Easy Weekly ALDI Meal Plan week of 1/29/17 – 2/4/17

Here’s your easy weekly ALDI meal plan for the week of 1/29/17: Pick up everything on the shopping list below, then start cooking on Sunday! Hope you find it useful.

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Note: I try not to repeat the same recipe here more often than once a month, but you will see favorite easy recipes come up again on these weekly ALDI meal plans as the same meats and produce items come up on sale again. ?

ALDI meal planning week of 1/29/17 – 2/4/17

Six complete dinners for a family of four for $60.00

Prices here are collected from this week’s ad and my local store, but may vary somewhat by location. I’m assuming here that you already have pantry basics like olive oil and spices on hand.

Six Easy Dinners from ALDI for $60.00

• Sunday: Chop up chicken and use half of it to make homemade chicken soup. Sides: Spinach & romaine salad with peppercorn ranch dressing, sliced cantaloupe, and sourdough toast (reserve half the loaf for sandwiches on Wednesday).
• Monday: Use the other half of your chicken & half your green beans for sheet pan chicken with potatoes & green beans (substitute 2 tsp dried oregano for the 2 Tbsp fresh, and you might need to up the cooking time for mixed chicken parts). Side: Blackberries with homemade whipped cream.
• Tuesday: Grilled cheese, avocado, & tomato sandwiches (use one avocado and half the tomatoes) with leftover homemade chicken soup. On the side, quick saute the rest of your green beans with a little olive oil, garlic, sea salt, & crushed red pepper.
• Wednesday: Use half your ground beef to make hamburgers and top them with cheddar slices, sauteed onion, and a sliced avocado. Sides: Oven roasted diced red potatoes, red grapes.
• Thursday: Use the other half of your ground beef to make chili — Saute a diced onion or two, depending on size, with some minced garlic til soft. Brown beef and drain. Mix browned beef, onion/garlic mixture, 28 oz crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, drained beans, and 2-3 cups water, then spice to taste with chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cocoa powder, oregano, and a bit of basil. (I like also to add some chopped fresh jalapeño or serrano, but that’s up to you!) Simmer for at least an hour in Dutch oven or large pot on low to let flavors blend, and top with shredded cheddar & sour cream. Sides: Red grapes, half the bag of tortilla chips.
•  Friday: Chili taco salad — Build with bagged garden salad & chopped romaine, the other half of your tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes, a chopped avocado, leftover chili, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Side: Baby carrots & celery with hummus, plus oven roasted broccoli with garlic cloves.
• Saturday: Leftovers — or date night!

Shopping list

Dairy & refrigerated

Happy Farms sliced cheddar, $1.99
Friendly Farms 16 oz sour cream, $1.19
Little Salad Bar hummus, $1.79
16 oz Happy Farms mild shredded cheddar, $2.99
16 oz Countryside Creamery heavy cream, $1.69

Grocery

L’Oven Fresh hamburger buns, $.85
28 oz can Happy Harvest crushed tomatoes, $.95
1 can Happy Harvest tomato paste, $.39
2 cans SimplyNature organic black beans, $1.58
1 can Dakota kidney beans, $.59
Bag Clancy’s restaurant style tortilla chips, $.99
SimplyNature organic peppercorn ranch dressing, $1.99
Specially Selected sourdough square, $2.99

Meat & seafood

8 lb fresh roasting chicken, $7.12
4 lbs 80% lean ground beef, $9.16

Produce

Two 16 oz bags baby carrots, $.98
Celery, $.79
3 lb bag yellow onions, $1.89
3 heads garlic, $.99
1 lb green beans, $1.99
5 lb red potatoes, $2.29
2 lb red grapes, $2.98
12 oz blackberries, $1.89
3 avocados, $1.47
Bag garden salad, $.69
3 ct romaine hearts, $2.49
Bag spinach, $1.49
16 oz Roma tomatoes, $1.19
One cantaloupe, $1.69
16 oz broccoli, $1.49

That comes to $60.57.