Top tips for planning better meals from Bored of Lunch author...plus 3 recipes 

If saving money and eating better are top of your to-do list for 2026, Nathan Anthony has you covered. The Northern Irish recipe writer and social media sensation is back with a new book, Bored Of Lunch: Meal Planner.

Inspired by Nadia Hussain, Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, and Donal Skehan, Anthony grew up around “some amazing home cooks”, including his granny and auntie, who was a chef in New York.

After “falling in love” with the air fryer and slow cooker at university, he started his Bored Of Lunch account during lockdown and has gone on to amass 2.7 million Instagram followers and six-times Sunday Times best selling cookbooks.

His latest is designed to help you organise your life, your menu and your bank balance.

“A lot of people are finding the pinch at the moment with the cost of living crisis. Ingredients in Northern Ireland, the cost of them is absolutely insane at the minute,” says Anthony.

His meal planner will, he hopes, give “people control over their weekly spend, in a journal format, where they can look at the recipes, they can write how much they’re spending, budget accordingly [and] plan their meals to save money”.

Here are his top tips for planning your way to better meals, and a healthier bank balance too...

Organising your food shop saves time and freezer space

“When you don’t plan your food shop, you come home, like, ‘I bought peas’; And there’s already peas in the freezer. [You think] ‘No, I have not been organised at all here’,” says Anthony, knowing exactly how it feels. “It really does make a difference when you spend five minutes planning your food.”

It’ll save you cash too

Even small amounts of forward planning can keep you on track. “If there’s five days and I’m organised for two or three, I’ve made some type of win that week,” says Anthony. “Whereas if I don’t make any plans, the week’s just a bit of a free for all, and you end up spending so much.”

Don’t shop when you’re hungry

“The worst thing to do is shopping when you’re hungry because you’ll add so many things you don’t need,” says Anthony, especially unhealthy foods. “You’re like, ‘Oh, look at those cookies, let’s get them’.”

Planning helps with variety

“Sitting down and saying, ‘Let’s do a spag bol on Monday, on Tuesday a vindaloo’, gives you so much variety. My mum probably won’t mind me saying this, but she made bolognese every week. ‘Thursday night, she’s gonna make a bolognese again!’” recalls Anthony. The book includes a 12-week meal planner though, and if you plan well, “your weeks should never look the same.”

Portion out servings

Only using three chicken breasts but bought four? Freeze the fourth. “I use resealable freezer bags you can put in the dishwasher [after use]. We’re big on recycling and not adding any waste, so adding your meat into little fridge and freezer bags is a massive, massive money saver.”

Be creative with batched meals

No-one wants the same meal every night. “I would make a bolognese and batch cook it in a way that the next day, I can turn it into chilli con carne, or maybe use it in sliders or fajitas.

“I try to use one dish, but give it a second life the next day to make it something a bit more special.”

Don’t bin leftovers

Even scraps can add zip to another meal. “Yesterday I made a turkey and ham pie, and I’ve used a bit of the turkey and ham for a risotto tonight,” says Anthony. “I just want to put in a bit of rice and a bit of lemon and make something different.”

Embrace the ‘rustle up’

“I love a rustle up,” says Anthony, a big Celebrity MasterChef fan who particularly enjoys the ‘Under the cloche’ mystery ingredient challenge. “You lift that dish and see what’s underneath it. You have a banana or a bit of salmon [to make something with]. I love a fridge raid; it’s how I get inspired to write new recipes.” He adds: “Ready Steady Cook was one of my favourite shows as a child. I used to watch it with my granny.”

Set yourself a food budget

It’s Anthony’s personal mission in 2026, to be “as strict as possible when it comes to planning and trying to stick to the food budget I set every month.” “Sometimes, you can say, ‘Oh, we’ll go out for one or two meals this month,’ but sometimes it ends up being maybe three or four.’” He’s hoping to reduce those unexpected, often expensive, dinners out.

Scrawl all over your cookbooks

“I love seeing when people tag me in recipes they’ve used where there’s sauce splattered all over the pages, there’s corners folded, it just shows a sign of love that the book is really being used,” says Anthony. “If it’s pristine on a shelf, not touched, it doesn’t have the same character.”

