40 Meals for $25 | Fast and EASY Budget Friendly Meals | Emergency Grocery Budget Meal Plan
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มิ.ย. 2024
- Grocery prices are soaring and it’s more important than ever to save every penny. That’s why I’ve created this budget friendly menu using just $25 in groceries. It includes 2 breakfast ideas that can be eaten all week long and 5 dinner ideas, for a total of about 40 servings.
I highly recommend looking for the least expensive grocery store near you, like Walmart or Aldi. I currently shop at Aldi, as it’s the cheapest option near me, but be sure to compare prices before shopping by using the stores’ app and searching for the products you need.
Find all the recipes and a grocery list here:
wholeandhappyliving.com/2023/...
More Recipes can be found on my blog or Facebook! linktr.ee/LauraLegge
As always, I truly appreciate you being here! Thank you so much for watching!
With Love,
Laura
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#budgetshopping #budgetmeals #mealplanning #groceriesonabudget #budgetfriendlymeals #budgetfriendlyrecipes #savemoney #moneysavingtips
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If you want to thicken something like your Chicken Pot Pie soup/casserole and you are using potatoes, just mash a few and mix it in. Alternately, you can grate some raw potato and mix that in. I think you did a great job for the amount of money you had to work with.
I absolutely LOVE that tip!! Thank you for sharing! I’ll do that next time 😊
Instant potatoes also can do the same, and are another relatively inexpensive option. :)
@@katiegrissom9616 I love that! I’ll have to give that a try! Thank you!
Or use cream of chicken lmao
I ❤your recipe ideas and the way you film. Your narrative is very easy to follow and I love the way you explain the steps. This is why I stopped watching the Food Network because none of the shows have realistic folks. Keep up the good work and I appreciate the inspiration. 🥰🤩😋
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I truly appreciate that! ☺️
Thank you so much for this! I recently got saddled with a lot of debt at the same time I got the best paying job I've ever had (long story), and I was a nervous wreck trying to figure out how I was going to afford food and utilities while having to pay down the debt. Your videos have made me massively more hopeful that it can be done, and there is an end to the debt, while keeping my family fed and warm. Thank you so much! ❤
I’m so sorry you’re going through that. I’m sending lots of hugs your way! I’m glad the meal plans help and I hope you love the recipes 🙂
I would probably add some carrots to the soups and some cheese to the breakfasts. With some fruit I could eat a week off of your menu. What a great job!
Thank you so much! I think cheese and carrots would be perfect additions to this menu! 😄
The penne and sausage i added about a cup of pasta water and cooked for a bit to make a thickened starchy sauce
I LOVE that! I was wondering how to make it saucier. Thank you so much for sharing that! 😊
I know it's not in the budget and mushrooms are getting kind of expensive but they're really good in your egg and spinach dish.
I absolutely love that idea! I’m going to try that next time! They were on sale last week for .99 cents ☺️
Fantastic ideas. Thanks for sharing them. God bless.
Thank you and you’re welcome ☺️
Pour some of the water in one can and pour back and forth between the two cans to get all the bits.
I love that!! Great idea! Thank you 😊
I like to add cut up pieces of hotdog in the boxed mac n' cheese. it taste so good and really changes up the taste. sometimes I cut the hot dog pieces and pan fry them first before adding to the mac n' cheese. I just found your channel and have been binge watching your videos 😂
What a great idea!! Thank you for mentioning that! I hope you get lots of inspiration from the videos ☺️
Great ideas!
Thank you so much ☺️
I make similar meals all the time! One of my splurges now is to get a pint of fat free greek yogurt (Trader Joe's has it for less than $5) and a little goes a long way. On some soups or meals you can add a scoop on top and it's like sour cream. For pastas it helps thicken the sauce or turns a red sauce into a cream sauce. And if you make a sandwich topping or salad dressing, just take the greek yogurt and add in salt, pepper and all the spices you like.
