What this plan is for
A Lidl cheap student plan at 1,800 calories is useful when someone wants a printable week before shopping, not just a generic diet article.
Lidl Vegetarian Batch Cook Cheap Student Plan — 1,800 kcal
Students on a tight budget. This 7-day plan targets 1,800 kcal/day and averages 85g of protein, built around Lidl's Simply / own-brand core range for roughly £20–30/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.
Your week at a glance
1 personPlan summary
SupermarketLidl
GoalCheap Student
Weekly cost£20–30 estimate
Daily average across the 7 days
1,804 kcal85g protein264g carbs44g fat44g fibre
Individual days vary around these figures.
Adjust Household PortionsCurrently 1 person · 1 cook portions
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
1802 kcal per person80g protein · 267g carbs per person
Breakfast196 kcal · 9g protein · 23g carbs · 3 min
Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds
Made with plain kefir, frozen mixed berries, chia seeds. Ready in 3 min — 196 kcal, 9g protein, 23g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 175ml plain kefir
- 90g frozen mixed berries
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 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.
Lunch592 kcal · 30g protein · 92g carbs · 25 min
Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl
Made with green lentils, sweet potato, baby spinach. Ready in 25 min — 592 kcal, 30g protein, 92g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 90g green lentils (dry weight)
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 generous handfuls baby spinach (about 50g)
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp tahini
- lemon juice, to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
Allergens in this meal: Sesame. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Cut the medium sweet potato into even chunks and roast at 200°C (180°C fan) until tender and browned, then cool slightly.
- Simmer the green lentils (dry weight) in a pan with plenty of water for 15-20 minutes, until tender, then drain any excess liquid.
- Rinse and dry baby spinach.
- Arrange green lentils (dry weight), medium sweet potato, baby spinach, lemon juice, to taste and cumin in a bowl and finish with tahini.
Dinner607 kcal · 27g protein · 104g carbs · 35 min
Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto
Made with brown rice, mushrooms, frozen peas. Ready in 35 min — 607 kcal, 27g protein, 104g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 90g brown rice (dry weight)
- 175g mushrooms
- 90g frozen peas
- 1 onion
- 525ml vegetable stock
- 20g parmesan
- 2 garlic cloves
Allergens in this meal: Milk. Check the label for: Celery, Cereals containing gluten, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Soften onion and garlic in a wide pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the brown rice (dry weight) and cook for 1 minute so the grains are coated.
- Add the vegetable stock a ladleful at a time, stirring often and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next. This takes about 18-20 minutes, until the rice is creamy but still has a little bite.
- Stir through mushrooms, frozen peas and parmesan, season to taste and serve straight away.
Snack407 kcal · 14g protein · 48g carbs · 10 min
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls
Made with rolled oats, peanut butter, honey. Ready in 10 min — 407 kcal, 14g protein, 48g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 50g rolled oats
- 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp chia seeds
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Peanuts. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Put rolled oats, peanut butter, honey and chia seeds in a bowl and mix to a thick, sticky dough that holds together when pressed.
- If the mixture is too dry to hold, add a teaspoon of water or milk at a time; if too wet, add a little more oats.
- Roll into even balls, roughly a heaped tablespoon each.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set without any baking.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container and eat within 5 days.
Weekly Shopping List
Need containers for this batch? Compare meal prep containers →
Estimated cost: £20–30/week for 1 person from Lidl. Calories and macros stay shown per person; ingredients and shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
0 of 38 items tickedSaved on this device
Protein
Carbs & Grains
Vegetables
Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Tins & Jars
Extras
Save this week
Email me this plan
Get the 7-day menu, shopping list and printable plan link in your inbox.
Want a new plan every week? Join MealPrep+ for future weekly plans.
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.
Choose a reusable multipack containing at least 13 main containers, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
RecommendedBudget plastic setup
Best when low cost, freezer portions, student cooking, or a first meal-prep attempt matters most.
- Material
- Reusable plastic
- Last checked
- 13 July 2026
This plan includes saucy or reheated meals, so glass bases and reliable lids are worth prioritising.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability can change on Amazon UK.
