£20 a week is low, but it is still possible to eat reasonably well if you cook from scratch, buy supermarket own-brands and build meals around cheap staples.
Using current Aldi prices as a rough benchmark, a weekly shop could look something like this:
| Item | Approx. price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Porridge oats, 1kg | £0.85 | Cheap breakfasts for well over a week. |
| Wholemeal bread, 800g | £0.55 | Toast, sandwiches and eggs on toast. |
| Milk, 2L | £1.69 | Breakfasts, drinks and cooking. |
| 12 medium eggs | £2.49 | Breakfasts, omelettes, fried rice and quick lunches. |
| Frozen chicken breast, 1kg | £4.25 | The main protein for several dinners. |
| 2 tins of tuna | £1.18 | Tuna pasta, sandwiches or jacket potatoes. Aldi's budget tins are currently 59p each. |
| Long-grain rice, 1kg | £0.52 | Stir-fries, curries and chicken-and-rice meals. |
| Spaghetti, 500g | £0.28 | Several portions of pasta. |
| White potatoes, 2.5kg | £1.65 | Mash, wedges, jacket potatoes and sides. |
| Frozen mixed vegetables, 1kg | £0.99 | Easy way to add veg without worrying about them going off. |
| Tomato and herb pasta sauce | £0.49 | Quick pasta or a base for other meals. |
| Natural yoghurt, 500g | £0.55 | Breakfast, snacks or sauces. |
| 6 apples | £1.59 | Fruit for snacks and lunches. |
Approximate total: £17.08
That leaves just under £3 for whatever you need most that week: onions, bananas, extra vegetables, another tin of fish, cheese or something less sensible.
What can you make with it?
- Porridge with milk and fruit
- Eggs on toast
- Omelettes with mixed vegetables
- Chicken, rice and vegetables
- Chicken stir-fry
- Chicken and roast potatoes
- Tuna pasta
- Tuna jacket potatoes
- Egg fried rice
- Spaghetti with tomato sauce and chicken
- Jacket potatoes with egg or tuna
- Yoghurt and oats for breakfast or a snack
The trick is buying ingredients that work across several meals rather than planning seven completely different dinners.
Chicken thighs can also be better value than breast. Tesco, for example, currently lists 1kg of British chicken thighs at around £2.99, considerably cheaper per kilogram than most chicken breast. Cheap sausages, minced meat and tinned fish can also be rotated in from week to week.
A £20 budget becomes much easier once you already own basics such as oil, salt, pepper, stock cubes, herbs and spices. Those aren't realistically things you need to rebuy every week.
Most importantly, shop by price per kilogram, not just pack price, use frozen vegetables and meat where it saves money, and avoid ready meals. At this budget, convenience is usually what costs you.
