See I told you, this would help!
- SC = Store Coupon
- MC = Manufacturer Coupon
- SS = Smart Source
- RMN = Retail Me Not
- PG = Proctor and Gamble
- WYB = When You Buy
- B1G1 = Buy One Get One Free
- .75/1 = 75 cents off one item
- .75/3 = 75 cents off three items
- EXP = Expiration Date
Going Nuts? I can help you understand coupon terms and abbreviations
Home > Menu Plans > Budget Meal Plan: $65/Week for a Family of 4
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
Looking for a quick, short-term way to lower your grocery budget? Maybe you work freelance and this is a lean month, or maybe you’re dealing with an unexpected job loss or delayed paycheck. We’ve come up with a budget meal plan that covers all three meals for a week and will keep your bellies full—all for only $65!
This meal plan assumes a family of 4 with two adults and 2 children, and it does not take into account any dietary considerations. Substituting in gluten-free or keto-friendly options will increase the weekly cost, but if you’re really desperate, eating scrambled eggs with fruit or vegetables is one of the cheapest, allergy-friendly, most nutrient-dense meals you can choose!
As with all of the prices we list at Southern Savers, they are going to vary geographically and by store. In order to come up with this cheap meal plan, I tried to use a reasonable price based on our buy price list as well as the item search to see how cheaply we could get that particular item right now. In cases where an item did not appear on either of those lists, I used our local Walmart price.
Note: This is just a guide. If you hate oatmeal, then grab cereal. We are trying to focus on good food options that are filling but cheap!
There are a few items that you’ll need that you’ll use all week–milk, butter, salad dressing, and bread. I’m also assuming you have pantry staples like mayonnaise, ketchup, spices, and other condiments on hand.
Budget Meal Plan for $65/Week
Monday
Breakfast: 6 eggs scrambled, toast with butter
Lunch: Sandwiches with deli meat and cheese, raw veggies dipped in salad dressing
Dinner: Meatballs, pasta sauce, pasta, frozen vegetable
Tuesday
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, fruit
Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches (without onions/celery), raw veggies dipped in salad dressing
Dinner: Sausage egg bake, pancakes (from a mix), pancake syrup, fruit
Wednesday
Breakfast: Leftover sausage egg bake, fruit
Lunch: Boxed macaroni and cheese with frozen peas mixed in
Dinner: Hot dogs with buns, frozen french fries, frozen vegetable
Thursday
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, fruit
Lunch: Meatball subs (Meatballs, hot dog buns, pasta sauce, and sliced mozzarella cheese); raw veggies dipped in salad dressing
Dinner: Chili, cornbread from a mix
Friday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, toast with butter
Lunch: Leftover chili and cornbread
Dinner: Beans and rice, frozen vegetable
For the beans and rice, simply heat up the beans (drained or undrained, however you prefer) and cook a big batch of rice. Then mix them together and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, or other Mexican spices. If you already have salsa, cheese, or sour cream on hand, you can top it with those!
Saturday
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, fruit
Lunch: Leftover beans and rice
Dinner: Grilled cheese, tomato soup from a can
Sunday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, toast with butter
Lunch: Eat up all the leftovers from this week!
Dinner: English muffin pizzas, frozen vegetable
Budget Meal Plan Printables
In order to make this as easy as possible, I’ve got three printables to go along with this meal plan.
- $65/Week Budget Meal Plan (hang it on your fridge)
- $65/Week Budget Meal Plan Shopping List
- $65/Week Budget Meal Plan Cost Breakdown
See some of our other meal plans here.
Search by Item
Looking for a deal on something specific?
View OtherCurrent Deals
Sunday Ads Best Deals Freebies- Latest Articles
- Categories
- Videos
- Up to 60% off Columbia Web Specials with Coupon Code through 6/5
- Kroger Unadvertised Deals: 5/29-6/4
- Lululemon Belt Bags On Sale For $29 (reg. $38+)
- $2.74 OGX Haircare at CVS
- Brooks Clearance | Running Shoes Only $64.95 (reg. $150) + More Deals!
