Dr Mobeus
BBQ Season Is Here — And It Doesn’t Need to Cost a Fortune
There’s something about British BBQ season that makes normally sensible people spend like they’re catering a wedding. You’ve seen it — the £45 meat box from the posh butcher, the artisan charcoal, the six different marinades, the giant bag of “BBQ” branded crisps that costs three times what normal crisps do. By the time the coals are hot, you’ve spent £80 and half your guests are already on the Sauvignon Blanc.
It doesn’t have to be like this. You can feed 10 people a proper BBQ — burgers, sausages, sides, the lot — for under £30. That’s £3 per head. Not a sad BBQ either. A good one, with proper food, where nobody leaves hungry and everyone’s impressed. Here’s how.
The Meat: £12-£15 for 10 People
This is where most of the budget goes wrong. People buy pre-made BBQ packs at £15-20 that feed about 4. Or they go to the butcher and somehow spend £40 on “BBQ steaks.” Stop doing that.
What to Buy
- Burgers: Aldi and Lidl own-brand beef burgers are £1.89 for 8 quarter-pounders. They’re genuinely good — dense, meaty, and they hold together on the grill. 2 packs = £3.78 for 16 burgers.
- Sausages: Lidl’s Deluxe pork and apple sausages are £2.29 for 6. Two packs = £4.58 for 12 sausages. Alternatively, ASDA Extra Special sausages are £2.50 for 6 and often on 3-for-2.
- Chicken: A whole chicken is £3-4 at any supermarket. Spatchcock it (cut out the backbone and flatten it), marinate in whatever you have, and grill it whole. Feeds 4-5 easily and looks impressive.
- Veggie option: Halloumi is £2.50 for a block at Lidl. Grill it in slices. It’s the one veggie BBQ option everyone actually wants to eat.
Total meat: £14.86 (16 burgers + 12 sausages + whole chicken + halloumi)
What NOT to Buy
- Pre-marinated anything — You’re paying £3 extra per pack for sauce. Make your own in 2 minutes.
- BBQ branded meats — “BBQ burger” is just a burger. The label adds £2 to the price.
- Steak — Not for a BBQ for 10. One decent steak costs what 8 burgers cost. Save it for date night.
- Pre-made kebabs — £4 for 4? Cube your own chicken and skewer it. Takes 5 minutes.
DIY Marinades: Better Than Shop-Bought and Basically Free
Those £2.50 bottles of marinade? You already have the ingredients. Here are three marinades you can make from your cupboard:
Honey & Soy (Chicken)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp oil, 1 crushed garlic clove, squeeze of lemon
- Works on chicken thighs, wings, or a whole spatchcocked bird
Smoky BBQ Rub (Burgers & Ribs)
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, pinch of salt and pepper
- Mix and rub onto meat 30 minutes before grilling
Herby Lemon (Sausages & Halloumi)
- Juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 crushed garlic clove, pinch of chilli flakes
- Brush onto halloumi slices or sausages as they grill
Cost: under £1 for all three using stuff you probably already own.
Sides That Cost Pennies and Taste Great
Sides are where you can really save money — and honestly, they’re what people remember. Here’s a full spread for under £10:
Classic Coleslaw — £1.20
Half a white cabbage (40p), 2 carrots (20p), 1 onion (10p), 3 tbsp mayo (30p), splash of vinegar. Shred it all, mix it. Makes a massive bowl that feeds 10 with leftovers. The pre-made tub costs £2 and is half the size.
Ploughman’s Potato Salad — £1.50
1.5kg potatoes (60p at Aldi), 3 tbsp mayo (30p), spring onions (50p), handful of fresh chives from the garden (free). Boil, cool, mix. Add a spoon of English mustard if you’ve got it.
Three-Bean Salad — £1
1 tin each of kidney beans, chickpeas and green beans (£1.20 total at Aldi). Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Takes 3 minutes and looks fancy.
Garlic Bread — £1.30
A baguette from Aldi is 59p. Mix 50g softened butter with 2 crushed garlic cloves and a handful of parsley (dried is fine). Slice, spread, wrap in foil, 10 minutes on the BBQ. The pre-made ones cost £1.80 and taste worse.
