12/21/2025
28 dinners for $348 for a family of 5
This is a months of meal planning, recipes and even the shopping list needed.
Groceries are expensive but with these meals your hard earned money can go farther.
These are all basic dinners. The recipes and seasonings are all basic. You can add more go each meal if you have the budget for it or have the extras on hand.
You can also stretch a budget even more if you can buy randomly in bulk. For example, when doing a cornbread side if you can buy the corn meal, sugar and flour in bulk you can exclude the box corn bread mix. This will save over the long run. We have our cornbread recipe listed on our page. Just search Robbins Family Farm Cornbread Recipe.
Add your own budget friendly meals in the comments and help out more people.
🥗 28 BUDGET FRIENDLY MEALS
WEEK 1
Mon: Spaghetti with meat sauce + garlic bread
Tue: Taco night (ground beef, rice, beans, tortillas)
Wed: Baked chicken drumsticks + mashed potatoes + corn
Thu: Leftover tacos (nachos or burrito bowls)
Fri: Homemade pizza (store-bought dough or homemade)
Sat: Chicken & rice casserole
Sun: Slow cooker chili + cornbread
WEEK 2
Mon: Sloppy joes + fries
Tue: Baked ziti (no meat or with sausage if budget allows)
Wed: BBQ chicken legs + roasted potatoes
Thu: Leftover ziti + salad
Fri: Grilled cheese + tomato soup
Sat: Sheet pan sausage, peppers & onions
Sun: Roast chicken + carrots + potatoes
WEEK 3
Mon: Chicken stir-fry (frozen veggies + rice)
Tue: Taco casserole
Wed: Meatloaf + mashed potatoes
Thu: Leftover meatloaf sandwiches
Fri: Pancakes + scrambled eggs (cheap & fun dinner!)
Sat: Chicken noodle soup
Sun: Baked pork chops + rice + green beans
WEEK 4
Mon: Spaghetti (repeat = savings!)
Tue: Quesadillas + rice + beans
Wed: Chicken pot pie (or biscuit-topped casserole)
Thu: Leftovers night
Fri: Homemade hamburgers + oven fries
Sat: Creamy chicken & rice
Sun: Big pot of beans & smoked sausage + cornbread
🛒SHOPPING LIST
🥩 MEAT & PROTEIN
Ground beef – 10 lbs
Chicken drumsticks/legs – 10–12 lbs
Boneless chicken breasts or thighs – 8 lbs
Pork chops – 4 lbs
Smoked sausage – 2–3 lbs
Italian sausage (optional) – 2 lbs
Hot dogs or hamburger patties – 3 lbs
Bacon (optional, for flavoring beans) – 1 lb
🍝 GRAINS & PASTA
Spaghetti – 6 lbs
Ziti or penne – 3 lbs
Rice – 10 lb bag
Flour tortillas – 4 large packs
Cornbread mix – 3 boxes
Pizza dough or pizza crusts – 4
Hamburger buns – 2 packs
Garlic bread – 2 loaves
Crackers or biscuits (for soup/pot pie) – 2 boxes
🥔 PRODUCE
Potatoes – 15 lb bag
Onions – 5 lb bag
Carrots – 5 lb bag
Bell peppers – 6–8
Garlic – 3 bulbs
Celery – 2 bunches
Lettuce or salad mix – 2 large containers
Green beans (frozen) – 3 lbs
🧀 DAIRY
Shredded cheese (cheddar & mozzarella) – 6–8 lbs total
Milk – 2 gallons
Butter – 4 lbs
Sour cream – 2 containers
Eggs (for meatloaf & casseroles) – 2 dozen
🥫 CANNED & DRY GOODS
Pasta sauce – 8 jars
Diced tomatoes – 6 cans
Tomato soup – 4 cans
Chili beans – 6 cans
Black or pinto beans – 8 cans
Baked beans – 4 cans
Chicken broth – 8 cartons
Cream of chicken soup – 6 cans
Corn – 6 cans
Green beans – 6 cans
Sloppy joe sauce - 1 can
🧊 FROZEN
Frozen mixed vegetables – 5–6 large bags
Frozen corn – 2 bags
Frozen fries or hash browns – 3 bags
🌮 SEASONINGS & SAUCES
(check pantry first)
Taco seasoning – 6 packets
Chili seasoning – 2 packets
BBQ sauce – 2 bottles
Soy sauce
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Salt & pepper
Cooking oil
🍽️ WEEK 1 RECIPES
•Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
1½ lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 jars pasta sauce
1 lb spaghetti
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning
Boil spaghetti.
