Dr Mobeus
Summer Eating on a Budget
When the sun comes out, the last thing you want to do is stand over a hot stove for an hour. But eating well in summer does not have to mean expensive salads from the supermarket or yet another overpriced meal deal. You can eat brilliantly for less than £1 a portion if you know what to cook and when to shop.
Here are 15 cheap summer meals that cost under £1 per portion, use minimal or no cooking, and actually taste good. No misery food here – just proper meals that happen to be cheap.
1. Pasta with Pesto, Tomatoes and Frozen Peas – 68p per portion
One of the easiest summer meals going. Boil 75g of pasta (10p), stir through a spoonful of green pesto from a jar (20p), add a handful of cherry tomatoes (15p) and a scoop of frozen peas (8p). Finish with a grating of supermarket own-brand parmesan (15p). It takes 10 minutes, uses one pan, and tastes like something from a proper Italian cafe.
Cost breakdown: Pasta 10p, pesto 20p, tomatoes 15p, peas 8p, cheese 15p = 68p
2. Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing – 74p per portion
Cook some medium egg noodles (12p), let them cool, then toss with shredded carrot (8p), cucumber (10p), spring onions (8p) and a dressing made from peanut butter (15p), soy sauce (3p), rice vinegar (5p) and a squeeze of lime (8p). Add a handful of peanuts on top (13p). This is filling, refreshing, and perfect for hot days when you cannot face cooking.
Cost breakdown: Noodles 12p, veg 26p, dressing 31p, peanuts 13p = 74p (82p with extra veg)
3. Baked Potato with Seasonal Salad – 72p per portion
Bake a jacket potato (18p) and load it with baked beans from a tin (22p) and a grating of cheese (15p). Serve with a simple salad of mixed leaves (12p) and sliced tomato (5p). A classic that never gets old and uses almost no effort. If you have an air fryer, the potato takes 40 minutes and your oven stays off.
Cost breakdown: Potato 18p, beans 22p, cheese 15p, salad 17p = 72p
4. Chickpea and Tomato Stew – 55p per portion
Fry an onion (4p) and a couple of garlic cloves (2p) in a splash of oil, add a tin of chopped tomatoes (28p) and a drained tin of chickpeas (18p). Season with smoked paprika (2p) and cumin (1p), simmer for 15 minutes, and serve with bread (10p for 2 slices). This makes enough for 4 portions, so cook once and eat for days. Summer comfort food that costs almost nothing.
Cost breakdown: Onion 4p, garlic 2p, tomatoes 28p, chickpeas 18p, spices 3p = 55p per portion (65p with bread)
5. Egg Fried Rice with Summer Veg – 62p per portion
Use leftover rice or cook some plain rice (5p). Dice whatever summer veg you have – courgette, pepper, carrot, peas (15p total). Stir-fry in a hot pan with a splash of oil, add the rice, crack in an egg (20p), and season with soy sauce (2p) and a pinch of sugar (1p). Add a dash of sesame oil if you have it (3p). Five minutes, one pan, done.
Cost breakdown: Rice 5p, veg 15p, egg 20p, seasoning 6p = 62p
6. Gazpacho – 48p per portion
Blend a tin of tomatoes (28p), half a cucumber (10p), half a red pepper (8p), a clove of garlic (1p), a splash of olive oil (2p) and red wine vinegar (1p). Season well and chill for an hour. Serve with bread (10p). This cold Spanish soup is the ultimate no-cook summer meal and it costs less than 50p a bowl. Double the recipe and you have lunch sorted for days.
Cost breakdown: Tomatoes 28p, cucumber 10p, pepper 8p, garlic 1p, oil/vinegar 3p = 48p per portion (58p with bread)
7. Flatbread Wraps with Hummus and Crunch – 78p per portion
Spread a supermarket flatbread (22p) with hummus (15p). Add grated carrot (8p), cucumber slices (8p), a handful of spinach (8p) and whatever else you have. Roll it up. That is lunch. If you want more protein, add a hard-boiled egg (20p) or some tinned chickpeas (8p). You can make this even cheaper by making your own hummus – a tin of chickpeas blended with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil costs about 20p per portion.
Cost breakdown: Flatbread 22p, hummus 15p, veg 24p, egg 20p = 78p (or 58p without egg)
8. Lentil and Vegetable Soup – 42p per portion
Yes, soup in summer. Hear us out. When it is rainy or overcast (this is Britain, after all), a simple lentil soup hits the spot. Fry an onion (4p), carrot (5p) and celery (5p), add red lentils (12p), vegetable stock (2p) and water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season well. This makes 4-6 portions for under £2 total and freezes beautifully. Perfect for those British summer days when the weather cannot make up its mind.
Cost breakdown: Onion 4p, carrot 5p, celery 5p, lentils 12p, stock 2p = 42p per portion (52p with bread)
9. Tomato and Butter Bean Salad – 64p per portion
Drain a tin of butter beans (22p), halve some cherry tomatoes (20p), add sliced red onion (5p) and fresh basil if you have it (8p from a plant). Dress with olive oil (3p), red wine vinegar (2p), salt and pepper. This is a proper meal that takes 3 minutes to assemble, needs zero cooking, and is packed with protein and fibre. Butter beans are one of the most underrated tins in the supermarket.