Corn on the Cob — £1.50
4 cobs for £1 at most supermarkets. Brush with butter, season with salt and chilli, grill directly on the rack. Charred edges are the point.
Green Salad — £0.80
A bag of mixed leaves is 79p at Lidl. Add a sliced cucumber (45p) and some cherry tomatoes (99p). Total: £2.23. Or grow your own lettuce — it costs about 10p per head from seed.
Total sides: £8.73
The Full Budget Breakdown
Here’s your shopping list for 10 people:
- 2 packs Aldi quarter-pounder burgers — £3.78
- 2 packs Lidl Deluxe sausages — £4.58
- 1 whole chicken — £3.50
- 1 block halloumi — £2.50
- Cabbage, carrots, onion for coleslaw — £0.70
- Potatoes for potato salad — £0.60
- 3 tins beans for bean salad — £1.20
- 1 baguette — £0.59
- Butter (if you need it) — £1.00
- 4 corn on the cob — £1.00
- Bag of salad leaves — £0.79
- Mayo (if you need it) — £0.99
- Seasonings and marinade ingredients — £1.00
- Burger buns (2 packs of 6 at Aldi) — £1.98
Grand total: £25.21
That leaves you £4.79 for a couple of packs of budget charcoal (Home Bargains sells it for £2 a bag) or some cheap soft drinks. Under £30 for 10 people. Sorted.
BBQ Hacks That Save Money and Improve Results
Use Lumpwood, Not Briquettes
Cheap briquettes are full of filler and burn oddly. Lumpwood charcoal from Aldi (£3.49 for a big bag) burns hotter and cleaner. You’ll use less of it too.
The Chimney Starter Trick
Don’t waste money on lighter fluid — it makes food taste like a petrol station. A chimney starter costs £10 once and lights charcoal with newspaper. It’s faster, cheaper long-term and your food won’t taste like chemicals.
Cook in Waves, Not All at Once
Don’t try to grill everything simultaneously. Start with sausages (they take longest), then burgers, then chicken, then quick stuff like halloumi and corn last. Less stress, less waste, and everything’s hot when served.
Don’t Over-Cater
The biggest BBQ money waste is making too much food. Plan 2 burgers and 1-2 sausages per person, plus sides. Nobody needs 4 burgers, and the leftovers usually end up in the bin.
Make Your Own Burger Sauce
Mix equal parts mayo and ketchup with a splash of vinegar, pinch of sugar and a dash of pickle relish. It’s Big Mac sauce. It costs about 20p to make and you’ll never go back to plain ketchup.
What About Drinks?
Drinks can blow the budget faster than anything. A few tips:
- BYOB policy — For a casual BBQ, asking guests to bring their own drinks is completely normal. Most people are relieved not to have to guess what everyone wants.
- Make a big batch of Pimm’s or sangria — A bottle of Pimm’s (£12), 2 litres of lemonade (£1.60), fruit from the reduced section (£2). Serves 15-20 for under £16. Way cheaper than individual cans.
- Supermarket own-brand drinks — Aldi’s Belvoir presse drinks are £1.29 for 750ml. Their beers are under £1 each. Nobody complains.
- Ice from home — Freeze water in Tupperware containers the night before. Don’t buy bags of ice for £2 a pop.
Check freebies.co.uk for supermarket discount codes before your big shop — there’s nearly always a voucher for new customers or £10 off £50 spends.
The Bottom Line
A great BBQ isn’t about how much you spend — it’s about good food, good company, and not spending the whole time panicking over the coals. £30 for 10 people is genuinely doable, and nobody will feel short-changed. In fact, most people will assume you spent more.
The secret? Cheap doesn’t mean nasty. Aldi burgers on a fresh bun with homemade sauce and a big bowl of coleslaw will always beat a £5 “artisan” burger from a street food van. Always.
For more budget recipes and food shopping tips, check out our guides on feeding a family for £40 a week and meal prep on a budget.
