Category: Meals Under £1

  • Healthy Budget Breakfast: Fruity Oats Recipe

    Healthy Budget Breakfast: Fruity Oats Recipe

    A small foil tray containing warm budget breakfast, fruity porridge made from oats and summer berries, with a blue spoon resting inside.
    Warm and fruity oats with berries, a comforting breakfast perfect for cooler mornings.

    There’s something comforting about the simplicity of oats and berries on a cool morning warm, sweet, and full of colour. This quick recipe costs less than £1 and can be made in a small foil tray or oven-safe dish perfect for one or two servings.

    Ingredients

    Water

    1 handful oats

    1 small bag summer fruits (fresh or frozen)

    Method

    Place all ingredients into your container or foil tray.

    Mix well to combine.

    Cook for 15 minutes until the fruit softens and the oats thicken.

    Serve warm, or let it cool for a chilled, fruity porridge. Add a drizzle of honey or a spoon of custard for extra sweetness.

    Health Benefits

    Oats help regulate blood sugar and keep you full longer.

    Berries are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fibre.

    Water keeps it light and easy to digest no milk needed.

    A simple breakfast that tastes like summer and keeps you going through the colder days.

  • Solaris Kitchen: Rustic Berry & Apple Oat Bake with Custard

    Solaris Kitchen: Rustic Berry & Apple Oat Bake with Custard

    A small foil dish containing a creamy mixture of baked apples, blueberries, and raspberries, topped with custard and oats, with a blue spoon resting in it.
    Warm apple and berry dessert with custard, perfect for cozy mornings.

    The mornings have turned cool again the kind that make you crave something warm and gentle before the day begins. I had just one apple left, a few frozen berries, a scoop of oats, and a little custard in the fridge. It wasn’t much, but it became something lovely.

    As it baked, the scent of apples and berries filled the kitchen tart, sweet, and homely all at once. The custard thickened around the oats, turning everything creamy and golden at the edges. It’s one of those quiet recipes that reminds you comfort doesn’t need to be complicated.

    Perfect for slow mornings, or as a simple dessert after a long day kind on the budget, kind on the stomach, and kind on the soul.

    Ingredients:

    1 small apple, sliced

    Handful of blueberries

    Handful of raspberries

    3 tbsp oats

    2–3 tbsp custard (no-added-sugar if preferred)

    A splash of water or milk

    Method

    Combine the fruit and oats in a small ovenproof dish or foil tray.

    Add a little water or milk to soften, then stir in the custard.

    Bake or microwave until the fruit breaks down and the oats are thick and creamy.

    Serve warm comfort in its simplest form.

    Nutritional & Diabetic Note


    This dish is naturally sweetened by the fruit, and using no-added-sugar custard keeps the sugars low. Oats provide slow-release energy to help balance blood sugar levels. Ideal for anyone wanting a gentle, satisfying start to the day or a lighter pudding in the evening.

    Further Reading

    Easy Warm Fruit & Custard Recipe Under £1

    Explore Healthy Recipes at Solaris Kitchen

  • Easy Warm Fruit & Custard Recipe Under £1

    Easy Warm Fruit & Custard Recipe Under £1

    Cost per serving: £0.87
    Cooking time: 10–15 minutes
    Appliances: Air fryer or oven
    Dietary: Diabetic-friendly, low waste, simple ingredients

    A Comfort Breakfast with Ancient Roots

    Breakfast doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.


    This warm fruit and custard bowl costs less than £1 per serving. It takes just minutes to make, and blends ancient orchard ingredients with a little modern creativity.

    It’s sweet, creamy, and comforting, yet naturally light . A perfect start for cold mornings or when you want warmth without heavy sugar.

    Ingredients (Serves 1)

    6 blueberries

    8 raspberries

    1 small apple, chopped (skin on for fibre)

    100ml light or low-sugar custard

    Method

    Prepare the fruit:
    Add the chopped apple, blueberries, and raspberries to a small silver foil tray.
    You can lightly spray with low-fat cooking oil if you want extra shine, but it’s not essential.

    Cook the fruit.
    Place the tray in the air fryer at 180°C (or oven at 190°C) for 5 minutes. until the berries start to soften and release their juice.

    Add the custard:
    Pour the custard over the warm fruit. Return the tray to the air fryer for another 8 minutes. until the custard thickens and bubbles lightly at the edges.

    Stir and serve.
    Once cooked, gently mix the fruit and custard together. The berries will swirl through the cream, creating a rich marbled colour. Serve warm straight from the tray or pour into a small bowl.

    Taste & Texture

    The heat caramelises the fruit slightly, giving it a deep jammy sweetness that balances the creamy custard.


    The apple stays firm, adding texture, while the berries burst with colour. Purple, red, and gold — like something from an autumn feast.

    History Note.. Apples Through the Ages

    Apples have grown in Britain since the Neolithic era, though early types were wild crab apples tart and small.


