6 Simple & Yummy Dinners for a Busy Week (Menu #85)

A new year often comes with a renewed focus on spending less and building better habits, and meal planning is one of the easiest places to start. For this week, we kept things simple with dinners that are easy to make as written but flexible enough to add extras if you have them or want to switch things up.

This plan focuses on familiar ingredients, straightforward cooking, and meals that feel filling without being complicated. Using just 25 items, the total came out to $46.60 at the Super Walmart near Lowell, MA, making this a great option for easing into meal planning while keeping grocery costs in check.

Low-cost Dinner Ideas

Shopping List

If you want to see the full shopping list on Walmart in your area, all you have to do is click my Walmart Grocery list and change the zip code to your area. *This is an affiliate link, and I do make a small commission on any purchases, but at no additional cost to you!*

**** Please note, that every once in a while, an item that I pick turns out to be regional. This means that it may be a much higher price in some areas. Always double check the list and if you see an item that is much higher than normal, just adjust as needed.

Easy Family Dinners

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

This stovetop pasta is creamy, comforting, and built with familiar ingredients like chicken, broccoli, and parmesan. You can swap in a different short pasta shape, use frozen cauliflower instead of broccoli, or add extra veggies if you have them on hand.

Teriyaki Pork & Rice Bowls

These rice bowls keep things easy with sliced teriyaki pork and stir-fry vegetables cooked together in one pan. If needed, you can swap the veggie blend for frozen broccoli or snap peas, or serve it over noodles instead of rice for a change.

Smoky Paprika Chicken & Potatoes

This sheet-pan dinner roasts chicken, potatoes, and zucchini together for a simple but satisfying meal. You can swap the zucchini for another low-cost veggie like carrots or yellow squash, or if not a fan of paprika, you can use any seasoning you like.

Mexican Spaghetti with Chorizo

This one-pan pasta combines chorizo, pasta sauce, and tomatoes with chiles for a dinner that feels familiar but a little different. You can swap the corn for black beans, use a different small pasta if spaghetti isn’t available, or adjust the heat level by choosing mild or spicy tomatoes.

Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage & Potatoes

Smoked sausage, potatoes, and green beans roast together for a hearty, no-fuss oven meal. You can swap the green beans for another frozen veggie or use a different smoked sausage flavor to change things up.

Crockpot Creamy Onion Chicken

This slow cooker chicken is rich and cozy, served over rice with peas on the side for an easy end-of-day dinner. You can swap peas for green beans or broccoli, or use shredded chicken leftovers for sandwiches or wraps later in the week.

Free Printable PDF Grocery List & Recipes

This prints on standard paper sized 8.5 x 11 inches.

What about next week?

We put out a new meal plan every week! We have 3 ways to be notified of new menus:

*Join our Low Dough Facebook Page where we post new menus every Saturday and new meal ideas every Wednesday!

*Sign up for the weekly email newsletter. We send it out on Fridays, so you actually get early menu access!

Join our Facebook Group- Meal Planning for All (you can ask questions and get help planning your own menus)

Until next week, I hope you have a fabulous week!