- Walmart | 4-Piece Briar Beer Can Glass Set $7.98
- 62¢ Chobani Flip Yogurt at Publix
- Frigidaire 9-Can Beauty Lighted Mirror Fridge $29.99 (reg. $60)
- FREE 30-Day Trial of Walmart InHome Delivery
- Pick Up Crest 3D White Toothpaste for 99¢ at CVS
- Preview: Top Drugstore Deals Next Week 6/2-6/8
- Kohl’s Clearance Sale Up to 85% Off Clothing, Home & More!
- Target Embark Sale | $50 Collapsible Wagon, $15 Kids Sleeping Bags
- Ergonomic Armless Swivel Desk Chair $50 Shipped (reg. $300)
- 77¢ Palmolive Dish Soap with Publix eCoupon
- Johnny Rockets | FREE Shake for You & a Friend!
- Lowes Foods Unadvertised Deals: 5/29-6/4
- $2.74 Venus Smooth Razors at Walgreens
- Year of Peacock for $19.99 (reg. $49.99) Just in Time for the Olympics!
- Publix Unadvertised Deals: 5/29-6/4 or 5/30-6/5
- Target | Up to 50% Off Patio Furniture
- $1.99 18-ct. Eggs with Kroger eCoupon
- Walgreens Photo Code | 60% off Metal Panels
- 70% off Your First MEL Science Kit | Ends Today!
- $3.24 Downy, Tide, & Bounce at Walgreens
- Hulu 1-Month Free Trial without Ads Plus Disney+ Bundle!
- Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops 2-Pack $32.98
- Sunday Coupon Insert Preview 06/02
- Reebok Memorial Day Sale | Up to 65% Off Sitewide
- Gorilla Carts Steel Mesh Garden Cart $89 (reg. $109) at Walmart
- Kroger Meal Plans: Dinner Ideas Based on Sales Starting 5/29
- Koolaburra by UGG Clearance at Kohl’s!
- Top 10 Target Deals: Allergy Medication Deals + More
- MKF Collection Sale | Up to 70% Off + Extra 25% Off
- 11¢ Carefree Liners at Walgreens
- Yankee Candle Clearance | Up to 75% Off
- Lowes Foods Weekly Ad: 5/29-6/4
- Palmetto Craft Capers Pine Chain Swing for $60 at Home Depot!
- 29¢ Maybelline Baby Lips at CVS
- End of Month Budget Questions | May Budget Recap
- Harris Teeter Weekly Ad: 5/29-6/4
- Free Kids Safe Gabb Phone 3 Pro or Smartwatch
- Pick Up 82¢ Hellmann’s Mayo at Publix
- BOGO Free Starbucks Handcrafted Beverages 12-6pm Today (5/29)
- 56¢ Happy Baby & Happy Tot Pouches
- Walmart | 2-Pack Folding Low Beach Chair $39 + More Beach Essentials!
- Cayman 3-Piece Wicker Outdoor Patio Bistro Set $112.10 (reg. $399)
- 6-Pk Dannon Danimals Yogurt Smoothies for $1.02
- Amazon | $10 Sling Crossbody Bag (reg. $20)
- Walmart Ad Deals: 5/26-6/1
- $1 or Less
- Advantage Buys
- Aldi
- all Detergent Coupons
- Amazon
- Baby & Toddler Coupons
- Baby Deals
- back to school
- Bath & Body Works
- Beauty Coupons
- Best Buy
- Beverage Coupons
- Bi-Lo
- BJs
- Black Friday
- Bloom
- Booklets
- Carter's
- Catalina Deals
- Cereal Coupons
- Cheese Coupons
- Clearance Deals
- Clothing Deals
- Coffee Coupons
- Colgate Coupons
- Columbia
- Commissary
- coupon booklets
- Crest Coupons
- CVS
- Daily Deal Sites
- Desserts
- Diaper Coupons
- Dining
- DIY Christmas
- Dollar General
- Dollar Tree
- Donations
- DSW
- Earth Fare
- eCoupons
- Entertainment
- Entrees
- Extreme Couponing 101
- Family Dollar
- Family Life
- Florida Price Match
- Food City
- Food Lion
- Fred's
- Free
- Free Shipping
- Friday Finals
- Frugal Crafts
- Frugal Dates
- Frugal Decor
- Frugal House
- Frugal Living
- Frugal Look Alikes
- Frugal Recipes
- Frugal Travel
- General
- General Mills Coupons
- Gift Ideas
- Giveaway
- Glade Coupons
- Grocery Coupons
- Grocery Store Coupons
- Groupon
- H-E-B
- Harris Teeter
- Harvey's Coupons
- Harveys
- Holiday Deals
- Home Depot
- Home School Resources
- Household Coupons
- Household Deals
- Huggies Coupons
- In-Store Deals
- Ingles
- JCPenney
- K-Mart
- Kate Spade
- Kelloggs Coupons
- Keto
- Kids Deals
- Kohl's
- Kraft Coupons
- Kroger
- Kroger Meal Plans
- Land's End
- Laundry Coupons
- Lidl
- Local Coupons
- Lowe's
- Lowes Foods
- Magazine Deals
- Making Money
- Menu Ideas
- Menu Plans
- Movie Kiosk Codes
- Office Depot-Max
- Office Depot-Max Online Deals
- Office Supply Stores
- Old Navy
- Online Deals
- Online shopping