Yes!! You’re absolutely right! I love Greek yogurt for so many things! It’s one of the most underrated ingredients, in my opinion 😄 The first time I had it instead of sour cream on a quesadilla, I was shocked! It was SO good!
Yogurt is also very healthy.
Such good recipes! I love the sausage, egg, and potato burritos. Been looking for breakfast sandwiches that I could freeze and this would be perfect. Thanks+
You’re welcome and thank you so much! 😊 I hope you love everything you try!
Great job and wonderful ideas ❤
Thank you so much 😊
TY for this! What a treat, a well edited video and your blog and printable recipes 😀 wow, TY! I am super glad YT presented me with your videos. I subscribed.
Sending love from Ontario 🇨🇦
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 😊 I have a few more budget meal plans coming soon!
Omg. Thank you for sharing this ❤
You’re welcome! I hope you love the recipes! 😊
Excellent quick recipes that I'm going to try. Thanks! New subscriber.
Thank you! I hope you love the recipes! 😊
Thank you for sharing ❤😊
You’re welcome ☺️
This is my first visit to your channel and I appreciate you reminding cooks to add a good amount of spices in like garlic powder, pepper, onions etc., it makes the difference and I like the suggestions about adding this or that ‘if you have any’ while also pointing out that it’s fine you don’t have it. 🙆🏻♀️ I assume most of us would never go to the store to pick up just one ingredient for a recipe and things still turn out alright. 🤭
Thank you so much for your comment! I definitely feel like the seasoning makes such a huge difference and I hope anyone making these recipes can feel like they can make them to their taste with whatever they have on hand ☺️
Fantastic video
Thank you so much 😊
Family doesn't like beans except the refried canned beans with some onion and cheese and some taco sauce on top. I know they go far but... You know buying complete just add water pancake mix can be made into breakfast sandwich and used as batter for somethings and make sausage links dipped and cooked. Very handy stuff. Also sometimes if you did 2 week grocery trips you can get bigger packs of chicken or potatoes or onions would give you more and cheaper divided by 2 weeks. I realize it can be hard for people on seriously tight budgets. I love how creative you are. Vegans or vegetarians cold really make so many things you create. Dinners don't always have to be meat and carbs. ❤
Thank you so much for your tips! I’m going to try making more recipes with pancake mix. It’s something I keep on hand all the time 😄 I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I try to use meat as a garnish for the majority of my cooking. It definitely saves a ton of money! We’ve been incorporating more meatless meals into our rotation too. We’re loving it!
I enjoyed this video very much. You can say grab all you want! I really liked that I had almost all the ingredients already except for the potatoes!
Yay! Thank you so much! I hope you love the recipes!
Just found your channel. Love your videos ! New subscriber!
Thank you so much for being here! I’m glad you’re loving my videos! 😊
New to your channel. Thank you for the video.
Welcome to my channel! I hope you love the recipes and tips ☺️
I like canned tomatoes with the box Mac and cheese, too! Yummy 😋
Oooh yum!! I’ve never tried that but I definitely will now! Thank you for the suggestion!
I sauced the sausage and penne with a bit of chicken broth powder. (They don’t love sausage taste.) To thicken I used pasta water that I saved. Potato eater can be used to thicken sauces and to mash potatoes without milk or butter. Popcorn salt with butter flavor good when sautéing with water.
Thank you so much for all your suggestions! I’ll definitely use that potato water tip next time too! I had no idea!
Hey new sub here 🖐! Great looking recipes and food ideas for a budget 👍. I will be trying out some of these recipes for sure. I look forward to more videos from you. Take care 😁👍.
Thank you so much! I hope you love the recipes 😄
cant wait to try a few of these....I love Aldi!!
I hope you love the recipes! ☺️ I love Aldi too!
Love aldi last week got boneless skinless chicken drum sticks for 65 cents got 16 pounds for 10.40 and last month got hot dogs 🌭 bun size 1.39 got 10 packs 24 count
I love that! Their prices have been incredible! Our Aldi just opened in December and I’ve been so pleased with how much we’re able to save now, thanks to them.
