Meal cost calculator

What the per-meal figures are based on

A budget high-protein meal - say chicken thighs, rice and frozen veg, or eggs and oats, or a tuna pasta - costs about £1.50–£2.30 to make at 2026 own-brand supermarket prices when you cook in batches. Mid-range, with branded items, fresh fish or steak a couple of times a week and more fresh produce, lands around £2.50–£3.50. Convenience - ready meals, meal-prep delivery boxes, pre-cut veg - is typically £4–£6 a meal. These are estimates from typical shopping baskets, not a price promise; your shop and region will move them.

Why eating well usually costs less, not more

The expensive parts of most people's food spend are not vegetables and chicken - they are the £14 takeaway twice a week and the £4.50 meal deal every workday. Those alone are often £50–£80 a week, which buys a full week of good food with money left over. The "healthy food is expensive" idea usually comes from comparing organic salmon with a value pizza; compare like for like and cooking wins.

The cheapest protein in the UK

Per 20 g of protein, roughly cheapest first: dried lentils and beans, eggs, tinned tuna and mackerel, frozen chicken thighs, milk, cottage cheese, whey powder, chicken breast, Greek yoghurt, lean mince. Build meals around the top half of that list and the budget figure above is easy. There is a full costed list in how much it costs to eat healthy in the UK, and a costed week in meal prep cost per week.

If you are on the tools

Physical work means more food, not less, and the petrol station is where budgets and diets both die. Eating for muscle from a petrol station or van covers the realistic version - what to keep in the van, what to buy when you have to, and what it costs.

FAQs

How much does it cost to eat healthy for a week in the UK?

Cooking three high-protein meals a day from own-brand supermarket food costs roughly £35–£50 a week for one person at 2026 prices, rising to £60–£75 with more branded and fresh items. That is usually less than a takeaway habit plus bought lunches.

Is meal prep cheaper than takeaways?

Almost always. A batch-cooked meal costs £1.50–£3 against £10–£15 for a typical takeaway, and it will have more protein and fewer calories. Two takeaways a week swapped for home-cooked meals saves around £1,000 a year.

What is the cheapest way to get enough protein?

Eggs, tinned fish, dried lentils and beans, frozen chicken thighs, milk and cottage cheese. Whey powder is also cheap per gram of protein despite the upfront cost of a tub.

How can I eat healthy on a tight budget?

Batch cook, buy frozen veg and meat, shop own-brand, base meals on eggs, tinned fish and pulses, and cut bought lunches. Our free 7-day plan is built around exactly these ingredients.