March: Meal Plan on a Budget!
It’s March!
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 February! We clearly kept to our budget and actually came in $205.96 under for the month, and so far we are under budget by $371.90 for the year!
Here is the March 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: Cheesy Topped Mediterranean Pork Loin Chops with Wedge Potatoes & Sweet Kale Salad
Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu Quesadillas
Tuesday: Dan Dan Noodles
Wednesday: White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar Cheese
Thursday: Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Peppers & Naan Bread
Friday: Hamburger Steaks in Creamy Dill Sauce with Mashed Potatoes and Coleslaw
Saturday: Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Bites with Jasmine Rice and Corn
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 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder,
3 teaspoons dried oregano
14 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
1 cup mozzarella
3/4 cup parmesan
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
7 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 oz dried spaghetti noodles
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
6 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon Szechuan chili paste
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup chicken broth
1½ teaspoons cumin
2 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup cheese
11 eggs
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
NEED TO BUY ITEMS:
4-6 small boneless pork loin chops
6 onions
17 cloves garlic
8- 10 inch flour tortillas
1 rotisserie chicken
8-12 slices deli ham
2 cups Swiss or Provolone cheese
4 green onions
1½ cups aged white cheddar cheese
6 bell peppers, red, yellow and orange
½ cup snow peas
1/2 jalapeno pepper
1 15-ounce can creamed corn
1 15-ounce can navy beans
1 can diced mild green chiles
3 cups milk
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh dill
3 chicken breasts
3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup jasmine rice
1 can corn
Sweet Kale Salad
Coleslaw
Naan bread
GARNISH: Fresh parsley, Crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, tortillas or bread, feta cheese
Sunday: Cheesy Topped Mediterranean Pork Loin Chops with Mashed Potatoes & Sweet Kale Salad
Ninja described this dinner as Pork Parmesan. He was right, that’s what it tasted like! Thankfully Chicken Parm is up there in my top 3 favourite foods! This was super good and would’ve gone well with egg noodles too although SBean LOVED the mashed potatoes. I just picked up a bagged salad that was on sale that week, to accompany this yummy dish.
Cheesy Topped Mediterranean Pork Loin Chops
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
4 boneless pork loin chops
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup mozzarella, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- Sauce
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, halved and sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
Directions
Add the pork loins to a ziplock bag, add the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and black pepper and a spray of cooking oil spray and shake and massage to ensure the seasonings evenly coat the pork.
Leave it to marinade for about 20-30 minutes. Do not refrigerate for this stage. (If you prefer you can marinade with the seasonings the night before, but take out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking).
Heat a pan over a medium high heat, spray with some cooking oil spray, add the pork chops and cook on both sides until golden and cooked through (4-5 minutes each side). Remove the pork loin chops and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat, add the onion and fry until golden and softened. Add the garlic and saute for a further minute to infuse the flavour.
Add the red wine vinegar and cook to until it evaporates. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and basil and stir to combine.
Pour in the water, bring to a boil and then simmer until it reduces down into a thick sauce. Taste and season as needed with salt and black pepper.
Add the sauce to a baking tray or oven proof dish and spread out in an even layer. Place the pork chops into the sauce and any of the juices released from the pork.
Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the pork chops. Top with the grated parmesan and mozzarella and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and golden (approx 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu Quesadillas
We doubled this recipe and had WAAAAY too much. We found that Ninja and SBean shared one and me and HBear shared one and we were FULL. Full and absolutely satisfied. I freaking love Chicken Cordon Bleu, but it is super time-consuming to make. My Kids love quesadillas so put them together, and this was an absolute win for all of us!
Ingredients
4-10 inch flour tortillas
1 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded
6 slices deli ham
1 1/2 cup of Swiss or Provolone cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, toasted
- Parmesan Dijon Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Dash hot sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and add chicken bouillon and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add milk while whisking. Add mustard and hot sauce. Continue cooking and whisking for about 5 minutes or until it’s thickened. Remove from heat and add parmesan cheese and stir. Keep warm over low heat.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add one tortilla shell to skillet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese. Add a layer of ham. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Add another 1/4 cup of cheese.
Add a layer of chicken. Drizzle with a couple spoonfuls of sauce. Sprinkle with more breadcrumbs. Add a 1/4 cup of cheese. Top with another tortilla shell.Cook until the bottom tortilla is golden brown. Flip and continue cook until the other side is brown.
Cut into slices and serve with remaining sauce.
Tuesday: Dan Dan Noodles
I’m really excited about this noodle dish! It wasn’t too salty, it wasn’t too sweet, it had just the right amount of heat for the everyone and we devoured every bit of this. No leftovers lol. You could throw in whatever vegetables you want, and it would taste good, the sauce is better than takeout!
Ingredients
8 oz dried Chinese egg noodles or spaghetti
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, chopped
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon Szechuan chili paste
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup snow peas, trimmed
Garnish: crushed peanuts & sesame seeds
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, Szechuan chili paste, hoisin sauce, sugar, and chicken broth. Set aside.
In a wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger and garlic, and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the snow peas (I added the bell peppers now too) to the pan. Stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
Add the cooked noodles to the pan, pour in the sauce mixture, and toss everything together until well-coated and heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped green onions, and garnish with crushed peanuts or sesame seeds if desired.