- Organic Food
- Organic Living
- Other Grocery Stores
- Other Stores
- Pampers Coupons
- Paper Towel Coupons
- Penny Item
- Personal Care Coupons
- Pet Coupons
- Photo Deals
- Pillsbury Coupons
- Podcasts
- Printable Coupons
- Publix
- Publix Meal Plans
- Publix Weekly Ad
- QVC
- Randalls
- Reader Questions
- Rebates
- Recalls
- RecycleBank Rewards and Points
- Reebok
- Regional Coupons
- Reviews
- Rewards Programs
- Rite Aid
- Safeway
- Saving Money
- SavingStar eCoupons
- Sides
- Staples
- Staples Online Deals
- swagbucks
- Sweepstakes
- Sweetbay
- Target
- Target Coupons
- The Children's Place
- Tide Coupons
- Time Sensitive
- Toilet Paper Coupons
- Travel Deals
- Uncategorized
- Upromise eCoupons
- Vera Bradley
- Video
- Walgreens
- Walmart
- Warehouse Clubs
- Wayfair
- Weekly Best Prices
- Weekly Inserts
- Weekly Top Deals
- Weekly Weigh In
- Whole Foods
- Winn Dixie
- Woot!
- Yogurt Coupons
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 5/26-6/1
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 5/12-5/18
- How to Cut Your Utility Bills | Part One: General Tips + Water, Trash, Electricity
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 4/28-5/4
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 4/14-4/20
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 3/31-4/6
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 3/17-3/23
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 2/11-2/17
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 2/4-2/10
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 1/21-1/27
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 1/7-1/13
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 12/31-1/6
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 12/10-12/16
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 12/3-12/9
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 11/12-11/18
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 11/5-11/11
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 10/29-11/4
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 10/22-10/28
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 10/8-10/14
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 10/1-10/7
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 9/24-9/30
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 9/17-9/23
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 9/10-9/16
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 8/27-9/2
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 8/20-8/26
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 8/6-8/12
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 7/30-8/5
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 7/23-7/29
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 7/16-7/22
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 6/25-7/1
- Live Q&A Tonight: Saving More at Publix & Kroger
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 4/30-5/6
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 4/23-4/29
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 4/16-4/22
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 4/9-4/15
- Live Q&A: Walmart+ vs Amazon Prime
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 3/26-4/1
- Ways to Earn Extra Money + Live Q&A: Tonight!
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 3/19-3/24
- Traveling on a Budget | Tips & Tricks + Live Q&A
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 3/5-3/11
- Live Q&A: Saving & Planning for College
- Video: Top CVS & Walgreens Deals 2/26-3/4
- Video: Top Drugstore Deals 2/5-2/11
- Saving on Meat & Produce Live Q&A Tonight at 8:30 pm
- Video: Top Drugstore Deals 1/29-2/4
- Saving at Walmart, Target & Dollar General + Live Q&A
- Video: Top Drugstore Deals 1/22-1/28
- Video: Top Drugstore Deals 1/15-1/21
- Live Q&A Tonight – How to Shop the Drugstores