Top 10 budget back to school dinner ideas

Make those busy weeknights a little easier with these budget-friendly back to school dinner ideas, from cosy traybakes to simple pasta ideas.

Food Editor

Emily Lambe

Return to routine at the beginning of the school year with a meal plan of budget recipes under your belt. At M&S, we understand the importance of finding Ways to Save while never compromising on quality, so our Remarksable Value range to Bigger Pack, Better Value ranges are here to help. Find new ways to use these staple ingredients in our family-friendly recipes from oozy pasta bakes to hearty traybakes.

Budget recipes

Back to school dinner ideas

Whether you’re finding new ways to use a pack of mince or making tinned tuna go further, we have plenty of clever ideas to use thrifty ingredients and make that busy back-to-school period a little easier (and tastier).

1. Easy beef chilli taco cups

A jar of our gently spiced Chilli con Carne Sauce brings a pack of minced beef to life with these chilli taco cups. Stuff our Nacho Spice Tortilla Wraps, seasoned with dried peppers and herbs, into muffin tins and bake until crispy. Fill generously with warming chilli and top with shredded cheese, fresh lettuce and juicy tomato.

Taco cups recipe

2. The best tomato pasta sauce

Whip up a batch of homemade tomato sauce to keep in the freezer – with the bulk of the prep work done, dinner will come together in no time. As versatile as it is delicious, use this tomato sauce to make pizza, lasagne, bolognese and more. Our Italian Chopped Tomatoes, from the sun-drenched fields of Foggia in Italy, take centre stage.

Pasta sauce recipe

3. Sausage and broccoli pizzas

Skip the kneading with our ready-to-roll Pizza Dough, made with sourdough and a splash of extra virgin olive oil for an airy, chewy texture. Top with a smooth tomato sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and outdoor-bred pork sausages in this crowd-pleasing midweek meal.

Pizza recipe

4. Meatballs and patatas bravas traybake

Top golden-brown, crispy roast potatoes with saucy meatballs, infused with Spanish flavours. Bake a pack of British Aberdeen Angus Meatballs, made from 100% traceable beef, with chopped tomatoes and a few tablespoons of our Smokehouse Tomato Sauce, with oak-smoked tomato purée.

Meatball traybake recipe

5. Tomato, rice, olive and butterbean traybake

Make the most of thrifty storecupboard ingredients in this easy veggie traybake. Fluffy basmati rice is loaded with chunky onions, peppers, butter beans, and olives in a rich tomato sauce. Top with a drizzle of our zingy chimichurri.

Butterbean traybake recipe

6. French-fry-topped cowboy pie

What could be better than a comforting traybake topped with crispy French fries? This family-friendly traybake recipe is filled with tender pork sausages and baked beans in a smoky barbecue sauce and a cheesy chip topping.

Cowboy pie recipe

7. Red pepper tortilla with chilli pesto aioli

A Spanish-inspired tortilla is a great budget-friendly way to use a carton of eggs. The best part? You only need four ingredients – onions, red peppers, potatoes, and our British Free Range Eggs from M&S Select Farms. Serve with a dollop of creamy aioli, peppery rocket, and fiery Chilli Pesto.

Tortilla recipe

8. Veggie aubergine parmigiana

Cheesy, oozy, and bubbling, this veggie-friendly dish is the ultimate comfort food. Simmer green lentils in our handy frozen Italian Style Tomato Sauce and vegetable stock, then layer with aubergine slices, and grated mature cheddar cheese. Bake until golden brown and serve with crusty bread.

Aubergine parmigiana recipe

9. Cheesy ham and pea pasta bake

Get dinner on the table for hungry little ones in 30 minutes with this easy pasta bake – it's a crafty way to use frozen peas. They're combined with fusilli pasta, extra mature cheddar cheese, and shredded Wiltshire Cured Ham sourced from outdoor-bred British pigs. We’ve taken the hard work out of making the creamy sauce with a jar of our pre-prepared Classic Bechamel Everything Sauce.

Pasta bake recipe

10. Baked bean shakshuka

Make breakfast for dinner with our aromatic baked bean shakshuka. A couple of teaspoons of Rose Harissa Paste adds a spicy kick to a tin of bakes beans. Mix with sliced veggies, top with your eggs and simmer until cooked to your liking. Serve with cooling yogurt and warm, toasted pittas.

Shakshuka recipe

Weeknight budget hacks

Those hectic school nights can be made a little easier with some clever, wallet-friendly ideas.

Meal prep – Plan out your meals for the week and batch cook to save time and money. You can save by investing in larger packs and stretching them to go further.
Fill your freezer – Instead of tossing leftovers, stash them in the freezer to use later. You can hang onto extra bread, leftover sauces, and more.
Break out the slow cooker – Celebrate cheaper cuts of meat by cooking them low and slow. Using a slow cooker gives them time to break down and release delicious juices.

More budget ideas

Published 8.15.2025