This 7 day real food meal plan will help you to save time and money. Serve your family healthy food with budget meal planning.

Budget meal planning is an essential part of a real food household. Without a plan, it’s too easy to fall back on processed food or takeout when dinner time comes.
Preparation is key if you want to consistently feed your family a whole food menu. You can reduce food waste by having a plan in place.

What to Eat on a Budget Meal Plan
Having healthy ingredients on hand is the first step to eating real food. Keep a grocery list on the fridge so you can update it regularly and keep a well-stocked kitchen.
- Fresh and Frozen Fruits and Vegetables: I like to keep lots of fruit and veggies on hand for snacks, side dishes, and main dishes. It’s a great idea to eat a wide variety of produce.
- Pantry Items: Baking supplies are important to have on hand so you can make your own snacks and desserts. Beans, canned tomatoes, and chickpeas are helpful to have on hand to use as building blocks for meals.
- Whole Grains: Brown rice, steel cut oats, and quinoa are some examples of whole grains that are essential for a healthy diet.
- Protein: There are many types of vegetarian and animal proteins that can contribute to a healthy budget meal plan. Chicken and fish are nutritious and affordable, and tofu, beans, and lentils are good vegan alternatives.
How to Meal Prep Your Week of Meals
After stocking up on the ingredients from your shopping list, you can easily meal prep a lot of the ingredients over the weekend. Many vegetables can be chopped ahead of time, and you can make sauces and cook rice to have ready to go on a busy weeknight. You can cook oats ahead of time for breakfast, or prepare a batch of overnight oats.
7 Day Real Food Meal Plan
Many of these easy meals are gluten-free and dairy-free. There are several vegetarian and vegan dishes. These recipes will all yield leftovers, so you can skip a couple and just have leftovers some days if you see something that doesn’t suit your tastes.
Monday
- Breakfast: Chia Coconut Pudding
- Lunch: Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
- Dinner: Vegetarian Cassoulet
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Blueberry Overnight Oats
- Lunch: Broccoli Fried Rice
- Dinner: Mexican Ground Beef Frittata
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Breakfast Casserole
- Lunch: Peanut Ramen Noodle Salad
- Dinner: Chicken Picadillo
Thursday
- Breakfast: Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
- Lunch: Avocado Quinoa Salad
- Dinner: Lemon Broccoli Pasta
Friday
- Breakfast: Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl
- Lunch: Ginger Lime Chicken & Cauliflower Rice
- Dinner: Squash Chili
Saturday
- Breakfast: Oat Flour Pancakes
- Lunch: Black Bean Corn Salad
- Dinner: Chicken Stir Fry
Sunday
- Breakfast: Dutch Baby Pancake
- Lunch: Salmon Pasta
- Dinner: Mango Avocado Steak Salad
Other Budget Meal Plan Examples
Over the course of a few years, I’ve put together many real food meal plans. I’ve included some of own recipes, along with recipes from other websites. If you’re short on time, you can copy any of these menus for your family. Kids and adults enjoy these recipes, and there’s something for everyone here.
- Real Food Meal Plan Week 1
- Real Food Meal Plan Week 2
- Real Food Meal Plan Week 3
- Real Food Meal Plan Week 4
- Real Food Meal Plan Week 5
- Real Food Meal Plan Week 6
Never go to the grocery store without a solid plan for the week ahead. It takes a little time, but it’s worth it when you’re able to consistently feed your family healthy food on a budget.
Other Real Food Meal Plan Tips
Explore my recipe index for lots of soups and salads that work well for lunch or dinner. From slow cooker to Instant Pot recipes and casseroles, there are so many delicious meals to add to your menu!
If you’re not sure how to put together a menu for your family, read my post that details how to meal plan. And be sure to check out my round-ups of meals that cost less than $1 per serving: 30 Healthy Dinner Recipes, 20 Frugal Vegan Dinner Recipes, and 10 Frugal Crock Pot Recipes. These are great recipes to plug into a weekly meal plan on a budget.
