February: Meal Plan on a Budget!
It’s February!
According to Canada’s Food Price Report for 2025, a family of 4 will spend $16,833.67 on food this year — that’s up $801.56 from 2024!
That’s $1402.81 a month.
That’s roughly $350.71 a week.
NEW CHALLENGE!!!
Let’s feed me, my husband, our 16 year old and our 12 year old for about HALF that and make a week long menu plan for under $175.00 a week or $700.00 a month!
Ninja and I keep a running tab of all our grocery expenditures. This is our spending for January! We clearly kept to our budget and actually came in $165.94 under for the month, which is a good thing because our deep freeze is looking pretty empty and I have to restock our frozen meat reserves.
Here is the February weekly meal plan staying close to my budget of $175.00! 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! Click on the recipe listed in the MENU below and it will take you directly to the recipe!!
MENU
Sunday: Almond Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes & Classic French Bistro Salad
Monday: Baked BBQ Chicken Chimichangas
Tuesday: Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Wednesday: Chicken Lentil Soup
Thursday: Cheesy Sausage Potato Casserole
Friday: Hamburger Helper Lasagna
Saturday: Cheese & Ham Breakfast Strata Cake
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:
2 pounds pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 cup almonds
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
6 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons garlic powder
5 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 lb ground beef
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 onions
1 can corn
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 carrots
4 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 lb (250 g) green lentils
1 pound of smoked sausage
6 1/4 cups cheddar cheese
8 cups chicken stock
¼ cup butter
1 can diced tomatoes
7 cups any plain stale bread
NEED TO BUY ITEMS:
8-10 potatoes
5 1/2 cups milk
8 slices sourdough bread
1 red bell pepper
1 lemon
1/2 cup parsley
½ cup of heavy cream
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs of your choice (rosemary, chives, and oregano work well)
1 shallot
6 cups salad greens
1 rotisserie chicken
4 large flour tortillas
1 pack bacon
2 1/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese
3 celery ribs
2 ½ cups mafalda pasta
300g deli ham
6 eggs
SUNDAY: Almond Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes & Bistro Salad
It just so happened to be a family dinner night when we made this dish! My MIL & FIL were over and they loved it! My FIL especially liked the salad! This was easy to prep and make for a Sunday dinner for just you and your family, or for when you have guests over too!
Almond Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
4-6
servings15
minutes30
minutes10
minutesIngredients
2 lbs pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs of your choice (rosemary, chives, and oregano work well)
2 tablespoons flour
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper then brush the entire outside of the meat with the Dijon mustard.
Mix together the almonds, nutmeg, thyme, herbs and flour. Roll the meat in the almond mixture and roast uncovered on a wire rack.
Roast for about 30 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F or greater (check the temperature after 20-25 minutes to see how it's progressing).
Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
MONDAY: Baked BBQ Chicken Chimichangas
The Kids will eat anything if you call it an chimichanga! LOL This wasn’t a Mexican chimichanga but was a great twist on our staple dinner. I loved the pops of corn in these and if you want to add a bit more, no one would stop you!
Ingredients
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup corn
4 large flour tortillas
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, chopped onion, corn, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
Lay out the flour tortillas on a flat surface. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas, placing it in the center of each. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the chicken mixture.
Fold the sides of each tortilla in over the filling, then roll from the bottom up, securing the filling inside.
Place them seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops and sides with oil and top with a bit more shredded cheese (optional).
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
TUESDAY: Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
We eat a lot of grilled chese sandwiches. If 1 sandwich isn’t enough, we pour it with fresh fruit, or a salad, or freezer French fries. Usually rich sandwiches like this, 1 each is enough for me and the Girls while Ninja made himself 2.
Ingredients
12 slices bacon
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
8 slices sourdough bread
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack, shredded
Directions
Arrange the bacon in a large, cold skillet. Warm to medium heat and cook until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
While the bacon cooks, mix the mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Spread evenly over one side of each slice of bread.
Place the bread mayo side down on a griddle over medium heat. Top each slice evenly with half the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Divide the bacon between the slices, top with the rest of the cheese. Cook for 3-5 minutes, on both sidesuntil the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.
WEDNESDAY: Chicken Lentil Soup
The perfect soup for a cold day! This is filling AND flavourful! We ALL loved this soup and slurped it up with grins on our faces!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
6 cups chicken broth
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper and sauté until they become tender and the onions are translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Stir in the cumin, paprika, and oregano and cook for another minute, stirring often.
