Simple Weekly Dinner Plan – Feed a Family Without Overspending (Week #69)
Last week’s menu was all about low-cook, low-effort meals to survive the summer heat and while we’re still keeping things easy this week, we’ve added just a little more cooking back into the mix!
These are simple, flexible base recipes that you can easily adapt to your family’s tastes or what you already have on hand. Our total came to $60.04, so just a smidge over budget not bad at all for 6 flavorful dinners. Prices this week are based on ingredients from Walmart in Marshfield, Missouri!
What’s for Dinner?
Grocery 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.
Meal Prepping Options
If you want to save some time this week, here is a list of things you can make or do ahead of time, in order to need less time to cook!
Simple Meals this Week
Southwest Chicken and Potatoes Skillet
I swear this one tastes like a baked potato stuffed with a chicken taco! All that flavor but so much quicker to make and all in one big pan! You can easily switch it this out to be no meat, add ground beef or ground turkey, and so much more.
Maple Mustard Sausage with Rice and Carrots
We all get stuck on these weird food rules like breakfast sausage has to be used for breakfast or for a meal using breakfast foods….. Well we don’t like rules, so we are showing you other ways to use common ingredients! As a bonus this recipe totally works for other kinds of sausage links as well like smoked sausage or brats too!
Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
Once again, we are breaking rules and make a stroganoff dish with chicken instead of ground beef, ground turkey, or sliced beef. No worries it is totally tasty! I love the creamy finish of the sour cream and that you can make this all in one dish or separate it out for picky eaters!
Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Pork, Potatoes, and Green Beans
This is similar to other crockpot meals we have made in the past, but I wanted to show you how to switch up the meat. Instead of sausage or chicken, we can use pork! Whether that is a pork loin or pork chops is totally up to you. If you get a pre-marinated one that is not garlic based, you can easily add minced garlic or garlic powder to up that flavor!
Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites with Rice and Broccoli
This is another fun way to make your own chicken nuggets or strips, then turn it into a super tasty meal. Get creative with your breading too. Use up those stale crackers, tortilla/potato chips, or even cereals like corn flakes!
Pork Ragu over Egg Noodles with Fried Egg and Side Salad
I always get asked why I don’t include regular old “spaghetti” in menus. Honestly, everyone already knows how to make that! This time I want to show you how to switch it up! We will use ground pork (way cheaper than beef right now) and instead of plain jane spaghetti, we will top it with a fried egg. Don’t knock it till you try it, because it is amazing!!
Low-Cost Fruit Options to Add:
I am a huge fan of adding fruit to dinners. This small, yummy part helps kids know they will love at least something on their plate.
So, whenever I have a little wiggle room in my budget, I try to pick up 2-3 fruits to add to meals. Here are some good options that you can grab this week! (Try mixing fresh fruit and canned fruit together for some added variety)
It’s also been shown that most Americans don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables, so add some to your dinner! (Remember you don’t need a ton of fruit either, just a 1/4 to 1/2 a cup can help fill you up at mealtime.)
*Walmart is not always the cheapest when it comes to fresh fruits. Lots of local stores run better sales and have fruit as loss leaders, so check your local stores for some better deals if needed!*
Free Printable PDF Version
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!
