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!
I love that your kids have a say in meal planning. And I’m intrigued by the quinoa chili!
I think when the kids get in on the meal planning it makes themexcited about what we’re going to eat and gets them interested in helping in the kitchen too!
I am always looking to save some money on dinners. I will have to try a few of these.
These all sound amazing and super cheap! Those ham and cheese sliders look downright delicious.
What’s better than cheap and delicious? !?
Chicke Tortillas soup sounds great. I would love to make that for the kids as i think they would love it,
It is sooo good! Would love to hear what you think of it.
These meals all sound great. I really want to try the Creamy Chicken Broccoli Curry.
I love all these recipes. The ham and cheese sliders, in particular, look delicious.
The quinoa chili is calling my name. It looks so good, and quinoa is really good for you.
I love that you plan out that many meals in advance and have the kids help plan it. I like the quinoa chili!
Great meal plan! I really like the quinoa chili idea. I will be making it soon.
All of these meals look so delicious! That Quinoa Chili looks the best, though.
You had me at quinoa! My favorite super food! And mixed with chili, it must be great!
thanks,
Mitch
Great list of recipes here. May have to try those chicken tacos.
I love getting help with a meal plan. And love that it is affordable.
Great selections here I would love to try the Chicken Tortilla soup that sounds really good.
They all look delish. I think I will try the Pork Carnitas first.
What an awesome list!! I tried the sliders and they were to die for!!
ohh, you’ve got some fantabulous ideas here. I love the thought of putting quinoa in chili!
I have a bag of quinoa that I still have not made anything with. This chili sounds interesting.
Wow, that is an awesome menu plan for sure! I really need to start menu planning, I could save so much money!
So great to be able to stay on budget! With five of us, meals get expensive!
Great post! Funny enough I was looking for a good Quinoa Chili recipe so thanks for sharing that too!
This is a great menu plan! Lots of things my picky family will eat too! 🙂
That Chili and those rolls look sooo dang good! I will have to bookmark this! YUM!
The pork carnitas look so good! I could eat those now!
Great meal planning – I will be trying some of these meals
Those meals look great! I am always looking for ways to cut cost at the grocery store! Thank you!
Love love love your menu plan. Tacos have to be in our menu at least several times a month. I need to try your recipe.
I love the idea of having a theme a day. These all look good to me, but the quinoa chili is definitely something that I want to try.
I totally love the idea of 7 meals under $70. I always end up spending more than I need to when it’s not carefully planned out.
What great options! First up for me will be that quinoa chili. That sounds marvelous.
These sound really yummy. We’ll have to give them a try. Thanks for sharing.
That chili recipe looks amazing! MY family and I are newly vegetarians, and we were just talking about how we needed some more meatless recipes!
Wow, this looks awesome! Great football season meal!
What great ideas! I love to throw things together in the crock pot for easy meals.
So affordable!! That chili looks SOOOOO good! I also wouldn’t mind those ham sandwiches either 😉
I’m always looking for inexpensive meal ideas. These look amazing.
This looks so yummy and affordable! Awesome. Pinning this now!
These are great ideas. Tacos are our go-to budget food as well.
What a great list! My daughter can use shopping lists that don’t break the bank!
With a family of five (and sometimes six, when my mother is in town) groceries add up. I am always on the lookout for good tasting, healthy meals that don’t break the bank. Thanks for the ideas!
Sounds like a great meal plan! Love the meal ideas you shared.