A Week of Dinners: Plan Ahead to Stretch Your Food Dollar

It can be daunting to plan meals for the whole family, but a little bit of preparation can stretch your food dollars and save you time. Knowing what you want to eat for dinner before you go shopping will also help eliminate excess food waste, and help you stick to a weekly budget. We came up with a week’s worth of dinner recipes for you and your family to try out. With so many great options at our farmers markets, the possibilities are endless! Double Up on your produce and double down on your dinner plans with these great ideas.

Monday

We all know Monday is not everyone’s favorite, so a simple meal that the whole family will enjoy is the way to go. Spaghetti is easy and can be modified for those picky eaters in the family. Add your favorite protein such as chicken or ground beef if desired. You can serve with some garlic bread and a nice side salad for a fun family pasta night.

​Tuesday

Tuesday and tacos are synonymous, so here is a great taco recipe that can be added to your weekly queue of meals. Tacos are great for a family with different dietary needs, because you can plan what you want to put in them and easily add or remove any ingredients. To stretch your food dollar even more, leftovers can be turned into a taco salad for lunch. Here is a simple recipe for fish tacos that can be easily modified and used with chicken, beef, or veggies.

Wednesday 

It’s the middle of the week and we are looking forward to the weekend – a perfect time for a Sloppy Joe night. This recipe is easily modified and will impress the whole family. Serve with a side of fresh local veggies to make it extra special.

Thursday

At this point in the week, we might have a lot of leftover vegetables from previous meals that are already cut up or partially used. A good way to make sure these do not go to waste is a delicious stir fry. This will ensure your Double Up Food Bucks are being put to full use and that no vegetable or fruit gets left behind! You can also use rice or noodles you already have on hand. Add extra vegetables to make it more nutritious and delicious.

Friday

We know it’s probably been a long week, so let’s wow everyone with this simple but amazing lasagna recipe. This recipe can be frozen and reheated for later, so it is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of that grocery list.

Saturday

The weekend is in full effect and it’s time to celebrate with this yummy stuffed pepper recipe. This option is great because it’s packed with nutrition and flavor, and can be made with or without meat.

Sunday

Sunday is always a special day for the dinner table, and also a time to relax before the week starts again. Here is a great (and simple) recipe for curry that will wow with flavor. This recipe contains most of the ingredients from the previous recipes, so it is a great way to get the most out of your food dollar. Take out the chicken to make it vegetarian-friendly. ​

These recipes will definitely Double Up your meal planning skills and make sure the whole family is happy and full!