Lidl Serves Up £1 ‘Planet Plate’ Recipes as Cost Blocks Healthier Choices

Lidl GB has joined forces with budget chef Miguel Barclay to launch seven £1 recipes designed to demonstrate that eating a more balanced and sustainable diet need not come with a higher grocery bill.

The new “Planet Plate” collection uses affordable ingredients available from Lidl stores and draws inspiration from the Planetary Health Diet, which was developed by scientists to support both human health and the environment.

The recipes encourage shoppers to make manageable changes rather than completely overhaul their diets. Suggestions include adding more vegetables, beans, pulses and lentils to familiar dishes, choosing a wholegrain food each day and incorporating more plant-based protein into everyday meals.

The initiative follows consumer research commissioned by Lidl GB, which found that 69% of respondents believed healthy eating was more expensive. Almost half — 48% — said they had chosen a less healthy option during the previous year because it cost less.

At the same time, 65% expressed concern about the potential effect of their diet on their long-term health, while 48% were worried about its environmental impact. Some 45% said cost made it more difficult to choose healthier and more sustainable food.

However, the findings suggest there is considerable appetite for change. Nearly two-thirds of respondents — 62% — said they would be willing to make small adjustments to their weekly shop if doing so reduced their environmental impact without increasing their grocery bill.

Miguel Barclay, creator of the One Pound Meals series, said he had always believed that “great food doesn’t have to come with a big price tag”.

He said the new recipes showed how affordable ingredients could be combined into balanced and flavoursome meals, with simple changes such as including additional vegetables and beans.

Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, said the research indicated that consumers wanted to make healthier and more sustainable choices but were frequently prevented from doing so by concerns about affordability.

Alongside the recipe launch, Lidl is introducing “Wellness Wednesdays” through its Lidl Plus app. Between 30 July and 2 September 2026, customers will receive 10% off a product from the supermarket’s Live Well range every Wednesday.

The range carries a marker intended to help shoppers identify products that can support human and planetary health. Lidl said the promotion would complement its existing discounts, Lidl Plus rewards and Pick of the Week savings on fresh fruit and vegetables.

The consumer research was conducted by Censuswide among 2,000 UK adults, excluding Northern Ireland, between 3 and 7 July 2026.