One of my “splurges” there are the cheese curds and they have the best prices on them
@@catshultz9045 I'll have to check those out! I haven't tried them yet!
New subscriber! Great meals that people will actually make. That chili/lentil dish would be so good with sweet corn too!
Thank you so much for watching! I hope you love the recipes! 😊
Nice job on the recipes. They looked delicious. I love boxed Mac and cheese too. 🤣🤣
Thank you! 😊 and yes! It’s just so good! 😅
I usually add rice with my eggs and salsa or hot sauce. But potatoes is good too.
Yum!! That sounds delicious!
Hello I'm new to ur channel I think I'm going to love it 💞💞💞❤❤❤❤❤
Hey! Thank you so much! 😊
No wonder I never make gravy, that’s a lot of stirring lol but great ideas and you did a good job on this video. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much! 😊
Just found you. Really enjoyed the video!
Thank you so much!! 😊 I’ll be making more of these budget meal plans soon!
Yummy😊
Thank you! 😊
What spice I think is important to have for chicken dishes is thyme. Just a little thyme and salt and pepper is delicious if that’s what your budget can afford. I won’t make chicken soup or chicken pot pie without it and I noticed that you do the same. Thanks again for all the helpful tips and recipes. I’m going to Aldi in the morning armed with my meal plan . I’m living dangerously and going to see if I can do a two week plan without having to go back to any store in that amount of time. Have a great week Laura and family 🍁
Thank you! You’re absolutely right! I think thyme is delicious on chicken and I use it a lot! Good luck with your 2 week plan!! I’m sure it’ll be amazing! 🤩 Have a wonderful week too!
Subscribed 🎉
Thank you so much! 😄 I hope you love it here!
I just went grocery shopping yesterday and 9npy got a few things and it ended up being 80 dollars. It was 3 pounds of ground beef,five pounds of potatoes,five 18 count of eggs(they were on sale for 1.83) 2lb of tomatoes,3 large bell peppers, 3 loads of bread, a 5lb bag of cutie oranges, 4 0acks of hot dogs,2 tubes of chorizo, shredded cheese, and a jar of strawberry jelly. This with what I have on hand will feed my family of 6 for a week.
I love that! Sounds like a great grocery haul!
Chorizo is a little bit more expensive than hot dogs..
@@gaylenewood7707 at the store I go to it's about 10 cents more and I make each tube last for 2 meals. The only time I use a whole tube is when I make pinto beans or refried beans
You did a great job! I just discovered your channel and subscribed. Can't wait to explore more of your videos.
Thank you so much! I’ll have more budget friendly meal plans soon too (I currently have 3 I’m working on now!) ☺️ I hope you enjoy the other videos too!
So many cooking shows make food that I know my family wouldn't eat. But every recipe here looks Delicious! I cannot wait to try several of these. Why am I not already subscribed to your channel? 😊
Thank you for this.
You’re welcome!! ☺️ I hope you love the recipes!
@@LauraLegge thank you for what you do. It's very appreciated.
Great video. I'm glad I found your channel
Thank you so much!! 😊 I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
We r a dairy free home and low FODMAP so I appreciate your recipes.
I’m so glad! 😊 I hope you love them!
The recipies aren't low FODMAP though.
I thought you did a super job with what you had. I probably would add some of the chili to the macaroni and cheese. We love chili Mac at our house.
Thank you so much!! I ended up trying that in a different meal plan for the first time and it was absolutely delicious!! I can’t believe I had never tried it before 😅 I’m definitely going to be making that again!
I love coconut curry or spicy lentil and veggies soup
Oooh I’ll have to try those! They sound delicious!
