Which Supermarket has the Most Affordable yet Delicious Meal Deals? A Guide to Cheap Eating Out in London

By Najma Mohamed

For students living and studying in London, finding an affordable and filling lunch is an everyday challenge. With increasing food prices and a busy study regime, the humble supermarket meal deal has become a lifeline staple—offering a quick, convenient, and relatively inexpensive meal for the hard-pressed.

But with over one shop competing for the students' money, the question is: Whose supermarket meal deal is best? We examined the UK's largest meal deals and subjected them to analysis based on four key considerations: value for money, variety, portion size, and taste. The results could help you make a better—and tastier—choice next time you're rushing between classes.

The Criteria:

In order to guarantee an honest and balanced comparison, each of the supermarkets was measured using the following criteria:

Price – Is it within reach for the student average budget?

Variety – Are there adequate alternatives for special dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, and halal?

Portion Size – Does the meal give sufficient fuel for an average day?

Taste – Is the food palatable and appearance in quality?

1st Place: Tesco (£4.00 / £3.40 with Clubcard) – Best for Variety and Overall Value

Tesco's meal deal remains the best balanced and most complete of all the options. It consistently provides the optimum combination of choice, value, and quality.

Value for Money: At £3.40 with a Clubcard, Tesco's offering is one of the most affordable available, especially considering the inclusion of high-end treats and drinks (such as Starbucks ice coffee and Innocent smoothie).

Variety: Tesco has the highest in market variety of sandwiches, wraps, sushi, pasta pots, and salads. Its meal deal also has comprehensively well-rounded inclusion in the sense of catering to vegetarians, vegans, and halal.

Portion Size: Regular sandwiches are average, but pasta pots and sushi trays provide something more filling for those with larger appetites.

Taste: Mostly good. While some of the sandwiches tend to be dry, the range of flavours and alternatives makes up for it.

Best Combination: Tuna sweetcorn pasta, Snickers bar, and Diet Coke.

Final Rating: 9/10 – A well-balanced, student-friendly meal deal that's still hard to beat.

2nd Place: Sainsbury's (£3.75) – Highly Recommended for freshness and quality

Sainsbury's offers a slightly cheaper meal deal than Tesco (with no need to have a loyalty card) and often includes sandwich and wrap better freshness.

Value for Money: A bit cheaper than Tesco but not quite such variety and size in portions.

Variety: Reasonable choice overall, nice vegetarian and vegan options. Halal options less good.

Portion Size: Good, particularly the wraps and pasta salads.

Taste: Sainsbury's sandwiches consistently taste better than most of their competitors, yet some options tend to be patchy with their flavour.

Recommended Pick: Oasis Summer Fruits, Thai sweet chilli crisps, hoisin duck wrap.

Final Rating: 7.5/10 – Fresh-flavoured, reliable product that appeals tothose who need quality over quantity.

3rd Place: Morrisons (£3.50) – Robust Budget Option

For cost-conscious students, Morrisons offers the most affordable standard meal deal at some expense to taste and choice.

Value for Money: Good. At £3.50, it is ideal for students working on very tight budgets.

Variety: Reasonable but not as comprehensive as Tesco and Sainsbury's. Halal and diet-specific options are less readily available.

Portion Size: Pasta pots and sushi packs represent the best value; sandwiches are average-sized.

Taste: Generally fine, but not as tasty as competitors.

Top Pick: Chicken Caesar wrap, vegetable gyozas, Naked Super Smoothie.

Overall Rating: 7/10 – An excellent low-cost option with good quality and portion sizes.

4th Place: Boots (£4.00–£4.50) – Best for Health-Conscious Students

Boots is not a traditional lunchtime staple, but its health-conscious meal deal offers healthy options—at an inflated price.

Value for Money: More expensive than most, particularly for students living on the cheap.

Variety: Healthy eating focus, plenty of low-calorie and high-protein. Fewer halal-friendly alternatives.

Portion Size: Smaller than normal. Some items—e.g., salads or protein pots—may not be as satisfying.

Taste: Healthier option, but at times at the cost of taste and appearance.

Unique Combo: Houmous and falafel wrap, Graze protein snack, Innocent smoothie.

Final Rating: 6.5/10 – Health-conscious option for students, but not for all budgets or appetites.

5th Place: ASDA (Variable Pricing) – Most Unreliable Option

ASDA's "pick any three" offer can provide value, but unreliability in pricing and availability keeps it at the bottom of the list.

Value for Money: Potentially good, but variable on what is chosen. No guaranteed deal price.

Variety: Restricted. Vegetarian and vegan options are restricted, and halal options vary significantly store by store.

Portion Size: Some are generous, but others aren’t as generous . Inconsistency makes it hard to properly determine the portion sized..

Taste: Quality varies widely store by store and product by product.

Best Combo: Sweet chilli chicken wrap, Sensations crisps, Diet Coke.

Final Rating: 3.5/10 – A less consistent option that can work in some situations, but lets down too often.

Final Verdict: What's the best supermarket meal deal for students?

Best Overall: Tesco – Throws on the most well-rounded performance with good value, taste, and variety.

Best Budget Option: Morrisons – Best for students on a limited budget wanting the best out of every pound.

Best for Freshness: Sainsbury's – Slightly more mature option with better sandwich quality.

Best for Health-Conscious Options: Boots – More costly, but all about nutritional balance.

Least Reliable: ASDA – Unreliable quality and pricing make it hard to recommend.