Wednesday: White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar Cheese
The thing with March is, I want bright spring food every day but some days I still have to put on my parka, so I make dinner concessions lol like this one! This isn’t quite a soup and isn’t quite a chili, but it’s 100% flavourful, filling, and the perfect balance between late winter and early spring.
White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar Cheese
4
servings20
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 15-ounce can creamed corn
1 15-ounce can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced mild green chiles(liquid squeezed out)
2 cups milk
1½ teaspoons cumin
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste
1½ cups aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
In a large soup pot, combine the oil, onion, bell peppers and jalapeños. Stir often over high heat until onion has softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the corn, beans, chiles, milk and cumin. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, stir in the cheddar cheese.
Thursday: Turkish Scrambled Eggs & Peppers with Naan
This delicious egg dish was so freaking good! It was a light and fluffy egg dish, almost like an omelette, but with a party of flavour beneath. We loved this dish! It would be really nice for a brunch, for guests, or for dinner.
Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Peppers
4
servings5
minutes20
minutesIngredients
6 tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
2 bell peppers, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon paprika
1 can diced tomatoes with their juices
1/2 cup cheese, shredded
10 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish: crumbly feta cheese, fresh chopped parsley
Directions
Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the oil.
Add the onion and peppers and cook them down about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and paprika and cook another minute.
Add the tomatoes with a bit of salt and pepper and stir them up. Cook them down until the tomatoes soften and lose some of their juices. Don’t let the pan dry out. About 10 minutes or so.
Sprinkle in half of the shredded cheese.
Beat the eggs in a bowl very lightly, then pour them into the pan. Tilt the pan a bit to let the egg mixture drip into the many nooks and crannies of your sauce. Do not mix it through too much. Top with remaining cheese.
Cover and cook them several minutes, or until the eggs are starting to set. Remove from heat and let the eggs finish cooking in the warm sauce, a few minutes more. If you prefer your eggs more set, just cook them longer as desired.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and crumbly feta cheese. Serve with naan bread.
Friday: Hamburger Steaks in Creamy Dill Sauce with Mashed Potatoes and Coleslaw
This was a risky dish for us because HBear hates ground beef shaped into balls and loaves lol so I thought burger shape would be ok?!? Plus we honestly didn’t know if we were big dill fans, now we know, we are! This was a comforting spring dish. It was creamy, savory, and fresh with the pop of dill. I am super happy that we went outside of our comfort zones and tried this!
Hamburger Steaks in Creamy Dill Sauce
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 lb ground beef
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 onion, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Creamy Dill Sauce
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
Directions
Into a large bowl, add the grated the onion, ground beef, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, cream and egg. Mix with your hands until just combined.
Divide beef mixture into 4 portions, and shape each portion into a ball. Press the balls down by using the palm of your hand or a spatula until ¾ inch/2 cm thick. Set aside.
Heat oil and butter over medium in a large nonstick skillet. Add hamburger steaks and cook 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer onto a clean plate.
Add garlic and onion, reduce heat to low and cook until fragrant about 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper and flour, stir until incorporated. Pour in broth and simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of your skillet with a wooden spoon.
Add cream and dill, bring to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Return hamburger steaks to the skillet and simmer for 5-6 minutes until heated through and no longer raw in the center. Finish off with chopped dill and freshly grated black pepper.
Saturday: Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Bites with Jasmine Rice and Corn
This was a yummy dish. I love sweet chilli chicken bites from restaurants, but this healthy baked version was just as tasty. Adjust the spice according to your liking, I would have preferred it a bit spicier, to balance out the sweetness of the corn because I like to mix it all together. HBear really wanted us to try Jasmine rice because she has it at her boyfriend’s all the time and loves the texture, so we tried it! We love the texture too, and I’m happy to have another staple to switch it up sometimes.
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Garnish: sesame seeds and/or green onions
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a bowl, whisk together warm water, honey, rice vinegar, cornstarch, minced garlic, crushed red pepper, Sriracha, and salt until well combined.
Put cut chicken into casserole dish. Pour the sweet chili sauce over the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. For extra colour, feel free to broil for a few mins at the end. Serve the chicken over cooked rice and garnish with green onions.
Basic Jasmine Rice
4
servings5
minutes12
minutes10
minutesIngredients
1 cup Jasmine rice
1¼ cup water
1 teaspoon oil
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Rinse the rice. Drain the rice well to remove any excess water.
In a pot, add the water, oil, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the rice. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 12 minutes over low heat.
Remove from the heat, keep it covered, and allow it to steam for 10 minutes.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #419 Blowin’ In the Wind. This week, we battle the elements in order to discuss: time change, Blueberry Muffin shot, Andor S2, community sports, bonspiels, the library, new Prime Minister, SOW, Canadian survival, & music theory.
Thank you to Life and Linda featuring my St Paddy’s Day Treats post at the Love Your Creativity Link Party this week! Also, thank you to The Crazy Little Lovebirds for featuring my winter baking post at her Link Party this week!
This week the fatigue hit me hard. SBean had her band concert field trip that she was SO excited for, I watched the Trade Deadline, HBear finished an art project, went on a dinner date with her BF, and killed it at her Curling Bonspiel this weekend! SBean took Oliver for a walk, had a self care blue vibes bubble bath and did more Lego with Ninja. I had therapy and got bloodwork done this week and Grandma and Grandpa are home from their trip with yummy treats!
