Low cost Eats Week 2 (Heat Climate)

Welcome to Week 2 of a budget eats meal plan! This week is full of straightforward, satisfying meals that hold your price range in examine with out reducing corners on taste. We’re constructing on the pantry staples you’ve already stocked, so your grocery checklist focuses totally on recent and perishable substances.

This plan is supposed to work along with your actual life. You don’t must observe it in a strict order or make each single recipe. Wish to swap a meal out? Eat leftovers for an evening or two? Completely. Nothing breaks for those who don’t stick with it completely. You’ll be able to combine and match as wanted.

We’ve additionally obtained a free customization software in beta. You’ll be able to alter serving sizes, swap out recipes, and generate a brand new procuring checklist based mostly in your modifications. It’s nonetheless in testing, however it works.

And don’t neglect: each recipe has a video tutorial on our web site to stroll you thru every step. Whether or not you’re new to cooking or simply need to see what to anticipate, we’ve obtained you coated.

A decorative image showing the menu for week 2 of the Cheap Eats Meal Plan.

You should definitely take a look at the total plan information, pantry staples, and menus for the opposite weeks. You’ll be able to at all times alter the plan to suit your preferences and substitute your favourite recipes.

Fast Tip

Cabbage is one in every of our favourite budget-friendly buys. For us, the fee was $0.96 per pound. Past that, it’s extraordinarily versatile, taking up the flavour of whichever seasonings you select (for our recipe, bacon and brown sugar). It’s additionally tremendous filling and good for you, too!

Grocery Haul

This week’s haul leans closely into recent veggies, protein, and dairy. Since your pantry is already stocked, you received’t be re-buying staples like spices, flour, or oil.

You’ll discover loads of methods to repurpose substances throughout meals—like shredded lettuce and cheese for a number of recipes—to cut back waste and hold your grocery invoice low.

Obtain the Week 2 Shopping List PDF for a simple, grab-and-go model of the checklist.

Groceries for the second week of the Cheap Eats Meal Plan laid out on a kitchen counter.

Receipt

Complete Spent: $130.25
Complete Servings: 44
Common Value Per Serving: $2.96

This week stays proper on course with inexpensive, family-friendly dinners. As at all times, costs replicate a typical grocery retailer journey—no sale looking or bulk shopping for required. Your totals could differ barely relying in your location, however this could hold you shut.

Funds Saver

Shopping for in bulk isn’t required, however there are methods to stretch substances to maintain prices down:

If rotisserie chickens are nonetheless on sale, seize one and use the meat for the taco salad or pasta salad to avoid wasting money and time.

In case your retailer sells sausage hyperlinks in bigger packs, freeze the extras for later weeks.

Purchase a block of cheese and shred it your self—it’s usually cheaper and lasts longer.

The Recipes

A photo of Chef Cayt in The Stay At Home Chef Kitchen with the meals from Week 2 of the Cheap Eats Meal plan on display on the kitchen counter.

Proper above, you’ll see a snapshot of all seven dinners with a visible information to serving sizes. We all know it helps to really see what a portion seems to be like, so we laid all of it out.

There’s additionally a fast video walkthrough that exhibits the completed meals and provides you a greater concept of what to anticipate all through the week.

Now let’s take a look at every dinner:

Monday

We love a one-pot meal! Neglect the jarred pasta sauce, and make this as a substitute. Our selfmade meat sauce combines easy pantry substances, and it’s one of many best dinners you may make. Serve with a facet of roasted broccoli to maintain issues easy.

One Pot Spaghetti

One-Pot Spaghetti that tastes prefer it simmered all day. Fast, scrumptious, and made with inexpensive substances to maintain your price range in examine.

Tuesday

A taco salad that’s vibrant and recent, and comes collectively in simply half-hour! That is a type of salads that’s straightforward to make forward, too. Simply prep the veggies and toss collectively, throw it within the fridge, and cook dinner your hen earlier than serving.

Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

We’ve taken a traditional taco salad and made a lighter model with a fast and straightforward cilantro-lime French dressing.

Wednesday

This straightforward sheet pan meal is an inexpensive and attractive option to make a fast meal that isn’t the identical previous hen dinner. Plus, it’s loaded with scrumptious, roasted veggies. No must make any sides—this can be a entire meal by itself.

Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

Our sheet pan sausage and veggie recipe has all of the smoky flavors with a easy seasoning combine and minimal prep for a simple one-pan meal.

Thursday

Cabbage is among the most inexpensive greens you should purchase. In the event you don’t love cabbage, this recipe will make you a believer! Bacon and brown sugar add taste and caramelization, making it a dish even your children will love. To spherical out your meal, we wish to serve it over mashed potatoes.

Easy Fried Cabbage

This caramelized fried cabbage is scrumptious and tremendous straightforward to make with a number of substances. It comes collectively in lower than half-hour!

Friday

These baked nuggets are a better-for-you choice that received’t break the financial institution. Made with actual, white hen breast meat, a flavorful spice mix, and our secret ingredient: parmesan cheese. We wish to make it a meal with mac and cheese (beneath) and a facet of frozen veggies or peas.

The Best Baked Chicken Nuggets

These nuggets are made with actual hen breast meat and baked, so that you don’t get all of that extra oil—they are surely the most effective ever!

It solely takes quarter-hour to make this deliciously creamy mac and cheese. This course of is so easy, you received’t need to return to the boxed stuff.

Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Skip the field and make the good things! This Mac and Cheese is straightforward to make on the stovetop and it’s prepared in simply quarter-hour.

Saturday

Pasta salads are simply too handy. Throw it collectively, throw it within the fridge, and you’ve got a meal prepared everytime you want it. Simply ensure that to retailer your bacon individually so it doesn’t get soggy.

Cilantro Ranch Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is mild, flavorful, and completely scrumptious. It’s straightforward to make forward, and also you’ll need this cilantro ranch on every part!

Sunday

Dissipate that floor beef with this straightforward taco casserole! Floor beef is a good protein you can gown up along with your favourite spices. We made our personal taco seasoning mix, which is each scrumptious and cost-effective.

Tasty Taco Casserole

Tasty Taco Casseroles take all your favourite taco flavors and places them into a simple to make casserole!

Make It Work for You

Life occurs, and this plan makes room for it. You don’t must cook dinner seven nights every week. Skip a recipe, stretch leftovers, or repeat a household favourite. It received’t throw something off.

If you wish to tweak issues, our customization tool in beta is right here to assist. It permits you to alter servings, swap recipes, and get an up to date procuring checklist in just some clicks. Nonetheless in beta, however prepared to make use of.