January: Meal Plan on a Budget!
It’s January!
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! I’m still waiting on the NEW estimates for this coming year.
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 $175.35!
Here is the January 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: Gnocchi Bolognese Bake
Monday: Easy Oven Baked Pork Chops with Salt with Vinegar Fingerling Potatoes and Corn
Tuesday: One Pot Spicy Rigatoni
Wednesday: Breakfast Fried Rice
Thursday: Sheet Pan Italian Sausage Heros with Honey Mustard
Friday: Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
Saturday: Chicken Breasts with Mushroom and Onion Dijon Sauce over Mashed Potatoes
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:
11 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb lean ground beef
13 cloves garlic
1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup red wine
2 bay leaf
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
5 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups green peas
1 small shallot
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 ½ onions
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon parsley
8 cup vegetable stock
4 1/4 cups chicken stock
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 ⅓ cup short pasta
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups white vinegar
1 can kidney beans
NEED TO BUY ITEMS:
4 russet potatoes
7-8 carrots
2 cups mushrooms
3 bell peppers
3 celery stalks
1 bag of spinach
1 pound fingerling potatoes
1 small sweet onion
2 sprigs fresh oregano
3 green onions
1 1/2 red onions
Fresh rosemary
1 can white cannellini beans
1 can diced tomatoes
4 hoagie rolls
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 package rigatoni pasta
20 ounces marinara sauce
1 package potato gnocchi
2 cups Italian Cheese Blend
1 cup heavy cream
1 package ground breakfast sausage
4 mild Italian sausages
4 boneless pork chops (1-inch thick)
Garnish optional: Toasted sesame seeds
SUNDAY: Gnocchi Bolognese Bake
Winter comfort food at it’s finest… and easiest! Everything gets cooked in one big skillet and it is ooey, gooey, cheesy and delicious.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
salt and pepper
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup milk
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 package gnocchi
2 cups Italian cheese blend, shredded
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onions and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and garlic and cook until the beef has browned all over, about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in all of the tomatoes, wine, and milk. Add the bay leaf and oregano and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.
Stir in the gnocchi and 1/3 cup water. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook another 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaf and oregano.
Top the dish with cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Top with fresh basil.
MONDAY: Easy Oven Baked Pork Chops with Salt and Vinegar Fingerling Potatoes & Corn
This dinner tastes like you put hours of work into it, but it comes together in minutes! The hardest part of these recipes is the prep time. You need 40 minutes to soak the potatoes before they are cooked, but other than that, this is a simple and delicious dinner that will make you feel comfortably full.
Easy Oven Baked Pork Chops
4
servings5
minutes20
minutes5
minutesIngredients
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless pork chops (1-inch thick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or silicon mat for easy clean up.
In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Drizzle and rub the pork with olive oil and season them with the dry rub. Rub the seasoning all over the chops (both sides). Place the pork chops onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, tented with aluminum foil.
Salt and Vinegar Fingerling Potatoes
4
servings45
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 lb fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon pepper
Directions
In a small pot, combine the potato slices, vinegar, and one tablespoon of the salt. If vinegar does not cover potatoes by at least 1/4 inch, top it up with cold water until it does.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 8 minutes.
Let cool in liquid for 30 minutes.
Drain well and pat potatoes dry with paper towels.
Toss potato slices with the olive oil, remaining teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Place on Airfryer pan.
Arrange the potato slices in a single layer. Airfry until lightly browned on top, about 7 minutes. Then flip the slices and broil until the underside is lightly browned, about 5 minutes more.
TUESDAY: One Pot Spicy Rigatoni
Spicy is a relative term lol. Ours wasn’t as spicy as I would’ve liked but despite the lack of heat lol this was delicious and SO easy! The spice level is totally up to you! I love dinners that don’t have meat weighing them down. This dinner was tasty and satisfying.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 package rigatoni pasta
1 jar marinara sauce
4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup green peas
Directions
Place the butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. As the butter is melting, add the shallots and garlic into the pan.
Sprinkle in the red chili flake and mix together. Allow the shallots and garlic to soften in the pan by cooking for 1-2 minutes. Be sure to mix often so that the garlic and shallots don’t stick to the pan or burn.
Add the pasta to the hot pan, followed by the marinara sauce, broth, and salt. Mix it all together and bring it up to a soft boil to cook the pasta. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low for about 12-13 minutes.
When the rigatoni is cooked to your liking, add the heavy cream, peas, and parmesan to the pasta. Mix it together over medium heat until the sauce comes together.