Plan Details And Assumptions
Lidl Shopping Evidence Notes
These basket notes explain why this plan is shaped around certain ingredients and swaps before you open the shopping list.
- Best for budget weeks built around simple staples, freezer vegetables, tins, yogurt, eggs and own-brand grains.
- Choose flexible recipes because some limited-time ranges can rotate quickly.
- For batch cooking, buy the core protein and carbohydrate first, then adapt vegetables to what is available.
Why This Exact Plan Exists
This page is not only a title-and-macros variant. The calorie target, supermarket, diet type, budget and prep style all change the meals, shopping-list assumptions and swaps.
Shopping Logic
The list favours repeatable UK supermarket staples, grouped by protein, carbs, vegetables, dairy and extras so the basket can be checked before buying.
Practical Swaps
The swap section keeps the page usable if a product is out of stock, too expensive, or not right for the reader's diet.
| Decision | This plan uses | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Calorie target | Built around roughly 1,800 kcal per day | Moderate targets balance breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks without extreme restriction. |
| Supermarket | Lidl | Lidl pages work best with simple staples, rotating offers and flexible protein swaps. |
| Budget | £20–30/week estimate | Very cheap plans repeat staples and avoid niche products. |
| Prep style | Batch cook (prep on Sunday) | Batch plans repeat weekday bases so Sunday prep genuinely saves time. |
Sunday Batch-Cook Plan
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 Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl.
- Batch cook Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto and Teriyaki Tofu with Brown Rice and Broccoli as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
- Portion snacks in advance: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls.
- 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.
Printable meal plan PDF
Lidl Vegetarian Batch Cook Cheap Student Plan — 1,800 kcal
A 7-day UK meal plan summary for saving as a PDF or printing, including every meal, daily macros and the weekly shopping list.
7-day meal plan
Monday
1802 kcal - 80g protein, 267g carbs, 45g fat, 42g fibre- Breakfast: Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds (196 kcal, 9g protein, 23g carbs, 7g fat, 7g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl (592 kcal, 30g protein, 92g carbs, 12g fat, 17g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto (607 kcal, 27g protein, 104g carbs, 8g fat, 10g fibre per person)
- Snack: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls (407 kcal, 14g protein, 48g carbs, 18g fat, 8g fibre per person)
Tuesday
1800 kcal - 91g protein, 241g carbs, 55g fat, 38g fibre- Breakfast: Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds (188 kcal, 9g protein, 23g carbs, 7g fat, 6g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl (569 kcal, 29g protein, 89g carbs, 12g fat, 16g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Teriyaki Tofu with Brown Rice and Broccoli (654 kcal, 40g protein, 83g carbs, 19g fat, 9g fibre per person)
- Snack: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls (389 kcal, 13g protein, 46g carbs, 17g fat, 7g fibre per person)
Wednesday
1802 kcal - 80g protein, 267g carbs, 45g fat, 42g fibre- Breakfast: Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds (196 kcal, 9g protein, 23g carbs, 7g fat, 7g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl (592 kcal, 30g protein, 92g carbs, 12g fat, 17g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto (607 kcal, 27g protein, 104g carbs, 8g fat, 10g fibre per person)
- Snack: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls (407 kcal, 14g protein, 48g carbs, 18g fat, 8g fibre per person)
Thursday
1800 kcal - 91g protein, 241g carbs, 55g fat, 38g fibre- Breakfast: Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds (188 kcal, 9g protein, 23g carbs, 7g fat, 6g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl (569 kcal, 29g protein, 89g carbs, 12g fat, 16g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Teriyaki Tofu with Brown Rice and Broccoli (654 kcal, 40g protein, 83g carbs, 19g fat, 9g fibre per person)
- Snack: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls (389 kcal, 13g protein, 46g carbs, 17g fat, 7g fibre per person)
