I Fed My Family Dinner All Week for $65 – Here’s Everything We Ate

There are weeks when life just feels like a lot. Work, school, kids, activities and somehow we still have to figure out dinner every single night.

This week I challenged myself to create 7 cozy, filling dinners using simple Aldi ingredients without blowing our grocery budget. The total came out to about $65 at my local Aldi, and every meal was something my family genuinely loved.

And yes, the full combined grocery list is at the bottom of this post.

1. Crockpot BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese

Creamy, cheesy pasta mixed with slow-cooked BBQ chicken. This one tastes like comfort food from a restaurant but costs a fraction of takeout.

Why it works:

• Minimal prep

• Crockpot does the work

• Super filling

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

• 1 cup BBQ sauce

• 2 cups dry pasta

• 1½ cups milk

• 2 cups shredded cheddar

• ½ tsp salt

2. Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Tender chicken in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes. Serve over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup heavy cream

• ½ cup parmesan

• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes

• garlic + Italian seasoning

3. Loaded Cheeseburger Rice Skillet

Everything you love about a cheeseburger in one creamy skillet.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 cup rice

• 2 cups broth

• 1 cup shredded cheese

• ketchup + mustard

4. Garlic Butter Chicken & Roasted Potatoes

Golden roasted potatoes tossed with juicy garlic butter chicken.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

• 1 lb potatoes

• butter

• garlic

• Italian seasoning

5. Creamy Spinach Tortellini with Chicken

Cheese tortellini in a rich garlic cream sauce with fresh spinach.

Ingredients

• cheese tortellini

• 1 chicken breast

• 1 cup heavy cream

• spinach

• parmesan

6. Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls

Sweet, savory, and perfect over rice.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup honey

• garlic

• rice

7. Creamy Cajun Sausage & Rice

Smoked sausage, rice, and a creamy Cajun sauce – one pan and done.

Ingredients

• smoked sausage

• 1 cup rice

• 2 cups broth

• ½ cup cream

• Cajun seasoning

Full Grocery List (Everything You Need)

Meat

• 6–7 chicken breasts

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 smoked sausage

Dairy

• 1 pint heavy cream

• 1 block parmesan

• 3 cups shredded cheese

• 1½ cups milk

• 1 stick butter

Dry Goods

• 1 box pasta

• 1 package tortellini

• 2 cups dry rice

Canned & Jarred

• BBQ sauce

• Soy sauce

• Honey

• Sun-dried tomatoes

• Chicken broth (32 oz)

Produce

• 1 bag potatoes

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 bag spinach

• 1 garlic bulb

Estimated Total

Approximately $60–70 at Aldi
28–35 servings
Roughly $2 per serving

Why This Plan Works

✔ Simple ingredients
✔ Cozy, creamy dinners
✔ Stretchable leftovers
✔ Easy for busy weeks
✔ Budget friendly without feeling “cheap”

Want to take it a step further?

If you want printable recipe cards, a full grocery list, and weekly dinner plans sent straight to you, that option is always available, but this space will always include free recipes too.

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Thanks for being here and cooking along with me 🧡
— Taylor | Budget Friendly Kitchen