My goal is to provide dinner for my family for an average of $5 except on special occasions. We don’t have to eat beans and rice to accomplish this goal! I shop the grocery sales each week. Then I plan my menu based on the foods I have already at home (at a great price). I balance more expensive meals with less expensive ones. We typically only cook a main dish 4 or 5 times a week. Each main dish cooked will serve 4-6, and the leftovers will be for easy dinners on the weekend, or to freeze for another week. This cuts down on cleaning, cooking, and meal planning– saving us lots of time!
For those of you with a Brookshire’s in your town, don’t miss Pary Moppins’ menu made from the 9/14 -9/20 ad. She’s got 13 dinners for 4 people created at $4.80 a meal without using any coupons!
Garlic Shrimp with Alfredo Sauce and Pasta, Steamed Broccoli, Peaches, Toast
1 lb. shrimp @ 2.50
3/4 jar alfredo sauce @ 1.00
2 cups broccoli @ 1.28
2 peaches @ .52
4 slices of toast @ .16
total cost: $5.46
Spaghetti, Cheese Toast, Sweet Peas, Corn
4 servings spaghetti @ .50
1/2 jar sauce @ .34
4 ears of corn @ .60
1 can sweet peas @ .45
4 pieces of bread @ .16
4 slices of block mozzarella @ .24
garlic salt
Total Cost = $2.29
Taco Salad, Corn, Apples, Chips and Cheese Dips
1 lb. ground beef @ 2.14
taco seasoning @ free
tomato @ .60
tortilla chips @ .25
cheese and generic rotel for dip @ 1.18
lettuce @ .11
1 can corn @ .54
2 sliced apples @ .80
Total Cost $5.62
1 lb. ground beef @ 2.14
taco seasoning @ free
tomato @ .60
tortilla chips @ .25
cheese and generic rotel for dip @ 1.18
lettuce @ .11
1 can corn @ .54
2 sliced apples @ .80
Total Cost $5.62
Grilled Chicken, Pineapple, Sweet Peas, Cinnamon Sugar Toast, Roasted Potatoes
1 lb. chicken breasts @ 1.66
misc. seasonings for chicken
1 can pineapple @ .83
1 can sweet peas @ .45
3 slices of bread for toast @ .12
butter, cinnamon and sugar for toast
2 potatoes @ .40
butter and garlic salt for potatoes
Total Cost: $3.47
1 lb. chicken breasts @ 1.66
misc. seasonings for chicken
1 can pineapple @ .83
1 can sweet peas @ .45
3 slices of bread for toast @ .12
butter, cinnamon and sugar for toast
2 potatoes @ .40
butter and garlic salt for potatoes
Total Cost: $3.47
Little Caesar’s Pizza and Apple Slices
1 Hot and Ready pizza @ 5.00
2 apples @ .80
Total Cost: $5.80
Average cost of the meals we’re cooking this week: $4.53
This is part of menu plan Monday over at OrgJunkie.
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What are you going to do with the leftover 1/4 jar of alfredo sauce?
LOL, actually I’ll have a half jar left over because I saved the last 1/4/ jar from a couple of weeks ago. I’ll save the 1/2 and fix it again in a couple of weeks. Then I’ll have 3/4 left.
Or I might put it with some chopped chicken for lunch next week.
Great job! That is an impressive, yet inexpensive menu! Good job. We have four children and I am always looking for ways to bring down our grocery bill.
Thank you, Penny!
Great menu. Love your blog!
I am glad I found you! I am trying to feed 5 on $60.00 including diapers and toiletries. It can be done. And we are doing very well. I am soon to be out of the diaper phase and will be able to reduce my budget by $10.00 more a month. Then I will be feeding 5 on $50.00
Great job Pound4Pennies!