June: Meal Plan on a Budget!
It’s June! June is a TOUGH month because it is BUSY! We are at the end of school and activities which means extra rehearsals, late days and extra people around the table. I picked items this week that were easy, delicious, and fun to match the energy of the month leading up to summer vacation!!! I really try to vary my recipes and meal plans week by week. But it’s hard, there’s only so much food out there lol. Sometimes I make weekly meal plans based on foods I’m craving… And clearly I was craving carbs when I made this meal plan. I didn’t realize until I went grocery shopping that I had 4 recipes calling for different bread type ingredients. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I will try to be more carb conscience next month LOL.
According to Canada’s Food Price Report for 2024, a family of 4 will spend $16,297.20 on food this year — that’s up $701.79 from 2023!
That’s $1,358.10 a month.
That’s roughly $313.40 a week.
NEW CHALLENGE!!!
Let’s feed me, my husband, our 15 year old and our 11 year old for about HALF that and make a week long menu plan for under $160.00!
Here is the June weekly meal plan staying close to my budget of $160.00! I want you to have all the tools to be able to feed your family 7 healthy(ish) meals, while not putting yourself into the poorhouse! I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you follow this weekly plan and if you were able to stick to the budget! NEW FEATURE ALERT!!!! Now you can click on the recipe listed in the MENU below and it will take you directly to the recipe!!
MENU
Sunday: Sour Cream & Sweet Chili Chicken Burgers with French Fries
Monday: Cheese Tortellini with Veggies
Tuesday: Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken and Broccoli with Basmati Rice
Wednesday: BLT Wraps with Secret Sauce
Thursday: Meatball Subs
Friday: Bagel Skins with Romaine Salad
Saturday: Grilled Maple Glazed Pork Chops with Air Fried Potatoes & Coleslaw
Staple Items
These items are ALWAYS in my pantry or fridge. This tip bares repeating… As soon as I see an item running out it goes on the my shopping list. If they come up on my PC Points list or go on sale, I buy them. We have a second fridge in the garage, so I always have eggs, mayo, soy sauce, etc. on hand. It may take you a while and some money to get this system going but once you do… your wallet will thank you. Things I need for this week’s menu that I already have in my kitchen (my staple items) are listed below on the left. The items that I need to buy are listed on the right.
SHOPPING LIST:
STAPLE ITEMS:
1 lb ground chicken
2 onions
1/2 carrot
2 eggs
1 cup sweet chilli sauce
10 tablespoons panko
1 vegetable stock cube
8 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup sour cream
French fries
13 tablespoons oil
1 can corn
2 cups grape tomatoes
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons honey
garlic powder
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups vegetable stock
6 tablespoons butter
20 strips bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup mayo
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound lean ground beef
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
Pinch of sugar
2 bell peppers
2 tablespoons almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon dried cranberries (optional)
NEED TO BUY ITEMS:
4-5 buns
4 hoagie rolls
⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 jars favourite marinara sauce
1 cup cheese
4 everything bagels
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
4 wraps
1 pound boneless chicken thighs
2 green onions
2-3 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup parsley
1-2 romaine lettuce hearts
½ cucumber
1 red onion
Bag of coleslaw
3 beefsteak tomatoes
1 package three cheese tortellini
SUNDAY: Sour Cream & Sweet Chili Chicken Burgers with French Fries
I love chicken/turkey burgers! However, ground chicken can be quite bland and needs some help. The sweet chili sauce helps give these patties an extra flavour that knocks this burger out of the park! We paired the burgers with some easy Cavendish French Fries that we quickly airfried for the perfect June meal!
Sour Cream & Sweet Chili Chicken Burgers
4
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 onion, grated
1/2 carrot, grated
1 egg, lightly whisked
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
6 tablespoons panko
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
salt, to season
4-5 buns
4-6 leaves lettuce, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, onion, carrot, egg, sweet chilli sauce, panko, stock cube and salt. Use your hands to mix really well until combined.
Divide chicken mixture into 4-5 hamburger patties and grill on each side, or until golden and cooked through.
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and chili sauce together.
Dived buns between your serving plates, and top each bread base with lettuce and chicken patties, and spoon the sour cream/sweet chilli over the tops and top with red onion and bun top.
MONDAY: Cheese Tortellini with Veggies
I can never go wrong in the eyes of my family if I provide them with tortellini. Ever. It is my Kid’s favourite! Red sauce, white sauce, cream sauce, or butter with Parm. I can throw in ANY veggie and they will be OK because, tortellini. This was a great way to prepare your tastebuds for the coming summer vegetable bounty.
