Simple, Real-Life Meals: Budget Dinners from Walmart for $60 (Week #63)

This week is all about using what’s on sale and stretching those proteins in creative ways. From cozy crockpot meals to skillet favorites and even tacos with a twist, these dinners are all about real food on a real budget.

Most of the meals come together with simple, affordable ingredients—and many of them use items you might already have on hand.

Our prices this week came from Crossville, Tennessee. The total came out to just $57.53—leaving a little wiggle room if you need to grab a pantry restock or a treat. As always, these meals are flexible! You can easily swap sides or stretch portions depending on your family’s needs.

Dinners for the Week

Walmart 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.

Possible Meal Prep Options

If you know you are going to short on time this week, these are some simple things you can do to prep ahead!

Simple Recipes for the Week

Pork Tenderloin Street Tacos with Slaw and Tomato-Garlic Rice

This is so simple to do and it can be done so quickly! You can actually make the coleslaw ahead of time, and even the rice too! (If you premake rice, just stir in salsa and minced garlic when you reheat it in a pan or in the microwave. The flavor will be really close to making it fresh!)

Sticky Soy-Garlic Drumsticks with Rice and Broccoli

This is such a great sauce to make! I love the sweet and garlicky-ness! There are also so many options to this: brown sugar, honey, or really any sweetener you like & lemon juice, lime juice, or any vinegar will work!

Bratwurst Cabbage Skillet with Noodles

Even though this says Bratwurst, you can really use any type of sausage you want! Whether it is smoked, pre-cooked, uncooked like Italian sausage, or even ground sausage! So many options here!

Zesty meatballs with Smashed Potatoes & Spinach

Who doesn’t love a good meatball? I love these because they are just so quick and easy! We are using mustard as an easy substitute for eggs here and trust me you can’t even taste the mustard. It just acts as a good binder to keep your meatballs from falling apart.

Crockpot Apple & Onion Pork Tenderloin

This is a fabulous crockpot recipe that is so versatile. I love to throw in any extra veggies I have in my fridge. Got some sad carrots or peppers in your fridge? Throw them in!

Mississippi Chicken & Noodle Bowls with Spinach and Carrots

Looking for a new twist on Mississippi chicken or even just chicken noodle soup? Well, this is the one for you! I like to think of this as a more grown-up version of chicken noodle soup that you don’t even have to be sick to enjoy! (P.s. this is totally another great veggie leftover buster.)

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 on Fridays (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!