HEALTHY FOOD BUDGET 2024
7 days of healthy meals on a budget
Monday
Breakfast: Porridge made with skimmed milk and one sliced banana on top.
Lunch: Lentil and vegetable soup, tinned or try our easy carrot and parsnip soup recipe (pictured); two slices of wholemeal bread with spread (spreads based on vegetable, olive or sunflower oil will be unsaturated so a better choice for your heart than butter).
Evening meal: One medium-sized jacket potato (cooked in the microwave or oven) with a tin of sardines in tomato sauce, served with peas.
Snacks: Two satsumas (or easy-peelers); one apple; a small handful of unsalted peanuts (30g); a serving (125g) of fat-free Greek-style yoghurt.
Cost of living: tips for saving money and staying well
Tuesday
Breakfast: Two slices of wholegrain toast with spread, one boiled egg and a sliced medium tomato.
Lunch: Our carrot and parsnip soup (use leftovers if you made Monday’s recipe, or make fresh with extra portions to freeze); two slices of wholemeal bread with spread.
Evening meal: Homemade chunky vegetable and bean goulash (pictured); brown rice; broccoli. Get our goulash recipe.
Snacks: Three oatcakes with low-fat cream cheese or quark; one pear.
Wednesday
Breakfast: No-added-sugar muesli with skimmed milk, topped with one sliced banana.
Lunch: Jacket potato with half a can of reduced-sugar-and-salt baked beans; a portion of salad.
Evening meal: Beetroot barley risotto (pictured); served with peas.
Snacks: One carrot cut into sticks; a small handful of unsalted peanuts; two satsumas.
Thursday
Breakfast: Two slices of wholegrain toast with spread, sliced or mashed banana, and a serving of fat-free Greek-style yoghurt.
Lunch: Egg, tomato and cucumber wholemeal bread sandwich.
Evening meal: Wholewheat spaghetti with sardines and cherry tomatoes; a portion of salad.
Snacks: Two plums; two oatcakes with spread; one pear.
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Breakfast: No-added-sugar muesli with skimmed milk and a banana.
Lunch: Cheese salad sandwich made with reduced-fat Cheddar, salad, two slices of wholegrain bread and spread.
Evening meal: Homemade mushroom and cauliflower frittata, served with peas and carrots or any other leftover/surplus vegetables. Get our frittata recipe.
Snacks: Two plums; two oatcakes with spread; one pear.
Saturday
Breakfast: Porridge made with skimmed milk; one banana.
- How healthy is your breakfast? We rank popular cereals from best to worst
Lunch: Vegetable soup, tinned or try our delicious recipe for mixed vegetable and bean soup.
Evening meal: Homemade tuna and sweetcorn pasta bake, served with cauliflower and broccoli.
Snacks: Small handful of unsalted peanuts, one apple, one pear..
Sunday
Breakfast: Poached egg and a portion of cooked mushrooms, with two slices of wholemeal bread.
- Get our tips for a perfect poached egg
Lunch: Chicken and vegetable traybake (pictured); baked apple with spiced sultanas and low-fat custard or homemade custard with low-fat milk.
Evening meal: Chicken, cucumber and tomato wholemeal bread sandwiches (using leftovers from the lunchtime traybake).
Snacks: Small handful of unsalted peanuts; one carrot cut into sticks; two satsumas (or easy-peelers).