Add the diced tomatoes, hot sauce, green lentils and chicken broth to the pot. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
Once the soup has reached a boil, reduce the heat to low, add the chicken and let simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender. This should take about 20-30 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
THURSDAY: Kielbasa Sausage Cheesy Potato Casserole
I have NEVER used a can of soup in a recipe. In fact, if it calls fir cream of ANYTHING, I pass over the recipe right away. Added sodium? No thanks! However, this recipe called for a can of cheese soup and I was flabbergasted! What the heck is cheese soup? So we tried it! Ninja HATED this dinner. He is not a fan of cheddar cheese and this almost killed him lol. However, the rest of us loved it! It actually wasn’t as cheesy as I thought it would be lol.
Kielbasa Sausage Cheesy Potato Casserole
4
servings35
minutes30
minutesIngredients
3 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon oil
1 ring smoked kielbasa sausage, sliced into bite-size pieces
¼ cup flour
¼ cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups of milk
½ cup of heavy cream
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, then set it aside.
Place potatoes in a medium-sized pot, cover them with water, and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they are tender, approximately 7 minutes. Once done, drain the potatoes and transfer them to the prepared baking dish.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the kielbasa sausage pieces to the pan and sauté them until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage to the baking dish with the potatoes.
In the same pan used for the sausage, add the flour and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture no longer appears white, indicating that the flour is fully cooked.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook briefly before adding the milk, heavy cream, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the can of cheddar cheese soup to the mixture. Stir continuously while cooking until the mixture begins to simmer and thickens, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and mix in the shredded cheddar cheese until it is completely melted and incorporated.
Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes and sausage in the baking dish, ensuring that all components are evenly coated with the sauce.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.
FRIDAY: Hamburger Helper Lasagna
Yup! This tasted like I remember my childhood lol. But WAAAAAY creamier, more substantial and a whole lot more flavourful!
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 cups chicken stock
3 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon sugar
2 cups milk
2 ½ cups mafalda pasta, uncooked
¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup Monterey Jack, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
In a deep skillet sauté ground beef on medium high heat until browned. Drain grease if necessary.
Pour the chicken stock, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, sugar, salt and a pinch of pepper into the same pan, still on medium high heat. Stir until well blended and increase heat to high for 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
Reduce heat to low, and temporarily remove the pan from the burner to stop the simmer. Add the dry Mafalda pasta and stir in milk. Do not overcook it, and do not use higher than medium low heat, as this can curdle the milk.
Give a quick stir and return the skillet to the burner. Simmer, covered, on low heat about 6-7 minutes for al dente, or according to pasta package time.
When the pasta is done, remove lid and skillet from heat. Stir in shredded a blend of cheddar and Parmesan, mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, until melted.
SATURDAY: Ham & Cheese Breakfast Strata Cake
We had some leftover bacon from our grilled cheeses earlier in the week, so we added the cooked bacon to our cake! We added a little on top too. So good!
Ham & Cheese Breakfast Strata Cake
46
servings1/2-24
hours45
minutes5
minutesIngredients
300g deli ham, diced
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
7 cups (packed) any plain stale bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups cheese, shredded
Directions
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl (or container, if leaving overnight).
Add the bread, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and the ham (and bacon if using) to the egg mixture. Mix well. Cover and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (until all the egg is soaked into the bread) or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Generously grease a 8" springform cake tin with spray. Pour the bread mixture into the cake tin, pat down to compress. Scatter with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Cover loosely with foil.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 – 20 minutes until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (no raw egg).
Allow to rest for 5 minutes before removing the springform or turning out.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #416 They Not Like Us This week, we get together to discuss: Winnie the Pooh, Screaming Orgasm, technology, Super Bowl, patriotism, fire alarms, SOW, Kendrick Lamar, and positive songs.
This week was SO cold! I spent the week inside either curled up in bed with a book, watching golf or helping Ninja organize the utility room. He started a new Star Wars model and SBean continued on with her Titanic LEGO. HBear came in 2nd with her Summerland curling team at the Oliver Jr Bonspiel and SBean came in 3rd on the floor at the Kelowna Invitational and her Springers Excel Silver Team took home 2nd overall!
