Meal Plan For $45 Weekly – What We Actually Eat

Making a meal plan each week on a budget can be time consuming – especially if you want variety. I’ve done the hard work for you!

Each week, I cook five dinners, and use leftovers for lunch and bonus dinners. The recipes below will feed two people lunch and dinner for a week. The $45 budget also includes breakfast items, which I’ve included below in a separate section. All prices for each item are rounded up to the nearest fifty cents, and reflect the cost at my local grocery store. This budget leaves wiggle room for potential price variations.

I would encourage you to set aside at least $50 a week for groceries for two, and use the extra five dollars as space for one or two treat items, fruits, bonus items, or pantry staples from the list below.

Meal Plan Day 1 – Tuna Steaks with Rice and Veggie Salad

This video (recipe starting at 9 minutes in) inspired me to create a recipe based on it. I substituted tuna steaks for swordfish since they were more affordable and easier to find at my local supermarket.

Shopping List: ($7.50-13.50 not including pantry staples)

• 4 Tuna Steaks ($6.50) or 1 can of Tuna ($1). See Cost Saving Tips below for details.
• 1 Cucumber ($1)
• Radish bunch or bag ($1.50)
• 1 Roma Tomato ($0.50)
• 1 Avocado ($1 – or omit, see Cost Saving Tips below)
• Pearled Barley ($3 – or substitute for Orzo $1, see Cost Saving Tips below)
• Olives (Pantry Staple)
• Soy Sauce – aka Shoyu (Pantry Staple)
• Rice Vinegar (Pantry Staple)
• Togarashi – substitute with chili flakes or powder (Pantry Staple)
• Olive Oil (Pantry Staple)
• Sesame Oil (Pantry Staple)

I substituted the cherry tomatoes for a Roma tomato because they are the cheapest variety at my local store. Pantry staple items will be included on the shopping list at the bottom of this article with prices.

Directions: Check out the video linked here, or this blog post for how to sear the tuna. Dice all ingredients and mix them together with the half of the box of barley (cooked per the package directions). Add the sauces and seasonings to create a side salad. For bonus flavor, serve with a peanut sauce of equal parts hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and rice vinegar. Yum!

Day 2 – Pasta with Green Beans

Since yesterday’s meal was a bit pricier (meat and dairy are always the biggest expenses in meals), today is a bit simpler. Pasta is comfort food for me, and so delicious!

Shopping List: ($8)

• Boxed pasta – your choice of shape! ($1)
• Jarred pasta sauce, red or white ($2)
• Grated Parmesan ($2)
• Green beans ($3 – or substitute for canned $1. See Cost Saving Tips below.)
• Optional – whatever frozen or fresh veggies you have left in the fridge or freezer (zucchini, spinach, squash, or tomatoes all work great). Dice, cook and mix into the sauce.

Directions: Cook pasta per the packaged directions in SALTED water. To save on water and heat, you can use the same water to blanch the green beans after removing the pasta. Do not rinse the pasta (the starch helps the sauce stick) but please do rinse the green beans under cool water to stop the cooking. See this article for how to blanch green beans. Personally, I don’t remove either end of the green bean, we just cut them off when we eat.

For me, it is worth it to spring for the Ragu sauce that costs a dollar more than the store brand. If your budget is more flexible, spring for the fancy pasta and sauce, and add in some grilled chicken for red sauce pasts, or shrimp to an Alfredo. Parmesan on top is always a plus!

Day 3 – Veggie and Ham Tart

Tarts are essentially a quiche with a crust. They are perfect for using up whatever veggie or meat you have left over from other meals. I would recommend making a double or triple batch of tart dough, and putting the extra in an air tight container in the freezer for future use.

Shopping List: ($19)

• Butter – I use salted but your choice, it doesn’t affect the recipe ($4)
• 1 Onion – whatever kind you please ($1)
• 1 Garlic – ($1)
• 1 Dozen Eggs ($2)
• Small Heavy Cream ($4)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese ($2)
• Ham ($5 – deli ham works, or for a bit extra you can buy thick cut ham and use the leftover like Canadian bacon in breakfasts. Omit the ham for a budget option. See Cost Saving Tips below for details.)
• Flour (Pantry Staple)
• Cumin (Pantry Staple)

Directions: Follow this recipe as a base for making tarts. You can substitute out pretty much any vegetable or meat you want to include. Measure the ingredients based on the recipe. Dice the ingredients, and mix them in a bowl with the eggs. Once the dough is partially baked per the instructions above, pour the filling mixture in, and complete baking.

