Recipe to help people in Dacorum save money and reduce waste with free meal planning service

The council has teamed up with award-winning meal planning platform FiveDinners, offering residents free access to its premium membership service which usually costs £86 a year.

The initiative forms part of the council’s wider cost of living support programme.

Founded by TV chef and author Theo Michaels, FiveDinners helps you plan meals, save money on food shopping and reduce food waste. The service creates personalised weekly meal plans based on your household and preferences.

People can choose plans to suit specific needs, including:

> budget-friendly meals

> family meals

> low-calorie meals

> menopause-friendly meals

And each week people will receive a personalised meal plan, easy-to-follow recipes and a shopping list to help save time and reduce food waste.

More than 30,000 people already use FiveDinners.

Cllr Adrian England, our Portfolio Holder for Place, said: “Supporting residents with the rising cost of living remains a priority for us. This partnership is a simple recipe for helping residents save money, reduce the stress of meal planning and make healthy eating more accessible. By providing free access to FiveDinners, we’re giving households practical support that can make a real difference every week, while helping them reduce food waste and stretch their budgets further.”

Founder Theo Michaels, added: “As a father of three and working full time I know how hard it can be for many families and individuals to figure out what to cook every night - it is a faff.”

“By working with Dacorum Borough Council, we’re making it easier for families to enjoy delicious, affordable, home-cooked meals together while helping them save money and cut food waste. And because the plans are personalised, residents set their preferences - number of people they are feeding, allergies and so on, and get a brand-new personalised meal plan with a complete shopping list every week.”

Sign up to the scheme here.