Cost breakdown: Butter beans 22p, tomatoes 20p, onion 5p, basil 8p, dressing 5p = 64p
10. Quick Quesadillas – 83p per portion
Take a flour tortilla (15p), spread half with mashed beans (12p) or leftover chicken (25p), add grated cheese (20p) and a dollop of salsa (8p). Fold in half, dry-fry in a pan for 2 minutes each side until crispy and the cheese has melted. Cut into triangles. Serve with a spoonful of soured cream (8p) if you have it. Two of these is a proper meal and they are faster than waiting for a takeaway to arrive.
Cost breakdown: Tortilla 15p, filling 25p, cheese 20p, salsa 8p, soured cream 8p = 83p (68p without soured cream)
5 More Budget Summer Meals Worth Knowing
11. Courgette Fritters – 65p per portion
Grate a courgette (15p), squeeze out the water, mix with an egg (20p), flour (5p), grated cheese (15p) and seasoning. Fry spoonfuls in oil until golden. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt (10p). Crispy, cheap, and a great way to use up summer courgettes.
12. Sweetcorn Fritters – 58p per portion
Mix a tin of sweetcorn (22p) with an egg (20p), flour (5p), spring onions (8p) and seasoning. Fry in spoonfuls until golden. These are brilliant for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner and they take 10 minutes from start to finish. Add a side salad (5p) and you are sorted.
13. Mediterranean Pasta – 71p per portion
Cook pasta (10p), toss with a tin of tomatoes (28p) that you have simmered with garlic (2p), olive oil (3p) and dried herbs (2p). Add sliced olives (15p) and a little feta (11p). Tastes like a holiday in Greece and costs less than a bus ticket. This is one of those meals that makes you question why anyone orders pasta delivery.
14. Sardines on Toast – 62p per portion
Two slices of toast (10p) topped with a tin of sardines in tomato sauce (38p), a squeeze of lemon (5p) and a sprinkle of pepper. Sardines are one of the cheapest sources of omega-3 and protein in the supermarket, and they taste far better than their price suggests. Add a side salad (9p) and you have a complete meal for under 65p.
15. Banana Oat Pancakes – 47p per portion
Mash a banana (12p), mix with an egg (20p) and 40g of oats (5p). Fry spoonfuls in a little oil (2p) until golden on each side. Serve with a drizzle of honey (5p) or a dollop of yoghurt (3p). No flour, no sugar, no milk – just three ingredients that you probably already have. These are sweet enough to feel like a treat but cheap enough to eat every day.
How to Eat Well for Less This Summer – General Tips
These 15 meals are a start, but here are some broader principles that will keep your food bill down all summer:
- Shop seasonally – Summer means cheap British strawberries, tomatoes, courgettes, carrots and new potatoes. Seasonal produce is always cheaper and tastes better. Check what is in season before you plan your meals.
- Use your freezer – Frozen veg is just as nutritious as fresh and costs a fraction of the price. Frozen peas, sweetcorn, spinach and berries are always in our basket. They also mean zero waste because you use only what you need.
- Buy whole vegetables – Pre-chopped veg costs 2-3x more per kilo. A whole cucumber, carrot or pepper costs pence. A few minutes of chopping saves you serious money over a week.
- Cook once, eat twice – Every recipe above makes more than one portion. Double it, eat half, and freeze or refrigerate the rest. Your future self will thank you when you come home tired and dinner is already done.
- Yellow stickers are your friend – Hit the reduced section late afternoon or early evening. Bread, veg, dairy and ready meals get marked down by 50-75%. Many of the meals above work perfectly with yellow sticker ingredients.
- Make your own dressings – A bottle of salad dressing costs £1.50-2.50. A bottle of olive oil and some vinegar lasts months and makes better dressing for pennies per portion. Add mustard, honey or herbs and you have something nicer than anything in a bottle.
- Grow herbs on a windowsill – A basil plant costs £1.20 from the supermarket and gives you fresh basil for weeks. A packet of fresh herbs costs £1.30 and wilts in 3 days. The plant pays for itself in a week.
The Weekly Shop That Makes This Work
To cook most of the meals above, you need a well-stocked storecupboard. Here is what to buy and roughly what it costs:
- Storecupboard essentials (buy once, use for weeks): Rice (£1.20 for 1kg), pasta (65p for 500g), tinned tomatoes (28p each x 4 = £1.12), tinned chickpeas (55p each x 2 = £1.10), tinned butter beans (65p each x 2 = £1.30), tinned sweetcorn (55p), lentils (£1.50 for 500g), soy sauce (£1.20), olive oil (£3.50), eggs (£1.40 for 6), flatbreads (£1 for 4), tortillas (£1 for 8)
- Fresh weekly (buy as needed): Courgettes (60p each), peppers (65p each), cucumber (50p), tomatoes (£1 for 400g), bananas (15p each), onions (10p each), carrots (50p per bag), salad leaves (£1 per bag)
Total storecupboard: roughly £15-20. Weekly fresh: roughly £8-10. That gives you the ingredients for all 15 meals above, plus plenty left over for breakfasts, snacks and variations.
For more money-saving recipes and cheap meal ideas, check out our budget recipe collection and our guide to the latest deals and freebies.