As you go throughout the week, save your vegetable scraps from onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, leeks (anything oniony), and any meat scraps, skin or bones. Keep these in an air tight freezer-safe container in the freezer to use for broth.

Day 4 – Cajun White Chicken Chili

This recipe is delicious and goes really far. I love making a large batch of soup for each week’s meal plan that we can eat throughout the week or weekend.

Shopping List: ($20 – not including items already purchased for the week)

• Andouille Sausage ($4)
• Chicken Breasts ($8)
• 1 Onion – whatever kind you please ($1)
• 1 Bunch of Celery ($2)
• 1 Bell Pepper ($1)
• 2 Cans of White Beans ($2 or buy dried to save 0.50. See Cost Saving Tips below)
• Salsa ($2 – I use regular salsa, but for $1 more you can get salsa verde, and the flavor is delicious!
• Jalapeno – Optional ($1)
• Cilantro – Optional ($1)
• Lime – Optional ($0.50 – for a dollar more you can buy a large bottle that will last a long time)
• Broth (I make my own, instructions below. If you do not want to make broth, I recommend buying the better than bouillon concentrate. It goes so far for only $4!)
• Parmesan ($2- but we already bought this for the week!)
• Heavy Cream ($4 – but we already bought this for the week! I use this instead of sour cream in this recipe)
• Butter ($4 – but we already bought this for the week!)
• Cajun Seasoning (Pantry Staple)

I spend extra to get bone-in skin-on thighs, and use the bones and skin in homemade broth. You can make homemade broth without a pressure cooker. Otherwise, I put my veggie scraps in a pressure cooker on high for 60 min sealed, then strain and freeze the extra.

If you plant garlic or the ends of green onions, you can cut the growth off to use as toppings on the soup, and other recipes.

Directions: Follow this recipe, using your homemade broth and substitutions listed above.

Day 5 – BLAT (Bacon Lettuce Avocado Tomato) Sandwiches

Another simple meal to end out the week. I like to alternate between more time intensive meals and simpler ones. I use the simple meals on nights where we have plans or when I need to work late. The time intensive meals usually have a larger amount of leftovers, so often I will have a leftovers day in between too.

Shopping List: ($9)

• Bread ($2 – or make your own. See Cost Saving Tips below)
• Lettuce ($2)
• Avocado ($1 – or omit, see Cost Saving Tips below)
• Tomato ($1)
• Bacon ($4)
• Mayo (Pantry Staple)
• Mustard (Pantry Staple)

Directions: Toast the bread in a toaster, or in a pan with lots of butter. I recommend cooking the bacon in the oven. You could even do it all in one big batch at the beginning of the week to have it ready for breakfasts, just make sure you save enough to give each of these sandwiches three pieces. Save the bacon fat to use in cooking as a substitute for oil or butter. I like to add mayo and mustard, but poppyseed dressing, reduced balsamic glaze, or ranch are delicious options too. Make sure to salt and pepper the tomatoes before assembling.

Meal Plan Weekly Shopping List

TOTAL COST: ($44.50 – $70 budget swaps below)

Meat: ($13 – $27.50)

• 4 Tuna Steaks ($6.50) or 1 can of Tuna ($1)
• Andouille Sausage ($4 – omit for budget saving option)
• Chicken Breasts ($8)
• Bacon ($4)
• Ham ($5 – omit for budget saving option)

Dairy: ($11.50 – $14)

• Butter – your choice of salted or not, see recipes above ($4)
• Grated Parmesan ($2)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese ($2)
• Small Heavy Cream ($4 – or substitute for whole milk $1.50)
• 1 Dozen Eggs ($2)

Produce: ($12.50 – $16.50)

• 1 Cucumber ($1)
• Radish bunch or bag ($1.50)
• 2 Roma Tomatoes ($1)
• 2 Avocados ($2 – omit for budget saving option)
• Lettuce ($2)
• Green beans ($3 – substitute for canned $1 for budget saving option)
• 2 Onions – whatever kind you please ($2)
• 1 Garlic – ($1)
• 1 Bunch of Celery ($2)
• 1 Bell Pepper ($1)

Pantry: ($7.50 – $12)

• Bread ($2 – omit if making your own for the budget saving option.)
• Pearled Barley ($3 – or Orzo $1 for budget saving option)
• Boxed pasta – your choice of shape! ($1)
• Jarred pasta sauce, red or white ($2)
• 2 Cans of White Beans ($2 – or buy dried to save 0.50 and get more bang for your buck.)
• Salsa ($2 – spend a dollar more for salsa verde if you can)

