Planning affordable dinners is easier when your recipes work together. This week’s menu includes seven dinners with overlapping ingredients to help you use what you buy, reduce waste, and bring different flavors to the table.
From crispy sweet potato tacos to lemon garlic chicken and savory ginger pork bowls, there’s plenty of variety without building seven completely separate shopping lists.
Each recipe serves approximately four people.
1
Beef & Broccoli Noodles
Ground beef, broccoli, and spaghetti come together in a sweet and savory garlic soy sauce. Using ground beef keeps the preparation simple, while frozen broccoli saves chopping time.
Planning tip: Spaghetti can also replace the penne in this week’s smoked sausage pasta. You’ll need 24 ounces of dry pasta total for both dinners.
2
Paprika Chicken & Pepper Rice Skillet
Chicken, bell peppers, onions, and rice simmer together in a smoky tomato broth. Everything cooks in one skillet, including the rice, for a filling dinner with fewer dishes.
Planning tip: Share a three-pack of bell peppers between this skillet and the smoked sausage pasta. Use 1½ peppers in each instead of two.
3
Lemon Garlic Chicken & Potatoes
Chicken breasts, roasted potatoes, and green beans get a bright lemon garlic seasoning in this simple sheet pan dinner. The potatoes start roasting first, then the chicken and beans join them to finish cooking.
Planning tip: Compare the total price and amount you’ll use when choosing potatoes. This recipe needs 1½ pounds, so a smaller package may make sense if you won’t use the rest of a larger bag.
4
Crispy Black Bean & Sweet Potato Tacos
Roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and cheddar fill corn tortillas that bake until crisp. Serve with salsa for an affordable meatless dinner.
Planning tip: The same package of corn tortillas can cover these tacos and the BBQ chicken tostadas. You’ll need 20 small tortillas total.
5
Sticky Ginger Pork & Cabbage Rice Bowls
Ground pork, shredded cabbage, and carrots cook in a simple honey, soy, and ginger sauce. Spoon the mixture over rice for an easy dinner ready in about 30 minutes.
Planning tip: Save three cups of shredded cabbage and one carrot for the tostada slaw before cooking this meal.
6
BBQ Chicken Tostadas with Crunchy Slaw
Crisp corn tortillas are topped with shredded barbecue chicken and a simple cabbage and carrot slaw. The crunchy vegetables balance the sweet, saucy chicken.
Planning tip: This dinner shares chicken with two other meals, tortillas with the sweet potato tacos, and cabbage and carrots with the pork bowls.
7
Smoked Sausage & Pepper Marinara Pasta
Smoked sausage, sautéed peppers, and onions add flavor to a simple marinara pasta dinner. It’s an easy way to turn a jar of sauce and a package of pasta into a filling meal.
Planning tip: Use the remaining bell peppers from the chicken rice skillet and whichever pasta shape you purchased for the week.
How These Dinners Share Ingredients
The goal is to buy ingredients you can use across several meals while giving each dinner its own flavor.
| Ingredient | Where you’ll use it |
|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | Paprika chicken skillet, lemon garlic chicken, BBQ tostadas |
| Cabbage and carrots | Ginger pork bowls and tostada slaw |
| Corn tortillas | Sweet potato tacos and BBQ tostadas |
| Bell peppers | Paprika chicken skillet and sausage pasta |
| White rice | Ginger pork bowls and paprika chicken skillet |
| Spaghetti, if using one pasta shape | Beef and broccoli noodles and sausage pasta |
| Onions and garlic | Used throughout the week |
Grocery List for All 7 Dinners
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this week’s seven budget-friendly dinners!
Meat
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 4½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12–14 oz fully cooked smoked sausage
Produce
- 4 bell peppers—or 3 if using 1½ in each pepper recipe
- 3 medium onions—you’ll use 2½
- 16 garlic cloves
- 6 cups shredded cabbage—about 1 medium head
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 lb sweet potatoes
- 1½ lbs potatoes
- 1 lemon
Frozen
- 16 oz broccoli florets
- 12 oz green beans
Pasta, Rice & Tortillas
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 12 oz penne or rotini
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 20 small corn tortillas
Canned & Jarred
- 2 cans black beans, 15 oz each
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz
- 1 jar marinara sauce, 24 oz
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup salsa
Dairy
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sauces & Pantry Staples
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp honey
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 5 tbsp cooking oil
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp regular paprika
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 1¾ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1¼ tsp black pepper
Optional Toppings
- Green onions
- Crushed red pepper
- Grated Parmesan
Budget Tip: Before heading to Aldi, check your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer! You might already have several of these ingredients, which can bring your grocery bill down even further.
Check Your Kitchen Before Shopping
Before adding everything to your cart, take a few minutes to check your cupboards, fridge, and freezer.
Rice, pasta, soy sauce, oil, and seasonings are easy to buy again without realizing you already have them. Start with those pantry ingredients, then check for frozen vegetables and meat you can use.
The grocery list shows the amounts needed for the recipes. Your checkout total will depend on local prices, package sizes, and which ingredients you already have.
A Few Ways to Make the Week Easier
Divide the chicken before cooking. Each chicken dinner uses 1½ pounds, making it easier to portion a family pack.
Shred the cabbage and carrots together. Measure out what you need for the pork bowls and slaw to save yourself a second round of preparation.
Choose one pasta shape. Spaghetti works for both pasta dinners if you’d rather buy one larger package.
Keep the seasonings simple. These dinners reuse garlic, Italian seasoning, ginger, and other common pantry spices instead of requiring a different seasoning packet for every meal.
Save This Menu for a Busy Week
A little overlap can make a big difference when you’re planning dinners. You can serve lemon garlic chicken one night, crispy tacos another, and ginger pork bowls later in the week while still putting the same groceries to work.
Save this menu for the next time you need seven dinner ideas without starting your grocery list from scratch!
