Welcome to the first meal plan/ recipe post on this site. I am glad you are here!

I made a meal plan last Saturday and was able to purchase everything I thought that I would need for $69.83 out of pocket.

Here is the haul:

Ingredients and Prices:

Butter: $4.26

Stuffing: $0.97

Alfredo Sauce: $2.37

Cream of Chicken Soup (2 cans): $0.68

Cranberry Sauce: $1.66

Can of Pineapple: $0.98

Can of Tomato Sauce: $1.48

Can of Water Chestnuts: $1.18

Can of Sliced Black Olives: $1.97

Can of Refired Beans: $1.00

Penne and Spaghetti: $1.96

Vanilla Extract: $5.72 (not required)

Sour Cream: $3.72 – they were out of generic 😦

(2) 8 Pack giant tortillas: $4.16

1 lb. bag of black beans: $1.76

(2) Packets Taco Seasoning: $0.94

1 lb. Ground Turkey: $1.98

Large Bag Taco Blend Cheese: $7.47

Frozen Chopped Spinach: $1.16

Frozen Pepper and Onion Blend: $2.58

Frozen Mixed Veggies: $2.28

Frozen Corn: $2.48

Frozen Hashbrowns: $3.42

Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: $8.29

18 Eggs: $5.36

I did also have some ingredients on hand, thinking that I was going to utilize most of them. They were not relevant to 90% of the meal plan I had created, but I was thinking that I would incorporate most of them at some point during the week.

Here, we have:

Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Family Size: $7.12 – this is something I try to keep stocked as it lasts my family quite some time. I am down to the end of the bag and decided to use this for breakfasts this weel. If you do not have it, substitute with the breakfast go-to of your choice!

Hamburger Buns: $1.46 – the plan was to use these for turkey burgers. Read on to learn why that did not go according to plan!

Flour: $2.38 – I initially thought that I would be making a homemade pizza this week. We ended up not needing it, so this will roll into next week’s meal plan.

Domino Sugar – $4.46 – also needed in the pizza/ to make the pasta sauce taste a bit better. I have a large bag of brand-name sugar. You can get a smaller container of generic sugar for $2.12 at Walmart if you do not currently have sugar on-hand.

Sliced Cheddar Cheese: $2.24. This was also meant to be for the burgers. We did not end up using it, as turkey burger night ended up being a fiasco!

Brown Rice: 5 lb. bags cost $3.98. I am going to use rice as filling in bean and corn burritos, but it is not technically required.

Fast Rising Yeast: $1.14 for three packets. This was for the pizza-that-would-not-be.

Family-size Minced Garlic: $5.42. This is for added flavor. It is not essential anywhere. You can get a smaller container of minced garlic, or you can use garlic powder if you have it.

Mustard: $0.98 -for burgers

Ketchup: $0.98 – for burgers

Italian Seasoning: $4.68 (I have a name brand), you can get a generic container of Italian seasoning for $1.12. This is for added flavor, especially in the sauce.

Onion Powder: $6.84 (I have a large container of a name brand), you can get a smaller container of a generic brand for $1.12.

Garlic Powder: $1.12

Salt and Pepper: You can get a two pack for $2.22

I truly had grand ambitions – not only to make all of these meals, but to share them on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and here.

At the end of the day, though, we all know that things happen. Maybe it’s because life can get hectic, maybe it’s because of unforeseen circumstances…

OR MAYBE it’s because you’re an overstimulated neurodivergent human who is still new to cooking, meal planning, and budgeting and is just trying to get by! Anyway, that’s how it started.

Here’s how it’s going:

Recipes and Ingredients:

Turkey burgers/ Quesadillas: 1 lb. Ground Turkey, a few handfuls of frozen pepper and onion blend (probably about 1/2 a cup), salt, pepper, butter, burger buns, sliced (or shredded) cheese. Froze mixed veggies for the side. (I cooked a little under half the 2 lb. bag).

