Cheap Meal Plans: Emergency Edition (Week 9)
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Do you need to create a very frugal menu for your family this week? I’ve got you covered! Here’s a simple meal plan with filling foods that you can cook for your family of 4 for less than $60. This plan focuses on low-cost staples and pantry ingredients – perfect for those who might not be receiving expected food assistance or are just trying to slash the grocery bill drastically right now.
Below you will find the shopping list, estimated prices (from Walmart, using generic ingredients when available), the meal plan for the week, and the recipes you will need to make. Prices are based on pricing at my closest Walmart store in Wyoming.
To make this meal plan for a family of 2, you can cut everything in half. For a family of 6, add 50% of the ingredients. For a family of 8, double all the ingredients.
You will need extras for sides and snacks this week. This week’s menu is meant to be super cheap to help those who might not be getting food stamps or other government payments now or soon. It’s similar to last week’s meal plan, but more of a back-to-basics version to make it really cheap. I hope this helps my friends!
🛒 Shopping List
🍗Protein
- Eggs (2 dozen) ~ $4.00
- Whole Chicken (approx. 5 lb) ~ $7.50
- Dried Pinto Beans (1 lb bag) ~ $1.28
🍞 Grains & Breads
- Sandwich Bread (3 loaves) ~ $4.26
- Flour Tortillas (1 package, ~10 count) ~ $1.98
- Old-Fashioned Oats (18 oz or larger) ~ $2.66
- White Rice (32 oz bag) ~ $1.77
🥕 Produce
- Onions (3 lb bag) ~ $2.64
- Carrots (1 lb bag) ~ $1.32
- Celery (1 bunch) ~ $1.97
- Potatoes (10 lb russet) ~ $4.24
- Bananas (10 medium) ~ $2.80
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables (16 oz bag) ~ $0.98
- Green Bell Pepper (1 large) ~ $0.72
🥛 Dairy & Condiments
- Colby Cheese (16oz) ~ $3.78
🥫 Canned & Packaged
- Peanut Butter (40 oz jar) ~ $3.98
- Grape Jelly (20 oz jar) ~ $1.98
- Canned Corn (15 oz) ~ $0.50
- Tomato Sauce (15 oz can) ~ $0.96
- Diced Tomatoes (15 oz can) ~ $0.96
- Refried Beans (16 oz cans × 2) ~ $2.00
- Canned Beans – e.g. black or kidney (15 oz × 2) ~ $1.84
🌿 Seasonings & Spices
- Basic spices, condiments, and baking supplies (salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, flour, oil, etc.) ~ $5.00
Estimated Total ≈ $59.00 (Utilizing items you already have or can make from scratch could lower this total even further.)
📅 Cheap Meal Plan #9
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Sugar | Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches | Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots |
| Tue | Egg in a Hole | Grilled Cheese Sandwiches | Chicken Fried Rice |
| Wed | Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Sugar | Bean and Rice Bowls | Hearty Bean Chili |
| Thu | Egg in a Hole | Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches | Baked Potatoes with Leftover Chili |
| Fri | Banana Oat Pancakes | Cheese Quesadillas | Chicken and Rice Soup |
| Sat | Oatmeal with Peanut Butter | Bean and Rice Bowls | Bean Burritos |
| Sun | Peanut Butter Toast with Banana | Use up remaining leftovers (leftover buffet) | Use up remaining leftovers (leftover buffet) |
Print a PDF file with the menu plan HERE.
🥪Recipes and Instructions
Oatmeal (with Cinnamon & Sugar): In a pot, combine 2 cups of old-fashioned oats with 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt (this makes about 4 servings). Cook on low heat, stirring, until the oats soften and thicken. Spoon into bowls and top each serving with a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. (You can also stir in a spoonful of peanut butter or a bit of jelly for extra flavor instead of buying expensive fruit toppings.)
Egg in a Hole: For each serving, cut a round hole in the center of a slice of bread (use a small glass or cookie cutter). Melt a bit of butter in a skillet over medium heat and place the bread in the pan. Crack an egg into the hole. Cook until the egg is mostly set, then flip carefully and cook until the egg reaches your desired firmness. Season with salt and pepper. The cut-out bread circles can be toasted in the pan as well. (This fun toast-and-egg in one keeps breakfast cheap and hearty.)
Banana Oat Pancakes: Mash 2 ripe bananas in a bowl. Mix in 4 eggs, 1½ cups of oats (you can pulse them in a blender for a finer “oat flour” or use them whole), 1 teaspoon baking powder, and a splash of milk or water. Stir until well combined (the batter will be slightly chunky). Cook on a greased skillet over medium heat, using about ¼ cup batter per pancake. Cook 2–3 minutes until bubbles form and edges set, then flip and cook another 2 minutes until golden. Serve warm. These pancakes are lightly sweet on their own from the bananas; you can top them with a thin spread of peanut butter or jelly instead of syrup to keep it frugal.
