2 Week Budget Meal Plan - Recipes & Shopping List (2024)

When you’re on a budget, creating weekly meal plans can make a world of difference to your stress and your savings. Great budget meal planning should help you eat well pay less so you can confidently save money.

This 2 week budget meal plan for a family is for for 3 adults or 2 adults + 2 young children, 3 meals per person per day.

Make good use of your freezer with this two-week budget meal plan. Pop meat for week 2 in the freezer when you get home from the supermarket. Do a little meal prep for your breakfast smoothies too, by freezing all ingredients except milk into individual portions. Then you can simply add milk and blend.

Things to keep in mind:
  • We’ve listed everything you need in the shopping list, including ingredients you might already have in your pantry. So if you already have some ingredients, enjoy the extra savings that fortnight! The only things we haven’t included are oil, salt, pepper and water.
  • This meal plan is designed to serve three adults at each meal, or two adults and two children. We’ve adjusted the quantities in the shopping list, but you’ll need to adjust the quantities in each recipe for the number of people you’re serving.
  • We’ve incorporated “leftovers” into your meal plan to give you time off from cooking, make sure you use up leftover food that might otherwise get thrown away, and ensure you don’t buy fast food or cafeteria food for lunch while at work (which will add to your overall food spend).
  • We’ve included baby spinach, almonds and cranberries to create a simple side salad for any dish that isn’t easily multiplied. This helps your meals go further!

Week 1 meal plan

Sunday
Breakfast: Mini brunch frittatasThis recipe serves six, so you can whip together a batch on Sunday morning and have leftovers for Monday.
Lunch: Chicken quesadillas(or Leftovers) If you have dinner leftovers, lunch is the best time to eat them! Cooking three times a day can get tedious. Of course, if you don’t have leftovers, we’ve included this tasty quesadilla recipe with a few easy changes: Use the same spices as the Peri Peri chicken(smoked paprika, cumin, chilli flakes). Use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste. Use creme fraiche instead of sour cream.
Dinner: Roast vege tartCut this roast vege tart into six slices and serve it with a simple side salad of spinach, almonds and cranberries.

Monday
Breakfast: Mini brunch frittatasEat your Sunday leftovers cold, or reheat in a sandwich press!
Lunch: Leftover roast vege tartSunday’s roast vege tart will keep wonderfully in the fridge, or in a lunch box with an ice pack, until lunchtime. Enjoy it cold!
Dinner: Mexican fiesta bowlThis recipe serves two, so we’ve multiplied it by three to ensure there’s plenty left over for lunch tomorrow. Use frozen corn instead of canned, and serve with spinach instead of lettuce.

Tuesday

Breakfast: Very berry smoothieSmoothies are an easy breakfast on a work day — no cooking, just throw everything into a blender and go.
Lunch: Leftover Mexican fiesta bowlBe sure to remove the avocado and spinach before microwaving, or just enjoy this dish cold.
Dinner: Prawn and chicken laksaMultiply this recipe by three to ensure it feeds three adults for dinner and lunch.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Perfect microwave porridgeWe’ve included extra bananas in your shopping list, so you can each have some banana sliced on top of your porridge.
Lunch: Leftover Prawn and chicken laksaMicrowave your laksa covered for about two minutes to heat through.
Dinner: Cottage pieThe recipe serves four, so we’ve multiplied the ingredients by one and a half to get six servings.

Thursday
Breakfast: Very berry smoothieAlternating between smoothies and porridge, or any breakfast, helps keep your mornings feeling fresh. Of course, you can also sub in any smoothie recipe you enjoy.
Lunch: Leftover Cottage pieJust a few minutes in the microwave will warm this through, or enjoy it cold.
Dinner: Corn and prawn frittersFritters are a great way to use up any leftover ingredients — try adding anything you have in your fridge. Use onions instead of shallots, and serve with a side salad.

Friday
Breakfast: Perfect microwave porridgeFor a twist on this microwave porridge, try adding some of your frozen berries!
Lunch: Leftover Corn and prawn frittersKeep your fritters in the fridge, or in a lunchbox with an ice pack, and enjoy them cold.
Dinner: Slow cooked beef stroganoffPrep your stroganoff at the start of the week, by freezing your ingredients together in a large snaplock bag. Then, just throw the stroganoff in the slow cooker on the Friday morning and come home to a delicious dinner. Use creme fraiche instead of sour cream.

Saturday
Breakfast: Banana pancakesYour remaining bananas should be nice and ripe — perfect for pancakes. With no extra sugar, these pancakes are also great for a healthy family.
Lunch: Leftover beef stroganoffGive your stroganoff a few minutes in the microwave at lunch time.
Dinner: Peri Peri roast chickenA roast chicken is a great way to feed a family, and you’ll easily get leftover chicken and veggies for Sunday lunches.

