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Healthy, Affordable Meal Plan for a Family of Four (Under $70)
*This post is sponsored by Walmart. However, all opinions expressed are my own.*
As a frugal mom and wife, I am always looking for ways to save money. One of the easiest ways to lower our monthly expenses is by spending less on groceries. I can do this by meal planning every week, and cooking affordable meals at home.
Sometimes it can be difficult to find the balance between healthy and affordable, especially when you have picky eaters! This meal plan is the perfect combination of quick, easy, healthy and affordable meals, and is perfect for my family of four!
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Cooking frugal meals at home is an absolute game-changer! Once you get the hang of meal planning, you will notice a huge change in your grocery bill. It really is amazing how this simple habit can make a big difference. Here are some of the things I do to save money on groceries!
5 Tips for Saving Money on Groceries
1. Make a Grocery Budget
Every month you should have a plan for how you spend your money. Some expenses (like rent/mortgage) are fixed. However, we have more control over expenses like our grocery bill. Once you set a grocery budget, divide it by four to see exactly how much can be spent each week.
2. Meal Plan based on your Budget
Once you’ve set your weekly grocery budget, you’ll want to meal plan according to how much you can spend. This means choosing affordable meals if your budget is tight.
Use your weekend to strategically plan every breakfast, lunch and dinner for your family for the upcoming week. Don’t forget to incorporate leftovers as a way to save both time and money.
3. Make your Shopping List
The next step is to write your shopping list based on your upcoming meals. First, shop your pantry. Then you’ll make your list based on ingredients that you need.
4. Order your Groceries and Have it Delivered
Once you have your shopping list, it’s time to order your groceries for the week. A huge money saving tip is to order online for pick-up or delivery. It isn’t any secret that going in-store can result in overspending.
Ordering online makes it easier to choose only what is necessary without the distractions. I also toggle the filters and sort the price by low, to find the most affordable options, to increase savings!
With a Walmart+ Membership, you can save even more with free shipping ($35 order min. Restrictions apply.) so sign up for a 30 day free trial at WalmartPlus.comtoday.
You can save even more with a Walmart+ Membership!
There are so many benefits, including free shipping straight to your door ($35 order min. Restrictions apply.)! Grocery shopping and cooking at home has never been easier.
5. Stick to your Meal Plan and Cook at Home
All that’s left for you to do is to stick to your meal plan and cook at home. As tempted as you may be to grab fast food after a long day, keep remembering your financial goals. You can save so much when you stick to the plan!
Now let’s get straight to our affordable grocery list for a family of four!
Grocery List for The $68/Week Meal Plan for a family of 4
Note that these prices change daily. This means that they can be higher or lower on any given day. Just head over to WalmartPlus.com to check the current prices.
1 dozen eggs – $3.45
1 sliced bread – $1.00
2 boxes pancake & waffle mix – $1.76 x 2 = $3.52
Pancake Syrup – $2.14
1lb fresh strawberries – $2.38
2 packs 5lb drumsticks – $5.97 x 2 = $11.94
Mini corn on the cob – $4.93
3lb bag sweet potatoes – $3.97
Mashed potatoes – $2.68
Taco Kit – $3.48
2 packs 1lb ground beef – $4.92 x 3 = $9.84
Shredded Cheese – $2.22
3 tomatoes (to dice for tacos) – $0.29 x 3 = $0.87
Lettuce – $1.98
4 boxes of spaghetti – $0.92 x 4 = $3.68
2 jars of pasta sauce – $0.98 x 2 = $$1.96
4 packs of hot dog franks – $1.00 x 4 = $4.00
4 packs of hot dog buns – $1.00 x 4 = $4.00
TOTAL = $68.04
Affordable & Healthy Meal Plan for Family of 4
Breakfasts
Day 1: Eggs & Toast
Day 2: Pancakes & Strawberries
Day 3: Eggs & Toast
Day 4: Waffles & Strawberries
Day 5: Eggs & Toast
Day 6: Pancakes & Strawberries
Day 7: Waffles & Strawberries
Lunches
Day 1: Air fryer Drumsticks, Corn on the Cob & Sweet Potato Wedges
Day 2: Spaghetti Bolognese
Day 3: Tacos
Day 4: Air fryer Drumsticks & Mashed Potatoes
Day 5: Hotdogs
Day 6: Spaghetti Bolognese
Day 7: Hotdogs
Dinners
Day 1: Air fryer Drumsticks, Corn on the Cob & Sweet Potato Wedges
Day 2: Spaghetti Bolognese
Day 3: Tacos
Day 4: Air fryer Drumsticks & Mashed Potatoes
Day 5: Hotdogs
Day 6: Spaghetti Bolognese
Day 7: Hotdogs
You will notice that the lunches and dinners are exactly the same. This is because most times I’m a tired mama and it’s easy to cook enough for lunch to have leftovers for dinner.
Of course you can switch things up to suit your family. As you know, I’m a teacher, so when I’m not on school break, I prefer to cook a larger dinner to have leftovers for lunch the next day instead.
I have also repeated the meals that my family love and enjoy the most.
The above grocery list includes more than enough to have extra meals and sides too. For example, lettuce is on my grocery list for Taco Tuesday. However, there’s usually more than enough to have as a salad with other meals during the week.
Similarly, the shredded cheese can be used to make grilled cheese sandwiches and leftover drumsticks can be shredded and added to another dish.
Seriously, saving money by cooking at home doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated! And a Walmart+ membership makes meal planning, grocery shopping and saving money even easier!
I get all of my weekly ingredients delivered for free using my Walmart+ membership ($35 order min. Restrictions apply.). There are absolutely no markups and prices are the same as in-store!
Want to start racking up some savings too? Sign up for a free 30-day trial at WalmartPlus.com!
Related Posts on The Affordable Weekly Meal Plan
5 Best Tips to Save Money on a Small Salary
15 Genius Money Saving Hacks for the Kitchen
How to Save Money on Groceries
Final Thoughts on The Affordable $68/Week Meal Plan
Start saving money now by meal planning and cooking at home! In just a few months, you’ll be able to see what a difference it truly makes.
Do you have any other affordable meals that you love to cook? Share with us in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
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Affordable Weekly Meal Plan for Family of 4
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