Peanut Butter Toast (with Banana): Toast bread slices. Spread each with peanut butter while warm. Top with banana – you can either cut the banana into slices and lay them on the toast, or mash the banana and spread it. This adds natural sweetness and heartiness to a simple breakfast. (If you run short on bananas, you can simply do peanut butter toast with a light drizzle of honey or sprinkle of sugar.)
Lunch Recipes
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches: Lay out bread slices and spread a generous layer of peanut butter on one slice and jelly on the other. Press together into sandwiches. Cut in half if desired and serve. (This classic needs no cooking and is as cheap as it gets. For variety, you can swap jelly for sliced bananas or skip the jelly and drizzle honey if you have some.)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: Butter the outside of two slices of bread for each sandwich. Place a slice or two of cheddar cheese (or a small handful of shredded cheese) between the unbuttered sides of the bread. In a hot skillet, grill the sandwiches until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook the other side until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Serve hot. (Tip: You can add a thin slice of tomato or some cooked bacon from your pantry if you have extras, but it’s delicious even with just cheese. Serve with any raw veggies you have for a simple side.)
Beans & Rice Bowls: Combine cooked rice and cooked beans in a bowl (about 1 cup rice + ½ cup beans per serving). Season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of chili powder or cumin to taste. You can sauté some diced onion and add it in, or even fry the mixture briefly in a pan. Top each bowl with a little shredded cheese and/or a fried egg for extra protein if you like. Feel free to mix in any leftover vegetables you have on hand (such as a bit of leftover roasted veggies or some of the frozen mixed vegetables, cooked). This makes a filling, balanced lunch for just pennies.
Cheese Quesadillas: Place a handful of shredded cheese between two flour tortillas (you can also add any leftover bits of meat or veggies, like some shredded chicken or a few spoonfuls of beans, to the filling). Cook the quesadilla in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until the bottom tortilla is golden and the cheese starts to melt. Carefully flip and cook the other side until golden. Remove and cut into wedges. Serve warm. (If you have salsa or sour cream, you can serve it on the side, but it’s not necessary.)littlehouseliving.com
Supper Recipes
Roast Chicken with Potatoes & Carrots: Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Rinse the whole chicken and pat it dry. Place it in a large roasting pan or on a sheet pan with rimmed sides. Rub the chicken with a bit of oil or softened butter, and season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (and any herbs you have, like thyme or rosemary). Surround the chicken with about 3–4 pounds of potatoes and carrots (washed and cut into chunks). Drizzle oil over the veggies and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little onion or garlic powder. Toss to coat them.
Roast: Bake in the preheated oven for roughly 1 to 1½ hours (about 20 minutes per pound for a whole chicken). Stir the vegetables once halfway through. Roast until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the potatoes and carrots are tender and browninglittlehouseliving.com. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Reserve any leftover chicken meat and the carcass/bones for soup and other meals. (You can also save the pan drippings to make a simple gravy or to enrich your soup broth.)
Chicken Fried Rice: This is a great way to use leftover chicken and rice!littlehouseliving.com If possible, cook extra rice the day before and keep it in the fridge (day-old rice fries up best). In a large skillet or wok, heat 2–3 tablespoons of oil. Sauté 1 diced onion, 1 diced carrot, and the frozen mixed vegetables (about 2 cups) in the oil until tender. Add about 4 cups of cooked rice to the pan and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add 1–2 cups of shredded cooked chicken (leftover from Monday) and stir until heated. Push everything to one side of the pan and crack 2 eggs into the empty side. Scramble the eggs until cooked, then mix them into the rice. Season the fried rice with salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste (a few teaspoons is usually enough). Serve hot. (Feel free to throw in a bit of minced garlic or ginger while cooking if you have it, and any other stray veggies. This meal comes together fast and costs very little when using leftovers you already have!)
Hearty Bean Chili: This vegetarian chili is thick, flavorful, and very inexpensivelittlehouseliving.com. In a soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped green pepper until softened. If using dry pinto beans, make sure you soaked them overnight and simmered them until tender earlier in the day. Add about 4 cups of cooked beans (or you can simply dump in 2 cans of beans, drained). Pour in 1 can of tomato sauce and 1 can of diced tomatoes (with juices). If the chili looks very thick, add up to 1 can of water as well. Stir in 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and a little garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper – adjust all seasonings to your family’s taste. Let the chili simmer on low for about 20 minutes so the flavors meld, stirring occasionally.
Serving: This makes a pot full of chili that’s good for dinner and another meal of leftovers. Serve it in bowls with a little shredded cheese on top if you have some. You can also provide hot sauce on the side for those who like heat. Budget tip: If you have a bit of ground beef available, you could brown ½–1 pound and add it to the chili to make a classic beef chili (we didn’t include beef in the shopping list to keep costs low)littlehouseliving.com. This chili is hearty and filling even without meat, especially when you add toppings or sides.
