Menu Plan

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Meal Plans – 4 Meals for Less than $40

Oct 29 by Paul Ivanovsky 1 Comment

Meal Plans are an important part of sticking to a grocery budget. This week we have 4 delicious and hearty meals you can make for your whole family for less than $40, complete with recipes, and a shopping list to make sticking to the grocery budget even easier!

Meal Plans – 4 Meals for Less than $40

French Toast Wrapped Sausage – $11.94

First up is breakfast for dinner with French Toast Wrapped Sausage. Our family loves breakfast food and will eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. These French Toast Wrapped Sausages are so delicious and filling! We pick up a value pack of sausage links, a loaf of bread, and some frozen hash brows and with what we usually have on hand, we have a quick and easy meal that is filling. They are pretty easy to eat on the run too for those nights that the kids are running in different directions. Who am I kidding, that’s every night!

Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Pasta – $8.07

Next up is a gluten free pasta dish that we can’t get enough of. You don’t have to use gluten free pasta as any pasta will do. This Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Pasta is full of flavor and sure to be a family favorite of yours too. Again, it’s quick to prepare and filling! It only takes a few ingredients to make a meal with pasta.

Pork Fajita Filo Lasagna – $10.34

Love pork? Love fajitas? Love lasagna? Who am I kidding, everyone does right? This Pork Fajita Filo Lasagna is a totally different take on lasagna but man is it delicious! It’s a hearty and flavorful casserole for when you’re wanting to change things up. You probably have rice in your pantry so you’ll only need to stock up on a few items to make this tasty dish.

Lemon Pepper Poached Chicken – $9.56

Last but not least on our Meal Plan of 4 Meals for Less than $40 is Lemon Pepper Poached Chicken. I’d never really poached chicken before but it is a quick and simple way to prepare chicken for a lot of people. Poaching it makes for a flavorful and juicy piece of chicken and you can use any cut of boneless skinless chicken. The bonus is that boneless skinless thighs and other cuts are much more affordable than breasts. Picky eaters won’t notice the difference in this meal though. It’s great served with rice and sauteed peppers, onions, zucchini, and summer squash.

Most of these recipes call for olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and other seasonings or staples you probably have on hand. You’ll want to double check the recipes for each to make sure you have everything you need. We’ve compiled a Shopping List of all the main ingredients for these 4 meals. The total for all the items on the Shopping List came in at just under $40 at my local Walmart. This Shopping List is also set up to save time. Most Walmart stores are set up with basically the same layout. I work my way from the back to the front, hit the check out, and am on my way home. The list is organized just that way, isle by isle so that I can get in and out with just what I need and not a cart full of stuff that was tempting!

Menu Plan – 7 Meals for Less than $70

Aug 25 by Paul Ivanovsky 44 Comments

It’s weekly Menu Plan time again and this week we have a full week’s worth of dinners for less than $70. If you missed them before, check out our ideas for 4 Meals for Less than $40 and 5 Meals for Less than $50! Once again, we have great recipes and a printable shopping list for you to make your weekly menu planning easier.

One night when we were talking about menu planning, the kids came up with the idea for putting a theme to our weekly meals. It goes something like this – Meatless Monday, Try Something New Tuesday, SandWich Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, Fish Friday, Taco Saturday, and Soup Sunday. We don’t always stick to this plan of course but it’s a fun idea to get you out of making the same meals week after week. So this week’s menu plan I’m sharing was designed with this theme.

Menu Plan – 7 Meals for Less than $70

Meatless Monday – Quinoa Chili $15.00

Not only is this a Meatless Monday recipe, it is a gluten free recipe too. This Quinoa Chili recipe is high in protein and is easy to make early in the day and have in the crock pot for when the busy family is able to grab a bowl. Monday’s can be so crazy with kicking off the week so this is a great meal for a Monday.

Try Something New Tuesday – Creamy Chicken Broccoli Curry $8.46

This idea came about because it is so easy to get into the habit of always eating the same thing over and over or cooking only our favorites. You never know if something new might become a favorite if you don’t give it a try. So this week, Try Something New Tuesday! The recipe for the Creamy Chicken Broccoli Curry comes from All You and since curry is something many people don’t cook with, give it a try. It’s also an extremely affordable meal!

SandWich Wednesday – Ham & Cheese Sliders $13.29

Sandwiches are a great meal for mid week. You’ve already tackled half of a hectic week and you’re really needing a simple meal for Wednesday evening. These sliders can be made ahead and popped in the oven when you’re ready to eat them. You can also make them ahead and freeze them!

Thrifty Thursday – Pork Carnitas $8.04

While all our meals are focused on being really affordable, this recipe from All You is a really thrifty meal at less than $1 per serving! It’s easy and delicious which we’re always looking for. Serve this with rice, lettuce, tomato, and any other favorite toppings!