Ingredients
1 package three cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar favourite marinara sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil to cook tortellini, cook tortellini a minute shy of cook time according to directions on package.
In a deep skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add corn and saute 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes then saute 3 minutes. Add peppers and garlic and saute until veggies are tender and many of the tomatoes have burst, about 6 to 8 minutes longer (note add the tortellini to pot of boiling water now so they finish up at the same time).
Drain the tortellini while reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Transfer tortellini and the marinara sauce to the pan with veggies. Cook and toss until tortellini is tender about 1 to 2 minutes. If needed add a splash of pasta water to thin.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in 1/4 cup parmesan, the basil and the parsley. Top each serving with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.
TUESDAY: Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken and Broccoli with Basmati Rice
I’m not a big fan of thighs. My own or chicken’s lol. But my family loves dark meat so I found this fantastic recipe for Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken! Even I liked it! The grilled broccoli had a charred flavour that screamed summer barbecue! Yummy!
Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken and Broccoli
4
servings20
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 pound boneless chicken thighs
⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons honey
2 to 3 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper
3-4 cups broccoli florets
garlic powder, to taste
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Make rice.
Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the ⅓ cup Dijon, ¼ cup honey and 1 tablespoon oil. Pour it over the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes or even overnight. Stick it in the fridge, covered, to marinate.
When ready to grill, preheat the grill to high. Remove the chicken about 20 minutes before grilling. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of honey and 3 tablespoons of Dijon, for basting the chicken while grilling.
Place the broccoli florets in a bowl and drizzle with the remaining oil. Sprinkle on a big pinch of salt and pepper and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Toss well. Spread the florets on a grill basket in a single layer. If you don’t have a grill basket, you can use aluminum foil.
Place the chicken on the grill. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken registers at 165 degrees F. The last 2 to 3 minutes, brush the chicken with the honey mustard mixture. While the chicken is grilling, place the broccoli on the other side, whether in the grill basket or foil. Grill these both with the lid closed. Toss the broccoli every few minutes, until it’s charred and golden enough for your liking. This usually takes around 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and broccoli from the grill.
WEDNESDAY: BLT Wraps with Secret Sauce
BLTs. The last BLT sandwich that I had was on my 35th birthday. It was the last dinner my Mom made for me. Nobody made a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich quite like my Mom, so I’m not even going to try to replicate that! Instead, we made BLT wraps with “secret sauce”. These were absolutely freaking delicious! I wish my Mom was here so I could share this recipe with her, marinating the tomatoes is genius and adds SO much flavour!
Ingredients
4 wraps
12 strips bacon
2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced thick
1 cup lettuce, shredded
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup mayo
Directions
Fry bacon in a skillet until crispy.
While bacon is cooking, cut tomato slices in half lengthwise and add to a large dish with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Turn tomatoes and brush each side with the mixture to ensure full coverage.
Add mayo to a small dish and drain 1 tablespoon of the tomato basting mixture (olive oil, red wine vinegar, & tomato juices) into the mayo and stir to combine.
Open wrap on a plate and smear 1 tablespoon of the mayo mixture onto wrap. Top with lettuce, 3 strips of bacon, and 3 tomato slices. Roll wrap to close and serve.
THURSDAY: Meatball Subs
In middle school, they don’t have hot lunch, but they do offer weekly pizza days and Subway day. One month SBean picks pizza and the next month she picks her favourite sub, a ham sub with cheese, mayo, and lettuce. Easy Peezy! Until she asked me to change her standing order to a meatball sub. I was shocked! SBean loves meatballs, but we’ve never had a meatball subs before so I don’t know where she came up with this idea but she checked it out and loved it. So, I added it to our June meal plan! Thank you, SBean! These were absolutely delicious and were the highlight of the entire week! This easy meatball sub will be going on our regular meal rotation ASAP!
Ingredients
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, separated & minced
¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1lb ground beef
3 tablespoons butter
1 jar marinara sauce
4 hoagie rolls
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 450° F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with canola oil.
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat together the egg and water with a fork. Add the onion, garlic, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork. Add the ground beef and mix until just combined. Try not to over-mix.
Shape the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place them on the greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through to 160° F.
Place the marinara sauce and baked meatballs in a medium saucepan. Cover with a lid and heat over medium-low heat until heated through, 5-10 minutes.
Mix together 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 cloves minced garlic. Split the rolls open, spread garlic butter and place them on a rimmed baking sheet, with the inside of the rolls facing up. Place them under the broiler for about a minute, until lightly toasted.
