Welcome to Week 2 of a budget eats meal plan! This week is full of straightforward, satisfying meals that maintain your price range in examine with out slicing corners on taste. We’re constructing on the pantry staples you’ve already stocked, so your grocery record focuses totally on contemporary and perishable components.
This plan is supposed to work along with your actual life. You don’t must observe it in a strict order or make each single recipe. Need to swap a meal out? Eat leftovers for an evening or two? Completely. Nothing breaks for those who don’t stick with it completely. You’ll be able to combine and match as wanted.
We’ve additionally bought a free customization software in beta. You’ll be able to alter serving sizes, swap out recipes, and generate a brand new procuring record primarily based in your adjustments. It’s nonetheless in testing, nevertheless it 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 bought you coated.
Make sure you try the total plan information, pantry staples, and menus for the opposite weeks. You’ll be able to at all times alter the plan to suit your preferences and substitute your favourite recipes.
Fast Tip
Cabbage is one in all our favourite budget-friendly buys. For us, the price was $0.96 per pound. Past that, it’s extraordinarily versatile, taking up 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 contemporary veggies, protein, and dairy. Since your pantry is already stocked, you received’t be re-buying staples like spices, flour, or oil.
You’ll discover loads of methods to repurpose components 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 record.
Receipt
Whole Spent: $130.25
Whole Servings: 44
Common Price Per Serving: $2.96
This week stays proper on course with inexpensive, family-friendly dinners. As at all times, costs replicate a typical grocery retailer journey—no sale looking or bulk shopping for required. Your totals might range barely relying in your location, however this could maintain you shut.
Finances Saver
Shopping for in bulk isn’t required, however there are methods to stretch components 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 typically 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 really see what a portion seems like, so we laid all of it out.
There’s additionally a fast video walkthrough that reveals the completed meals and provides you a greater thought 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 an alternative. Our selfmade meat sauce combines easy pantry components, and it’s one of many best dinners you can also make. Serve with a facet 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 inexpensive components to maintain your price range in examine.
Tuesday
A taco salad that’s vivid and contemporary, and comes collectively in simply half-hour! That is a kind of salads that’s straightforward to make forward, too. Simply prep the veggies and toss collectively, throw it within the fridge, and cook dinner your rooster earlier than serving.
Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
We’ve taken a basic taco salad and made a lighter model with a fast and straightforward cilantro-lime French dressing.
Wednesday
This straightforward sheet pan meal is an inexpensive and engaging option to make a fast meal that isn’t the identical outdated rooster 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 among the most inexpensive greens you should buy. In case 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 prefer to serve it over mashed potatoes.
Easy Fried Cabbage
This caramelized fried cabbage is scrumptious and tremendous straightforward to make with a number of components. It comes collectively in lower than half-hour!
Friday
These baked nuggets are a better-for-you choice that received’t break the financial institution. Made with actual, white rooster breast meat, a flavorful spice mix, and our secret ingredient: parmesan cheese. We prefer to make it a meal with mac and cheese (beneath) and a facet of frozen veggies or peas.
The Best Baked Chicken Nuggets
These nuggets are made with actual rooster breast meat and baked, so that you don’t get all of that extra oil—they are surely the perfect ever!
It solely takes quarter-hour to make this deliciously creamy mac and cheese. This course of is so easy, you received’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 straightforward 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 certain 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 straightforward to make forward, and also you’ll need this cilantro ranch on every part!
Sunday
Dissipate that floor beef with this straightforward taco casserole! Floor beef is a superb protein you can gown up along 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 cook dinner seven nights every week. Skip a recipe, stretch leftovers, or repeat a household favourite. It received’t throw something off.
If you wish to tweak issues, our customization tool in beta is right here to assist. It permits you to alter servings, swap recipes, and get an up to date procuring record in just some clicks. Nonetheless in beta, however prepared to make use of.
Finances Ideas & Notes
Cabbage: One head of inexperienced cabbage goes a good distance. Use the leftovers in salads, stir fry, and even soups.
Rotisserie Rooster: An important 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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