Budget Dinner Ideas — Feed 4 for Under £10

Tinned legumes — chickpeas, lentils, cannellini beans, kidney beans — are pound-for-pound the most cost-effective protein and fibre source available. A 400g tin of chickpeas costs around 70p in most UK supermarkets, contains around 19g of protein, and forms the base of dishes like chana masala, hummus, and pasta e fagioli. At budget scale, legumes aren't a compromise — they're the best option.

Eggs are the second pillar of budget cooking. A box of 6 free-range eggs costs around £1.50 and each egg contains 6g of complete protein. They cook in minutes, work in dozens of dishes, and are the fastest route from an empty fridge to a proper meal.

For meat on a budget, chicken thighs — bone-in, skin-on — are significantly cheaper than breast and actually better-suited to most cooking methods. A 1kg pack of thighs typically costs around £3 to £4 and feeds four people. Wings are even cheaper. Turkey mince is often the most economical ground meat option.

The best budget meals tend to be vegetarian or contain very little meat — not because plant-based eating is a sacrifice, but because the ingredients are simply more economical. Chana masala, ratatouille, tabbouleh, and kale quinoa bowls all cost well under £2 per serving and produce results that are genuinely satisfying rather than thin or compromise-tasting.

The secret to making budget vegetarian food taste substantial is seasoning at every stage and not being timid with aromatics. An extra clove of garlic, an additional teaspoon of cumin, a proper amount of salt — these cost almost nothing and make an enormous difference.

Chana masala is one of the best budget recipes in this entire collection. A tin of chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, and a small number of spices produce a deeply flavoured Indian curry for around 80p per serving. Serve over basmati rice to stretch it further. The flavours develop even more overnight, making it an ideal batch-cook option.

Great for: feeding four for well under £4 total, vegetarian meals with real substance, batch cooking for the week.

This nourishing vegetable soup is built on the cheapest vegetables available — onion, carrot, celery, kale, courgette — with vegetable stock and a handful of herbs. At under £7 per serving per serving and under £2 for the full batch, it's one of the most economical dinners possible. It's also genuinely good — the recipe layers flavour through proper browning of the aromatics rather than relying on richness.

Great for: a filling weeknight dinner on the tightest budget, batch cooking and freezing, a restorative meal when you want something light but warming.

Kale and quinoa bowls look restaurant-healthy and cost around £2 per serving when made at home. Quinoa is a complete protein, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can buy, and the lemon tahini dressing costs pennies to make from scratch. This is budget eating that also happens to be nutritionally excellent.

Great for: a light but filling dinner, vegetarian or vegan eaters, anyone trying to eat more plant-based meals without spending more.

Ratatouille — the Provençal vegetable stew — is one of the most impressive things you can make from very cheap produce. Courgette, aubergine, peppers, tomatoes, and onion are all inexpensive, and the slow-cooked result tastes complex and satisfying. Serve with crusty bread for a complete budget meal, or over rice to make it more substantial.

Great for: using vegetables that need to be used up, a vegetarian dinner that feels French and elegant, cooking in bulk because it improves after a day in the fridge.

Tabbouleh is the cheapest proper salad you can make — bulgur wheat, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon, and olive oil. The bulk of the dish is flat-leaf parsley, which is inexpensive and available everywhere. It works as a light dinner on its own or as a substantial side alongside grilled chicken or falafel.

Great for: a cheap, fresh lunch or light dinner, a side dish that uses very little money, a flavourful salad that doesn't rely on expensive ingredients.

Chicken thighs and wings are the most economical way to include meat in a budget dinner. A pack of wings for under £3 produces a satisfying dinner for two when properly seasoned and cooked correctly. The fat content in thighs and wings means they stay juicy and flavourful without expensive marinades or complicated techniques.

Crispy baked chicken wings are the most economical chicken dinner in this collection. Wings are consistently cheaper per kilogram than any other chicken cut, and this recipe — baking powder coating, high oven heat — produces genuinely crispy results without additional oil. A 1kg bag of wings typically costs around £2.50 and feeds two to three people as a main.

Great for: the most budget-friendly chicken dinner, a crowd-pleasing meal that doesn't require expensive equipment or ingredients.

Avocado toast has an unfair reputation as an expensive millennial cliché. A ripe avocado costs 50p to £1, two slices of sourdough around 30p, and the total meal comes to well under £2 per person. When properly seasoned and topped with a fried egg, it's one of the most satisfying budget meals available. The recipe includes variations with smoked salmon and feta for when the budget allows.

Great for: the cheapest breakfast or light dinner, anyone making a quick meal from almost nothing.

A proper grilled cheese is the most economical dinner in this list at under £1 per person and under 10 minutes to make. The recipe specifies the cheese blend and butter technique that produces a genuinely crispy, evenly browned result — not just a warm sandwich. Serve with a tin of tomato soup for a complete budget meal that most people actively look forward to.

Great for: the cheapest possible dinner, a quick lunch, comfort food at minimal cost.