5 meals for your family that cost less than a fiver

Gary Pilnick, CEO of Kellogg’s said that cereal was a “much more affordable” evening meal option and was “on trend”.

He made these comments after he was asked about an advertising campaign by the company which urged consumers to “give chicken the night off” and have a bowl of their cereal instead.

We believe that this was a highly irresponsible comment for Pilnick to make, considering thousands of households are struggling to afford enough food to feed their families, with research finding that 25% of Britons have skipped meals in the last three months because of this.

Not only that, but cereal shouldn’t be considered a healthy alternative- people on low income still deserve to be eating a healthy and balanced evening meal each night.

5 meals for under £5

We’ve found some affordable balanced meals you can make for you and your family if you’re on a low income.

Salmon pasta

Ingredients	Method
400g salmon fillets 568ml milk ½ tsp mixed herbs ¼ tsp nutmeg 250g fusilli pasta 40g butter 3 tbsp plain flour 200g frozen peas 1 tsp black pepper	Poach the salmon fillets in milk, herbs, nutmeg and black pepper for about 3-4 minutes or until cooked Remove salmon and break into chunks, or flake with a fork- set aside Cook pasta as per instructions on the packet and drain Use butter, milk and flour to make a white sauce and when cooked, add frozen peas and salmon chunks - then add the cooked pasta

Turkey stir fry

Ingredients

Method

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
garlic (2 cloves)
turkey (or chicken, cooked)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
vegetables (carrots, mangetouts, baby sweetcorn or any other veg)
noodles- can be egg noodles, or ready to work (to serve)

Soften a chopped onion by frying gently in a couple of spoons of hot olive oil

season with garlic and black pepper
Cut the turkey into small strips and gently fry with the onions until the meat is heated through
Squeeze some lemon juice over the mixture
Add the chopped veg, with soy sauce
Stir-fry until the veg is cooked
Serve with noodles

Mince and sweet potato pie

Ingredients

Method

500g mince
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
200g frozen peas
1 stock cube (optional)
300g baked beans
2 sweet potatoes (large)
50g cheese (optional), grated

Preheat the oven to 190'C/Gas mark 5
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks, then add to boiling water till softened
In a large pan, add onions and carrots and cook till soft
Add the mince and fry off, ensuring it's browned all over
Cook on a medium heat for about 10-12 minutes
Crumble in the stock cube and stir, then add the peas and tin of beans and continue to cook, stirring occasionally
Mash sweet potato when soft
Empty the mince into a large ovenproof dish and spread the sweet potato mash on top
Sprinkle cheese over the top if desired and pop it in the oven for 40 minutes

Sausage bean and sweet potato casserole

Ingredients	Method
8 sausages 500g sweet potato (peeled), diced 1 onion, diced 800g chopped tomaotes (2x tins) 400g cannellini beans (1x tin), drained 200g sweetcorn (1x tin) fresh coriander (to serve) sour cream (to serve)	Grill sausages and chop into chunks, meanwhile peel, chop into chunks and par boil the sweet potato (for about 5 mins) Fry onions add the chopped tomatoes, cannellini beans, sweetcorn, sweet potatoes and sausage chunks - bring to boil then simmer for 40 minutes Serve with fresh coriander and sour cream

Cheesy baked tortillas

Ingredients

Method

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
400g chopped tomatoes (1x tin)
400g beans (1x tin), mixed
400g red kidney beans (1x tin)
125g mature cheddar, grated
5 tortillas

Preheat oven to 190'C/Gas mark 5 and oil a large ovenproof dish
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and pepper until softened,
Add the tomatoes and beans to the pan, season with
black pepper and heat through
Divide half the cheese between each tortilla then divide the tomato and bean mixture between them (You can add an extra tortilla if any mixture is left over as most packs come in 8)
Roll up and arrange in the dish, seam side down
Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and bake for 15 minutes until golden

Sainsbury’s has a page of healthy evening meals that cost a fiver for a family.

Help with food costs:

If you’re struggling to pay for food, you may be able to get a grant that you won’t have to pay back. Turn2Us is a charity that provides information and practical support to people in financial difficulty. They’ll match you with any grants you may be able to apply for.
Food banks give people who urgently need help a few days’ supply of food, toiletries and baby items. They can also provide vouchers for gas and electricity if you’re on a prepayment meter. The Trussell Trust is a nationwide network of food banks. You’ll need to be referred by a local community organisation such as Citizens Advice or your GP. Contact your local food bank to find out how to get help.
The Independent Food Aid Network can also tell you if there are any independent foodbanks in your area.
If you’re on certain benefits, your child might be able to get free school meals. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply.
We wrote how you can keep your food costs down, but still serve warm, balanced meals.

Lydia Bell-Jones

With a background in banking, Lydia has been writing professionally for over five years. She is passionate about helping people improve their personal finances and has a particular interest in the connection between money and mental health.

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