Dr Mobeus
Meal Prep Isn’t Just for Gym Bros
There’s a myth that meal prep means eating the same bland chicken and rice five days in a row while staring at a spreadsheet. Wrong. Meal prep just means cooking in bulk so you’ve always got food ready — and it’s the single easiest way to cut your food bill in half.
If you’re currently spending £50-£70 a week on food (or more, if Deliveroo is involved), proper meal prep can save you £100-£150 a month. That’s £1,200-£1,800 a year. For a few hours in the kitchen on a Sunday.
How Meal Prep Saves You Money
It’s not magic — it’s simple economics:
- Bulk buying is cheaper: A 5kg bag of rice from Asda is £4.50. The equivalent in small packets is £8+. Same story with pasta, oats, flour and tinned goods.
- Zero waste: When you plan meals, you buy exactly what you need. No more wilting spinach or mouldy bread going in the bin.
- No impulse buys: If lunch is already made, you’re not nipping to Pret or the meal deal at £5-£8 a pop.
- Fewer takeaways: The “I’m too tired to cook” excuse vanishes when dinner is already in the fridge.
The £1.50 Per Portion Challenge
£1.50 per portion isn’t a stretch — it’s very achievable with the right recipes. Here are five that hit the mark consistently:
1. Lentil Bolognese — 60p per portion
This is the meal prep MVP. Red lentils cost about £1.50 per kg and make a bolognese that’s virtually indistinguishable from the meat version once you’ve added passata, garlic and Italian seasoning.
- Ingredients: 250g red lentils (40p), 1 tin passata (35p), 1 onion (10p), 2 cloves garlic (5p), Italian herbs (5p), 200g pasta (20p)
- Batch: Makes 6 portions for £1.15 total. Yes, under 20p per portion for the sauce.
- Store: Freeze in portions. Defrost in the microwave. Tastes better on day 3 anyway.
2. Chicken & Vegetable Curry — £1.40 per portion
Buy chicken thighs, not breasts. Thighs are £3-£4 per kg at most supermarkets versus £7-£9 for breasts, and they’re more flavourful.
- Ingredients: 500g chicken thighs (£2), 400g rice (40p), jar of curry sauce (£1.50 from Tesco or Aldi), frozen mixed veg (50p), onion (10p)
- Batch: Makes 4 portions for £4.50 total = £1.13 per portion.
- Tip: Make your own curry paste from spices and it drops to under £1 per portion.
3. Jacket Potato Bar — £1.20 per portion
Jacket potatoes are criminally underrated as meal prep. They’re cheap, filling and endlessly versatile.
- Ingredients: 4 large baking potatoes (£1), tin of baked beans (35p), 100g grated cheddar (60p), side salad (40p)
- Batch: 4 portions for £2.35. Under 60p per portion if you go basic.
- Prep: Bake all four at once. Store in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave — the skin goes soft but who cares, you’re eating beans and cheese.
4. Veggie Chilli — £1.10 per portion
Beans are your best friend in budget meal prep. Cheap, high protein, and they absorb flavour brilliantly.
- Ingredients: 1 tin kidney beans (35p), 1 tin black beans (50p), 1 tin chopped tomatoes (35p), 1 onion (10p), 1 pepper (50p), chilli powder (5p), 200g rice (20p)
- Batch: Makes 4-5 portions for about £2.05 in sauce + 80p rice = £2.85 total. Roughly 70p per portion.
5. Overnight Oats — 45p per portion
Breakfast is where most people waste money. A £3.50 Pret porridge or a £4 smoothie every morning is £15-£20 a week just on breakfast. Overnight oats cost pennies.
- Ingredients: 50g oats (5p), 150ml milk (10p), 1 banana (15p), tablespoon peanut butter (10p), dash of honey (5p)
- Total: 45p per portion. Make 5 jars on Sunday night. Grab and go every morning.
Your £40 Weekly Meal Plan
Here’s a realistic weekly plan for one person at around £40 (or a family of four at roughly £40 with some adjustments):
- Breakfasts (7 days): Overnight oats — £3.15
- Lunches (5 working days): Lentil bolognese with pasta — £4.50
- Dinners (7 days): Chicken curry (2), veggie chilli (2), jacket potatoes (1), pasta bake (1), stir-fry (1) — £18
- Snacks: Fruit, rice cakes, peanuts — £6
- Essentials: Bread, milk, tea, butter — £5
- Buffer: £3.35 for whatever you fancy
Total: £40
Compare that to £70+ if you’re buying lunch daily, snacking from vending machines and ordering Deliveroo twice a week.
Meal Prep Tips That Actually Work
Invest in Decent Containers
You don’t need expensive ones — IKEA’s 365+ glass containers are £3 each and last years. Avoid cheap plastic that warps in the microwave. You need containers that are microwave-safe, freezer-safe and ideally leakproof.
Cook Once, Eat Thrice
Every recipe here is designed to make at least 3-4 portions. If you’re cooking one portion at a time, you’re working too hard and spending too much. Batch cooking is the whole point.
Label Everything
Masking tape and a Sharpie. Write what it is and the date. Future you will not remember what that orange stuff in the Tupperware is. Trust us.
Freeze in Portions
Don’t freeze a massive block of chilli that you then have to defrost all at once. Freeze individual portions in containers or freezer bags. That way you can grab exactly what you need.
Shop at the Right Places
Aldi and Lidl are 20-40% cheaper than the big four on basics. For branded items, check Iceland deals and our food shopping saving tips. The reduced aisle is your best friend — yellow stickers mean half price or less.
What About Freshness?
Most meal preps last 3-4 days in the fridge. Anything beyond that, freeze it. Rice keeps for 3 days in the fridge; if you’re prepping for the full week, freeze the Thursday/Friday portions on Sunday and defrost the night before.
Soups, curries, chilli and bolognese actually taste better after a day in the fridge — the flavours develop. So don’t worry about eating “leftovers” — you’re eating food at its peak.
The Bottom Line
Meal prep isn’t a lifestyle brand or an Instagram aesthetic. It’s just cooking a bit more at once so you cook a bit less during the week. It saves you money, saves you time and means you always have something decent to eat instead of reaching for the Deliveroo app at 8pm on a Wednesday.
Start small — prep just your lunches for the week. Once that feels normal, add breakfasts. Then dinners. Before long you’ll wonder why you ever did it differently.
For more budget food ideas, check out our ways to eat for free guide and browse the latest Ocado deals for discounted groceries.
