Healthy Eating Shopping List and Meal Plan

Two of the main things that stand between a person and a healthy diet is money and time. We try to provide you with recipes that are quick and easy to help you with the time issue, and now we are going to help you with the budget side with this healthy eating on a budget, shopping list and meal plan.

When money is tight, it is often healthy food that takes a back seat as bills still need to be paid. I hear so often from people that they can't afford to have a healthy diet because it is so expensive. Whilst that can be true, it doesn't have to be.

There is no doubt that a lot of junk is pretty cheap (frozen chicken nuggets, potato waffles, cookies and stuff like that) but healthy eating doesn't have to be anywhere near as expensive as people think it is. With a few smart swaps and meal planning, healthy eating can be for everyone.

If you are just starting out on trying to save money on your food shopping then take a look at ours Tips For Healthy Eating on a Budget, which has loads of general money saving tips to get you started. 

Not all of the meals in the meal plan below are going to suit everyone in terms of taste, dietary requirements and calorific needs, so please adapt it to suit your own needs. This is just a guide to get you started and save you some money on your healthy food shop.

Below we have provided you with a weeks worth of healthy meals and snacks, along with a shopping list of everything you need to buy to make the meals for the week.

Although the word budget is relative, all these meals and snacks are cheap to make so they should save you some money on your healthy shopping bill.

We could have had a healthy diet for the week on less money than we spent, but it would have relied on us eating mostly the same things throughout the week and repetition is what causes us to go off track and order a pizza usually.

If you are on a stricter budget, cut out meat completely and eat more bean based meals and have more pasta dishes - that will bring the cost down.

What constitutes a "budget"?

So, let's speak about the budget. The average family spends £70 a week on food and drink shopping (this doesn't include things like toiletries and pet food etc), so we have tried to keep our budget shop under £55 so it is less than the national average and saving you some money. This is £54 for 2 adults and 2 small children.

I have not included things like spices, herbs, tea, coffee and oil and vinegar, as this is presuming that you already have those things, because they don't need to be bought very often.

Some of our shopping costs less some weeks, and some times more, so it balances itself out. These meals also provide some leftovers, so you will have extra meals to freeze for the next week.

Cheap healthy meal plan

Monday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Dinner:

10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry

4.68 from 268 votes

Curries don’t get much quicker and easier than this 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry. Just tip everything in to the pan and it’s ready less than 10 minutes later.

Here's the recipe for 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry

 Tuesday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

5 from 17 votes

Roasted to perfection in an easy spice blend and then tossed with a zesty lemon salad, this Roasted Cauliflower Salad with chickpeas ticks all the boxes.

Here's the recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Salad

(serve with bread)
Dinner:

Penne Arrabbiata

4.93 from 55 votes

A simple tomato pasta sauce that has a kick of heat and plenty of flavour. This Penne Arrabbiata recipe shows that vegan food doesn't have to be boring or complicated.

Here's the recipe for Penne Arrabbiata

with frozen vegetables (Make double to have leftovers the next day)

Wednesday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Penne Arrabbiata

4.93 from 55 votes

A simple tomato pasta sauce that has a kick of heat and plenty of flavour. This Penne Arrabbiata recipe shows that vegan food doesn't have to be boring or complicated.

Here's the recipe for Penne Arrabbiata

with frozen vegetables
Dinner:

Chicken Tikka Skewers

4.88 from 58 votes

These chicken tikka kebabs make a great addition to any party food table, or served up with a simple salad and some dips for a light lunch.

Here's the recipe for Chicken Tikka Skewers

with salad and pitta bread

Thursday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Tuna Spaghetti

4.96 from 42 votes

Make the use of your store cupboard staples and whip up this tasty week night meal in under 15 minutes. This Spicy Tuna Spaghetti is easily adaptable to suit all tastes too.

Here's the recipe for Tuna Spaghetti

with salad
Dinner:

Bean Chilli

5 from 35 votes

A hearty and delicious chilli doesn’t have to have meat in it and this Bean Chilli with Avocado Salsa will definitely hit the spot.

Here's the recipe for Bean Chilli

serve with rice

Friday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Dinner:

Greek Turkey Burgers

5 from 6 votes

Turkeys aren't just for Christmas! These Greek turkey burgers are a great option if you are looking for a leaner, healthier option to a traditional burger.

Here's the recipe for Greek Turkey Burgers

serve with homemade potato wedges

 Saturday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

(using up any leftover herbs from other recipes from the week)
Dinner:

Sunday

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Dinner:

Snacks throughout the week: smoothies, apples, oranges, roasted chick peas, eggs, pears, plums, banana, pineapple slices

Shopping

Fresh fruit and vegetables

Frozen

Meat/Meat alternative

Dairy

Tinned/Jarred

Dried goods

Bakery

It is difficult to make this budget shopping list and meal plan as everyone shops at different places, and people are from different parts of the world, so not everything is going to cost the same. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive list, but more a guide to show you what I buy and what I make on the budget I have.

If you’ve tried this easy weekly meal plan or any of the other recipes on the blog then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.