A Budget-Friendly 7-Day Meal Plan + Shopping List

Tips for this Week’s Meal Plan

• On Sunday: Prepare the Instant Pot Whole Chicken (or Homemade Rotisserie Chicken) and reserve 2 cups of cooked chicken for Wednesday’s Cheesy Chicken and Rice. While dinner cooks, prep Monday’s chicken thigh marinade and chop the vegetables for the Grilled Veggie Kabobs. Add the chicken thighs and veggies to their respective marinade Sunday evening or Monday morning so they don’t marinate longer than 24 hours (Monday morning is my vote if possible).
• On Monday: Grill the chicken thighs and veggie kabobs. Cook a little extra chicken and vegetables and refrigerate the leftovers for Tuesday’s rice bowls.
• On Tuesday: Turn Monday’s leftovers into easy Chicken Rice Bowls. Prepare enough rice to reserve 4 cups cooked rice for Wednesday’s casserole. Top the bowls with any sauces or toppings you have on hand, but that’s not necessary.
• On Wednesday: Dinner is mostly assembled for you! Use the 2 cups cooked chicken reserved from Sunday and 4 cups cooked rice reserved from Tuesday to prepare the Creamy Cheesy Chicken and Rice. Pair it with steamed broccoli, green beans, or whatever vegetable your family enjoys.
• On Thursday: Prepare a batch of Taco Meat and set aside 1 to 1½ cups for Friday’s Taco Pizza before serving dinner. Serve the remaining taco meat with tortillas or taco shells and your favorite toppings. I also recommend jarred salsa tonight, as you will need it for Friday’s pizza (fresh salsa is a bit too watery for taco pizza).
• On Friday: Use Thursday’s reserved Taco Meat, leftover thick and chunky salsa, and a can of refried beans to make Taco Pizza.
• On Saturday: Make this your clean-out-the-produce-drawer dinner. The Sausage Sheet Pan Meal works with 8 to 10 cups of potatoes and vegetables, so use any zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, or other vegetables left from the week. Just remember to add softer vegetables, such as zucchini or tomatoes, halfway through cooking, along with the sausage, so they don’t turn to mush.
• Easy Swaps + $ Saving Tips:
  • If your Labor Day weekend plans don’t allow for Sunday night prep, simply purchase a Rotisserie chicken or poach a few chicken breasts to make Wednesday’s chicken dinner. Then enjoy a classic summer cookout Sunday night and keep Monday’s dinner simple with grilled chicken and veggies.
  • Purchase whatever color bell peppers are least expensive. They work for the Italian Roasted Vegetables, veggie kabobs, and Saturday’s sheet pan dinner.
  • Zucchini and yellow squash also overlap between Sunday’s roasted vegetables, Monday’s kabobs, and Saturday’s dinner.
  • Ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork all work for the Taco Meat, so choose whichever is on sale.
  • Don’t purchase extra vegetables specifically for Saturday unless needed. That meal is purposely designed to use up what is left from the week.