$140 Monthly Meal Plan for Family of 4

Looking for some inspiration this month? Check out these deliciously frugal dinner ideas and see how you can feed your family for cheaper this month with this $140 Monthly Meal Plan for a Family of 4.

It's been a bit financially rough this month as we paid a lot of money towards my husband's latest surgery. Thankfully I'm experienced enough with frugal meal planning to keep our groceries as cost-effective as possible so that we can afford the large copays and out-of-pocket expenses that keep getting thrown at us.

If you've seen my $200 Monthly Meal Plan and my $180 Monthly Meal Plan, then you can see I have a "trend" going. Turns out that some of the cheapest meals I can feed my family of 4 for dinner are breakfast, soups, and fried rice. Coincidentally they're some of the easiest things to make too!

This month I've trimmed the grocery bill back about as far as I can without breaking it and found filling recipes to feed us for under $140. (Tip: Shopping at your local Aldi and save even more money!)

Note if you only want a week of meal ideas, check out my Weekly Meal Plan (with Grocery List) #1

Week 1

Wednesday

French Bread Pepperoni Pizza You can make these even cheaper by using the french bread from the discounted day old bread rack. I recommend saving some pepperoni in the package to be used in a future meal.

Thursday

Grab a bag of Bear Creek Soup and a loaf of French bread (make sure to check the day old racks in the bakery department!) Note that Aldi has a store brand version of these soups for under $3. (Sometimes, I just grab a slice of sandwich bread and spread softened butter on top instead.)

Friday

Breakfast for dinner. Homemade Sugar Free Pancakes or Eggless Pancakes, A standard-sized can of sliced peaches (split into 4 servings), 2 sausage links each, and 1 fried or scrambled egg each (depending on who wanted what).

Saturday

Leftover night. I like to warm up and assembled all of our leftovers like a buffet and allow everyone to pick and choose what they wanted to eat. This allows everyone to pick and choose their favorites from the week and ensures everything gets eaten.

Any leftovers that weren't eaten during the week get tossed in the trash after dinner, and we start the week fresh the next day.

Week 2

Sunday

Grab a large can or two smaller cans of your favorite canned chili and a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix for a really cheap dinner night. For more fun, you can assemble it like a Cornbread Tamale Pie. -For whatever reason, it always feels like it stretches further when I do this.

Monday

A cheap jar of Alfredo sauce is just under $2 from Walmart. Add it with a $1 box of pasta, one (cooked) diced chicken breast (or leftover shredded chicken), and a bag of mixed veggies.

Using penne noodles and adding a bag of California Medly veggies to the pot of boiled noodles (a minute or two before draining) can make the meal feel more like those Birds Eye meals from the store.

Tuesday

Bacon Fried Rice. With meat, veggies and starches in one pan, there's no need for side dishes.

Wednesday

Give your boxed mac and cheese a delicious kick of spice in this upgraded version. Taco Mac and Cheese with Rotel is a delicious meal that goes perfectly with a dollop of sour cream on top!

Thursday

Grab a bag of Bear Creek Soup and a loaf of French bread (make sure to check the day old racks in the bakery department!) Note that Aldi has a store brand version of these soups for under $3.

Friday

Breakfast for dinner with Sourdough French Toast, canned peaches, 2 sausage links per person, and one fried or scrambled egg.

Saturday

Leftover night. I like to warm up and assembled all of our leftovers like a buffet and allow everyone to pick and choose what they wanted to eat. This allows everyone to pick and choose their favorites from the week and ensures everything gets eaten.

Any leftovers that weren't eaten during the week get tossed in the trash after dinner, and we start the week fresh the next day.

Week 3

Sunday

Cooked up some Instant Pot Hot Dogs, and (2) prepared boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese. You can also add a side of steamed broccoli. (Reserved 3 hotdogs for a future meal).

Monday

Spaghetti and Frozen Garlic Bread in Air Fryer with a side of The Best Canned Green Bean Recipe.

Tuesday

Freezer Grilled Cheese and bowls of tomato soup

Wednesday

Hot Dog Fried Rice using the reserved hot dogs from Sunday.

Thursday

Grab a bag of Bear Creek Soup and a loaf of French bread (make sure to check the day old racks in the bakery department!) Note that Aldi has a store brand version of these soups for under $3.

Friday

Breakfast for dinner! Dairy Free Waffles, sliced fresh strawberries, 2 strips of bacon, and one egg each.

Saturday

Leftover night. I like to warm up and assembled all of our leftovers like a buffet and allow everyone to pick and choose what they wanted to eat. This allows everyone to pick and choose their favorites from the week and ensures everything gets eaten.

Any leftovers that weren't eaten during the week get tossed in the trash after dinner, and we start the week fresh the next day.

Week 4

Sunday

1 pound of cooked ground beef or ground turkey mixed with a can of Manwich sloppy joe mix and served on top of cheap hamburger buns and a side of cooked broccoli.

Monday

Mac and Cheese Tuna Casserole. You don't have to add any Ritz crackers on top or bake it- it can be served straight from the pan.

Tuesday

Make my hot dog fried ice recipe, but omit the meat entirely and leave it as just veggies and eggs. (Chances are, no one will notice the missing meat).

Wednesday

Cheesy Salsa Chicken and Rice. This is a great recipe for using up leftover shredded chicken.

Thursday

Grab a bag of Bear Creek Soup and a loaf of French bread (make sure to check the day old racks in the bakery department!) Note that Aldi has a store brand version of these soups for under $3.

Friday

Buying a pound of ground pork sausage or raw sausage patties is cheaper than buying pre-cooked patties. Cook them up yourself, add a single egg and slice of cheese, and nestle them between two halves of an English muffin for your breakfast sandwich.

Saturday

Leftover night. I like to warm up and assembled all of our leftovers like a buffet and allow everyone to pick and choose what they wanted to eat. This allows everyone to pick and choose their favorites from the week and ensures everything gets eaten.

Any leftovers that weren't eaten during the week get tossed in the trash after dinner, and we start the week fresh the next day.

Week 5

Sunday

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Bake (using the saved pepperoni from earlier in the month).

Monday

My kids love when I cook up 5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese. I usually add some steamed veggies on the side.

Tuesday

Tuna Fried Rice. Follow along with my hot dog fried rice recipe, but swap out the hot dogs for a small can of drained tuna. Break it up well as you cook and mix things together.

Wednesday

Grab a cheap $0.50 packet of gravy mix (the kind that just needs water) and add in some shredded cooked chicken (leftover from a past meal). Serve over the top of some cooked white rice and add a veggie if desired.

Thursday

Grab a bag of Bear Creek Soup and a loaf of French bread (make sure to check the day old racks in the bakery department!) Note that Aldi has a store brand version of these soups for under $3.

Friday

A pound of pork sausage, milk, and package of white gravy mix served with (2) cans of biscuits or some Homemade Baking Powder Biscuits and some fresh fruits (opt for seasonal fruits as they'll be cheaper).

See: Seasonal Shopping (What to Buy and When)

Saturday

Leftover night. I like to warm up and assembled all of our leftovers like a buffet and allow everyone to pick and choose what they wanted to eat. This allows everyone to pick and choose their favorites from the week and ensures everything gets eaten.

Any leftovers that weren't eaten during the week get tossed in the trash after dinner, and we start the week fresh the next day.

Like this meal plan? Click here for a FREE Printable Copy of this $140 Menu Plan for a Family of 4.