Welcome to Week 1 of a budget eats meal plan! Should you’re simply getting began, you’re in for per week of flavorful, filling meals—all for underneath $3 per serving. We’ve stored issues easy, reasonably priced, 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 may combine and match with out messing something up. We’ve additionally acquired a free customization device in beta that’ll allow you to alter serving sizes, swap out recipes, and get a brand new purchasing record constructed only for you. It’s not fancy, but it surely will get the job finished.
Want a bit assist in the kitchen? Each recipe on this week’s plan comes with a video tutorial proper on our website so you may cook dinner with confidence, even if you happen to’re new to it.

Be sure you take a look at your entire information, an outline of the pantry staples, and the opposite week’s menus. You may 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 number 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 contemporary 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 record.
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


Whole Spent: $130.92
Whole Servings: 44
Common Value Per Serving: $2.97
This whole displays a full week’s price of dinners for a household, utilizing common grocery retailer costs with out coupons, bulk shopping for, or sale purchasing. It’s based mostly 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 range from area to area and retailer to retailer, however this could get you fairly shut.


Funds 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 needed to indicate you precisely how a lot meals you’re getting with this plan.
There’s additionally a brief video that walks by 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 day-to-day:
Monday
It is a meatless meal that’s mild, but received’t go away you hungry. It’s loaded with mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. Add a bit 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 filled with contemporary veggies and prepared in quarter-hour.
Tuesday
Make hen salad sandwiches! Or serve them up your personal fashion 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 may both go away 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 straightforward to make and engaging 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 may swap issues up and serve this over mashed potatoes, or go the normal route and serve with egg noodles.
Ground Beef Stroganoff and Rice
Home made Floor Beef Stroganoff and Rice make a fast, 30-minute dinner that’s each healthful and family-approved.
Thursday
A straightforward pasta dish that tastes connoisseur and takes lower than half-hour to make! This recipe makes use of easy pantry components that you just (and your youngsters) know and love, and will have already got available.
American Carbonara
Carbonara with an American twist! We use bacon and the normal 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 an entire meal. This recipe makes use of 1 boneless, skinless hen breast, however you may at all times use rotisserie hen. It is a nice choice that’s not solely handy but additionally 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 if 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 reasonably priced format that also brings all the flavour.
Sunday
For Sunday, we’re providing you with an entire yard barbecue feast. All three recipes offer you a whole meal, and every serving continues to be underneath $3.
Make It Work for You
This plan is versatile. If seven dinners per week is an excessive amount of in your schedule, skip a pair and simply use leftovers or repeat your favorites. If one in every of these recipes isn’t your factor, it’s completely nice to swap it out.
We’ve acquired a customization tool in beta that allows you to do precisely that—alter servings, swap meals, and generate a brand new purchasing record based mostly in your adjustments. It’s not fancy, but it surely will get the job finished.

Funds Ideas & Notes
Coleslaw Combine: Seize a bagged coleslaw combine to avoid wasting time and cut back waste, particularly if you happen to’re not planning to make slaw greater than as soon as.
Croissants: Be happy to swap for sandwich rolls or sliced bread to convey the fee down additional.
Cheese Technique: Shred your personal cheese as an alternative of shopping for pre-shredded—it’s generally cheaper and melts higher too.
Stretching Protein: For the quesadillas and cheesesteaks, you may bulk issues up with further veggies if you might want to stretch the meat a bit additional.
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