Brown beef with onion and garlic.
Drain grease, add sauce and seasoning.
Simmer 15 minutes. Serve over pasta.
•Taco Night
1½ lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
Tortillas
Shredded cheese
Lettuce, tomato (optional)
Brown beef, drain.
Add seasoning and water per packet.
Serve in tortillas.
•Baked Chicken Drumsticks
3–4 lb chicken drumsticks
Oil, salt, pepper, paprika
Bake at 400°F for 45–50 min, flipping once.
Season generously before baking.
Leftover Tacos
Use remaining taco meat for:
Nachos
Burrito bowls
Quesadillas
•Homemade Pizza
Pizza dough
Pasta sauce
Shredded mozzarella
Toppings (optional)
Instructions
Bake at 425°F for 12–15 min.
•Chicken & Rice Casserole
2 cups uncooked rice
2 cups cooked chicken (or raw diced)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth
Mix everything in baking dish.
Cover and bake at 375°F for 1 hour.
•Slow Cooker Chili
2 lb ground beef
1 onion
2 cans chili beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
Chili seasoning
Brown beef.
Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
Cook low 6–8 hours.
🍽️ WEEK 2 RECIPES
•Sloppy Joes
Brown 1½ lb ground beef
Add 1 can sloppy joe sauce
Serve on buns
•Baked Ziti
1½ lb ziti
1½ lb ground beef or sausage
2 jars pasta sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella
Cook pasta.
Brown meat.
Mix everything, bake 375°F for 30 min.
•BBQ Chicken Legs
Season chicken
Bake 400°F for 45 min
Brush with BBQ sauce last 10 min
•Leftover Ziti Night
Reheat and serve with salad.
•Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Butter bread, add cheese
Cook until golden
Heat soup
•Sausage, Peppers & Onions
Slice sausage
Bake with peppers/onions at 400°F for 30 min
•Roast Chicken Dinner
Roast whole chicken at 375°F for 1½ hrs
With potatoes/carrots around chicken
🍽️ WEEK 3 RECIPES
•Chicken Stir-Fry
Cook chicken in skillet
Add frozen veggies
Stir in soy sauce
Serve over rice
•Taco Casserole
Brown 1½ lb beef with taco seasoning
Mix with cooked rice & cheese
Bake 375°F for 25 min
•Meatloaf
2 lb ground beef
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
Ketchup
Bake 375°F for 1 hour
•Meatloaf Sandwiches
Slice leftovers, serve on bread.
•Pancakes & Eggs Dinner
Make pancakes
Scramble eggs
Serve with syrup
•Chicken Noodle Soup
Cook chicken in broth
Add carrots, celery, noodles
Simmer 30 min
•Pork Chops
Season chops
Bake 375°F for 30–35 min
🍽️ WEEK 4 RECIPES
•Spaghetti (Repeat Dinner)
Same as Week 1.
•Quesadillas
Tortilla + cheese
Add leftover meat if desired
Cook until crispy
•Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Cook chicken
Mix with frozen veggies & cream soup
Top with biscuits
Bake 375°F for 35 min
•Leftover Night
Use anything left.
•Hamburgers & Fries
Grill or pan-fry burgers
Bake fries at 425°F
•Creamy Chicken & Rice
Cook chicken
Add rice, broth, cream soup
Simmer until tender
•Beans & Sausage
Slice sausage
Simmer with beans & seasoning
Serve with cornbread