I live your videos and think the cast iron dutch oven pan you use is one of the best for making djnners in it just seems to cook everything better i have 4 lol but wanted to know where you bought the frying pan the purple / lavender colored one i think it might be cast iron to but not sure and totally 😊love the color
Keep making this great videos and we will all continue to watch thank you and the breakfast were delicious 😋
Thank you so much! I definitely will ☺️ The purple pan is from ALDI and it’s called the Awesome pan! They don’t always have it in stock though. I love my Dutch oven too. It’s the best!
Everything looks so good!!!
Thank you so much!
Eggs have not been that low here since before covid. Where do you live. You can eat like kings
Yes to budget meals!!!!! New subscriber here :)
Hey! Thank you so much for watching! I’m currently working on another menu for $30! I can’t wait to share ☺️
The black bean/lentil soup would be good over rice; I have added cream of mushroom soup and sliced black olives to the mac and cheese meal.
You’re absolutely right! That’s a great way to stretch the meal too! I’ll have to try your version of the mac and cheese. It sounds delicious!
The box Mac and Cheese, I have used Tuna or canned Chicken with frozen carrots and peas.
I’ll have to try that! It sounds delicious!
A lot of states do not have food on taxes so you should just base it on the total before taxes.
Thank you so much! That will definitely give me a little more wiggle room! 😊
Today aldi got northern dried beans 16 oz 50 cents got 4 bags for 2 dollars
Wow! That’s incredible! What a great deal!
I wish there was an Aldi where I lived.
Me too! 😥
🙌
where did you that meal plan journal? id love to get one
I designed it and it’s available on Amazon! ☺️ a.co/d/084DswW
❤
Idc I love old school boxes mac and cheese. I add a 12 oz steam bag of broccoli to make it healthier for me. I’m cooking for one🤷♀️😆
Great idea! I’m going to do that next time! 😋
I went to Smart & Final today & just bought the “loss leader” whole chickens for 99 cents a pound. I also buy chicken breast on sale & freeze in smaller portions. You can roast or air fry a breast to shred to put in your recipes. I bought 12 eggs at Aldi for $1.29 today. Last week Aldi had 18 for $1.47. Winco had chicken breast 3 weeks ago for $1.69 a pound. I bought 10 pounds & divided them up & froze.
I love that! That’s an excellent way to save! I’m always looking for a good deal too
😍
I seen the eggs for$1.99 and was so excited! 😂 Why is everything so expensive 😢
Right?! I get so excited when I see good deals these days
Aldi eggs Southern California today 12 pack 99 cents
Yes!! So exciting! 🤩 That’s the best price we’ve seen in a very long time!
Agree
I made the Aldi mac and cheese with tuna for lunch before I watched this. How funny!
How funny! I haven’t tried it with tuna yet but I hear it’s delicious!
@@LauraLegge I used 1 tuna pouch and 2 boxes of mac and cheese made according to the box's directions. Then I added a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. You can also add some frozen peas and cook it with the pasta, but I didn't have any peas, this time.
@@katiesinthekitchen yum!! I’ll have to try that! Thank you so much!
Idaho potatoes are $10 for 8 lbs at Walmart in Natchitoches, Louisiana
Oh wow!
💜💜💜💜💜
In the mac and cheese with tuna or chicken add some frozen mixed veggies to it as well. It makes it more of a complete meal in one bowl.
I grew up eating canned meat, mac and cheese and frozen veggies cooked in one pot. Be it cannned Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel, chicken, pork or beef with macaroni and cheese a frozen veggie or veggie mix will be great.
The macaroni and cheese in these was called wiggle. So if we had Tuna, mac and cheese with frozen peas it was called "Tuna pea wiggle". With a funny name it gets even some of the picky eaters over their pickiness.
Any cooked ground meat, sauted onions, mushrooms & garlic, seasonings you want with mac and cheese with wilted spinach,is a great meal.
3 TO 4 nights of meals from macaroni and cheese.
I used homemade macaroni and cheese but you can skip making enough for 3 to 4 nights just by using boxed macaroni and cheese but adding the ingredients to make the completed meal for that night. Enjoy
1st night Cheeseburger Macaroni.
