Cooking Inspiration - On a budget? Here's your sanity-saving 7-day meal plan

When you’re planning dinners on a budget, there are a few strategies you can use to save money. This meal plan incorporates each to help you create a flavorful week-long menu with limited groceries.

Money-saving strategies

To save money on your grocery bill, you should:

1) Use the same protein in multiple meals so you can buy it in bulk.

- In this meal plan, we use 2 meals that are made with ground beef. Buy it in bulk!

2) Stick to cheaper cuts of meat like ground beef and chicken breasts as opposed to steak and pork chops.

3) Use inexpensive proteins like eggs.

4) Go meatless! Vegetarian meals typically cost less than meat-based ones.

- In this meal plan, we incorporate 2 vegetarian meals.

5) Keep it simple – stick to recipes that use fewer ingredients.

6) Shop your pantry – try to create meals with ingredients and spices you already have at home.

 

The budget-friendly 7-day meal plan

Monday: Shiitake Mushroom Ravioli

The mushrooms in this flavorful meatless dish will prevent you from missing the meat at all.  This meal also takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, making it an excellent choice for frantic Monday nights.

 

Tuesday: Hoisin Chicken Tacos

These fusion chicken tacos are filled with flavor. Topped with scallions, radishes and red cabbage, they’re also a veggie-packed dinner option.

 

Wednesday: Zucchini Pizza Bites

These pizza bites are much cheaper than takeout. The Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Dipping Soy Sauce packs a powerful punch of flavor for these family-friendly bites.

 

Thursday: Stir Fry Honey Hoisin Beef Bowl

This beef and veggie bowl is a crowd-pleaser. With a prep time of 15 minutes and a cooking time of 10, this is another meal you can prepare in a hurry for those busy weeknights.

 

Friday: Meatloaf with Black Pepper Sauce

This is a modern spin on a classic meatloaf. The Black Pepper Sauce adds a slight kick to the meatloaf. Serve alongside a simple salad and your favorite starch.

 

Saturday: Soft Scrambled Tamago Eggs

Tamago refers to a Japanese-style folded egg, similar to an omelette. These eggs are scrambled but have some of the same flavors of the traditional dish. Make it a full meal by serving it with rice. The eggs come together in less than 10 minutes, so it is the perfect meal to end a busy Saturday.

 

Sunday: Spicy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Finish the week with a hearty soup. The Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil gives this classic tomato soup a spicy twist that you’ll want to keep eating.

 

Use these recipes to create your next grocery list so you can prepare a whole week of delicious, budget-friendly recipes with big flavors.