Baked Potatoes with Leftover Chili: On Thursday, take four large russet potatoes and scrub them clean. Prick each potato a few times with a fork and bake them in a 400°F oven for about 1 hour or until soft all the way through. (You can bake them directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet.) Reheat the leftover chili from Wednesday and spoon it generously over each split potato. Top with any extras you have – shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or even some diced onions or hot sauce. Each person gets a warm, chili-loaded potato as their main courselittlehouseliving.com. (This “chili baked potato bar” idea stretches a small amount of chili into a very satisfying meal!)
Chicken & Rice Soup: Put your saved chicken carcass/bones from earlier in the week into a large pot and cover with water. Add a chopped onion, a chopped carrot, and a couple of celery stalks and bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 1 hour to extract a flavorful broth. (If you’re short on time, you can substitute 6–8 cups of water plus bouillon or canned broth for the cooking liquid, and just add some of the shredded leftover chicken meat directly to the soup.) Strain out and discard the bones, keeping the broth and any small bits of meat.
Now add 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and any additional onion or leftover veggies you want to use to the broth. Bring it back to a boil and simmer until the veggies soften. Stir in ¾ cup of white rice (or you can add leftover cooked rice to heat through at the end to avoid overcooking). Cook until the rice is tender (about 15–20 minutes). Add about 1–2 cups of the reserved cooked chicken meat (shredded or chopped). Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. (You can throw in a bay leaf or some dried herbs while simmering if available.) The result is a soothing chicken soup that made use of a leftover carcass and odds and ends. Serve hot – it should make enough for the family with possibly some left for lunch.
Bean Burritos: Warm up the refried beans in a saucepan or microwave so they are easily spreadable. Lay out 4–6 flour tortillas (slightly warm tortillas are easier to roll – you can microwave the stack for 20 seconds under a damp paper towel). Spoon a few heaping tablespoons of refried beans onto each tortilla (down the center) and sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top. You can also add a spoon of corn (from the canned corn) or any leftover rice or meat, but it’s not required. Roll up each tortilla burrito-style: fold up the bottom, fold in the sides, then roll up to enclose the filling. To serve: You can eat the burritos as-is, or place them seam-side down on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them slightly and melt the cheese. Serve with any leftover salsa or sour cream if you have it. These simple burritos cost well under $1 each to make, and you can eat them with a side of whatever veggie you like (a few carrot sticks, the rest of the canned corn warmed up, etc.).
Leftover Buffet (Use-It-Up Meals): By the end of the week, you might have small portions of various foods left. Sunday is “leftover buffet” – set out any remaining soup, chili, burrito filling, rice, beans, chicken, etc., and let everyone build a plate. You can get creative (make a small chicken salad with the last bit of mayo and chicken, or a mini nachos with leftover chips and chili, for example). The goal is to finish off any extras so nothing goes to waste.
Helpful Tips on Meal Planning
Leverage Pantry Staples: This plan assumes you have a few basics on hand (like salt, pepper, a little sugar, flour, oil, and spices). If you already own items like oatmeal, rice, or canned goods, your upfront cost will be even lower. Use what you have in your pantry first – for example, if you find some spices or a can of tomatoes in the back of your cupboard, incorporate those instead of buying new.
Cook from Scratch to Save More: Whenever possible, making things yourself can cut costs. For instance, if you have flour and yeast, you could bake your own bread for the week very cheaply instead of buying loaves. Homemade bread, tortillas, or even soup stocks can trim a few more dollars. Don’t be afraid to get creative with basic ingredients.
Batch Cook and Reuse Ingredients: Notice that we roast a big chicken at the start of the week and then reuse the cooked meat in several dishes (fried rice, soup, etc.). We also cook a large pot of beans and use them in multiple meals. This kind of batch cooking saves time and money. Plan to cook extra rice on nights when it’s needed the next day (for fried rice or to serve under chili) – this prevents having to buy quick-cook rice at higher prices.
Use Leftovers Wisely: The menu intentionally includes a leftover-based day and even a leftover-based dinner (chili-topped potatoes) to make sure you get a second meal out of earlier cooking. Leftovers don’t have to be boring – re-purpose them in a new way. For example, extra chili becomes a potato topping, extra chicken becomes soup, and extra beans/rice become lunch bowls. This not only saves money, it also saves time on busy days.
Optional Add-Ons: If you find you have a couple of extra dollars, you could buy things like a gallon of milk (for drinking or for the oatmeal/pancakes), a dozen more eggs, or some in-season fruit (like apples) to supplement the menu. Those are optional and not included in the core $59 total. Similarly, condiments like mustard, hot sauce, or salad dressing are not listed but you can use any you have on hand to jazz up meals at no extra cost. You could also make things like dinner rolls to add to these recipes to bulk them up. Here are some tips on making frugal meals stretch and more filling.
By following this plan, you’ll provide three meals a day for a week on an extremely low budget. Utilize what you have, stick to simple recipes, and you’ll not only save money but also reduce food waste. Happy frugal cooking!
Keep all the recipes in a Meal Planning Binder.
Happy Meal Planning!