Make enough for 3 dinners of macaroni and cheese with cooked ground beef, sauted onions and chopped bellpepper. Salt and pepper to taste.
2nd night. Bull on Knees.
Add to the remainder 1 jar of bolognese pasta sauce.
3rd night Chiliburger Macaroni.
Take remaining add two 16 ounce cans diced tomatoes of your choice, garlic powder and any chili packet mix or seasoning you prefer to make it a chili mac dish.
4th night Chilimac Royale.
If enough left over for another meal add a dollop of greek yogurt and some Shredded cheese.
Thank you for all the suggestions! I’ve never tried mac and cheese so many different ways! I’m excited to try these out 😊
The first few (very broke) years of my marriage, we ate A Lot of the mac n cheese with tuna and peas as well. I joke that my children were baked on it.
I'm a New Subbie
Hey! Thank you so much for watching! 😊
👍
If I want to add cheese to the casserole, should I sprinkle it on top or mix it in with the eggs?
Both would work but I would sprinkle it on top! 🤩 it’s going to be delicious like that!
Holy crap! I haven’t seen prices like these in years. Which Aldi did you go to?
Their prices have been truly amazing! I shop at the ALDIs in Southern California!
@@LauraLegge I’ll have to try and go over there. The closest to us is up in Laguna Woods.
@@KB-hx3px I hope it’s worth the trip! Ours just opened up in December and I’ve been so happy to be able to save so much. 😊
I never would have noticed "grab." All the budget shoppers I watch say it a lot 😆
Oh haha! I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one 😄 I say it a lot!
This is why I can't read the comments 😂 now I can only hear grab ❤😊
@@n.a.garciafamily haha I didn’t even notice it until someone mentioned it 😅 I’ll try to avoid saying it so much in the future
@@LauraLegge oh honey. It's so ok. I just shouldn't read the comments 😊🤣🥰❤️
Those all looked really good! But not going to lie you lost me at the mac n cheese with chicken in it😅
Haha no worries! I definitely understand that not every dish is for everyone 😅
If u want 1%, milk to make it more affordable take a half gallon water add a half gallon 2% milk then to the half gallon of 2%, remaining fill with water shake both gallons n u have 2 gallons 1% milk
Oh wow! I never thought to try that! Thank you!
A box of chicken bouillon cubes would have added a lot of flavor to your chicken dishes
Yes!! That’s an excellent idea! Thank you! 🤩
That mac and cheese would be good with a half a bag of broccoli
Yes!! That’s a great suggestion! I’m going to try that! Thank you 😊
I wonder, what can I sub for the milk in all those meat dishes?
You can use any milk substitute like almond or coconut milk. You can also just substitute with water or chicken stock, depending on the recipe 😊
Can I use almond milk instead of regular milk?
Yes, absolutely 😊
These prices are SO cheap. I am floored.
I’ve been surprised too! Aldi is the least expensive store in our area right now 🤩
You should try almond milk.It's cheaper and healthier
Thank you! I’ll try it out! I’ve had it before but it all used to have carrageenan in it and it hurt my stomach. I’ll see if I can find a good one without it 😊
or oat milk, but aldi oat has wheat for viewers avoiding it
Since covid our eggs shot from $5 or $6 to $10 a doz
Oh my! 😰
A bell pepper would have been good to add to the breakfast potato casserole.
Yum!! You’re right!
🌭🍔
Very impressed but if you remove the background muaic it would be SO much better.
Ok! I’ll do that next time 😊 thank you!
@@LauraLegge Thank you!
Aldi mac and cheese is better than Kraft!
It’s so tasty!!
These are great budget meal ideas, however, you must have small children because she dishes would not feet my family of 4 which includes 2 teenage boys.
