Aldi Very Cheap Batch Cook Low Effort Plan — 1,800 kcal
Simple meals with minimal cooking. This 7-day plan targets 1,800 kcal/day and averages 117g of protein, built around Aldi's Everyday Essentials for an estimated £40–60/week. Meals are chosen to hold up after a few days in the fridge or freezer — stews, chillies, tray bakes and grain bowls — rather than anything that goes soggy or dries out on reheating.
Adjust Household PortionsCurrently 1 person · 1 cook portions
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
1799 kcal per person120g protein · 257g carbs per person
Breakfast648 kcal · 20g protein · 96g carbs · 5 min
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Made with rolled oats, oat milk, peanut butter.
Recipe
Ingredients
90g rolled oats
225ml oat milk
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
1 tsp chia seeds
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Peanuts. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir rolled oats, oat milk and chia seeds together in a lidded jar or container.
Stir well, cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Stir again before eating, then add peanut butter and banana. Loosen with a splash of oat milk if needed.
Lunch367 kcal · 21g protein · 69g carbs · 15 min
Cannellini Bean and Tomato Soup
Made with cannellini beans tinned, tinned tomatoes, onion.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 standard tin of cannellini beans, drained
1 standard tin of tomatoes
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
225ml vegetable stock
basil, to taste
Check the label for: Celery, Cereals containing gluten, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Peel and chop onion and garlic into even pieces. Drain and rinse cannellini beans.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and soften onion and garlic for 5-7 minutes.
Stir in vegetable stock and basil, to taste, then add cannellini beans and tomatoes and simmer gently until tender and thickened.
Taste, season and portion for serving.
Dinner649 kcal · 66g protein · 76g carbs · 35 min
Smoked Haddock and Potato Bake
Made with smoked haddock fillet, white potatoes, semi-skimmed milk.
Recipe
Ingredients
200g smoked haddock fillet
275g white potatoes
150ml semi-skimmed milk
1 onion
30g reduced-fat cheddar
parsley fresh, to taste
Allergens in this meal: Fish, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Boil the white potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, then drain if needed.
Meanwhile, cook the smoked haddock fillet in a non-stick pan over medium heat until opaque and it flakes easily. Add onion and cook until tender.
Slice the cooked white potatoes. Stir semi-skimmed milk and parsley fresh into the pan and season to taste. Tip the filling into an ovenproof dish and arrange the potato evenly over the top. Scatter reduced-fat cheddar evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
Snack135 kcal · 13g protein · 16g carbs · 5 min
Tzatziki with Vegetable Dippers
Made with low-fat greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic clove.
Recipe
Ingredients
100g low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cucumber, grated
1 garlic clove
1 carrot
2 celery sticks
1 tsp dill
Allergens in this meal: Celery, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Squeeze the grated cucumber in a clean tea towel to remove the excess water.
Crush or finely grate the garlic, then stir it into the low-fat Greek yogurt with the cucumber and dill. Season to taste.
Cut the carrot and celery sticks into batons and serve them with the tzatziki for dipping.
Estimated cost: £40–60/week for 1 person from Aldi. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
0 of 48 items tickedSaved on this device
Protein
Carbs & Grains
Vegetables
Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Tins & Jars
Extras
Sponsored #ad - container setup
Container setup for this plan
This plan has about 21 prep-friendly meals. Start with 17 main containers, 5 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 2 10-container sets to provide at least 17 main meal spaces, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
RecommendedFull glass batch setup
Best when you already prep most weeks, cook lunches and dinners, or want a longer-term storage system.
Material
Glass or premium leak-resistant sets
Price and availability
Check Amazon UK before buying
This plan includes saucy or reheated meals, so choose containers with secure, leak-resistant lids. If using plastic, check that it is suitable for reheating and follow the product instructions.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability can change on Amazon UK.
The One Appliance This Plan Assumes
This is a batch plan built around slow-cooked meals — the kind of cooking a slow cooker does unattended while you are out. A 3.5L bowl suits the portion counts here. If you already own one, you need nothing else for this plan.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability can change on Amazon UK.
Slow cookerBudget-to-mid range
Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, 3.5L
The classic entry-level Crock-Pot: two heat settings, a removable ceramic bowl for easy cleaning, and a size that suits most households cooking 3-5 portions at once.
Best forA standard household batch cooking stews, curries and casseroles
Good to knowNo timer or digital display on this entry model, so you set it and check back manually.
This plan uses repeated weekday bases so the Sunday prep instruction matches the actual meals.
Prepare five portions of Peanut Butter Overnight Oats for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion five lunches of Cannellini Bean and Tomato Soup.
Batch cook Smoked Haddock and Potato Bake and Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Tzatziki with Vegetable Dippers, Skyr High-Protein Yogurt, Chocolate Protein Shake, Sliced Cooked Chicken Breast, and Tuna on Rye Crackers.
Cool everything quickly and get it into the fridge within one to two hours.
Refrigerate only the portions you will eat within two days — freeze the rest straight away, and move each one to the fridge the night before you need it. Freezing the later part of the week is a food-safety step, not a freshness preference.
Ranges rotate and stock varies by store, so plan a fallback for any single named product.
Fewer speciality and free-from lines than the big four, which matters for restrictive diets.
Retailer details checked 2026-07-20. Ranges and loyalty schemes change — the weekly cost estimate above is based on the plan's budget tier, not on live prices at this store.
Swaps & Suggestions
💰 Make it cheaper
Buy Aldi's Everyday Essentials range for rice, pasta, oats and tins — nutritionally identical to standard lines, at the lowest price point in store
Replace fresh salmon with tinned mackerel or sardines in brine (saves ~£2–3/week)
Buy dried pulses (lentils, chickpeas, black beans) and cook in bulk rather than tinned — cheaper per portion
Use frozen chicken breast instead of fresh (saves ~£1.50/week, same protein)
Swap fresh berries for frozen mixed berries (same nutrients, fraction of the cost)
💪 Increase protein
Cook an extra portion of mince or beans into the weekly batch — cheap to add, keeps well
Add tinned beans or lentils to a batch-cooked chilli or curry for extra protein at low cost
Portion cooked chicken thighs into the freezer in 100g bags to add to any meal without extra cooking
🥦 Make it vegetarian
Replace chicken with Quorn fillets or diced firm tofu
Swap beef mince for tinned green lentils or plant-based mince
Use halloumi or feta instead of meat in lunch salads
Substitute eggs or cottage cheese for fish-based meals
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this low effort plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Aldi and is estimated at £40–60 per week for one person at typical UK prices, depending on what you already have at home. Buying in bulk and choosing own-brand items can reduce this further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
This plan averages 117g of protein per day across the week, based on the meals actually selected — in line with general UK guidance of roughly 0.8–1.6g per kg of bodyweight for active adults.
How is this different from a generic low effort plan?
Plenty of low effort plans share the same 1,800 kcal target — the difference here is that meals are filtered for how well they hold up over several days, not just for taste on day one.
Can I print this low effort meal plan or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Use the export / print PDF button on the plan page. The printable version summarises all 7 days at 1,800 kcal/day, the Aldi shopping list, and your chosen household portion sizes.
Is this plan suitable for meal prep?
Yes — this plan is specifically designed for batch cooking. Prep everything on Sunday in 60–90 minutes and portion into containers for the week ahead.
Is this plan suitable for beginners?
Yes. Recipes are rated Batch cook (prep on Sunday) and use ingredients available at Aldi — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
