringing you a collection of recipes that strike a balance of prioritising price and value, while also making sure you get: 

⭐️ A full meal for 4 people

⭐️ A balanced plate of carbs, protein and vegetables

⭐️ A variety of ingredients and dishes


Things to note

➡️ You may want to add some side dishes to some of these recipes, which we will outline in the notes below

➡️ Please be aware that any suggested sides have been added to the shopping list but are NOT included in the costings breakdown

➡️ I’ll be sharing this meal plan on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, so watch out for the videos so you can cook along.

For reference, I shopped for this Meal Plan in December 2023 at Aldi and it cost £31.86

Why use a budget meal plan?

⭐️ Knowing exactly what food to buy for avoids food waste, saving you money

⭐️ Having a plan for dinner avoids the mental load of “what’s for dinner?” question every night

The printable shopping list can be found here.

You can find more Meal Plans here:

Meal Plan 26 – Slow Cooker Saviours

Meal Plan 25 – Easy Midweek Winners

Meal Plan 24 – 5 Brand New Recipes


Some tips for using a budget meal plan:

➡️ Check for any items on the shopping list that you already have in your cupboard

➡️ Maybe think about doubling up and freezing a recipe or two where the recipes are suitable, so save cooking another day or for the weekend

➡️ Remove ingredients for any meals that you don’t want to cook

➡️ The shopping list includes the cheapest version of each ingredient. Obviously if you want to buy lower fat mince or free range etc, that’s personal choice

➡️ All of the recipes are to serve 4, so if you’re cooking for 2, simply halve the ingredients


The recipes

Dinner 1

⭐️ Cost: £1.90 per portion

⭐️ Serving suggestion: Homemade chips (ingredients for these are already on the shopping list)

⭐️ We’ve bought a bag of red onions for all of the week’s recipes, so use these instead of white

A close up of an open hallloumi wrap before it's wrapped up, showing salad and halloumi on top.
5 from 9 votes

Halloumi Wraps {with Sticky Sauce}

With a sweet sticky sauce and customisable fillings, these Halloumi Wraps are a perfect no-fuss lunch or dinner. Amazing value and totally delicious, you can throw them together in about 10 minutes.
View Recipe

Dinner 2

⭐️ Cost: £1.13 per portion

⭐️ This week is fairly cheese-heavy we know, so if you’d prefer to reduce this, you can take it out of either this recipe or the Cowboy Pie

Pan full of Tuna Pasta Bake.
4.93 from 39 votes

Tuna Pasta Bake {Easiest Ever Recipe!}

There's a reason this is the ultimate Tuna Pasta Bake recipe. A budget-friendly classic that’s super easy, healthy and good for the soul.
View Recipe

Dinner 3

⭐️ Cost: £1.04 per portion

⭐️ Serving suggestion: Carrots (already added to the shopping list)

Cowboy Pie straight out of the oven. Sausage and beans topped with mash.
5 from 60 votes

Cowboy Pie {Mash-Topped Sausage & Beans}

Sausages in a pie with beans and topped with cheesy, buttery mashed potato. Hello old school dinner classic! This Cowboy Pie is a hearty feast that’s so simple and will be a massive hit with kids (and adults).
View Recipe

Dinner 4

⭐️ Cost: £1.36 per portion

⭐️ Complete meal in 10 minutes – no need for sides

A slow cooker pan filled with cooked beef enchiladas with cheese on top.
5 from 57 votes

Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas

This Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas recipe is so easy and super tasty! I love a convenient fakeaway that everyone loves, and this one ticks all the boxes.
View Recipe

Dinner 5

⭐️ Cost: 78p per portion

⭐️ All in one meal – no need for extra sides

A big pan filled with cooked spaghetti and tomatoes, topped with parmesan and basil, for the recipe Tomato Pasta.
5 from 42 votes

Tomato Pasta {Easiest Ever One Pan Spaghetti}

This delicious one pan Tomato Pasta recipe is perfect for a quick midweek family meal. Throw it all in together and that's it!
View Recipe

Quick reminder, the printable shopping list can be found here.

If you’ve found this useful, let’s be friends on Instagram @tamingtwins

Please remember, all prices included in this meal plan are correct at the time of writing, but are subject to change.

new cookbook!

Featuring 100 delicious recipes that can be cooked in one pot, you can open any page in this book and find something that will give you not only a meal that the whole family will eat and enjoy, but also one that makes your life a little simpler in the process.

More Recipes

Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.