Friday
1802 kcal - 80g protein, 267g carbs, 45g fat, 42g fibre- Breakfast: Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds (196 kcal, 9g protein, 23g carbs, 7g fat, 7g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Green Lentil and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl (592 kcal, 30g protein, 92g carbs, 12g fat, 17g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto (607 kcal, 27g protein, 104g carbs, 8g fat, 10g fibre per person)
- Snack: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls (407 kcal, 14g protein, 48g carbs, 18g fat, 8g fibre per person)
Saturday
1804 kcal - 81g protein, 264g carbs, 42g fat, 42g fibre- Breakfast: Chia and Oat Overnight Pot with Berries (391 kcal, 12g protein, 58g carbs, 10g fat, 12g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Lentil and Roasted Vegetable Soup (493 kcal, 30g protein, 82g carbs, 3g fat, 18g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Egg Fried Brown Rice with Frozen Vegetables (665 kcal, 33g protein, 81g carbs, 21g fat, 8g fibre per person)
- Snack: Banana and Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes (255 kcal, 6g protein, 43g carbs, 8g fat, 4g fibre per person)
Sunday
1820 kcal - 90g protein, 302g carbs, 22g fat, 63g fibre- Breakfast: Chia and Oat Overnight Pot with Berries (370 kcal, 11g protein, 55g carbs, 9g fat, 11g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Lentil and Roasted Vegetable Soup (474 kcal, 29g protein, 79g carbs, 3g fat, 17g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Three-Bean Vegetable Chilli with Brown Rice (794 kcal, 37g protein, 145g carbs, 6g fat, 34g fibre per person)
- Snack: Rice Cakes with Cottage Cheese (182 kcal, 13g protein, 23g carbs, 4g fat, 1g fibre per person)
Weekly shopping list
Protein
- Green lentils 625g
- Firm tofu 350g
- Eggs 3
Carbs & Grains
- Brown rice 600g
- Rolled oats 330g
- Rice 5 cakes
Vegetables
- Sweet potato 900g
- Baby spinach 270g
- Mushrooms 550g
- peas 270g
- Onion 6
- Broccoli 350g
- Spring onion 6
- Courgette 2
- Red pepper 3
- mixed veg 190g
- Tinned tomatoes 1 x 400g tin (350g required)
Dairy & Eggs
- Plain kefir 900ml
- Parmesan 55g
- Oat milk 1 x 1L carton (360ml required)
- Cottage cheese 90g
Fruit
- mixed berries 600g
- Banana 1
Herbs & Spices
- Cumin 2.5 tbsp
- Garlic 6 cloves
- Chilli powder 1 tsp
Condiments & Oils
- Honey 6 tbsp
- Tahini 90g
- Vegetable stock 6 cubes (makes 3L; 2503ml required)
- Peanut butter 150g
- Teriyaki sauce 70g
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
Tins & Jars
- Mixed beans 350g
Extras
- Chia seeds 110g
- Lemon juice, optional to taste x5
- Sesame seeds 1.75 tsp
- Maple syrup 2 tsp
Shopping This Plan At Lidl
The other major discounter, closely matched with Aldi on basket price and similarly limited in range.
Value rangeSimply / own-brand core range
Loyalty pricingLidl Plus (app coupons and spend rewards)
What Lidl is good for here
- Strong bakery and fresh produce for the price point.
- Vemondo plant-based range makes vegan and vegetarian weeks cheaper than at most mainstream stores.
Worth knowing before you shop
- Middle-aisle stock is not reliable for weekly planning — treat it as a bonus, not a staple.
- Store-to-store availability varies more than at the big four.
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 Lidl's Simply / own-brand core range 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 cheap student plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Lidl and typically costs £20–30 per week for one person, depending on what you already have at home. Lidl Plus (app coupons and spend rewards) can reduce this further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
This plan averages 85g 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 cheap student plan?
Plenty of cheap student 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 cheap student 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 Lidl 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 Lidl.
Feedback
Seen something off with this plan? Send a quick note and we will review it.
MealPrep+ · Coming soon
Get next week's personalised plan automatically.
MealPrep+ is a planned low-cost service that would send a fresh weekly meal plan and shopping list built around your supermarket, budget, calories and protein target. Join the waitlist to tell us this saved effort would be useful.