Planning dinner for your family does not have to be stressful or expensive and this week’s meal plan is proof of that. I put together five family-tested dinners, a quick weekend breakfast, and a dessert worth staying home for, all using budget-friendly ingredients that stretch a long way when you plan ahead.
This meal plan comes in at under $91 in groceries for the week and every recipe is designed to make the most of what you buy. With a little Sunday prep and the free shopping list below, the hardest part of the week is already handled before Monday even starts.
Using this Weekly Meal Plan saves me time and money. It also takes the stress out of figuring on what’s for dinner! For even more ideas, check out One Bowl Meal Plan, Easy Summer Meal Plan, and Easy & Simple Meal Plan for Busy Weeknights!
Why This Meal Plan Works
- Five completely different dinners — chicken two ways, beef teriyaki, slow cooker pork, and shrimp pasta so nobody eats the same thing twice
- Every recipe is budget-friendly and made with ingredients from any regular grocery store
- Easy slow cooker meal — dinner is done before you even think about it
- Monday through Wednesday are all ready in 30 minutes or less for the busiest nights of the week
- One grocery trip covers the whole week — the grocery list below makes it simple
Print Shopping List
Save time and money by checking your pantry, fridge, and freezer before heading to the store. Buying your chicken in a larger family pack and dividing it between Monday and Tuesday saves money over buying two separate smaller packages.
Monday – Smothered Chicken
Monday nights need a dinner that feels like a reward for making it through the start of the week — and Smothered Chicken delivers every single time. Tender chicken cutlets, crispy bacon, and a rich homemade gravy that my family wants to pour over everything on the plate. My boys especially love this one and it is on the table in 30 minutes which makes it the perfect way to start the week.
Estimated Cost: $9.53, $2.38 per Servings
Tuesday – Honey Chicken
After the richness of Monday’s dinner this honey garlic chicken feels like a fresh start. The sweet and savory sauce is the kind of thing my kids ask me to make again before they have even finished eating. It comes together fast, uses ingredients I always have on hand, and makes a simple chicken dinner taste like something special.
Estimated Cost: $9.43, $2.36 per Servings
Wednesday – Beef Teriyaki
Midweek is when I need a recipe that delivers big flavor without big effort — and Beef Teriyaki has been doing exactly that in our house for years. The homemade teriyaki sauce takes two minutes to whisk together and after that everything happens fast. Serve it over rice and dinner is done in 30 minutes. My college boys go back for seconds every single time.
Estimated Cost: $23.28, $3.88 per Servings
Thursday – Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Thursday is not a cooking day. I put this in the slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time the whole house smells incredible and the pork is so tender it falls apart with a fork. The slow cooker does every bit of the work — I just set it and walk away. This is the kind of dinner that makes a regular Thursday feel like a Sunday.
Estimated Cost: $14.10 Recipe, $2.35 Per serving
Friday – Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
By Friday I want something that feels a little lighter and a little more exciting than the rest of the week — and this lemon garlic shrimp pasta is exactly that. Bright, buttery, and on the table in 20 minutes. It feels fancy enough for the end of the week without asking anything extra from me. My family thinks I went all out and I absolutely did not.
Estimated Cost: $16.58, $4.15 per Servings
Breakfast – Fruit Smoothie
Weekend breakfast does not always need to be a full production. This fruit smoothie takes 5 minutes, uses whatever frozen fruit is in the freezer, and keeps everyone happy while I make coffee in peace. My kids can actually make this one themselves which is an added bonus on a slow Saturday morning.
Estimated Cost: $2.90 Recipe, $1.45 Per Serving
Dessert – Blueberry Cobbler
There is nothing better than a warm blueberry cobbler fresh from the oven — juicy berries bubbling under a golden topping that the whole family can smell from the other room. Make it over the weekend and it is ready whenever the craving hits. My family never makes it to the next day without finishing it completely.
Estimated Cost: $15.16 Recipe, $1.26 per Serving
I created the Lazy Day Cooking Club to stock my freezer with meals to easily make dinner on a busy night. You will love that you just have to spend just a few minutes getting things together and let the slow cooker handle the rest so dinner is ready when you get home.
Leftover Ideas
In a house with 8 kids leftovers are just the next day’s lunch already made. Here is how we use up every bit of this week’s meals:
- Smothered Chicken – Slice leftover chicken and serve over mashed potatoes with the leftover gravy for an easy next-day comfort meal
- Honey Chicken – Shred leftover chicken and toss into a wrap with lettuce, cheese, and a little sour cream for the fastest school lunch
- Beef Teriyaki – Chop leftover beef and toss into fried rice or serve over noodles — a completely different meal with zero extra work
- Slow Cooker Pork Roast – Shred leftover pork and pile onto slider buns with a little barbecue sauce for an easy Saturday lunch the kids love
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta – Toss leftover pasta with a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice — it reheats beautifully on the stovetop with a splash of pasta water
FAQs
Yes! This plan is one of the easiest to prep in advance. Divide the chicken on Sunday, mix the teriyaki sauce the night before, and prep the slow cooker ingredients Wednesday night so Thursday morning is completely hands-off. Having everything portioned and ready before the week starts makes each dinner come together in minutes.
Absolutely! Ground turkey works in place of beef in the teriyaki for a leaner cheaper option. Chicken thighs are almost always less expensive than breasts and work in both the smothered chicken and honey chicken recipes.
Store each recipe separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep proteins and sauces together so the meat stays moist. The pork roast and beef teriyaki both freeze well for up to 3 months — perfect for a future busy week when you need dinner done fast.
Easy Side Dish Recipes
We hope this week’s meal plan makes your dinners a little easier and a lot more delicious. Every recipe on this list is family-tested and budget-friendly — the kind of meals that get requested again and again in a house with 8 kids.
If you try any of them leave a star rating and let us know which dinner was the biggest hit at your table. And if you are looking for more weekly meal plans we add a new one every single week!
See How We Calculate Recipe Cost (cost per serving explained).