Fish Friday – Broiled Tilapia Parmesan $7

To quote my wife “My little kids LOVE it. They will eat 2 tilapia fillets each. When we make it for the 8 of us we have to make 15 pieces. If you are looking for a fish recipe that EVERYONE will eat and enjoy, this is it! Try it! I promise you will like it, and if you don’t tell the kids it is fish they will love it also!”

Seriously, get the stuff and try this fish recipe for your Fish Friday!

Taco Saturday – Easy and Simple Seasoned Chicken Tacos $10.66

Tacos, fajitas, burritos…we never tire of any of them! This simple chicken taco recipe is great for Saturday. Put everything in the crock pot early Saturday morning and go about your day and when you’re all ready to grab dinner, it’s ready to go. You’re going to want to double the recipe though because you’ll want the left overs for Soup Sunday, trust me!

Soup Sunday – Chicken Tortilla Soup $7.35

See, I told you that you’d want the left over chicken taco meat for this recipe! You’re going to love it. Tiffany, who is a tortilla soup connoisseur will tell you, this might be the BEST tortilla soup she’s ever had. The recipe calls for canned chicken breast which will work great if all the taco meat was gobbled up the night before but the taco meat just makes it all the better (and left overs used up means a tighter budget!).

To get the full recipes for each of these great meals, just click the photos or the meal title. We’ve put together a convenient shopping list for you that includes all the main items but double check the recipes to make sure you have the spices and miscellaneous items on hand. Just right click on the shopping list below and select print and you’re ready to shop!

Menu Plan – 5 Meals for Less Than $50

Aug 22 by Paul Ivanovsky 45 Comments

The other week we gave you a Menu Plan for 4 Meals for Less Than $40 complete with recipes, shopping list and approximate pricing. This week we have 5 delicious recipes for you to prepare for your family for less than $50! This week’s menu if full of flavor that will fill your family’s bellies. We’re also making something new using up leftovers which is always great for stretching the grocery dollars. All the ideas you see here can feed a family of 5 dinner 5 nights for $50!

Menu Plan – 5 Meals for Less Than $50

Dairy Free Veggie Pizza $5

First up is a Dairy Free Veggie Pizza. Even if your family doesn’t suffer from dairy allergies or issues, it’s never a bad idea to cut out dairy once in a while (and since this week’s menu is pretty packed with cheese, this is probably a good idea). This veggie pizza won’t lack flavor even though it lacks cheese!

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese $9

So I mentioned the cheesey line up for this week’s menu, right? Next on the list is my wife’s AMAZING Macaroni and Cheese in the Crock Pot. I’m pretty sure macaroni and cheese just doesn’t get any better than this. You can serve with salad or hotdogs but honestly, we can make a meal out of just the mac n cheese. You’ll want to make an extra big batch of this when you see the next menu idea.

Grilled Mac and Cheese Sandwiches $5

What is better than my wife’s Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese? These Grilled Mac and Cheese Sandwiches just might be better. Use up those left overs and make these sandwiches for a totally different kind of grilled cheese. They are great served with tomato soup or fries or just by themselves.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich Texas Style $13

Here I go with the cheese again! Texas Style Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches are one of my favorites. These are easy to make and while they are a little more to make than some of our meal ideas, they’re still much less expensive to make at home than to order when out at your favorite steak house.

Southwest Stuffed Green Peppers $18

Last but certainly not least on the menu line up is Southwest Stuffed Green Peppers. With the meat, veggies, and rice all in one dish you’ll be satisfied with this as your main course. They are stuffed with great flavor!

Click the photos or the links to find the recipes for each of these great meal ideas. To make your life easier, we’ve made a shopping list for you that is ready to print and head to Walmart to grab what you need for these 5 meals! I’m assuming you have some of the staples on hand like milk, butter, rice and seasonings so double check the recipes against what’s already stocked in your pantry. Just right click the list to print!

Weekly Meal Plan for January 12th 2015

Jan 12 by Paul Ivanovsky Leave a Comment

What’s on your meal plan this week? If you haven’t planned out your menu, here are some great suggestions for affordable, delicious meals. Feed your family this line up for about $52!

Weekly Meal Plan for January 12th 2015

Meal 1 – Homemade Hot Pockets – Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

Kids love homemade hot pockets and we love that we can pronounce all the ingredients. You can also control sodium, fat, and calories. These are great frozen, thawed overnight, and then reheated the next day for lunch.

Meal 2 – Baked Potato Bar

A Baked Potato Bar is a huge hit around here! Potato bar’s are easy and cheap. We usually can find many toppings in the fridge and rarely have to pick anything up at the store for it. It’s a great way to use up left overs – whether it be meats, veggies, cheese, salad dressings, or other toppings.

Meal 3 – Easy Slow Cooker Chicken

I love slow cooker meals. It’s nice to toss something into the crock pot and forget about it until dinner time. It definitely makes meal time prep easier and lets me get a lot of things done while it’s cooking. Serve this slow cooker chicken with a side of rice or potatoes. Rice-A-Roni and Pasta-Roni are on sale for $1 this week at Walmart. They make a great side for this.

