Cheap Eats Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of the cheap eats meal plan! Seven dinners for just under $3 per serving. Hearty, family-friendly meals that stretch ingredients and flavor, not your budget.

This plan is meant to work with your real life. You don’t have to follow it in a strict order or make every single recipe. Want to swap a meal out? Eat leftovers for a night or two? Absolutely. Nothing breaks if you don’t stick to it perfectly. You can mix and match as needed.

We’ve also got a free customization tool in beta. You can adjust serving sizes, switch out recipes, and generate a new shopping list based on your changes. It’s still in testing, but it works.

And don’t forget: every recipe has a video tutorial on our website to walk you through each step. Whether you’re new to cooking or just want to see what to expect, we’ve got you covered.

Menu Quick Look

Be sure to check out the full plan guide, pantry staples, and menus for the other weeks. You can always adjust the plan to fit your preferences and substitute your favorite recipes.

Grocery Haul

This week’s haul leans heavily into fresh veggies, protein, and dairy. Since your pantry is already stocked, you won’t be re-buying staples like spices, flour, or oil.

You’ll find plenty of ways to repurpose ingredients across meals—like shredded lettuce and cheese for multiple recipes—to reduce waste and keep your grocery bill low.

Download the Week 2 Shopping List PDF for an easy, grab-and-go version of the list.

Receipt

This week stays right on target with affordable, family-friendly dinners. As always, prices reflect a typical grocery store trip—no sale hunting or bulk buying required. Your totals may vary slightly depending on your location, but this should keep you close.

The Recipes

Right above, you’ll see a snapshot of all seven dinners with a visual guide to serving sizes. We know it helps to actually see what a portion looks like, so we laid it all out.

There’s also a quick video walkthrough that shows the finished meals and gives you a better idea of what to expect throughout the week.

Now let’s look at each dinner:

Monday

We love a one-pot meal! Forget the jarred pasta sauce, and make this instead. Our homemade meat sauce combines simple pantry ingredients, and it’s one of the easiest dinners you can make. Serve with a side of roasted broccoli to keep things simple.

One Pot Spaghetti

One-Pot Spaghetti that tastes like it simmered all day. Quick, delicious, and made with affordable ingredients to keep your budget in check.

Tuesday

Nothing says Southern comfort like a warm bowl of Chicken and Dumplings. This classic dish features tender shredded chicken, onions, and garlic in a creamy, flavorful broth. The homemade dumplings steal the show, rolled by hand and made with only five simple ingredients. Don’t worry – they’re easier than they look!

Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings

This Southern-style chicken and dumplings recipe features easy homemade rolled dumplings and shredded chicken in a deliciously creamy broth, all ready in just 1 hour.

Wednesday

This easy sheet pan meal is an affordable and tasty way to make a quick meal that isn’t the same old chicken dinner. Plus, it’s loaded with delicious, roasted veggies. No need to make any sides—this is a whole meal by itself.

Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

Our sheet pan sausage and veggie recipe has all the smoky flavors with a simple seasoning mix and minimal prep for an easy one-pan meal.

Thursday

Cold night? Sick day? This Green Chile Pork Stew is slow-cooked comfort in a bowl – juicy pork, smoky chiles, and big flavor with almost no effort.

Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork Stew

Our Green Chile Pork Stew packs so much flavor in one bowl. With quick prep time and the slow cooker, this is comfort food made easy!

Friday

These baked nuggets are a better-for-you option that won’t break the bank. Made with real, white chicken breast meat, a flavorful spice blend, and our secret ingredient: parmesan cheese. We like to make it a meal with mac and cheese (below) and a side of frozen veggies or peas.

The Best Baked Chicken Nuggets

These nuggets are made with real chicken breast meat and baked, so you don’t get all of that excess oil—they really are the best ever!

It only takes 15 minutes to make this deliciously creamy mac and cheese. This process is so simple, you won’t want to go back to the boxed stuff.

Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Skip the box and make the good stuff! This Mac and Cheese is easy to make on the stovetop and it’s ready in just 15 minutes.

Saturday

This hearty, comforting soup delivers big flavor with minimal effort. And, it’s ready in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner when you need something quick and filling!

Classic Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli is classic, Italian comfort food. This hearty soup is packed with sausage, beans, and pasta, and ready in just 30 minutes!

Sunday

Use up that ground beef with this easy taco casserole! Ground beef is a great protein that you can dress up with your favorite spices. We made our own taco seasoning blend, which is both delicious and cost-effective.

Tasty Taco Casserole

Tasty Taco Casseroles take all of your favorite taco flavors and puts them into an easy to make casserole!

Make It Work for You

Life happens, and this plan makes room for it. You don’t need to cook seven nights a week. Skip a recipe, stretch leftovers, or repeat a family favorite. It won’t throw anything off.

If you want to tweak things, our customization tool in beta is here to help. It lets you adjust servings, swap recipes, and get an updated shopping list in just a few clicks. Still in beta, but ready to use.