Thank you! I designed most of these for adult servings but I know teenage boys will probably enjoy seconds 😄 my kids are very small right now so they definitely don’t eat much yet
10 months ago tho
Actually, grocery prices have been coming down.
That’s wonderful to hear!
Can of chicken breast !? Omg
Did I misunderstand...40 meals?!? I didn't see 40 MEALS presented. 40 servings?
Pretty quick meals though. But, when I see th serving size, I KNOW my family wud consider that as an appetizer
Yes, it’s 40 meals/servings 😊 You could definitely add a little more of the protein to these recipes to suit your family’s preference and it should still be pretty affordable 😄
Yeah, the way "meals" is used in these types of videos drives me nuts. I cook a meal at night and it feeds my family of 4, but it's still 1 meal. Drives me bonkers. I think it's for clicks, but I tend to avoid them.
@@Carnivorish to be honest, when I was doing my research for my thumbnail and title for these meal plans, all I was seeing was how many servings/meals in all the videos so that’s what I did too. I figured that was a TH-cam thing 😅 I’ll have other videos soon with dinner ideas and they won’t have the amount of servings listed in total, just the amount of dishes.
@@LauraLegge Thanks for your reply, but I want to say that I'm not saying I'm right... just saying how I feel. Others don't seem to have a problem with it, so I think it's just a TH-cam thing that everyone accepts. Don't mind me, just do you and what works. Take care and thanks for the reply!
@@Carnivorish I completely understand and thank you so much for sharing your opinion! I felt that way when I was looking at them too and I had to figure out what they meant by “meals”. I wanted to make sure I was on the same page as the budget videos, so I gave it a try 😄 I love to hear everyone’s opinions about my content so I can change things as needed, so I certainly appreciate your honesty! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Try another word besides “grab”?
Wow, prices in your neighborhood is expensive!
Yes, they’re definitely much higher than they used to be! These prices are much lower than most of our other local stores, so I’m grateful for that 😊
I am going to make up the lentil soup, using tomatoes, kale and potatoes from my garden! Yay!
Just wondering how many people are u feeding? Just seems like way too little. I have a teenage boy and husband that could eat one box of Mac and cheese alone and both are not over weight both work out.
This plan is for a family of 4 but it’s more of an emergency plan and can definitely be modified as needed ☺️
Grab. Grab. Grab.
Yeah it’s annoying isn’t it?
I don’t mind grab. One I’ve notice a lot lately is “go ahead”. Go ahead and add this. Go ahead and slice that. It’s just the different ways that our brains work.
At least she doesn’t say “like”three times in every sentence. If you ever watch the barefoot contessa, every other word from her is “just”.
I wish you would talk a little but slower especially in the beginning
Ok! I’ll work on that! Thank you for letting me know 😊 I tend to forget to slow down
wow aldi is so cheap
It’s been amazing having them close by! I’m always so pleased with their prices 😄
country??????????////
USA 🇺🇸
@@cynsi7604 ok thanks
New here too but if you keep saying “grab” I’m out of here. Find another word lol
I’ll keep that in mind next time I shop. I tend to forget that I’m saying words repetitively. 😬
@@LauraLegge I didn’t even notice
@@sindel6562 thank you! I don’t notice most the time when I repeat myself 😅
@@LauraLegge I’m just teasing you and I have subscribed to your channel and enjoying watching the videos I missed 😊
@@emmsmom1848 haha 😅 I’ll still be sure to mix up my vocabulary! Thank you so much for watching!
Also you should become a vegetarian.It's cheaper and healthier.
I’m working on incorporating more meatless meals and I would definitely love to give up meat for the most part.
“grab” such a TH-cam verb. Overused
I'm amazed that organic products are the same price as regular products in the US. In Australia, they are significantly more expensive.
Usually they’re more expensive but some organic things at ALDI have great prices 😄
I guess people with insulin resistance or diabetic have to add more meat and a LOT LESS CARBS! That’s a lot of carbs and very little protein. 🫤