Please note …this is as general as can be and is vegan with no allergies
I have used Tesco but you can of course use any other supermarket
I have asterisked some products that I think could be cheaper elsewhere..but I’m going on the assumption of one weekly shop in one place
Herbs and spices are much cheaper from the The Nutmeg or The Asian stores …and I’m allowing around £3 for the main ones used in this weekly menu
Baked beans 1 can 45p
Spinach 1.15
*Medium curry powder 1.35
Stir fry veg pack 1.50
Rice noodles 1.80
Peanut butter 99p
Mixed frozen berries 2.99
Punnet Chestnut mushrooms 1.20
1 courgette 54p
*Tofu firm 2.75
Red pepper x 2 79p
*Olive oil 250ml (this is cheaper to buy the larger the bottle,but to fit in with the budget ,I have gone small) 3.60
Broccoli 82p
Fresh basil 52p
White potato 2.5kg 1.39
Sweet potato 1.19
Carrots 52p
*Red lentil 2.00
Wholemeal loaf 44p
4 banana 64p
Garlic 55p
Ginger 55p
Onion 99p
Wholemeal pasta 75p
Coconut milk 79p
Soy sauce 75p
Peanut packet 54p
Brown rice 1kg 1.39
Chick pea x 2 98p
Black beans x 2 98p
Pasata 60p
Fresh tomato 69p
Lettuce 79p
Fresh chilli 60
*Stock cube (oxo) 2:40
Frozen casserole veg 1:50
Frozen green beans 1: 30
Frozen peas 99p
*Margarine (flora)1: 60
1 lemon 35p
Nutmeg / Asian store
Brown lentil
Cumin
Paprika
Smoked paprika
Rosemary
5.00
Lidl
Fruit and nut Muesli (check it’s the vegan one ) 750g £1.89
Soy milk x 2 1.00
Total …(I told you I’d forget a few things)
£55: 67
The carrots,onion,tomato’s etc all come in standard sized bags . You can reduce cost even further by buying loose if available .
You also may already have some of these items at home already …so happy days
day 1
Today’s menu if you are joining in on the weekly menu plan
Breakfast per person
90g each of the muesli plus 150ml soy milk each
1 banana chopped and placed over the two bowls
Lunch
Lentil stew
400g red lentils
3 stock cubes
1large onion chopped
1 large potato cubed
2 carrots cubed
3 cloves garlic chopped
Place all of the above into a large pot with salt and pepper . Cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils and potato are soft. You may need to top up with water to get a creamy ..but not runny stew .
Keep stirring so the lentils don’t catch .
When it is cooked …take half of the stew and cool..to freeze it for later in the week.
With the remaining stew you can do one of two things for lunch . Eat it as a thick hearty stew . Or blend half of the stew and add it back to the un blended part..add another cup of water or stock,season and you have a hearty bowl of soupy stew depending on your preferred texture .
Dinner
Shepherds pie with peas and green beans
Boil 900g of the cubed potato in a lot of water until soft
Cook the entire 500g packet of brown lentils with the remaining 100g of red lentils from the pack earlier with 3 stock cubes ,water and seasoning. Again cover with water to begin and add more if need be. You are aiming for cooked lentils that are soft and creamy …not swimming in water ..so eyeball and keep stirring . 
You got this !!
The mix of the red and brown lentils will look soft but with a bit of shape and texture from the brown lentils. Will take around 40 mins. It seems like a long time, but this will be a base for three meals .
When the lentils are cooked, in a seperate pan fry in 1 Tablespoon olive oil , 2 Chopped onions , 3 cloves of garlic until soft and add half the carton of pasata . Season and add 1 to 2 teaspoon of dried rosemary . To the mix add half a bag of the casserole vegetables and 1/2 pint of water . Simmer for 5 minutes until they have defrosted . And you have a thick vegetable sauce . Season.
Get a large casserole dish or pie tray ..roughly 12 x 8 if you have it. If not you can make two separate smaller trays of shepherds pie. One for dinner tonight and the other for lunch tomorrow.
If you are using one large tray place two thirds of the lentil mix into the base .
The other third of the lentils will be frozen or kept in the fridge for a meal in a couple of days .
Top the lentils with the casserole vegetable mix and give it a stir . Season to taste .
