Welcome to Week 2 of a budget eats meal plan! This week is filled with simple, satisfying meals that maintain your finances in verify with out slicing corners on taste. We’re constructing on the pantry staples you’ve already stocked, so your grocery listing focuses totally on recent and perishable elements.
This plan is supposed to work together with your actual life. You don’t need to comply with it in a strict order or make each single recipe. Wish to swap a meal out? Eat leftovers for an evening or two? Completely. Nothing breaks for those who don’t follow it completely. You may combine and match as wanted.
We’ve additionally obtained a free customization software in beta. You may regulate serving sizes, change out recipes, and generate a brand new buying listing primarily based in your modifications. It’s nonetheless in testing, but it surely works.
And don’t neglect: each recipe has a video tutorial on our web site to stroll you thru every step. Whether or not you’re new to cooking or simply wish to see what to anticipate, we’ve obtained you lined.
Be sure you try the total plan information, pantry staples, and menus for the opposite weeks. You may at all times regulate the plan to suit your preferences and substitute your favourite recipes.
Fast Tip
Cabbage is one in every of our favourite budget-friendly buys. For us, the fee was $0.96 per pound. Past that, it’s extraordinarily versatile, taking over the flavour of whichever seasonings you select (for our recipe, bacon and brown sugar). It’s additionally tremendous filling and good for you, too!
Grocery Haul
This week’s haul leans closely into recent veggies, protein, and dairy. Since your pantry is already stocked, you gained’t be re-buying staples like spices, flour, or oil.
You’ll discover loads of methods to repurpose elements throughout meals—like shredded lettuce and cheese for a number of recipes—to cut back waste and maintain your grocery invoice low.
Obtain the Week 2 Shopping List PDF for a simple, grab-and-go model of the listing.
Receipt
Whole Spent: $130.25
Whole Servings: 44
Common Value Per Serving: $2.96
This week stays proper heading in the right direction with reasonably priced, family-friendly dinners. As at all times, costs replicate a typical grocery retailer journey—no sale searching or bulk shopping for required. Your totals might range barely relying in your location, however this could maintain you shut.
Price range Saver
Shopping for in bulk isn’t required, however there are methods to stretch elements to maintain prices down:
If rotisserie chickens are nonetheless on sale, seize one and use the meat for the taco salad or pasta salad to save lots of money and time.
In case your retailer sells sausage hyperlinks in bigger packs, freeze the extras for later weeks.
Purchase a block of cheese and shred it your self—it’s usually cheaper and lasts longer.
The Recipes
Proper above, you’ll see a snapshot of all seven dinners with a visible information to serving sizes. We all know it helps to truly see what a portion appears like, so we laid all of it out.
There’s additionally a fast video walkthrough that exhibits the completed meals and provides you a greater concept of what to anticipate all through the week.
Now let’s take a look at every dinner:
Monday
We love a one-pot meal! Neglect the jarred pasta sauce, and make this as a substitute. Our do-it-yourself meat sauce combines easy pantry elements, and it’s one of many best dinners you may make. Serve with a aspect of roasted broccoli to maintain issues easy.
One Pot Spaghetti
One-Pot Spaghetti that tastes prefer it simmered all day. Fast, scrumptious, and made with reasonably priced elements to maintain your finances in verify.
Tuesday
A taco salad that’s vivid and recent, and comes collectively in simply half-hour! That is a type of salads that’s simple to make forward, too. Simply prep the veggies and toss collectively, throw it within the fridge, and prepare dinner your hen earlier than serving.
Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
We’ve taken a traditional taco salad and made a lighter model with a fast and straightforward cilantro-lime French dressing.
Wednesday
This simple sheet pan meal is an reasonably priced and attractive solution to make a fast meal that isn’t the identical previous hen dinner. Plus, it’s loaded with scrumptious, roasted veggies. No have to make any sides—it is a entire meal by itself.
Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
Our sheet pan sausage and veggie recipe has all of the smoky flavors with a easy seasoning combine and minimal prep for a simple one-pan meal.
Thursday
Cabbage is likely one of the most reasonably priced greens you should purchase. Should you don’t love cabbage, this recipe will make you a believer! Bacon and brown sugar add taste and caramelization, making it a dish even your children will love. To spherical out your meal, we wish to serve it over mashed potatoes.
Easy Fried Cabbage
This caramelized fried cabbage is scrumptious and tremendous simple to make with a couple of elements. It comes collectively in lower than half-hour!
Friday
These baked nuggets are a better-for-you possibility that gained’t break the financial institution. Made with actual, white hen breast meat, a flavorful spice mix, and our secret ingredient: parmesan cheese. We wish to make it a meal with mac and cheese (under) and a aspect of frozen veggies or peas.
The Best Baked Chicken Nuggets
These nuggets are made with actual hen breast meat and baked, so that you don’t get all of that extra oil—they are surely the most effective ever!
It solely takes quarter-hour to make this deliciously creamy mac and cheese. This course of is so easy, you gained’t wish to return to the boxed stuff.
Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Skip the field and make the good things! This Mac and Cheese is simple to make on the stovetop and it’s prepared in simply quarter-hour.
Saturday
Pasta salads are simply too handy. Throw it collectively, throw it within the fridge, and you’ve got a meal prepared everytime you want it. Simply make sure that to retailer your bacon individually so it doesn’t get soggy.
Cilantro Ranch Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is mild, flavorful, and completely scrumptious. It’s simple to make forward, and also you’ll need this cilantro ranch on every part!
Sunday
Burn up that floor beef with this simple taco casserole! Floor beef is a superb protein that you would be able to costume up together with your favourite spices. We made our personal taco seasoning mix, which is each scrumptious and cost-effective.
Tasty Taco Casserole
Tasty Taco Casseroles take all your favourite taco flavors and places them into a simple to make casserole!
Make It Work for You
Life occurs, and this plan makes room for it. You don’t have to prepare dinner seven nights per week. Skip a recipe, stretch leftovers, or repeat a household favourite. It gained’t throw something off.
If you wish to tweak issues, our customization tool in beta is right here to assist. It allows you to regulate servings, swap recipes, and get an up to date buying listing in only a few clicks. Nonetheless in beta, however prepared to make use of.
Price range Suggestions & Notes
Cabbage: One head of inexperienced cabbage goes a good distance. Use the leftovers in salads, stir fry, and even soups.
Rotisserie Rooster: An excellent shortcut for the taco salad and pasta salad. Use leftovers throughout two meals.
Sausage: Purchase in bulk or from the meat counter to match the quantity you want. Freeze extras for later.
Cheese: Blocks are normally cheaper than pre-shredded, and so they soften higher too.
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