See week two recipes below or get the shopping list now.

Get the shopping list

2 Week Budget Meal Plan - Recipes & Shopping List (2024)

FAQs

How to buy 2 weeks worth of groceries? ›

Plan meals with more perishable ingredients for the first week of your two-week menu plan. Save your meals with less perishable or nonperishable ingredients for the second week. Keep an ongoing shopping list. Whenever something is used up, it gets written on the shopping list.

Is $200 a month enough for groceries for one person? ›

* YES! It is possible to eat healthy for $200 a month. 30 Days on $200 shopping list is intended for one person.

Is $50 a week enough for groceries? ›

Planning out your meals so you use all of the ingredients, both raw and cooked, plus pantry staples and frozen goods means you can make a week's worth of dinners for around $50 in groceries.

What is 5 4 3 2 1 grocery shopping? ›

Each number corresponds to a specific food group that you'll purchase for easy, balanced meals every week. Following Coleman's method, you'd buy five different vegetables, four different fruits, three different proteins, two different sauces or spreads, and one grain—plus a special treat for yourself.

How can I make $20 last a week for food? ›

Here is an example of a grocery list that could last one person a week for around $20:
  1. Rice.
  2. Beans.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Canned tomatoes.
  5. Canned vegetables.
  6. Fresh vegetables (e.g., carrots, onions, potatoes)
  7. Fresh fruit (e.g., bananas, apples)
  8. Eggs.
Sep 11, 2023

What is a reasonable monthly food budget? ›

According to the USDA guidelines, you might spend $979 a month on a thrifty plan, $1,028 on a low-cost plan, $1,252 on a moderate-cost plan and $1,604 on a liberal plan. The USDA guidelines can provide a starting point for a food budget, but they don't consider all the variables that can affect cost.

Is it cheaper to grocery shop daily or weekly? ›

Aim for Weekly

“I always recommend to my clients to check out the weekly sales, and they can meal plan around those items,” she said. “Not only will you save money for the meals that week, but you can plan ahead, and stock up and save.” She emphasized the importance of planning ahead, as this can help you save money.

How much should a household of 2 spend on groceries? ›

According to the most recent data released from the Household Pulse Survey, American households spend an average of $270 on groceries a week. Broken down by household size: One person - $156.02. Two people - $220.82.

What is a reasonable food budget for one person? ›

Feeding Yourself According To The USDA
Thrifty$241.40 – $309.90
Low-Cost$249.60 – $296.60
Moderate Cost$306.90 – $371.70
Liberal$400.80 – $451.80
Nov 27, 2023

How much can a single person spend on groceries per week? ›

Question and Answers. The average weekly grocery budget for a single person can vary significantly depending on factors like location, dietary preferences, and income. However, a rough estimate might be between $50 to $100 per week.

What is the average grocery bill for a family? ›

The average family spends about $270 at the grocery store per week, but that number increases when children are taken into account. Families with kids spend an average of $331 a week on groceries or 41% more than families without kids.

How to meal plan on a budget? ›

10 tips to get you started on meal planning on a budget:
  1. Make a menu. ...
  2. Plan your meals around foods that are on sale. ...
  3. Plan some plant-based meals every week. ...
  4. Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. ...
  5. Enjoy grains more often. ...
  6. Avoid recipes that need a special ingredient. ...
  7. Look for seasonal recipes.
Feb 22, 2023

How much is a week's worth of groceries? ›

Although inflation has come down from last summer, some Americans continue to feel the effects of price hikes when shopping for food. The average American family spends about $270 on groceries per week, according to an analysis by HelpAdvisor of the Census Bureau's Household pulse survey.

How much does a family of 4 spend on groceries? ›

Average Costs and Variations

The average cost of food at home for a family of four, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), ranges from $567 to $1,296 per month, which comes out to approximately $130 to $300 per week.

How to make $50 for food last 2 weeks? ›

To make the most of your $50 budget for two weeks of meals, focus on buying items in bulk, choosing store-brand products, planning your meals in advance, and utilizing affordable ingredients like beans, lentils, and seasonal produce.

How to stretch 100 dollars for 2 weeks? ›

To make the most of a $100 budget for two weeks, start by planning your meals in advance. Look for budget-friendly recipes that use inexpensive ingredients and can be stretched across multiple meals. Consider batch cooking and meal prepping to make the most of your ingredients and minimize food waste.

How do I make my own grocery list? ›

Now let's come to the point on how to make an efficient grocery list in a few minutes:
  1. Step #1: Assess Your Current Inventory. ...
  2. Step #2: Plan Your Meals. ...
  3. Step #3: Use a Template or App. ...
  4. Step #4: Prioritize Items. ...
  5. Step #5: Leave Room for Spontaneity. ...
  6. Step #6: Double-Check Your List.
Sep 28, 2023

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