Summer holidays are a wonderful time for families to relax, explore, and spend quality time together, but summer meal planning for families isn’t always straightforward. With the school canteen closed, many parents face the added pressure of preparing three meals a day (plus snacks!) for several weeks. For families on a tight budget, healthy summer meals can be especially challenging.
The good news? With a bit of forward planning and some savvy supermarket shopping, you can feed your family nutritious meals without breaking the bank. This guide offers a full one-week meal plan – breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks – designed for families with children. All meals are affordable, balanced, and in line with NHS Eatwell Guide, which recommends:
- Eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
- Basing meals on higher fibre starchy foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta, or rice
- Including some dairy or dairy alternatives
- Eating some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
- Choosing unsaturated oils and using them in small amounts
- Drinking plenty of fluids – at least 6 to 8 cups/glasses a day
Let’s get started with some family-friendly summer meal ideas!
Top budget-friendly tips before you shop
- Buy frozen fruit and veg – it’s cheaper, it lasts longer, and it’s just as nutritious
- Use supermarket own brands – they’re often half the price of branded items
- Shop at Aldi, Lidl, or Iceland – excellent for budget-friendly essentials
- Batch cook and freeze leftovers – reduce waste and save money
- Use tinned goods – tinned tomatoes, beans, and fish are low-cost staples
- Plan around what’s on offer – look out for reduced meat, veggies, and fruit
One-week family meal plan
Day 1 (Monday)
Breakfast: Porridge with chopped banana and a drizzle of honey
Lunch: Wholemeal wraps with hummus, grated carrot, cucumber sticks, and cheese
Dinner: Lentil and vegetable shepherd’s pie with mashed potato topping
Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter
Day 2 (Tuesday)
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast with a side of cherry tomatoes
Lunch: Pasta salad with tuna, sweetcorn, cucumber and a light mayo dressing
Dinner: Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice
Snack: Frozen grapes
Day 3 (Wednesday)
Breakfast: Greek-style yogurt (own brand) with oats and defrosted frozen berries
Lunch: Baked beans on toast with grated cheese (optional)
Dinner: Baked fish fingers, homemade potato wedges, and peas
Snack: Carrot sticks with low-fat cream cheese or hummus
Day 4 (Thursday)
Breakfast: Weetabix with semi-skimmed milk and sliced banana
Lunch: Egg mayo sandwiches with wholemeal bread, cucumber sticks on the side
Dinner: Spaghetti with veggie-packed tomato sauce and grated cheese
Snack: Rice cakes with cream cheese or mashed avocado
Day 5 (Friday)
Breakfast: Smoothie made with milk, banana, frozen berries, and oats
Lunch: DIY lunchbox picnic – mini sausage rolls, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and cheese cubes
Dinner: Homemade vegetable curry with lentils and rice
Snack: A small handful of mixed nuts or a plain biscuit
Day 6 (Saturday)
Breakfast: Toasted wholemeal crumpets with jam, peanut butter or marmite
Lunch: Jacket potatoes with baked beans and coleslaw
Dinner: Oven-baked chicken drumsticks, couscous salad with roasted vegetables
Snack: Popcorn (lightly salted or plain)
Day 7 (Sunday)
Breakfast: Pancakes made with flour, egg, and milk – topped with fruit
Lunch: Leftover couscous or pasta salad, boiled eggs
Dinner: Veggie chilli with rice and grated cheese
Snack: Yogurt with chopped fruit
Shopping list highlights (budget tips included)
- Frozen mixed veg and berries – available cheaply at Aldi/Iceland
- Tinned lentils, beans, tomatoes, and tuna – great value at Lidl or Tesco’s own-brand
- Wholemeal bread, pasta, rice, and wraps – opt for supermarket basics
- Eggs and cheese – buy in bulk or use own-brand versions
- Oats and Weetabix-style cereals – budget-friendly and filling
- Chicken drumsticks or thigh portions – more affordable than breasts
- Seasonal fruit – apples, bananas, and oranges are usually cheapest
Look out for “wonky veg” or “Too Good to Go” boxes at Morrisons and Lidl – they offer big savings on fresh produce that’s still perfectly good to eat.
Family-friendly summer meal ideas
Meal planning doesn’t have to be rigid – it’s there to make your life easier, not harder. If your kids don’t like certain vegetables, swap them out for ones they do. If you find a great deal on mince, make a double batch of spaghetti bolognese and freeze half.
Don’t worry if every meal isn’t perfect. What matters is balance over the week – not perfection in every dish. Try to involve children in choosing meals and prepping food – they’re often more willing to eat meals they’ve helped create.
Above all, summer meals should be fun, filling, and family-focused – even on a budget.