Cook mixed veggies according to directions. Mix meat, still-frozen peppers and onions, salt, and pepper in a bowl, form into patties, refrigerate for 1 hour, fry them up and enjoy! And yes, I recommend you stick to just those ingredients. When I was cooking these, I made one with just those base ingredients because I wanted to see how it tasted. I then tried to get fancy with the rest, and it did NOT end well. The burger with the base ingredients cooked well and remained in its divinely-ordained patty form. The others were abominations. They quickly disintegrated into loose meat and veggies, and I needed to pivot my entire approach, leading me to add some shredded cheese and tap into the tortillas I purchased to make burger quesadillas. They did not come out well and will not be entering our meal rotation. I share all of this because I think it is important to normalize the fact that things go wrong sometimes.

I plan to use this space to share my successes and my failures. I am not a “trad wife”, I am not a homemaker. I am a mom and a wife and a full-time social services worker. I am a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I wear ripped up, baggy jeans and band t-shirts. I keep my hair short and spikey, I am covered in tattoos, our whole family is neurodivergent, with Autism and ADHD running rampant, and none of us mask at home. We have a chaotic, laughter-filled house, loving home, but if you are looking for picture-perfect suburban mom presentation, you’re not going to find that here!

Breakfast Burritos: 1 large tortilla/ family member (I, obviously, used three, but this will shift based on your needs). 1 lb. frozen hashbrowns. 1 1/2 cup frozen pepper and onion blend. 8 large eggs. 1/3 of a 2 lb. bag of frozen spinach. Shredded taco-blend cheese. 1 – 2 spoonfuls of minced garlic (you judge that stuff with your heart!). Salt and Peppers. Butter (or oil if you prefer).

Add hashbrowns and frozen pepper mix to a buttered or oiled skillet. Cook until tender and browned. Scramble eggs (use milk if desired – I did not), add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté garlic in a skillet until fragrant, add frozen spinach and cook until heated through. Push the spinach to the side and add egg mixture, mixing it all together. Top with some of the taco-blend cheese. Assemble burritos: put a small amount of taco-blend cheese on the tortilla, top with hashbrown and pepper and onion mixture first. Add egg mixture. Top with a little more cheese if desired. Roll burrito. If you’re like, you can place the burritos on a heated, oiled skillet to brown both sides. Serve immediately and enjoy!

In the words of my 13-year-old, “these are fire!” They were SO good. The whole family enjoyed them and they will absolutely be joining the rotation in our household.

Chicken Spinach Alfredo: 1 large can of Alfredo sauce. 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken. 1/2 box spaghetti. 1 lb. frozen spinach (half the bag). Salt and Pepper.

Pour alfredo sauce into a deep skillet (or pan, or whatever you have). Fill jar half-way with water, shake, and add that to the skillet as well. Add in frozen spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, while you boil water and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Once spaghetti is done and alfredo/ spinach mixture is well-heated and cooked down a little bit (for extra creamy goodness). Add drained pasta to the skillet, mix well, and enjoy!

This one was also, as my Nana would have said, “A winnah!” (I’m originally from Boston and that will absolutely come up from time to time. Fight me.) So simple, but so delicious, and the addition of the spinach instead of broccoli really improved the texture for all of us. This meal produced leftovers to cover lunch for my husband and I the next day.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole: 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup. 2 cups shredded chicken. 1 lb. frozen mixed veggies. 1 box chicken stuffing mix. 1 can cranberry sauce. 1 healthy scoop of sour cream. 1 stick of butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine condensed soup and water or milk in a bowl according to directions on can. Set aside. Melt one stick of butter. Combine dried stuffing mix (make sure you get all the seasonings out of the bag!) and melted butter and mix well. In a large casserole dish (I believe that mine is 9×13), pour frozen mixed veggies in a layer. Add shredded chicken. Add soup mixture. Add 1 generous scoop of sour cream. Add in about 2/3 of the stuffing mixture. Set the rest to the side. Mix casserole ingredients thoroughly. Once mixed, sprinkle the remaining stuffing mixture on top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with a side of cranberry sauce (unless you are weird like my husband and don’t like cranberry sauce, then just eat the casserole – you will love it!)

