Welcome to Week 1 of a budget eats meal plan! In the event you’re simply getting began, you’re in for every week of flavorful, filling meals—all for beneath $3 per serving. We’ve stored issues easy, inexpensive, and family-friendly. These meals make use of the pantry staples you stocked up on this week, setting the tone for the remainder of the month.
This plan is supposed to be versatile. You don’t have to make each recipe within the precise order and even make all of them. Wish to swap one out? Skip an evening and eat leftovers? Go for it. You possibly can combine and match with out messing something up. We’ve additionally bought a free customization device in beta that’ll allow you to modify serving sizes, swap out recipes, and get a brand new procuring listing constructed only for you. It’s not fancy, nevertheless it will get the job completed.
Want a bit of assist in the kitchen? Each recipe on this week’s plan comes with a video tutorial proper on our web site so you possibly can prepare dinner with confidence, even for those who’re new to it.
Remember to try the complete information, an outline of the pantry staples, and the opposite week’s menus. You possibly can at all times customise every week to fit your private style preferences and swap in your favorites.
Fast Tip
For the hen salad sandwiches, you’ll purchase grapes however solely want a couple of for the precise recipe. Serve the remaining on the facet all through the week as a snack or a simple fruit choice with one other meal.
Grocery Haul
The haul this week focuses totally on recent components—proteins, produce, dairy, and bread objects. You’ll be constructing off the pantry staples you’ve already stocked, so that you’ll discover loads of the core objects (like oil, flour, spices, and condiments) aren’t included on this listing.
Remember that some components are used throughout a number of meals, so nothing goes to waste.
Don’t neglect to obtain the Week 1 Shopping List PDF to make your grocery run simpler.

Receipt

Complete Spent: $130.92
Complete Servings: 44
Common Value Per Serving: $2.97
This complete displays a full week’s price of dinners for a household, utilizing common grocery retailer costs with out coupons, bulk shopping for, or sale procuring. It’s primarily based on shopping for precisely what you want for this week’s menu, utilizing pantry staples you’ve already stocked. As at all times, costs will fluctuate from area to area and retailer to retailer, however this could get you fairly shut.

Price range Saver
Grocery shops typically promote rotisserie chickens as a “loss chief,” the place they actually promote it for lower than it prices them. Purchase a rotisserie hen and shred your personal meat, and benefit from the financial savings. Use most of your shredded hen within the hen salad on Tuesday, and save the remaining for the cilantro-lime quesadillas on Friday.
The Recipes

Proper above, you’ll see all seven meals from this week laid out so you may get a visible sense of what a serving appears like for every recipe. We all know serving sizes may be subjective, so we wished to point out you precisely how a lot meals you’re getting with this plan.
There’s additionally a brief video that walks via every meal in additional element. You’ll see the ultimate dishes plated and portioned, so there’s no guessing—simply actual meals, clearly proven.
Now let’s break it down daily:
Monday
This can be a meatless meal that’s gentle, but gained’t depart you hungry. It’s loaded with mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. Add a bit of heavy cream and a few crimson pepper flakes, and you’ve got a restaurant-quality dish with out the restaurant costs.
Penne Rosa
A creamy tomato pasta with a spicy kick! This basic Penne Rosa is packed stuffed with recent veggies and prepared in quarter-hour.
Tuesday
Make hen salad sandwiches! Or serve them up your personal type by stuffing it into an avocado or tomato, or serving it up on a mattress of lettuce for an old-school hen salad.
This recipe requires a small quantity of grapes. You possibly can both depart them out or get pleasure from the remainder of the grapes as a facet dish. We factored in a purchase order of 1 pound of grapes both manner.
Traditional Chicken Salad
This basic hen salad is simple to make and attractive by itself, on lettuce, or served as a sandwich. You’re going to like this household favourite!
Wednesday
Stroganoff is a basic consolation meals, and this recipe makes it even simpler. You possibly can swap issues up and serve this over mashed potatoes, or go the standard route and serve with egg noodles.
Ground Beef Stroganoff and Rice
Do-it-yourself Floor Beef Stroganoff and Rice make a fast, 30-minute dinner that’s each healthful and family-approved.
Thursday
A simple pasta dish that tastes gourmand and takes lower than half-hour to make! This recipe makes use of easy pantry components that you just (and your children) know and love, and should have already got readily available.
American Carbonara
Carbonara with an American twist! We use bacon and the standard velvety cheese sauce. Then throw in peas for a pop of sweetness!
Friday
Your new favourite quesadilla recipe. Loading these quesadillas up with hen makes them a complete meal. This recipe makes use of 1 boneless, skinless hen breast, however you possibly can at all times use rotisserie hen. This can be a nice choice that’s not solely handy but in addition wallet-friendly!
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Quesadillas
These hen quesadillas are loaded with gooey cheese and all of the cilantro-lime taste we may pack in! Excellent for a fast lunch or dinner.
Saturday
Expend that floor beef and make these cheesesteaks! This one is a superb choice while you’re craving these Philly cheesesteak flavors, however don’t wish to order takeout.
Ground Beef Cheesesteak
Floor beef cheesesteaks have all the enduring Philly flavors you’re keen on in a extra inexpensive format that also brings all the flavour.
Sunday
For Sunday, we’re supplying you with a complete yard barbecue feast. All three recipes offer you a whole meal, and every serving remains to be beneath $3.
Make It Work for You
This plan is versatile. If seven dinners every week is an excessive amount of on your schedule, skip a pair and simply use leftovers or repeat your favorites. If one in all these recipes isn’t your factor, it’s completely nice to swap it out.
We’ve bought a customization tool in beta that permits you to do precisely that—modify servings, swap meals, and generate a brand new procuring listing primarily based in your adjustments. It’s not fancy, nevertheless it will get the job completed.

Price range Suggestions & Notes
Coleslaw Combine: Seize a bagged coleslaw combine to avoid wasting time and cut back waste, particularly for those who’re not planning to make slaw greater than as soon as.
Croissants: Be happy to swap for sandwich rolls or sliced bread to deliver the price down additional.
Cheese Technique: Shred your personal cheese as a substitute of shopping for pre-shredded—it’s typically cheaper and melts higher too.
Stretching Protein: For the quesadillas and cheesesteaks, you possibly can bulk issues up with additional veggies if it’s essential to stretch the meat a bit of additional.
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