Budget Under £5

Marmite Spaghetti with Cheese

A well-known student classic for a reason — Marmite, butter, and cheese turn plain spaghetti into something genuinely craveable, for pennies.

Sardine & Tomato Pasta

Tinned sardines break down into the sauce and add a proper depth of flavour — one of the best-value fish dinners going.

Simple Egg Curry

Hard-boiled eggs simmered in a spiced tomato and onion sauce — one of the cheapest ways to get a proper curry on the table.

Potato & Leek Soup

A timeless, creamy soup made without any cream — just potato, leek, and stock, blended until silky.

Curried Parsnip & Apple Soup

Parsnips and a cheap cooking apple make a naturally sweet, curry-spiced soup that costs pennies a bowl.

Pasta e Fagioli (Tomato & Bean Pasta)

An Italian classic built entirely from the store cupboard — pasta and beans in a rich tomato sauce, ready in 25 minutes.

Bacon & Cabbage Stir-Fry with Rice

A few rashers of bacon go a long way when stir-fried with a whole cabbage — a genuinely cheap way to feed four.

Egg & Oven Chips with Peas

About as basic — and as cheap — as dinner gets, but a fried egg and mushy peas turn oven chips into a proper plate of food.

Simple Vegetarian Bean Chilli

Three tins of beans and a good spice mix make a chilli that doesn't miss the meat — or the price tag.

Cheesy Leek & Potato Bake

Sliced potatoes and leeks baked in a simple cheese sauce — comforting, filling, and around £3.50 for the whole dish.

Pea & Ham Soup

A thick, bright green soup using frozen peas and leftover or budget diced ham — ready in 25 minutes.

Sweet Potato & Kidney Bean Curry

Sweet potato breaks down into the sauce as it cooks, making this curry naturally thick and satisfying without any meat.

Corned Beef Hash

One tin of corned beef stretches into a full pan of crispy hash — an old-school budget dinner that still delivers.

Simple Minestrone Soup

Whatever veg you've got, plus pasta and beans, makes a proper minestrone — a big pot for under £3.

Sausage & Bean Casserole

Sausages simmered in a rich tomato and bean sauce — a full pot of comfort food for well under a fiver.

Pearl Barley & Root Vegetable Stew

Pearl barley makes this stew naturally thick and filling without any meat — a proper winter warmer for under £3 total.

Chana Aloo (Chickpea & Potato Curry)

A dry-ish, spice-forward curry of chickpeas and potato — no coconut milk needed, which keeps this one especially cheap.

Butter Bean & Chorizo Stew

A little chorizo goes a long way — its smoky oil flavours the whole pot of butter beans for under £1 a serving.

Bubble & Squeak with Fried Egg

The classic way to use up leftover potato and cabbage — crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, topped with a fried egg.

Jacket Potatoes with Baked Beans & Cheese

The definition of a British budget classic — four jacket potatoes loaded with beans and cheese for about £3 total.

Spanish-Style Potato & Onion Tortilla

Just eggs, potatoes, and onion — a whole tortilla costs under £2 and works hot, cold, or packed for lunch the next day.

Mexican-Style Rice & Beans

Smoky, one-pot rice and beans that costs about 65p a serving — no meat needed to make it filling.

Tuna Pasta Bake

A proper cheesy pasta bake using store-cupboard tuna and sweetcorn — the whole dish comes in around £3.25.

Lentil & Vegetable Soup

A thick, filling soup that costs less than 50p a bowl — red lentils break down completely for a naturally creamy texture.

Egg Fried Rice with Frozen Veg

Store-cupboard egg fried rice built on frozen veg and day-old rice — total cost under £2.50 for the whole pan.