Meal plan
Week Two Budget Meal Plan
Pair this with the one-week meal plan and you have a two-week rotation. Most pantry staples carry over from week one, so this grocery trip is usually smaller.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Oatmeal with apple and cinnamon | Egg salad sandwiches on whole-wheat, carrot sticks | Red beans and brown rice with sautéed cabbage |
| Tue | Yogurt with banana and oats | Leftover red beans and rice | Baked potato bar: potatoes, black beans, cheese, salsa, broccoli |
| Wed | Scrambled eggs with spinach, toast | Potato bar leftovers | Lentil and vegetable soup with whole-wheat toast |
| Thu | Peanut butter toast and an orange | Leftover lentil soup | Whole roasted chicken (in olive oil) with carrots and onions |
| Fri | Oatmeal with frozen berries | Chicken salad wraps from leftover chicken | Chicken, vegetable and brown rice skillet |
| Sat | Veggie omelet and fruit | Bean and cheese quesadillas on whole-wheat tortillas | Homemade tuna or salmon patties, sweet potatoes, green beans |
| Sun | Banana-oat pancakes (oats, eggs, banana) | Church potluck or leftovers | Chicken-bone broth soup with the week’s vegetables |
Every day: water with meals, and fruit, carrots or a boiled egg for snacks.
Grocery list
| Section | Buy |
|---|---|
| Produce | Apples (3 lb), bananas (2 bunches), oranges (3 lb), carrots (2 lb), 1 head cabbage, potatoes (5 lb), sweet potatoes (3 lb), onions (4), garlic, spinach (1 bag), celery |
| Frozen | Broccoli (2 bags), green beans (1 bag), mixed vegetables (1 bag), berries (1 bag) |
| Protein | Eggs (2 dozen), dried red and black beans (1 lb each, or 4 cans), lentils (1 lb), 1 whole chicken (4–5 lb), canned tuna or salmon (3 cans), peanut butter |
| Grains | Old-fashioned oats, brown rice (2 lb), whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat tortillas |
| Dairy | Milk (1 gallon), plain yogurt (32 oz), block cheese (1 lb) |
| Pantry | Salsa, canned tomatoes (2 cans), cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil and beef tallow (skip seed oils) |
Check your pantry first. Oats, rice, spices, oil and peanut butter from week one will likely last. Prices vary by region and store.
Money-saving moves this week
- Buy the whole chicken. It usually costs less per pound than parts. Roast it Thursday, use the meat Friday, and simmer the bones with onion, carrot and celery for Sunday’s soup.
- Cook dried beans. A pound of dried beans makes about as much as three cans, often for less than the price of one or two. Soak overnight and simmer 1–2 hours, or use a slow cooker.
- Make your own “instant” breakfast. Banana-oat pancakes are just oats, eggs and a ripe banana blended together.
- Stretch meat with beans and vegetables. Half the chicken and twice the vegetables in Friday’s skillet feeds the same family.
Weekend prep (about 1 hour)
- Soak and cook the dried beans. Cook a big pot of brown rice.
- Hard-boil a dozen eggs for breakfasts, snacks and egg salad.
- Wash and chop carrots, celery, onions and cabbage.
- Pray together over the week ahead and thank God for His provision.