Meal plan
One-Week Budget Meal Plan
A week of family meals built on the budget staples list. Dinners are cooked to make leftovers, so lunches take care of themselves.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Oatmeal with banana and cinnamon | peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat, carrots, apple | Bean and cheese burritos with salsa and frozen corn |
| Tue | Scrambled eggs, toast, orange | Leftover burritos | Big pot of turkey or bean chili with a side of cabbage slaw |
| Wed | Oatmeal with peanut butter and raisins | Leftover chili | Sheet-pan chicken thighs, potatoes and carrots |
| Thu | Yogurt with frozen berries and oats | Chicken and vegetable wrap from leftovers | Whole-wheat spaghetti with tomato sauce, lentils and spinach |
| Fri | Eggs, toast, banana | Leftover spaghetti | Homemade pizza night on whole-wheat tortillas with vegetables |
| Sat | Pancakes (whole-wheat mix) with fruit | Tuna salad sandwiches, apple slices | Clean-out-the-fridge fried rice with eggs and frozen vegetables |
| Sun | Oatmeal bar with toppings | Church potluck or simple soup and sandwiches | Chicken and vegetable soup from the week’s leftovers |
Every day: water with meals, and fruit or carrots for snacks. Add a vegetable to any meal that doesn’t have one.
Grocery list
| Section | Buy |
|---|---|
| Produce | Bananas (2 bunches), apples (3 lb), oranges (3 lb), carrots (2 lb), 1 head cabbage, potatoes (5 lb), onions (3), garlic, spinach (1 bag) |
| Frozen | Mixed vegetables (2 bags), corn (1 bag), berries (1 bag) |
| Protein | Eggs (2 dozen), dried or canned black beans (2 lb or 4 cans), lentils (1 lb), chicken thighs (3 lb), ground turkey (1 lb, optional), canned tuna (2 cans), peanut butter |
| Grains | Old-fashioned oats (large canister), brown rice (2 lb), whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat tortillas (2 packs), whole-wheat spaghetti, whole-wheat pancake mix |
| Dairy | Milk (1 gallon), plain yogurt (32 oz), block cheese (1 lb) |
| Pantry | Canned tomatoes and sauce (4 cans), salsa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, raisins, extra-virgin olive oil and beef tallow (skip seed oils like canola and soybean) |
Prices vary by region and store. Check store brands, unit prices and weekly sales. Many of these items last beyond one week.
Weekend prep (about 1 hour)
- Cook a pot of brown rice and a pot of beans (or open cans).
- Shred the cabbage and chop carrots and onions.
- Portion yogurt with berries into cups for quick breakfasts.
- Pray over the week’s meals as a family.
Next: the week two meal plan gives you a two-week rotation, and 10 Budget Dinners adds more ideas.