Consider your own preferences

You don’t have to see a recipe as a set of unbreakable rules. “The recipes are how I cook, they’re very much up to your interpretation,” says Anthony. “If you don’t want to use double cream, use creme fraiche or a bit of soft cheese.”

Don’t get too swept up in the ‘new year, new you mentality’

“It’s great to have new goals, but we should never beat ourselves up,” muses Anthony.

Bored Of Lunch: Meal Planner, by Nathan Anthony, is published by Ebury Press. Photography by Dan Jones.

Spicy Tuna Pitta

A recreation of a classic.

“After many trips to London and countless hours spent at the airport, I found myself relying on Joe & The Juice for a quick yet healthy bite to eat,” says food writer Nathan Anthony, of Bored Of Lunch fame.

“Their iconic Tunacado sandwich became a favourite of mine, so I’ve had to recreate it for when I crave this sandwich.”

Ingredients (makes 2)

• 300g tinned tuna, drained
• 80g light mayo
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1tbsp yellow mustard
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• 3 jalapenos, diced
• Dash of hot sauce
• 2 wholemeal pittas
• Salt and pepper, to taste

To serve:

• 4tsp green pesto
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• Fresh dill (optional)

Method

In a large bowl, combine the tuna, mayo, lemon juice, mustard, coriander, jalapenos, hot sauce, salt and pepper, giving it a good mix with a fork.

Cut the corners from your pitta to recreate the iconic Joe & The Juice Tunacado look and air-fry for five minutes at 200˚C.

Once cooked, slice the pitta in half and add one teaspoon of pesto to each side of the pitta. On one side add your tuna mixture, then top with tomato and avocado slices and some fresh dill, if you like.

Pop the other half of the pitta on top to make a sandwich, then wrap it in some greaseproof paper for the full effect.

Quick Beef Taco-Style Quesadillas

Go to town on the dips.

“I love to make these quick quesadillas. You can have a number of dips with them, from guacamole to soured cream,” says Nathan Anthony. “Serve with some nachos and you’re onto a winner. You can use taco seasoning from a packet here, or make your own.”

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 500g lean beef mince
• 30g taco seasoning (use a sachet or see below to make your own)
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• 4 medium flour tortillas
• 120g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, grated
• For the salsa:
• 60g cherry tomatoes, chopped
• Handful of fresh coriander
• Juice of 1 lime

To serve (optional)

• Guacamole
• Soured cream
• Taco seasoning (optional)
• 1tsp chilli powder
• 1tsp sweet paprika
• 1tsp garlic powder
• 1tsp onion powder
• 1/2tsp dried oregano
• 1/2tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

If you are making your own taco seasoning, combine all ingredients listed.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.

Add onion, then add the mince, taco seasoning and tomato puree. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked through.

While the meat cooks, prepare a quick salsa; mix the chopped tomatoes, coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Spread one half of each tortilla with the taco mince, cheese and salsa. Fold over to close.

Place quesadillas in the air fryer basket and cook at 180C for five minutes, or until golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another five minutes.

Serve with your favourite dips - I love guacamole and soured cream.

Creamy Peanut Lime Chicken Noodles

A quick meal that makes an ideal packed lunch.

“If this was served to me at lunch, I’d be a very happy man,” says Bored Of Lunch’s Nathan Anthony.

“This dish is a delightful twist on the classic chicken satay, offering the perfect balance of creamy and tangy flavours. If udon noodles aren’t your thing you can replace them with any other noodle you like.”

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 225g udon noodles
• 3tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 3tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2tbsp light soy sauce
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
• 1 pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1tsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste

To serve:

• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• Handful of peanuts, chopped
• Lime wedges

Method

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil over medium heat and cook the udon noodles until al dente, according to the packet instructions.

In medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, lime juice and some salt and pepper with a few tablespoons of water to adjust the consistency.

Add chicken strips, pepper and onion to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, garlic, ginger and some salt and pepper.

Remove tray from your air fryer basket, then pop chicken and vegetables into the air fryer and cook for 12-14 minutes at 190C. Once cooked, add the drained noodles and peanut sauce mixture to the basket and give it a good stir.

Divide noodle mixture into bowls or meal prep containers.

When ready to eat, top each bowl with coriander and chopped peanuts and serve with a wedge of lime.