What's for Dinner This Week?
Meal Planning on a Budget
If there's one thing I struggle with every single week, it's meal planning and staying within our grocery budget!
Feeding a family of five isn't cheap, and trying to come up with meals that everyone will actually eat can be a challenge. I try to keep our weekly grocery budget around $200–$250, depending on what we have going on that week and what we already have in the house.
I'll be the first to admit that meal planning is definitely one of my weaknesses. Some weeks I feel like I have it all together, and other weeks I'm standing in the kitchen wondering what in the world we're going to eat for dinner. Please tell me I'm not the only one!
One thing that has helped me is using ChatGPT to come up with dinner ideas. We tend to rotate through the same handful of meals, which is fine because I know everyone will eat them, but sometimes I just want to change things up a little!
I'm trying to get better about planning ahead, using what we already have, and making grocery shopping a little less stressful.
So, here's what's on our menu this week!
This Week's Dinner Menu
Sunday – Birthday Party for My Niece 🎂
No cooking tonight! We're celebrating my niece's birthday, so dinner is taken care of.
Monday – Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie
This is a new recipe for us, so we'll see how it goes! I love a good crockpot meal, especially on busy weekdays. If it's a hit with the family, I'll definitely share the recipe!
Tuesday – Hamburgers with French Fries & Salad
Keeping it simple with a family favorite. Nothing fancy, just an easy dinner that everyone enjoys.
Wednesday – Crispy Chicken Wraps
Another easy dinner for a busy weeknight! I love meals that don't require a ton of prep or time in the kitchen.
Thursday – Breakfast for Dinner
Eggs, bacon, and waffles! Breakfast for dinner is always a good idea, especially when you need something quick and easy.
Friday – Pizza Night 🍕
Our Friday night tradition! After a long week, there's nothing better than keeping dinner simple and enjoying pizza.
Saturday – Chipotle for a PTA Fundraiser
We're ending the week with dinner at Chipotle while supporting a PTA fundraiser. No cooking for me!
Keeping Meal Planning Simple
I'm learning that meal planning doesn't have to be complicated. Not every dinner needs to be homemade from scratch, and it's perfectly fine to repeat meals that your family enjoys.
For me, it's about finding a balance between our busy schedules, grocery budget, and getting something on the table that everyone will actually eat.
I'll be sharing our meals throughout the week over on TikTok, including how I make them and whether our new chicken pot pie recipe is a keeper!
So make sure you're following along at @esuzan27 for easy dinner ideas, realistic meal planning, and a little bit of everyday mom life.
I'd love to know: What's one dinner your family never gets tired of? I'm always looking for new ideas to add to our rotation!
xoxo,
Erika
