How I Save £3,600 a Year with 2 Hours a Week

Last updated: 26th October 2025 | 7 minute read

For context: I’m feeding a family of four—two adults and two hungry girls (ages 7 and 9).

This is how I save £3,600 a year with 2 hours a Week.

I used to think I didn’t have time to meal prep. Then I did the math on what “not having time” was actually costing our family—and nearly fell off my chair.

£301.60 per month. £3,619.20 per year.

That’s what our “convenient” food chaos was draining from our bank account. And we’re not alone—the average UK family of four wastes between £280-360 monthly on unplanned food decisions. Today, I’m sharing the exact breakdown that convinced me to dedicate just 2 hours every Sunday to meal prep, and how it’s transformed both our finances and our family’s food security.

The Hidden Cost of Food Chaos (Family of Four)

Let me paint you a picture of our typical week before meal prepping:

Monday: Nothing planned for dinner. Ordered Chinese takeaway for the family. Cost: £35 (£8.75 per person, including kids’ portions).

Tuesday: Grabbed a meal deal at lunch (£4.50) and picked up ready meals on the way home (£12 for family portions—£3 per person).

Wednesday: Coffee and pastry -sausage rolls are my fave before work (£6.50). Lunch out with colleagues (£11). Another “quick” Tesco run for dinner ingredients—spent £28 on things we didn’t plan to buy.

Thursday: The girls needed packed lunches last minute—petrol station sandwiches and snacks (£8 for both). Too exhausted to cook. Pizza delivery: £24 (one large, one kids’ pizza with some sides).

Friday: Celebratory end-of-week takeaway because “we deserve it”: £40.

Total damage: £169 for our family of four in just five days.

But here’s what really stung: I was also throwing away £8-12 worth of spoiled produce weekly because I never had a plan for using it. Plus the guilt of feeding my girls processed food more often than I’d like to admit.

The 2-Hour Solution That Changes Everything

Here’s what my Sunday looks like now:

Hour 1: Prep proteins and grains

Season and bake 2kg of chicken thighs (the girls love these), I now use Nordic Ware Baker’s Half Sheet which have lasted ages and not warped.
Cook 750g brown rice in my rice cooker, a Zojirushi Rice Cooker is big enough for us.
Prepare 500g pasta for easy kid-friendly meals
Start slow cooker with week’s worth of mild pulled pork

Hour 2: Vegetables and assembly

Chop vegetables for the week (stored in glass containers) – the Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Storage Set is pricey, but worthwhile.
Pre-cut veggie sticks for school snacks
Portion out 5 breakfast parfaits (4 regular, 2 smaller for the girls)
Assemble 10 lunch bowls/boxes
Package everything with labels – such as these Removable Food Labels

That’s it. Two hours of focused work while the girls watch a film, and I have 80% of the week’s meals ready to grab and go.

The Real Numbers Don’t Lie

Here’s my current weekly food spending with meal prep:

Weekly shopping: £65-75 (includes all breakfast, lunch, dinner ingredients, and school snacks) Emergency purchases: £10-15 (milk, fresh fruit mid-week) Occasional treat meal: £20 (one planned takeaway—usually Friday pizza night)

New weekly total: £95-110 Previous weekly total: £280+ Weekly savings: £170-185

Annual savings: £8,840-9,620

Wait, the title says How I Save £3,600 a Year with 2 Hours a Week? That’s because I’m being realistic—you won’t prep every single week. Accounting for holidays, busy periods, and life happening, even prepping 40 weeks a year saves you £3,600 minimum.

The Compound Benefits

The financial savings are just the beginning. Here’s what else changed:

Time saved daily: 30-45 minutes not deciding what to eat or cooking from scratch Morning stress: Eliminated—packed lunches are already ready Reduced food waste: Down from £12 to £2 weekly Healthier kids: They’re eating real food consistently, fewer sugar crashes After-school hangry meltdowns: Almost extinct (snack boxes ready to go!) Emergency prepared: When lockdown hit, I already had some systems in place – while others panicked.

Your Quick-Start Calculator

Calculate your own potential savings:

Track every food pound for one week (be honest!)
Count your takeaways/delivery orders: _____ × £25 = £_____
Count coffee shop visits: _____ × £5 = £_____
Count lunch purchases: _____ × £8 = £_____
Count kids’ emergency snacks/meals: _____ × £5 = £_____
Count impulse grocery runs: _____ × £20 = £_____
Add weekly food waste: £_____

Your current weekly total: £_____

Now multiply by 40 weeks (realistic prep year): £_____

That’s your potential annual savings.

The Equipment That Pays for Itself

You don’t need much to start. My essential kit cost £89 total and paid for itself in two weeks:

Quality chef’s knife: £30-40 WÜSTHOF Classic Black 8″ Chef’s Knife
3 cutting boards: £20 Joseph Joseph Index Chopping Board Set
Glass storage containers: £25-30 GENICOOK Glass Meal Prep Containers
Kids’ lunch containers: £15 Bentgo Kids Lunch Boxes
Digital kitchen scale: £12 Salter Digital Kitchen Scale

Start This Sunday (Seriously, Why Wait?)

You don’t need to prep everything immediately. Start with just school lunches and breakfasts—that alone saves £50+ weekly and eliminates morning stress.

Here’s your Week 1 challenge:

Block out 2 hours this Sunday (during screen time!)
Prep one protein, one grain, and vegetables
Assemble 5 breakfasts and 5 school lunches
Track your savings for one week

The transformation isn’t just about money—it’s about taking control of a fundamental part of your family’s life. When you master your food, you’re teaching your children valuable life skills while building resilience for whatever comes next.

The bottom line: Those 2 hours on Sunday aren’t a chore. They’re an investment returning 400% annually, plus peaceful mornings that are priceless.

Ready to reclaim your food budget? Download my free Sunday Prep Checklist and join thousands of families who’ve already made the switch. Your future self (and bank account) will thank you.

What’s your biggest meal prep challenge with kids? Share in the comments below, and let’s problem-solve together.

Like this post, check out The 5 Meal Prep Mistakes That Are Actually Making You LESS Prepared for Emergencies

[Newsletter signup: Get occasional family-friendly prep plans and money-saving tips delivered to your inbox]

[Related: The Temperature Danger Zone: Why Your ‘Healthy’ Meal Prep Might Be Making You Sick]