Weekly Shopping Budget Estimator
Get a quick planning figure for a week of meal prep shopping at your supermarket, for one person or a household.
Weekly Shopping Budget Estimator
How the estimate is built
Each supermarket has a typical weekly meal prep basket for one person. The estimate scales that basket by the number of days you are shopping for, adds 14% if you choose a higher-protein shop, and adds 72% of the base for each additional person, because a household shares staples and rarely doubles its spend.
The single-person baskets range from about £34 at Aldi to about £57 at M&S.
What it does not do
This is a planning estimate, not live pricing. Real spend moves with offers, own-brand choices, what is already in the cupboard and portion sizes.
For a figure tied to actual meals, open a plan: each one lists its full shopping list and an estimated weekly cost built from ingredient prices. How those costs are produced is explained on the methodology page.
Worked example
- One person, seven days, higher-protein shop: about £39 at Aldi, £49 at Tesco and £63 at Waitrose.
- Two people at Tesco for a week, higher protein: about £84. The same single-person shop without the higher-protein uplift is about £43.
Common questions
Are these live supermarket prices?
No. They are planning estimates based on representative baskets. Check your own supermarket for current prices and offers.
How can I bring the weekly shop down?
Choose own-brand lines, build the week around cheaper proteins such as lentils, beans and tinned fish, and cook batches that share ingredients. The Protein Value Comparator shows the cost differences clearly.
Does meal prep actually save money?
Usually, because fewer ingredients are wasted and fewer meals are bought on the go. The saving depends on what you were spending before, so compare your own figures rather than relying on a general claim.
Related
General planning estimates only, not medical or dietary advice. Speak to a GP or registered dietitian about clinical needs.