TCH Daily · Food
How to plan five teas under £10 — UK budget dinners
Cheap teas fail when you buy ingredients for five different cuisines. Share the cupboard.
Eight moves. One shop. Five nights.
- Pick a protein lane. Mince or chicken thighs for the week. Not both fancy and cheap.
- Staples first. Rice, pasta, wraps, tinned tomatoes, frozen veg. Price-check own brand.
- Five recipes only. Chilli, pasta bake, stir-fry, jackets, omelette night. Write them.
- Portion maths. Weigh once. £10 includes oil and spice you already own.
- Same veg, three ways. Carrots and onions stretch across nights without looking identical.
- No midweek top-up. If it is not on the list, it waits until Sunday.
- Cook time cap. Under 30 minutes active. Slow cookers count if you set them before work.
- Print the pack. School-Night Teas Under 30 is this plan as a working PDF.