Real-Life Meal Plan: 6 Easy Dinners from Ground Beef & Chicken Breast (Week 65)
This week’s meal plan was built around the two most requested proteins in my community: chicken breasts and ground beef. I used a 3 lb pack of chicken and a 3 lb bag of frozen hamburger patties (which saved almost $3 compared to fresh ground beef).
To keep things interesting without blowing the budget, I paired hearty main dishes like mini beef pot pies with lighter, refreshing sides like tomato cucumber salad or watermelon. Each dinner has its own flavor twist, so even though we’re repeating proteins, the meals feel completely different.
The total for all 6 dinners came to $58.86 at the Supercenter Walmart in Tacoma, Washington. I am fairly confident that if you have a stocked pantry and fridge, you could easily get your total less than mine!
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
Mini Beef Pot Pies with Cucumber & Tomato Salad
This is such a yummy option but also a nice way to serve individual portions. Sometimes make a big, huge pot pie takes a lot of work where if we use a convenient and affordable item like a can of biscuits can make this an easy weeknight meal!
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Pasta & Broccoli
This is a super awesome dinner that kind of reminds me of a shrimp scampi but uses chicken instead! This can easily be served over pasta of any shape, or serve it over your favorite kind of rice.
Cheeseburger Flatbread with Side Salads
This is another quick weeknight dinner that uses a convenient mix to make the dough. You could also use Naan bread, a pre-made flatbread, or make your own dough. Don’t forget to think of all the toppings you love on a cheeseburger! You may want to add some jalapeno slices or diced tomato.
Chicken Ceasar Salad Wraps with Watermelon
I am a huge fan of pairing strong flavors with something sweet in order to have that perfect balance. This meal is a perfect example of that! If Caesar dressing is not your jam, you can easily swap it out for Ranch dressing instead. Check your cabinets for croutons too, I love them kind of smashed so they are not huge chunks of dried bread.
Salisbury Steak with Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans
I have two different ways to make this dish depending on which way you buy your ground beef. In case you are starting with fresh or chub ground beef, you can easily make your own patties versus using already made hamburger patties.
Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls
This is one of my favorite rice bowls, and is so easy to adapt to whatever you like. I also love to serve this with sliced avocado or those tubs of queso cheese. You can also switch this up to use sliced beef or pork!
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!
