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!
Little Caesar’s Pizza and Apple Slices
1 Hot and Ready pizza @ 5.00
2 apples @ .80
Total Cost: $5.80
Ham Steaks, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans, Pears
4 precooked ham steaks @ 3.00
macaroni box @ .25
extra cheese @ .40
butter and milk for mac @ .10
1 can green beans @ .25
1 can pears @ .76
Total Cost: $4.76
4 precooked ham steaks @ 3.00
macaroni box @ .25
extra cheese @ .40
butter and milk for mac @ .10
1 can green beans @ .25
1 can pears @ .76
Total Cost: $4.76
Grilled Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Sweet Peas and Corn, toast
1 lb. pork chops @ 1.47
3 potatoes @ .80
butter, cheese and bacon bits for the potatoes @ .20
1 can sweet peas @ .58
1 can corn @ .58
1 lb. pork chops @ 1.47
3 potatoes @ .80
butter, cheese and bacon bits for the potatoes @ .20
1 can sweet peas @ .58
1 can corn @ .58
4 slices of bread for toast @ .16
total cost: $3.78
Salmon, broccoli w/cheese, pineapple, mashed potatoes
1 lb salmon @ 4.99
1 cup broccoli @ .64
mashed potatoes @ .50
1 lb salmon @ 4.99
1 cup broccoli @ .64
mashed potatoes @ .50
butter, milk, garlic salt for potatoes @ .05
1 can pineapple @ .76
Total Cost $6.94
1 can pineapple @ .76
Total Cost $6.94
Strawberry Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs and Bananas
8 eggs @ .86
pancake mix @ .33
1 pkg strawberry muffin mix @ .79
syrup @ .25
4 bananas @ .84
Total Cost: $3.07
Average cost of the meals we’re cooking this week: $4.87.
This post is part of Menu Plan Monday over at OrgJunkie.
$5 per dinner seems like a great goal. But, it does seem like you end up using a good bit of processed food (canned, boxed, etc). Not sure if that is by choice for ease of cooking, or because it is too expensive otherwise. But, though I would use some less processed options, your plan looks pretty great.
Hi K-Koira,
When I first read your comment I was taken aback that you thought we ate a lot of processed food. I’ve never considered our diet to be processed because we eat so many foods plain, but you’re right they are still processed to get them in the can! It’s more for convenience than price because about half the time it’s just me and the two little ones eating dinner. I can get fresh fruits and veggies for about the same price I pay for canned. I’ll be making a more conscious effort to buy more fresh produce now