Meal planning for two on a budget 

At today’s prices (Feb 2023) a basic weekly budget of $100 should be sufficient for cheap dinner plans for two people over seven days. For this meal plan we’ve assumed a good dinner for two people would consist of a main protein source and or complex carbohydrates with seasonal fruits or vegetables.

Day 1 - Tomato and white bean ragout with garlic bread 

This is an incredibly easy vegetarian savoury dish to make and it tastes amazing. We’ve served it with homemade garlic bread to dunk in and scoop up the ragout. If you’re a meat lover you can top the ragout off with a couple of slices of crispy bacon. See recipe.

Day 2 - Spanish-style frittata with salad

Frittata is a deliciously filling Spanish-style omelette made with chorizo, peas and potatoes to create a complete meal in one dish. It can be enjoyed hot or cold so any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for the next day. This is a great dish to make if you have leftover potatoes. See recipe.

Day 3 - Shepherd’s pie with peas

The ultimate in comfort food, Shepherd’s pie is a perfect midweek one pot recipe. This recipe makes enough for two dinners for two people saving you prep time on the second evening. 
See recipe.

Day 4 - Shepherd’s pie with green beans

Leftovers night! Have the other Shepherd’s pies you prepared, only this time, switch up the side for green beans! 
See recipe.

Day 5 - Tuna and four bean salad with jacket potato

This is a deliciously light and refreshing salad packed with for different types of healthy beans, tuna and crunchy salad vegetables. Serve it with a steaming hot jacket potato and some mesclun salad leaves to perfectly complete this meal.
See recipe.

Day 6 - Easy butter chicken with rice

Butter chicken is a popular dish with Kiwis and you can still afford to enjoy this on a limited budget. We’ve got a simple quick recipe for midweek meals. It uses a wonderful ready-made sauce that comes complete with its own sachets of dried spices, adding tons of flavour and authenticity to this dish. See recipe.

Day 7 - Corn fritters with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce

Make the most of delicious sweet corn when it’s in season with these wonderful corn fritters. Fresh corn can be substituted with frozen or canned corn without compromising on the flavour or texture. Load up with bacon, sour cream and sweet chilli. See recipe.

 

Shopping list

Product and pricing will vary based on brand, size, seasonality and store. Pantry staples* not included. 

*Pantry staples needed

Butter or spread

Milk 

Vegetable oil

Plain flour

Baking powder

Sugar

Beef stock cubes 

Chicken stock cubes 

Worcestershire sauce