Aldi Vegetarian Light Batch Cook Low Effort Plan — 1,800 kcal
Simple meals with minimal cooking. This 7-day plan targets 1,800 kcal/day and averages 89g of protein, built around Aldi's Everyday Essentials for an estimated £35–60/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 person93g protein · 249g carbs per person
Breakfast255 kcal · 12g protein · 31g carbs · 3 min
Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds
Made with plain kefir, frozen mixed berries, chia seeds.
Recipe
Ingredients
225ml plain kefir
125g frozen mixed berries
1¼ tbsp chia seeds
1¼ tsp honey
Allergens in this meal: Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir plain kefir 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 frozen mixed berries and honey. Loosen with a splash of plain kefir if needed.
Lunch411 kcal · 23g protein · 77g 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
1¼ standard tins of tomatoes
1¼ onions
4 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 onions and garlic into even pieces. Drain and rinse cannellini beans.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and soften onions 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.
Dinner885 kcal · 54g protein · 113g carbs · 20 min
Teriyaki Tofu with Brown Rice and Broccoli
Made with firm tofu, brown rice, broccoli.
Recipe
Ingredients
225g firm tofu
100g brown rice (dry weight)
¾ small head of broccoli (about 225g)
3 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1¼ tsp sesame seeds
2 spring onions
Allergens in this meal: Sesame, Soybeans. Check the label for: Cereals containing gluten. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Cook the rice according to its packet instructions, then drain if needed.
Meanwhile, cook the tofu in a non-stick pan over medium heat, stirring, until browned and hot through. Add a small head of broccoli and spring onions and cook until tender.
Fold the cooked rice through the pan, stir in teriyaki sauce, and heat through before serving with sesame seeds scattered over.
Snack248 kcal · 4g protein · 28g carbs · 1 min
Apple with Walnuts
Made with apple, walnuts.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 apple
25g walnuts
Allergens in this meal: Tree nuts. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Slice or portion apple as needed.
Combine apple and walnuts in a bowl or lidded container.
Estimated cost: £35–60/week for 1 person from Aldi. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
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Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Tins & Jars
Extras
Sponsored #ad - container setup
Container setup for this plan
This plan has about 16 prep-friendly meals. Start with 13 main containers, 4 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 3 five-container glass packs to provide at least 13 main meal spaces, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
RecommendedMid-range glass setup
Best for regular weekday lunches, reheating at work, curry, chilli, pasta, and repeat washing.
Material
Glass
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.
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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.
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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 Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion five lunches of Cannellini Bean and Tomato Soup.
Batch cook Teriyaki Tofu with Brown Rice and Broccoli and Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Apple with Walnuts, Apple and Peanut Butter, Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruit, Tzatziki with Vegetable Dippers, and Walnuts and Dried Blueberries.
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
Buy dried pulses (lentils, chickpeas, black beans) and cook in bulk rather than tinned — cheaper per portion
Swap fresh berries for frozen mixed berries (same nutrients, fraction of the cost)
Add a couple of eggs or a portion of cottage cheese as a whole-food protein top-up
Use 0% fat Greek yogurt or quark in place of standard yogurt — same volume, far more protein
💪 Increase protein
Add tinned beans or lentils to a batch-cooked chilli or curry for extra protein at low cost
Add a couple of eggs or a portion of cottage cheese as a whole-food protein top-up
Use 0% fat Greek yogurt or quark in place of standard yogurt — same volume, far more protein
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this low effort plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Aldi and is estimated at £35–60 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 89g 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 vegetarian eaters?
Yes. Every meal in this plan is vegetarian, using ingredients readily available from Aldi.
