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Aldi is a great place to shop if your grocery store options are limited and/or you don’t like dealing with coupons. Aldi has consistently low prices and their markdowns are often too good to pass up. I do find I sometimes have to be choosy with the produce I buy there, but it’s definitely a good place to find your grocery staples.
I wanted to come up with a simple, frugal meal plan with all the ingredients available at Aldi. Then, I wondered how much it would actually cost and if it really was frugal. I came up with a 7 day Aldi dinner plan that can be done for $90 or less.
I say $90 or less because some of the ingredients may be things you already have in your pantry or in your kitchen. The more you already have or can get at a lower price, the less this will cost! (Note that my calculation of $90 is not including the items on the “pantry” section of the shopping list.) Spending $90 on dinners may not be frugal for some, but with the current food prices, I think it’s pretty good. And you will probably have some leftovers!
Other posts about Aldi:
Is Aldi the Cheapest Grocery Store?
How to Save Money at Aldi
Sam’s Club vs. Aldi: Which Store Has Better Prices?
7 Day Aldi Dinner Plan (for $90!)
First, I’ll give you a quick list of what meals are on this 7 day Aldi dinner plan, along with links to recipes.
Day 1: Slow cooker tomato soup and grilled cheese
You’ll want to double the soup recipe in your slow cooker so you have plenty. If you have any left over, then you can freeze it for future meals!
Day 2: BBQ chicken drumsticks, green beans, crescent rolls
Chicken drumsticks are a very frugal choice of meat, and you can use any BBQ sauce you have on hand.
Day 3: Meatballs, pasta, sauce, broccoli
This meal is basically spaghetti and meatballs, using frozen meatballs to make things convenient. I also love relying on frozen veggies to keep things frugal will not compromising on nutrition.
Day 4: Pasta carbonara, salad mix
Who doesn’t love bacon and cheese? This pasta carbonara comes together quickly, and for a side you’re just going to be picking your favorite Aldi salad mix.
Day 5: Black bean and rice enchiladas, corn
You’ll double this recipe, too, to make enough for your family with some leftovers! These also freeze well.
Day 6: Hamburgers, buns, french fries, carrots
I love grilling hamburgers, but you can also put them in your oven and bake them.
Day 7: Pancakes with syrup, scrambled eggs, grapes
Breakfast for dinner is a frugal way to fill everyone up. If you have some extra bacon from the carbonara, you can fry that up as well!
Printable Menu and Shopping List
Here’s all of it in one printable page so you can hang it up in your kitchen!
Download the menu planFinally, here is the shopping list so you can get everything you need in one trip. Remember that you should check your pantry before shopping!
Download the shopping list!
