This Trader Joe’s Haul Cost $138 — And I Turned It into 21 Meals for a Family of Four
I don’t always have the bandwidth to meal plan every week, but when I do, I always save a ton of money. When we know what’s for dinner and have the ingredients to make it, we’re not as tempted to dine out. And with two teens and a very tall husband with an equally big appetite, even the casual dinner spots will set us back at least $50 — plus tip. And planning means I can get smart about leftovers, putting them to use instead of letting them go to waste.
I recently planned an entire week’s worth of meals — seven days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner — for my family of four. We usually have one vegetarian dinner, one night of fish, and keep red meat to a minimum. And although it’s cheap and comforting, we try not to rely on pasta and opt for whole grains instead.
With my plan in place, I hit Trader Joe’s to get all the ingredients. I’ve done price comparisons with Trader Joe’s, so I already knew the store offered really low prices. Turns out, I was able to buy everything I needed for just $138.07. Granted, I already had a few of the staples I needed, like olive oil, soy sauce, flour, and peanut butter. Some of the herbs came from my yard, and we got pears from a neighbor’s tree. We also already had chips and crackers that the kids snacked on. But I bought mostly everything we ate this week, and we didn’t use up some of the things I bought, like rice and condiments.
So that’s 21 meals for four people (although my husband doesn’t eat breakfast) for less than $150. Pretty good, right? Take a look at what I bought and how I used it.
Breakfast ($38.20)
What I Bought
- Eggs: $2.69 (also used for lunch)
- 10-grain bread: $2.99 (also used for lunch)
- Cheddar: $4.54 (also used for lunch)
- 4 avocados: $4.99 (also used for lunch and dinner)
- Calabrian chili paste: $2.99
- Frozen berry medley: $2.99
- Almond milk: $2.69
- Plain 2% Greek yogurt: $2.99
- Rolled oats: $2.69
- Dried berry blend: $3.49
- Sliced almonds: $3.49
- Bananas: $0.76
- 1 pound lemons: $1.59 (also used for lunch and dinner)
- 5 Fruit-and-nut bars: $4.99
What I Made
- Fried egg and cheddar open-faced sandwiches (with chili paste).
- Avocado toast with lemon zest.
- Overnight oats with pear sauce (from neighbor’s tree).
- Oatmeal with dried fruit and sliced almonds.
- Berry-yogurt smoothie and nut-and-fruit bar.
- Dutch baby with lemons and berries (already had flour and sugar).
Lunch ($20.36)
What I Bought
- Taco sauce: $1.99 (also used for dinner)
- Barley: $1.79
- Black beans: $0.79
- White beans: $0.99
- Hummus $3.49
- Red peppers: $2.18
- 2-pound bag carrots: $1.99 (also used for dinner)
- Arugula: $1.99
- Salad mix: $1.99
- Apples: $3.16
What I Made
- Turmeric grain bowl (barley, black beans, avocado, taco sauce)..
- Green salad with white beans and leftover chicken (used Caesar dressing I made for dinner).
- Hummus and zhoug with hard-boiled eggs, peppers, carrots, and leftover roast veg.
- Apples and peanut butter (already had PB).
- PB, banana, and honey toasts (already had PB and honey).
- Grilled cheese (with Calabrian chili paste).
Dinner ($79.51)
What I Bought
- Whole chicken: $13.01
- Chicken thighs: $4.26
- Ground turkey: $5.69
- Tofu: $1.79
- 2-pound bag sweet potatoes: $1.79
- Bok choy: $1.99
- Green beans: $2.79
- 2 bags kale: $4.98
- 4 onions: $3.16
- Garlic bulb: $0.49
- Fennel bulbs: $2.49
- Cauliflower: $2.49
- Bag of limes $1.49
- Cilantro: $1.49
- Parsley: $1.49
- Green onions: $1.29
- Green bell pepper: $0.99
- Tin of anchovies: $1.59
- 2 cans chickpeas: $1.58
- Brown rice: $2.99
- Zhoug: $2.99
- Corn tortillas: $1.29
- Bag of slaw: $2.99
- Riced cauliflower: 1.99
- Frozen cod: $8.03
- Grape tomatoes: $2.69
- Green lentils: $1.69
What I Made
- Roast chicken with roasted carrots, onions, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes, drizzled with anchovy-lemon-herb sauce.
- Tofu stir-fry with bok choy, green beans, and brown rice (I already had gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch).
- Grilled chicken thighs marinated with zhoug and lemon juice, plus kale Caesar.
- Kale, garbanzo, and barley soup (used a quick stock I made with chicken bones from Sunday and Tuesday’s dinners, plus trimmings stored in my freezer; herbs from my yard).
- Chicken tacos with slaw, avocado, and taco sauce (used leftover chicken).
- Slow-roasted cod with fennel, tomatoes, and lentils (add some Calabrian chili).
- Fried cauliflower rice (from my very own cookbook!) with kofta-spiced turkey (added some leftover brown rice, topped with sliced almonds. Already had the spices).
The Daily Breakdown
Sunday
- Breakfast: Fried egg and cheddar open-faced sandwiches (with chili paste)
- Lunch: Apples and peanut butter
- Dinner: Roast chicken with roasted carrots, onions, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes, drizzled with anchovy-lemon-herb sauce
Monday
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with dried fruit and sliced almonds
- Lunch: Grain bowl (barley, black beans, avocado, taco sauce, cheddar)
- Dinner: Tofu stir-fry with bok choy, green beans, and brown rice (I already had gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch)
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Berry-yogurt smoothie and nut-and-fruit bar
- Lunch: Hummus and zhoug with hard-boiled eggs, peppers, carrots, and leftover roast veg
- Dinner: Grilled chicken thighs marinated with zhoug and lemon juice, plus kale Caesar
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Avocado toast with lemon zest
- Lunch: Green salad with white beans and leftover chicken (used Caesar dressing I made for dinner)
- Dinner: Kale, garbanzo, and barley soup (used a quick stock I made with chicken bones from Sunday and Monday’s dinners, plus trimmings stored in my freezer; rosemary from my yard)
Thursday
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with pear sauce (made with fruit from a neighbor’s tree)
- Lunch: Peanut butter, banana, and honey toasts (already had PB and honey)
- Dinner: Chicken tacos with slaw (used leftover chicken, taco sauce, avocado)
Friday
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with dried fruit and sliced almonds
- Lunch: Leftovers from the week
- Dinner: Slow-roasted cod with fennel, tomatoes, and lentils
Saturday
- Breakfast: Dutch baby with berries and lemon
- Lunch: Grilled cheese with Calabrian chili paste
- Dinner: Fried cauliflower rice with kofta-spiced ground turkey