Weekly Dinners for 4 under $70 – Menu 5 will give you ideas or the exact menu and grocery list for this weeks dinners. Substitute different vegetables if you don’t like the ones I’ve selected. Also, if you don’t like some of the spices found in the recipes substitute them for ones you do like.
All recipes are suggestions. I can’t remember the last time I followed a recipe exactly to how it was written. I use what I have to keep cost down. If I don’t have the pasta it calls for I just make one I do have. If I don’t have the type of beans it suggests I use ones I do have.
Andrew asked me to start a new segment of balanced meals but at a lower cost. I know some of you are paying down/off debt while trying to navigate the rising cost of food. I realize that there is not a lot of variety in these menus but the more items I add the higher the bill. I will do my best to keep cost down while continuing with healthy well rounded dinners for your families.
Dinners for the week - About $54.44
Wednesday
- Spicy Goulash with Beans
- Side:
- Green Beans
Thursday
- Leftover:
- Spicy Goulash with Beans
- Side:
- Green Beans
Friday
- Leftover:
- Spicy Goulash with Beans
- Side:
- Green Beans
Saturday
- Frozen Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Side:
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Apples
Grocery List - Store brand (Metro Detroit)
Prep the week!
I like to gather my storage containers before I start my prep. I love the look of the table with all of the containers and as I make progress the containers disappear leaving me with a sense of accomplishment and encouragement to keep going. This picture is an example of one of my prep weeks.
Storage containers needed:
I like to use a sticky note or paper with a piece of tape to label my prep containers with the name of the meals.
- 2 spice containers (Blackened Seasoning & Garlic Herb Seasoning)
- 3 cup; Diced onion and green pepper (Spicy Goulash)
- 3 cup; Sliced onion and green pepper (Turkey Brats)
- 2 cups; Sliced carrots
- 1 cup; onion (Stir Fry)
- ¼ cup; garlic
- 3 cup; rice (Stir Fry)
- 3 cup; hard boiled eggs (Stir Fry)
Let's start prepping!
I like to use a vegetable chopper to speed up this process.
Grilled Blackened Chicken
- Make Blackened Seasoning and store in a spice container
Garlic Herb Grilled Pork Chops
- Make Garlic Herb Seasoning and store in a spice container
Spicy Goulash with Beans
- Dice 1 medium onion (1 cup) and place in 3 cup container; set aside
- Dice 1 medium green pepper and place in 3 cup container with diced onion; refrigerate
Turkey Brats
- Slice 1 medium onion and place in a 3 cup container; set aside
- Slice 1 medium green pepper and place in 3 cup container with sliced onion; refrigerate
- Peel and slice 1/2 pound carrots into 1 inch pieces. Make sure the carrots are even length and width.
Frozen Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Dice 1 medium onion (1 cup) and place in a 1 cup container; refrigerate
- Peel 2 garlic cloves and place in 1/4 cup container; refrigerate
- Cook 1 cup of brown rice and place in a 3 cup container; refrigerate.
- Hard Boil 4 eggs:
- Place eggs in cold water
- Bring to boil
- Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes
- Place in ice bath until completely cooled. Store in 3 cup container in refrigerator.
Tips and Tricks for the weekly meals to go flawlessly!
Always start by reading the recipe all the way through then read my tips. Doing this before you start will help prevent “surprises” along the way.
If I’ve posted it then I have eaten it and called it good. Also, I know that the portions should work because I have done it. No guess work here. Measuring out your portion might be new for you and still leave you hungry after the meal. This is normal and it will take your body time to adjust. Try these tips:
- Don’t miss your afternoon snack because being ravenous at dinner time will lead to over eating.
- Drink 8 ounces of water before you begin your meal and after you end your meal.
- Eat a salad or raw vegetables with your meal.
- Eat a piece of fruit after a meal like an apple, pear, orange, etc. This will subside the hunger and it’s good for you.
- Wait 1 hour after your meal and if you are still hungry make some pop corn.
Grilled Blackened Chicken
- Follow the chicken recipe above; once the chicken is on the grill start the corn bake.
- If you don’t have a grill then you can bake chicken in the oven with the corn bake.
Corn Bake
- After you remove the chicken from the grill let it rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile bring 2 cups of water to boil.
- Add bag of frozen peas for 4 minutes.
- Drain the peas and add back to pot with 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve peas with chicken and corn bake. Enjoy!
**Be sure to set aside 8 servings of corn bake for Monday & Tuesday night’s dinner.
Grill
- Grill should be heated to around 350°
- Cook onions, carrots and peppers on the grill using a grill pan. Cook the brats on at the same time.
- Turn brats every 5 minutes.
- Turkey brats will be cooked when they reach 165°. I like to use an instant read thermometer.
Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- On a sheet pan add and mix well:
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 pound carrots
- sliced onion
- sliced green pepper
- Add brats to the same sheet pan.
- Be sure to turn after 10 minutes.
- Turkey brats will be cooked when they reach 165°. I like to use an instant read thermometer.
- Serve onions and peppers over turkey brats. Enjoy!
**Be sure to set 4 servings of corn bake aside for Tuesday night’s dinner.
Garlic Herb Grilled Pork Chops
- Preheat the grill and prepare the pork chops following the recipe above.
- Once the pork chops are cooking, place 3 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
- While the pork chops are resting add the frozen broccoli to the water for 4 minutes.
- Drain the broccoli, place back in the pot and add 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the pork chops with broccoli and corn bake. Enjoy!
Spicy Goulash with Beans
- In the morning or at lunch prepare the crock-pot goulash recipe.
- When you are 15 minutes away from serving dinner; place 3 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Add 2 cups frozen green beans and cook for 4 minutes.
- Drain, place back into the pot then add 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve goulash with green beans. Enjoy!
**Be sure to set aside 8 servings of goulash for Thursday and Friday night’s dinner.
- Place 3 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Add 2 cups frozen green beans and cook for 4 minutes.
- Drain, place back into the pot then add 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- Warm 4 cups of goulash serve with green beans. Enjoy!
**Be sure to set 4 servings of goulash aside for Friday night’s dinner.
- Place 3 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Add 2 cups frozen green beans and cook for 4 minutes.
- Drain, place back into the pot then add 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- Warm 4 cups of goulash serve with green beans. Enjoy!
Frozen Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Prepare the vegetable stir-fry following the recipe.
- Peel the hard boiled eggs then season with salt and pepper or seasonings of your choice
- Slice 4 apples
- Serve the vegetable stir-fry with eggs and apples.
- I like to finish my meal with the apples.