    The Romans later introduced sweeter varieties, and by the Anglo-Saxon period, orchard apples were common across Mercia and Wessex.


    Stewed apples and berries were eaten with grains, honey, or curds. Simple meals that warmed the body before work in the fields.


    This modern take, baked with custard, keeps that same comfort alive 1,500 years later.

    💷 Under £1 Breakdown (approx.):

    1 apple – 25p

    6 blueberries – 15p

    8 raspberries – 20p

    100ml light custard – 27p

    Total: £0.87 per portion

    💡 Storage Tip:

    Cool leftovers and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Eat cold or reheat gently.

    Health Benefits of Warm Fruit & Custard

    This simple £1 breakfast looks indulgent., But it’s full of natural goodness and balance ideal for steady energy and gentle digestion.

    Apple – Fibre & Heart Health High in soluble fibre (pectin) which helps stabilise blood sugar and support digestion. Has antioxidants that reduce cholesterol and inflammation.

    The natural sweetness means you don’t need extra sugar.

    Blueberries – Brain & Blood Sugar SupportRich in anthocyanins, the deep-blue plant compounds that improve blood flow and memory.

    Shown in studies to help balance blood glucose levels especially helpful for type 2 diabetes.

    Low-calorie but nutrient-dense: vitamin C, K, and manganese.

    Raspberries – Fibre & Gut

    Health One of the highest-fibre fruits keeps you full and aids digestion. Has natural anti-inflammatory compounds and vitamin C.

    Their low glycaemic index makes them a smart fruit choice for diabetics.

    Light Custard – Protein & Comfort.

    Provides a small amount of protein and calcium for bone strength.When made with low-fat milk and reduced sugar, it adds creaminess without spiking blood sugar.The warmth helps soothe digestion, especially in colder weather.In balance:

    Natural fruit sugars are moderated by the fibre and protein from the custard.

    Quick, filling, and kind to the stomach ideal for slow mornings or a light recovery meal.

    Every ingredient is budget-friendly and rooted in traditional British produce.

    Further Recipes :

    Explore Healthy Recipes at Solaris Kitchen

  • Easy Air Fryer Meal: Hearty Gluten-Free Bowl Under £1

    Easy Air Fryer Meal: Hearty Gluten-Free Bowl Under £1

    A blue plate with gluten-free pasta, baked beans, sausage slices, and a sprinkle of cheese, accompanied by blue cutlery.
    A hearty Comfort Hearth Bowl featuring gluten-free sausages, pasta shapes, and baked beans, topped with a sprinkle of cheese.

    Diabetic-Friendly & Gluten-Free (Under £1)By E. L. Hewitt

    Some evenings call for warmth and simplicity something easy, steady, and kind to the body.


    This Comfort Hearth Bowl uses sausages, pasta shapes, and baked beans. Finished with a little cheese, and made entirely in the air fryer.

    Gluten-free. Diabetic-friendly.
    Affordable. Real. Homely.

    Ingredients (Serves 1–2)

    3 gluten-free sausages

    1 cup gluten-free pasta shapes

    ½ tin no-added-sugar baked beans

    A sprinkle of cheese (optional, to finish)

    Cost Breakdown


    Gluten-free sausages 3 £0.60
    GF pasta shapes 1 cup £0.20
    No-added-sugar baked beans ½ tin £0.25
    Cheese small handful £0.10

    Total: ~£1.15
    Cost per bowl: ~£0.60

    Comfort that doesn’t ask much but gives a lot.

    Air Fryer Method

    Cook sausages in the air fryer at 200°C for 10–12 minutes.

    While they cook, boil gluten-free pasta until soft (GF pasta cooks fast).

    Warm baked beans.

    Slice sausages and stir together:

    Pasta

    Sausages

    Beans

    Optional: Transfer to a heat-safe bowl and air fry for another 3–4 minutes to melt the cheese over the top.

    Simple. Filling. No stress.

    Why This Is Diabetic-Friendly

    Protein + fat from sausages slows blood sugar rise

    Beans offer fibre + steady release

    Choosing no-added-sugar beans keeps it balanced

    Small pasta piece = gentle carb load

    This is slow energy, not a blood spike.

    Why It’s Gluten-Free

    Using:

    Gluten-free sausages

    Gluten-free pasta shapes

    makes this naturally gluten-free without changing taste, comfort, or cost.

    Serving Suggestion.

    Best enjoyed:

    Wrapped in a blanket

    Watching the evening settle

    Knowing you fed yourself with kindness today.

    Author Note

    Ancient meals didn’t have to be complicated.

    They only had to warm you.

    A simple gluten-free, diabetic-friendly comfort bowl cooked in the air fryer warm, filling, and under £1.

    If you don’t need Gluten Free then change the sausages for normal sausages of your choice.

    For more Recipes see: Explore Healthy Recipes at Solaris Kitchen