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The responses to this question were all thoughtful and some very very clearly well researched.
The question did evoke a different response from me. I feel that there are other considerations that are prompting this question, some of which may not be being asked. I have no idea of the situation of the person asking the question and I really hope I can stay clear of judgements or insinuations of that person or their situation.
What are these considerations that may prompt someone to be careful with their budget?
An exploration:
Energy.
What can be done about the rising energy costs?
Some of the recommendations mention cooking a big hearty meal and apportioning into set meals for freezing.
What about finding foods that can be eaten raw, remove the cooking cost altogether, as an example:
Cooked chickpeas in a tin cost ~2.40 per kg, whereas dried chickpeas cost ~1.75 per kilo.
Conventionally cooked hickpeas must be soaked overnight and then boiled or simmered for three hours.
Dry chickpeas are cheaper than cooked, tinned chickpeas, but once cooking times are taken into consideration, do they present better value?
Cooked, tinned chickpeas can rinsed in cold water and eaten as they are.
They are the main ingredient in Hummus, a blend of chickpeas, sesame seeds (tahini is ground sesame seeds, it resembles peanut butter), lemon juice and olive oil.
hold up, I can hear you say, Olive Oil, isn't that expensive?. Well, yes, but used sparingly it will last a long time and add flavour to whatever you use it in, all whilst adding healthy oils to your diet. Now that you are not cooking anymore, the energy savings can be used to benefit your diet.
Add them to a salad of green leaves, grated carrot, finely sliced onion and olive oil - good nutrition and calorie density, along with a fibre component that meets or exceeds the recommended 14g/1000kcal.
Shop at a budget supermarket and find the times that the fresh fruit and veg gets marked down, normally about 7pm. Lidl sometimes have selection boxes for a small amount. The produce is all close to its use by dates but, if consumed within a couple of days, will provide good nutrition at a low cost.
so, if a diet can maintained that is all raw, what use is their of a cooker? Well, I enjoy a good piece of meat every so often.
The rules I abide by: