1. Eating Well on a Budget: The £20/Week Challenge
As a Pakistani student in the UK, eating well for less than £20/week (2,320 INR at 2025 rates) is achievable with a strategic meal plan. This 7-day plan includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, using affordable, halal-friendly ingredients from Aldi, Lidl, or Asian supermarkets like Taj Stores. Designed for minimal equipment (microwave or single hob), the recipes evoke Pakistani flavors like daal and biryani while keeping costs at ~£2.85/day. Batch cooking and bulk buying stretch your budget, leaving room for other expenses like rent or transport.
- Savings: £20/week covers 21 meals, saving £30-£50 vs. takeaways.
- Equipment: Microwave or single hob; no oven needed.
- Tip: Shop at Aldi/Lidl or use UNiDAYS for 10% off online at Red Rickshaw.
2. Shopping List: Everything You Need for £20
This shopping list, totaling ~£19.50, covers all ingredients for a 7-day meal plan for one person, sourced from budget stores like Aldi, Lidl, or Asian supermarkets (e.g., Worldwide Foods). Buy in bulk for staples like rice and lentils, and choose halal-certified meats. Prices reflect 2025 averages, focusing on World Foods aisles or Asian stores for authenticity. Store dry goods in airtight containers and freeze meats to maintain freshness, ensuring you stay within budget.
- Rice & Lentils: 2kg basmati rice (£2), 1kg red lentils (£1.50).
- Protein: 1kg halal chicken breast (£4), 500g halal minced beef (£2.50).
- Other: 1kg onions (£0.80), 500g frozen mixed veggies (£0.90), 1L oil (£1.20), Shan biryani/daal mix (£2), 500g yogurt (£0.60), 8 tortilla wraps (£1), 6 eggs (£1.50), 1kg oats (£0.90), 1L milk (£1).
3. 7-Day Meal Plan: Days 1-2
Day 1:
- Breakfast: Microwave Oat Porridge (5 min) – Mix 50g oats (£0.05), 200ml milk (£0.20), 1 tsp sugar (£0.02); microwave 3 min, stir. Cost: £0.27.
- Lunch: Microwave Daal Chawal (15 min) – Mix 100g lentils (£0.15), 1 tsp Shan daal mix (£0.10), 1 tbsp oil (£0.03), 300ml water; microwave 10 min. Serve with 100g rice (£0.10, microwaved 3 min). Cost: £0.38.
- Dinner: Chicken Curry Wrap (20 min, hob) – Cook 100g chicken (£0.40), 1 tsp Shan curry mix (£0.10), 1 tbsp yogurt (£0.03), 1 onion (£0.08) in 1 tbsp oil (£0.03) for 10 min; wrap in tortilla (£0.13). Cost: £0.74.
Total Day 1: £1.39.
Day 2: Repeat Day 1 meals with same ingredients. Total Day 2: £1.39. - Batch Prep: Cook extra daal for Day 2 lunch to save time.
- Halal Check: Use halal chicken from Aldi or Taj Stores.