Place a few slices of cheese or a thin layer of shredded cheese on each roll. Use a slotted spoon to put meatballs inside each toasted roll. Spoon on marinara sauce. Place the meatball subs under the broiler for about a minute, until cheese melts. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and chopped parsley or basil.
FRIDAY: Bagel Skins with Romaine Salad
I miss potato skins! That was a favourite pub snack of mine in my early 20’s! I decided to introduce my Kids to potato skins using one of their favourite food items, bagels. I am a big big bagel fan! I may never have a potato skin ever again after these delicious bagel treats! They were so fun, so tasty and the Kids, gobbled them up! The Romaine Salad was a perfect side dish and we will be putting this salad up there with my Mom’s Mandarin Salad. This is a fresh garden salad that would work as a side dish, lunch or even a main meal!
Ingredients
4 everything bagels, cut in half and hollowed out slightly
2 tablespoons butter
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 green onions, diced
1 cup cheese, shredded
Directions
Cut the bagel in 1/2 like you would to toast it. Using a sharp knife remove some of the dough to form a shell.
Spread the inside of the bagel halves with the butter and place under the broiler in your air fryer or oven until lightly browned.
Remove from the air fryer or oven and stuff each half with bacon, green onions and cheese. Return to the broiler and heat until the cheese has melted.
Ingredients
¼ cup oil
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of sugar
4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup cherry/grape tomatoes
½ bell pepper, chopped
½ cucumber, sliced
¼ red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons almonds, toasted (optional)
1 tablespoon dried cranberries (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, seasoned rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and sugar, to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
Combine lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, almonds, and dried cranberries together in a large bowl.
Drizzle the salad with some of the well-shaken vinaigrette, to taste; toss to coat the salad evenly.
Top with shaved parmesan and season with freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
SATURDAY: Grilled Maple Glazed Pork Chops with Air Fried Potatoes & Coleslaw
This would be a perfect Sunday dinner! These Maple Glazed Pork Chops were easy and delicious! These potatoes are a go to side dish for us and they are crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside! I had some coleslaw in the fridge so we used that up and sadly, there were no leftovers lol.
Grilled Maple Honey Glazed Pork Chops
4
servings5
minutes20
minutes5
minutesIngredients
4 thick boneless pork chops
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Preheat your grill to 400°.
In a sauce pan combine the maple syrup, honey, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove and pour 6 tablespoons into a small bowl and the rest into a large bowl for basting.
Season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
Lay the chops out on the hottest part of your preheated grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes a side. Brush the reserved glaze (save 2 tablespoons in a small bowl) all over the pork chops, flip and repeat for 8-10 minutes OR until fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 145°.
Once fully cooked, remove the pork chops from the grill to a plate and let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes.
Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple honey glaze over top of the chops before serving.
Ingredients
4 potatoes, cut into one inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
Directions
In a medium sized bowl combine the potatoes, oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Add to the tray/basket of your air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Toss the potatoes and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender and crisp.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #384: Believe! This week, we get together after a busy weekend to discuss: sobriety, consequence, Divisional 400m, gymnastics competition, PAMDA finale, SOW, talent show, and playing live.
June. What’s up with that? Lol First week of June and we are already drowning in end of the year activities! I read some fantastic historical fiction books this week and continued on my yoga journey. This week SBean had her divisional track meet where she ran the 400m! She also had her school talent show where her and her Besty performed a musical theatre number! I was shocked at how well they did! This weekend was a busy one with SBean having her gr6Besty sleepover and then went for a dip in Grandma and Grandpa’s pool while HBear and her club from school attended the Kelowna Pride Parade! Then it was dance dress rehearsal time! On Sunday SBean competed in her final gymnastics competition of the season and hit her goal by receiving a first place medal in her favourite event, floor! JQ was rocking his jiu-jitsu competition and won a gold at the Manitoba Open while HBear performed in the Penticton Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts finale! This year HBear performed Wipeout as her drum solo accompanied by her teacher and Ninja! She also accompanied a blues trio and wrote an entire score for the younger drum class! HBear conducted and taught them the musical piece and it was phenomenal! So proud of the Kids for ALL their hardworking this year, it has certainly paid off!
4 thoughts on “June: Meal Plan On A Budget”
What an amazing spread for the month of June.
Thanks so much for participating and sharing at SSPS 314. See you again next week https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/
Kristen, what a great June meal plan on a budget. These are going to come in handy.
Visiting today from SSPS 314 #42,43&44
Glad to hear it! Thank you, Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Have a fantastic weekend.