It’s the end of the week and you’re looking to celebrate with a delicious meal – but stop right there! Don’t fall into the usual traps like deep-fried takeaway or frozen meals – these are expensive, unhealthy and unsatisfying. Try these 2 hearty, nourishing meal ideas instead, each costs just $10 to whip up and they also happen to be packed with flavour. Who said healthy couldn’t be fun? We’re here to show you how.

With grocery prices up 10%, many of us are looking for ways to cut costs, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the little joys like an indulgent Friday-night dinner with the family. In fact, there are a few ways to slash your grocery prices whilst also serving up taste-explosions you won’t believe are sugar free. With the 8-Week Program’s extensive recipe collection and mapped-out meal plans, we’ve laid out the road map for countless tasty dishes on a budget. Let’s get into how to do it and how much a couple of hearty dinners will set you back.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

This rendition of an East-Asian classic is a veggie-packed affair that combines fragrant spices with refreshing coconut – the kids won’t believe the rice is made of cauliflower! If you’re on the fence about this tasty cruciferous veggie, this is the dish that will turn you. It’s not just good for your gut, it’s good for your wallet too – you’ll be surprised at how far you can stretch your dollar with this satisfying, flavoursome dinner. Find the full recipe HERE.

Ingredient budget breakdown:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil: A 300g container is $4.75, so a tablespoon is worth approx. $0.25
• 1 onion: 1 loose onion is $0.45
• 1 cauliflower: You can find a whole cauliflower for $3.00
• 1 carrot: A loose carrot comes to around $0.57
• 1 zucchini: A single zucchini (Imperfect Picks) comes to $1.05
• 2 garlic cloves: 1 garlic head is $1.45, so 3 cloves are around $0.29
• 1 tablespoon ginger: A 150-gram pack costs $7.90, so 1 tablespoon will be $0.79
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper: A 50-gram pack costs $2.00, so a pinch comes to $0.01 – yes, this one’s practically negligible!
• 1/2 lemon: A pack of 4 lemons is $2.30 (imperfect picks), so 2 are worth approx. $0.50
• 2 tablespoons tamari: A 250ml bottle costs $4.00, so 2 tablespoons comes to $0.48
• 2 tablespoons coconut cream: A 400ml tin costs $1.00, so 2 tablespoons comes to approx. $0.10
• 1/2 bunch coriander: A bunch costs $3.20 – you blame inflation for that! Half a bunch will set you back $1.60

Vegetarian Laksa

If you’re looking for a burst of flavour to liven up your Friday night, this is the dish for you. Loaded with crunchy snow peas, aromatic spices and the culinarily divisive coriander – feel free to leave it out if you’re in the “tastes like soap” category – this will be beloved by the whole family. In fact, you might even want to whip it up multiple times throughout the week. Find the full recipe HERE.

Ingredient budget breakdown:

• 200g dried rice noodles: A 200g pack costs $2.00
• ¼ cup laksa paste: 185g costs $4.00, so a ¼ cup will set you back around $0.70
• 400ml can of coconut milk: A can costs $0.95
• 1 ½ cup vegetable stock: A litre-pack costs $1.90, so 1 ½ cups will cost approx. $0.70
• 1 carrot: A loose carrot comes to around $0.57
• 50 g snow peas: A 250-gram pack can set you back around $5.90, so 50 grams will cost $1.18
• ½ punnet cherry tomatoes: A punnet goes for around $3.50, so ½ a punnet will set you back $1.25
• 1 head of broccoli: You can find 1 broccoli head for around $1.19
• ½ cup coriander leaves: A bunch costs $3.20 – a half cup should come to around $1.60

Total price: $10.14

Keen for more health and nutrition tips on a budget? We’re here to help. Join us for the 8-Week Program where we’ll be quitting sugar and turning our health dreams into a reality. When you sign up with us, you’ll have access to clear-cut meal plans, community support and exclusive access to our sugar-free content. Here’s what’s on offer:

1. 8 weeks of meal plans and shopping lists.
2. 90+ member-only recipes.
3. Community forums to share your journey.
4. Support and guidance from the I Quit Sugar team.
5. Exclusive content from our panel of experts.

So, if you’re ready to ditch sugar and the host of maladies that come with it, it’s not too late to JOIN NOW!