6 nights of meals for only $55.55…shopping list included!
I have a hard time receiving things…
- Gifts.
- Money.
- Acts of service.
- Compliments.
- Meals.
The funniest part is that I love, love, LOVE to give! What’s wrong with this picture?
This weekend Andrew and I swapped houses with my amazingly generous parents and they watched our kiddos while we stayed at their home…on the beach…without children. Holy smokes. Talk about a gift. Did I mention my 2 year old is sick?
But they didn’t stop there; a gift basket greeted us when we arrived, filled with 4 glorious kinds of cheeses and a bottle of one of my favorite wines (Layer Cake Shiraz for those of you playing at home)…there were chocolates on our pillows…AND I came home to find new family portraits hung on our walls, my kitchen cleaned out and reorganized and an entirely spotless house.
If someday I can bless others half as much as my parents and in-laws bless me, I’ll be a happy woman.
So I hope this helps you in some way! Here’s a list of 6 dinners, shopping list included, for only $55.55! Of course that’s based on the prices I purchase the listed items for, which I have included in this spreadsheet.
Enjoy!
Dinner #1:
Pan Roasted Sirloin with Corn Salsa + Roasted Cauliflower
Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total: $7.86 for the sirloin + $1.88 for the cauliflower
Dinner #2:
Mexican Chicken and Rice Bake + Simple Side Salad
Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes for rice, then 30 minutes for bake.
Total: $8.70 for the bake + estimated $2.00 for a side salad
Dinner #3:
Turkey Meatballs with Golden Raisins and Pine nuts + Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total: $7.91 for the meatballs and $1.64 for the spinach
Dinner #4:
Lemony Chicken and Potatoes + Veggie of Choice
Prep and Cooking Time: 90 minutes (most of it cooking time for the potatoes and chicken)
Total: $5.64 for the chicken and potatoes + estimated $2.00 for the veggie
Dinner #5:
Pumpkin and Sage Pasta Bake + Simple Side Salad
Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour
Total: $10.70 for the pasta +estimated $2.00 for the salad
Dinner #6:
Chipotle Black Bean Soup and a Simple Side Salad
Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total: $3.22 for the soup + estimated $2.00 for the side salad
Total for 6 nights of dinners: $55.55! That’s about $2.31 per person.
Shopping List (items you likely don’t already have in your pantry):
Meat
- 1.5 pounds sirloin steak (I look for $3.99/lb or less)
- 3 pounds chicken breast ($1.99/lb if you can find it)
- 1 pound ground turkey or chicken ($2.99/lb if you can find it)
Produce/Herbs
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 3/4 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 heads garlic
- 1 bunch italian parsley
- 1 bunch green onions
- 2 onions
- 5 lemons
- 1 lime
- 1 bunch spinach
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
- veggie of choice
- 2 heads of lettuce for 3 salads, plus additional toppings
Pantry
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 3 (15-ounce) cans black beans or make your own and you’ll need about 5 cups
- 1 pound pasta (i.e. farfalle “bowtie” or penne…gluten-free brown rice works too)
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
- 1/2 cup pine nuts (buy just what you need in the bulk section)
- 1/2 cup golden raisins (buy just what you need in the bulk section)
- 2 cups salsa
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (you can buy or make your own)
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
Dairy/Eggs
- 3/4 cup asiago cheese
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 1/2 cups plain greek yogurt
- 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta or cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
If you make any of these recipes or have any thoughts, feedback or questions I’d love to connect with you on Facebook or Twitter!
