Money Saving Meals
The meal plan this week is all about healthy, budget-friendly meals. The combination of recovering from the holiday season and the rising cost of food means we’re on the hunt for savings. For this round of recipes, we’re sharing sheet pan dinners which makes weeknight meals easier and more affordable.
A few things to keep in mind – where you shop will play a role in the cost of ingredients. Some of the ingredients in recipes are pantry staples, so if don’t already have an ingredient, that will increase the cost slightly. The recipes below provide five dinner meal ideas for an average family of four for less than $100. Let’s get started!
MEAL ONE:
Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken
Total Cost: $16.13
A colorful and delicious meal for the whole family! Keep prep the night of even easier by cutting all the vegetables ahead of time, mixing the sauce, and cooking the rice so it’s ready to reheat and serve. Hold all prepped ingredients in the fridge until ready to use. Look for low sodium soy sauce and buy larger bags of rice to keep overall costs low.
MEAL TWO:
Sriracha Ranch Sheet Pan Chicken
Total Cost: $14.62
Another simple and nutritious meal that can be modified to fit what ingredients you have in your fridge or according to what’s on sale! Buying a large pack of chicken to use in different recipes is a great way to make your protein stretch throughout the week. Like the recipe above, you could pre-chop ingredients which then means simply tossing items in the seasoning, placing on a pan, and baking!
MEAL THREE:
Sheet Pan Fish and Chips with Healthy Coleslaw
Total Cost: $22.12
Fish and chips are a classic “fast food” in the UK. This recipe makes it a healthier option by taking away the deep frying and bakes the fish and potatoes instead. You can use any white fish in this recipe, so shop for what’s on sale and buy frozen, if necessary. Just allow for a little extra time for frozen fish to thaw before seasoning and cooking. Pair with a fresh, no mayo coleslaw to round out the meal! https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/healthy-coleslaw/#wprm-recipe-container-9884
MEAL FOUR:
Sheet Pan BBQ Meatloaf Dinner
Total Cost: $ 23.25
Meatloaf is one of my husband’s favorite dinners, so I’m always on the lookout for new recipes to try! I like this one because it makes individual loafs rather than one big loaf, which means shorter cook times. I would use two sheet pans – one for the meatloaf and one for the vegetables to avoid overcrowding the pan. Be sure to cut your sweet potatoes in small, uniform pieces to allow for faster and even cooking.
MEAL FIVE:
Sheet Pan Veggie Shawarma
Total cost: $ 20.11
Look no further for your “Meatless Monday” meal! This recipe is packed full of nutrients and Mediterranean flavors. The crunchy chickpeas and vegetables pair perfectly with the creamy tahini homemade dressing. You could always add chicken, but don’t discount plant-based chickpeas which pack about 14.5 grams of protein per cup!