When I say that this was good, I mean it was excellent. In the words of my 13-year-old, “This is the best meal we’ve had all month. Can you make it again soon?” As a bonus, this meal produced so much food that we didn’t just have enough for two lunches, we actually had enough that we could have had an entire other dinner. I cannot recommend this one enough. I had made stuffing casseroles in the past, but this one was my own, and I am so proud of how it came out!

Pasta Bake: For this one, we are using the rest of the bag of the frozen pepper and onion mix, the rest of the bag of frozen spinach, 1 large can of tomato sauce, the remaining shredded chicken, taco-blend cheese (I actually recommend different cheese. When I bought the taco-blend, I thought that I was buying fiesta blend and did not realize my mistake until half-way through the week…). 1 box of Penne. Sour cream. Minced garlic. Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of sugar.

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Start with tomato sauce in a large skillet. Season with minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar to taste (I needed to adjust frequently as I went, so I recommend tasting it as you go and waiting until it’s the right flavor for you). Add pepper and onion blend and let simmer. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook Penne pasta according to directions until al dente. While pasta is boiling, add spinach to the sauce and mix well. Test seasoning at this point and add more/ adjust as needed. Once Penne is cooked, add to the skillet of sauce. Add a generous scoop (or two) of sour cream. Add some of the shredded cheese. Mix well. Transfer pasta mix to your casserole dish. Spread evenly in dish and top with more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 uncovered for 20 minutes.

This one was alright. It was not bad by any means. Maybe it was just fully overshadowed by the awesome dinner the night before.

13-year-old’s review: “It’s definitely edible.” We will likely make this one again.

Bean and Corn Burritos: Rinse dry beans and remove any broken beans or rocks or anything else. Soak 1/2 cup beans in 1 1/2 cups of water overnight. When making this dinner, simmer for 2 hours, adding salt. (you can obviously substitute 1 can black beans, strained and rinsed for convenience here). Cook 1 cup dry rice according to package directions. This is an excellent opportunity to use the chicken broth from the chicken prep we did earlier in the week. Broth will give a fuller flavor to the rice than water. (Rice is optional – you could absolutely just eat the ben and corn mixture in a tortilla – I had rice on hand, so I used it). Once beans are done, mix with 1 lb. frozen corn. Add rice to the mixture, Season with 1 package taco seasoning. Mix well and assemble burritos by adding rice/corn/bean mixture along with some taco-blend cheese and sour cream. Roll burritos, brown them in a skillet if you wish, and enjoy.

My family loves burritos. These are a staple in our home and are already on the rotation. This was my first time cooking with dried beans though, so that was an adventure! The kid’s review: “We eat these a lot, why are you asking me? They are still good.”

Meal 7: Meal 7 this week was just leftovers from the pasta bake. I didn’t want them to go bad, it is the weekend so work lunches are not needed yet, and we had to use it up.

WHAT ABOUT BREAKFAST/ LUNCH? We are not big breakfast eaters in our family. Pancakes are always an option, and they are pretty quick to make when you have the instant mix. You can also make pancakes ahead and have them ready as a grab-n-go option. For lunches, we really try to go with dinner leftovers. My kiddo gets lunches at school, so it’s just my husband and I who need them. I sometimes skip lunch as well. For the first two days of this week, we had some leftovers from last week, and then I started with the pastas and casseroles, which produced sufficient leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week. Because I skipped lunch a few times, it stretched. I know that this is not sustainable for everyone, so I will be thinking about how to incorporate regular lunches into my weekly meals moving forward!

For me, feeding us all for under $70 for the week was a HUGE win! Not long ago, we were spending $200-$300 a week in groceries! All of that to say, these are the not-so-baby-steps I am taking to completely change the financial landscape and future of my family (I hope).

In the next few weeks, I will be continuing to share meal plans and recipes both here and on my TikTok @millennial.midlife.rut. I will also be jumping into some of the budgeting strategies that I am learning.

Like and subscribe for more! Thank you for reading!