WEDNESDAY: Breakfast Fried Rice
Yum! I love fried rice and the addition of breakfast sausage and scrambled eggs made this a dream dinner or breakfast! Using leftover rice and frozen veggies makes this dinner even easier and really, what tastes better than easy?
Ingredients
1 package ground pork breakfast sausage
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cups spinach
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cup basmati rice, cooked
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas/corn
4 eggs
3 green onions sliced, divided
Salt & pepper, to taste
- Yum Yum Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the yum yum sauce ingredients until well combined.
Add pork sausage, red onions, carrots, red peppers and garlic to a wok over medium-high heat. Cook until pork is browned, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 7-8 minutes. If the pork fat does not provide enough moisture add a drizzle of oil. Stir in sesame oil.
Place eggs in a microwave bowl and whisk. Place in microwave for 2-4 minutes to scramble.
Stir in cooked rice and soy sauce, with your heat still at medium-high, cook for about 5 minutes. Some of the sausage and rice will begin to get crispy edges. Stir in peas/corn, spinach, scrambled eggs, and half of the sliced green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide breakfast fried rice into serving bowls and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, remaining green onions, and a drizzle of yum yum sauce.
THURSDAY: Sheet Pan Italian Sausage Heros with Honey Mustard
Heck yeah! This sandwich was delicious! We love a good hotdog and this was a gourmet hotdog! Yum!
Sheet Pan Italian Sausage Heros with Honey Mustard
4
servings15
minutes30
minutesIngredients
2 bell peppers, cut into ¾-inch-thick strips
½ onion, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 package mild Italian pork sausage, 4 links
- Honey Mustard Sauce
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position.
Toss bell peppers and onions with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and place on a large rimmed sheet pan.
Nestle the sausages in between the vegetable and roast until warmed through (or fully cooked, if using raw sausage links), about 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and soy sauce.
Add the sausages to the hoagie rolls, top with veggies, and drizzle with honey mustard sauce.
FRIDAY: Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
This soup was BURSTING with flavour! I’m sad that soup season is coming to an end. This was delicious and inexpensive. You don’t miss meat in your soup when you have filling and yummy white kidney beans. You will slurp down this soup so fast and ask for another bowl, I promise!
Ingredients
3-4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon parsley
8 cup vegetable broth
1 can kidney beans
1 can white cannellini beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
⅓ cup tomato paste
3 cups baby spinach
1 ⅓ cup short pasta
Directions
Sauté the carrots, onions and celery in large soup pot until onions are translucent in olive oil.
Add in minced garlic, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, parsley, bay leaf, and tomato paste.
Cook on medium for about 30 minutes or until carrots and celery are tender. Stir occasionally.
Add in spinach and uncooked pasta. Continue to heat at a soft boil for another 15 minutes or until pasta is completely cooked. Add more seasonings to taste and simmer until ready to serve.
SATURDAY: Chicken Breasts with Mushroom and Onion Dijon Sauce with Mashed Potatoes
This is my kinda comfort food. I love creamy chicken dishes with big fat mushrooms and silky mashed potatoes. This is a dish that will leave you begging for seconds. Such a delicious dinner full of flavour!
Chicken Breasts with Mushroom and Onion Dijon Sauce
4
servings10
minutes30
minutesIngredients
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
In a medium bowl, place flour, salt and pepper and mix. Dredge chicken in flour, shake excess and set aside.
In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken breasts and brown 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a platter and set aside.
Heat pan back up to high and add mushrooms and cook for about three minutes until just starting to brown. Reduce to medium high and add onions and rosemary. Cook for two to three minutes.
Add both mustards, and wine and scrape up bottom. Add parsley, stock, cream and butter and mix to combine.
Add chicken back in and cover with sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook just until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with sauce over mashed potatoes.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #412 It’s Simple Math. This week, we get together to discuss: book challenges, coming trends, French Kiss, LA fires, Skeleton Crew, TGL, Taylor trivia, SOW, listener email & more ABBA!
Second week of 2025 is officially in the books! I started the week with yoga and ended it the same way! The Kids enjoyed their first week back at school and I took Ninja out for a beer to thank him for helping me at work this week. I just finished my fourth book of the year and our niece CabbagePatch turned 8 years old! I can’t believe it! We went to my Sis’s house to celebrate her birthday, it was Taylor Swift themed, we had homemade pizza, strawberry cheesecake, and my Sis can’t keep plants alive either! LOL We also took SBean and my Dad out to Taylor Swift Trivia Night! We had so much fun lol we placed second last, but SBean won the costume contest and had a great time!!