Cost Saving Tips

The meal plan above is full of delicious extras that could be omitted to bring the cost down. Meat is always going to be the most expensive option, followed by dairy. I have done many weeks of $50 budgets in my house. To bring it down to that, I would swap out…

• Tuna Steaks ($6.50) for Canned Tuna ($1). Mix the canned tuna with mayo, and eat on toasted bread for tuna salad sandwiches. You can add hard boiled eggs or lettuce (purchased this week) for added protein and crunch.
• Omit the Andouille sausage from the White Chicken Chili. You can cook the veggies from this recipe in some saved bacon fat from cooking the bacon earlier in the week to amp up the meatiness and flavor.
• Omit the ham from the tart, or add in the bacon you purchased already instead.
• Make your own bread. I have made bread countless times, and it the two dollars makes a difference when you’ve only got fifty to spend.
• Buy dried instead of canned beans. They will always be cheaper to buy them dried, and you will get more beans for your money. Dried beans are also more flavorful when cooked.
• Substitute heavy cream for whole milk.
• Walmart usually has the cheapest meat and dairy, trader joes and aldi typically have the cheapest produce. Shop around at multiple grocery stores in your area to get the best bang for your buck, and learn what is cheapest where.
• Buy in bulk if you can to save money. If I had a large family, I could get more value for my money by buying in bulk.
• Make sure you are storing your food properly to prevent wasting money and having to throw away spoiled food.

Optional Meal Plan Items

These items are not necessary to make the recipes, but the will boost the flavor and presentation, or give you a shortcut on some of the budget saving and more time consuming options in the recipes above. For a total of $6.50, you can have all the extras you need for this week!

• Cilantro – ($1)
• Jalapeno – ($1)
• Lime – ($0.50 – for a dollar more you can buy a large bottle that will last a long time)
• Broth Concentrate (I make my own, instructions in recipe above. If you do not want to make broth, I recommend buying the better than bouillon concentrate. It goes so far for only $4!)

Meal Plan Pantry Staples

These are ingredients I always have. Since these are going to be the base ingredients or added flavor components of most meals you make, it is worth spending the extra few dollars on higher quality options if you can. Since my budget is so tight, I can’t buy the best quality seafood or cheese, but I can buy the best mustard! For $29, you can get all of the basics you will need to make this week’s recipes, and so much more.

• Mayo ($2.50 – Spend more money to get a mayo without processed seed oils. The Better Body Foods Avocado Oil Mayo is $8, and it is the best store bought mayo I have tried. Personally, I do not like Primal Kitchen. You can also try making homemade mayo.)
• Mustard ($1)
• Cajun Seasoning ($3. Or, you can make your own using this recipe and spices you probably have.)
• Flour ($2.50)
• Cumin ($1.50)
• Olives ($3.50 – I would buy Kalamata to keep around for recipes. Black are delicious for snacking over cooking in most cases.)
• Soy Sauce – ($2 – for $1.50 more the Kikkoman soy sauce is worth it!)
• Rice Vinegar ($3 – I like seasoned rice vinegar because it adds more flavor)
• Togarashi – substitute with chili flakes or powder ($1.50 for chili powder or flakes aka crushed red pepper)
• Olive Oil ($8 at least please. I will say that good olive oil is always worth it. Try shopping at TJ Maxx believe it or not to find some great olive oil. Companies that go out of business or overstock sell off their specialty oils there. Check this article out for how to know if a bottle is good quality. )
• Sesame Oil ($3.50)

Breakfast Meal Plan – Did You Think I Forgot?

You may have noticed that there are some leftover ingredients from the meal plan this week. Breakfasts are not what I plan first, and usually what I make last using up what we have bought for the week. Here are some ideas for breakfast based on what we have this week.

• Eggs
• Toast
• Bacon
• Ham
• Breakfast Barley Porridge

For more variety, add a few fruits to your shopping list, or buy a larger pack of avocados and tomatoes for avocado toast. The bacon, eggs, ham, and unused vegetables from the week can make an omelette or quiche. Personally, I eat toast or some form of bread every morning for breakfast, and then have a snack of yogurt and fruit, or a smoothie later in the day.

Want More Affordable Meals?

Check out this recipe to try some delicious Creamy Salsa Shrimp.

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