Meal 4 – Chili with Turkey Burger

Again this week, turkey burger is priced better than lean ground beef. Make a pot of your favorite chili using turkey burger. You can also put this in the crock pot for an easy meal. Serve with tortilla chips and some fun toppings like sour cream, green onions, and cheese. Add rolls or a side salad to make this a complete meal.

Meal 5 – Easy Goulash

We always make extra chili. Sometimes we freeze it for chili another time but often we use it to make Easy Goulash the next night. Boil your pasta – elbow macaroni or your choice of pasta. Warm the left over chili and add the pasta to it. If you need to, add a can of tomato sauce or a bit of tomato juice.

Meal 6 – Birds Eye Voila! Garlic Chicken

This is only $3.88 a bag this week at Walmart. This complete meal is ready in no time. Grab a couple of bags and you’ll have leftovers for lunch the next day!

Use the free Weekly Meal Plan printable to plan your meals this week.

Print a copy of these Recipes and head to the store with the printable shopping list for everything you’ll need.

Feel free to print and use these great printables. They’ll help you stay on track with meal plans and your grocery budget!

Monthly Meal Planner – By planning a monthly menu you can better follow the sales, know what you need to buy, reduce waste, and save money.

Pantry Inventory – Keep track of what you have on hand, what you’re low on, and know what you’re using a lot of so you can stock up on those items.

Freezer Inventory – Take stock of what you already have on hand so that you don’t overbuy and to know what you need for upcoming meals.

Shopping List – Print this off and keep it on the fridge to jot down those items that you need to pick up from the store!

Weekly Meal Plan for January 5th 2015

Jan 5 by Paul Ivanovsky Leave a Comment

We have some great recipes for you to try this week that will feed your family 6 meals for just $52.10! We’re using ground turkey in a couple of recipes because right now lean ground turkey is more affordable than lean ground beef. There are also some great Jennie-O coupons for this week at Walmart. They are for turkey breakfast sausage but trust me when I say that the sausage will substitute great in these recipes!

Weekly Meal Plan for January 5th 2015

Meal 1 – Cheesy Turkey Burger Casserole

– Like I mentioned, ground turkey has been quite a bit less than lean ground beef lately so we’ve been stocking up. There are also coupons this week for ground turkey breakfast sausage and the light seasoning in the sausage works well in the Cheesy Turkey Burger Casserole. We’re making Turkey Burger Tacos later in the week and to save yourself time, you can brown all the turkey burger for both recipes at the same time. Separate the burger for taco night and refrigerate until you’re ready to use later in the week. You can always add a bagged salad to this casserole if needed.

Meal 2 – White Chicken Chili – We’ve tried lots of different White Chicken Chili recipes and this one is really easy, really delicious, and inexpensive and quick to make. It’s a family favorite. Grab a package of rolls or garlic bread to go with this great chili. There is a coupon this week at Walmart to save $1.00 on any 2 Hormel Premium Chunk Chicken Breast Products. You can also save .55 on a jar of La Victoria Salsa with coupon this week.

Meal 3 – Turkey Burger Tacos – Our family loves tacos and if you browned up extra burger earlier in the week, toss it in your skillet and add your seasonings for a quick dinner. This recipe calls for more taco meat than you’ll need for one meal so the extra can be used for the Taco Pasta tomorrow.

Meal 4 – Taco Pasta – This dish is cheap, easy, and good. This recipe is a little different than the one I’m linking to because we’re using up left over taco meat rather than making it specifically for this dish.

Meal 5 – Marie Callendar’s Family Size Chicken Pot Pie – This is a delicious pot pie and is on sale this week at Walmart for $8.97. This is a great price and grabbing an extra to keep in the freezer for a quick meal another time isn’t a bad idea. Add a bagged salad to make this meal quick, easy, and complete!

Meal 6 – Breakfast for Dinner – This is always a favorite for us. It’s low fuss and filling. Again, the Jennie-O coupons at Walmart this week let you pick up turkey bacon or turkey breakfast sausage for an even better price than normal. Make pancakes to go with your choice of meet.

Use our Weekly Meal Plan printable to plan your meals this week!

Print a copy of these Recipes and head to the store with our printable Shopping List for everything you need!

Other Helpful free printables to make things easier:

Monthly Meal Planner – By planning a monthly menu you can better follow the sales, know what you need to buy, reduce waste, and save money.

Pantry Inventory – Keep track of what you have on hand, what you’re low on, and know what you’re using a lot of so you can stock up on those items.

Freezer Inventory – Take stock of what you already have on hand so that you don’t overbuy and to know what you need for upcoming meals.

Shopping List – Print this off and keep it on the fridge to jot down those items that you need to pick up from the store!