To the drained and cooked potato add 2 tblsp of margarine and salt to taste . Mash until creamy and spread over the top of your lentils and veggies . You can add a little more margarine if you prefer your potato runnier .
Bake for 25/30 mins at 200/400/6
This is enough for 4 portions
Serve up half between two for dinner and keep the other half for lunch tommoro .
Serve your pie with 200g of cooked frozen peas and 150g of the frozen green beans . Add a little marg to finish and season
This full days worth of food is Cronometered at 3800 calories (see previous post regarding that )
Day two could not be simpler for your budget menu plan. 
We are doubling up again on the dinner to use in two different ways tomorrow so you aren’t eating the same thing and polishing off the remainder of yesterday’s shepherds pie for lunch
Breakfast
Two slices of toast each with peanut butter and one of the chopped bananas over the four slices
Lunch
Reheat the remainder of the shepherds pie and serve with a simple salad of lettuce, 2 of the tomato chopped a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper
Dinner
Cook 400 or 500g of your wholegrains rice in salted water . Half you will use tonight hot with your chilli .the other half …rinse immediately in cold water and place in a Tupperware in the fridge
Black bean chilli
Saute 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic and 1 fresh chilli in a little oil and pinch of salt until soft. Add one of the red peppers diced and continue to saute a couple of minutes. Add 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp smoked paprika and the remaining half of the carton of pasata from yesterday . Add 1/2 pint of water ,1 stock cube and season . Simmer for 15/20 mins while the rice is cooking and then add two drained cans of black beans. Cook a further 5 mins until heated through
Serve half immediately between two with the hot rice (see above). Let the other half cool and place in the fridge for tomorrow nights dinner
Breakfast prep
Before you go to bed
Place 180g of muesli in a bowl and add 200 g of your frozen fruit mix. Tesco have a bag called perfectly imperfect berries and they are £2.99 for 1kg of fruit. Best Value .
Half cover with water and mix. This may look a little stodgy. Trust the process. The fruit will melt over night creating juice and give you the most vibrant overnight oats / muesli in the morning. Top with 150ml of soy milk between two in the morning 
Day three of your menu plan
I hope you are enjoying the meals and you are feeling filled and satiated
Breakfast is the over night oats from the end of yesterday’s menu …if you forgot to make them have toast and peanut butter and a cup of defrosted berries…but I’m trying to make sure brekkie is a little different each morning
Lunch
You have 200 g of cooked rice left over in your fridge from yesterday
Add it to a bowl and to that add
1 cup of cooked from frzn sweetcorn , 1 cup cooked from frzn green beans 1/2 chopped red pepper ,1/2 a finely chopped onion and half of the bag of chopped peanut .
Make a dressing with 2tblsp soy sauce 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic and 1/4 inch piece of finely chopped ginger and 1/2 chopped red chilli . Mix into the rice and season with salt and pepper
Dinner
You have the remainder of the chilli in the fridge also from yesterday
Heat the oven to 200/400/6 and place 800g potato cut into wedges. Drizzle a little olive oil over and rub into the potatoes with your hands to coat . Season with salt. Cook for 40/45 mins until they are soft in the center, crispy on the inside. Mix a large tablespoon of your margarine with 1 clove garlic and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary and stir over the hot steamy potatoes
Reheat the chili either in the oven (in a casserole dish covered with silver paper,stirring a couple of times for even heat distribution) or on the hob in a pot. Loosen with a little water if need be .
Btw . You need to buy a lemon for day 4 and 5
30p from Tesco
Also defrost the lentil stew you made double of from day one as you will be using it as a base for dinner tomorrow
Day four of your menu plan
Breakfast
180g muesli between two with 1 chopped banana and 200g soy milk each
Lunch
Hummus and salad sandwiches
Take the two cans of chick peas and drain
Place in a blender with the juice of half a lemon
2 tblsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin (optional)
Salt and pepper
Blend to a thick paste . Add a tiny bit of water if you prefer smoother ..but I like mine with some pieces of chick pea still
Use quarter in sandwiches with lettuce and tomato
Add carrot batons to dip into the other quarter of the hummus too
And keep the remainder of the hummus for tommoro lunch
Dinner
Take the remainder of the lentil stew you have defrosted
In a pot saute 1 onion, 1clove garlic,1/2 inch of ginger, 1 red chilli in some olive oil. Add 1 tsp cumin, 1 heap teaspoon curry powder and stir. Add half can of coconut milk and stir until all mixed together. Finally add the lentil stew and a little more coconut milk to get the right consistency .
Serve over 200 g of cooked wholegrains rice Day five of your menu plan
Breakfast
Toast and peanut butter with a cup of defrosted berries
Lunch
Bake two of the sweet potatoes . Place the remaining half of the hummus onto two plates . Top with the baked potato and 1 cup (4oz/100g) mixed cooked from frzn sweetcorn and peas. Top with seasoning and some vegan butter
Dinner
Cook 150g peas and drain. Place in a blender with 1 clove garlic,juice of half a lemon,2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper . Add the whole bag of fresh basil and blend . Add a little water to get a smooth ,creamy and pourable pesto. Cook half the bag of whole wheat pasta in salted water and 5 mins before it’s ready add into the same pot 1/2 of the chopped fresh broccoli head. Drain and season and pour half the pesto over and stir over the pasta and broccoli and heat for one minute . Serve between two
Save the rest of the pesto for tommoro
Day 6 of your budget menu plan xxxx
I’m going on the assumption that most people have a little more time on a Sunday morning for a cooked breakfast so brekkie is a
Potato and bean hash
Cube the remainder of your white potato. There should be around 500g
Bring to the boil in salted water And simmer until soft .
Saute 1 thinly slices onion , and couple of chestnut mushrooms in a mix of vegan butter and a little olive oil until soft . Add the potato and cook until starting to go a little crispy round the edges . Add a handful of spinach (optional) and a pinch of rosemary and season .
Heat the can of baked beans and serve in the side with your potato mix . To jazz up the beans you can mix in a little cumin, or curry powder to flavour .
Lunch
Cook the remainder of your bag of pasta in boiling ,salted water . Rinse and drain . Place in a large bowl with the remaining half red pepper , some cooked from frozen peas and green beans and sweetcorn. As a chopped fresh tomato and add all but one heaped tablespoon of your pesto from yesterday . Mix over the pasta and veggies and serve over lettuce for lunch .
Drizzle with a little olive oil if desired
Don’t forget to keep that bit of pesto for tommoro or your sandwiches are gonna be dry lol.
Dinner
Bake the entire block of tofu .
Cube into around an inch sq
Place on a baking sheet ,spritz with a bit of oil and bake at 200/400/6 turning a couple of times to get an even bake . It’s best to do this on greaseproof paper too.
Place half in the fridge and use the other half tonight
Take your pack of stir fry veg and fry in a little olive oil
Cook 4 nests of rice noodles and drain
Make a sauce with 2tblsp soy sauce, 1 clove garlic chopped 1/2 inch chopped ginger and a bit of chopped chilli
Mix the sauce into the hot stir fry veggies and serve over the noodles
Top with the tofu and drizzle with a little more soy sauce.
Serve between two xx
Final day of the budget meal plan
After tonight I’m going to gather up all the recipes ,shopping list and menu planning and take it off the page .
Don’t panic however ..I’m going to put them all over onto my website where you can dip into it time and time again for a whole week’s worth of food for under £60.
Breakfast
180g of muesli topped with 200g of soy milk between two
Lunch
Pesto and salad sandwiches. Use the remainder of your pesto in bread with the remainder of your lettuce and tomato to make sandwiches. Season with salt and pepper
Bonus snack
Use the remainder of your milk
Roughly 500ml left ,a handful of frozen berries and the last banana and blend to make a yummy smoothie between two
Dinner
This is a pick and mix veggie curry using up all the leftovers from the week into a big pot
Fry up the remaining garlic and ginger and a chopped in a little oil until soft. Add in the remaining sweet potato chopped , courgette,mushrooms and broccoli and 2 tsp curry powder 1 tsp cumin , 1 tsp paprika and salt and pepper . Cover with water and bring to boil . Simmer until most of the water has absorbed and keep stirring .Add in the remainder of the cooked tofu from yesterday and serve over 200 g of cooked rice
Thank you so so much for joining in on the 7 day budget planning
In a week or two I will do one for a single person .
Please feel free to pm me what a single person budget might look like and I will see how to make that work for you
Sheena