Budget

Budget meal prep for 2 or 4: 5 days of lunches and dinners

Cheap food often means dull food, and cooking on a tight budget can feel like a choice between eating well and not running out of money before the week ends. Many people also end up throwing away half a bag of spinach or a leftover onion, which quietly undoes the savings. The goal is meals that are filling and tasty without a large grocery bill or a pile of waste.

This plan builds the week around ingredients that stretch: ground turkey, black beans, eggs, spaghetti, potatoes and smoked sausage. You make a turkey and black bean chili, turkey meatballs in marinara, and chicken thigh fajita wraps, along with a sheet pan of sausage and potatoes and an egg and spinach frittata. Everything is cooked in one session of about an hour and a half, and the same plan can be scaled to 4 people.

What they asked Bocalito

A meal prep plan that's as cheap as possible: simple ingredients, nothing goes to waste. Prioritize low budget options, but don't sacrifice quality and make meals tasty and filling.

Make my own version

Quick Weeknight Classics

Quantities for

2 people5 days · Lunch, Dinner · Up to 2× eachUp to 2hImperial unitsUp to 650 kcal per portion

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Freeze these portions after cooking, and move them to the fridge the night before.

Turkey and Black Bean Chili
Chicken Thigh Fajita Wraps
Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
Turkey Meatballs in Marinara
Egg and Spinach Frittata

1h 35min start to finish1h 7min hands-on

Time you actually spend cooking — the rest is simmering, roasting and chilling.

1
Shape the turkey meatballs15 minCounter
Combine 20 oz of the ground turkey with the 2 eggs, the 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 2 oz of the grated parmesan and 1 tsp of the salt in a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, then roll into 16 meatballs about 1.5 inches across. Set them on a lined tray so they are ready to bake.
ResultRaw turkey meatballs
2
Bake the meatballs18 minOven · 400°FUnattended
Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and bake the meatballs for 18 minutes until browned on the outside and firm to the touch, reaching 165°F (74°C) inside. Baking rather than frying keeps them lean and lets you cook all 16 at once.
ResultBaked turkey meatballs
3
Brown the chili turkey12 minStove
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 of the onions chopped small and 16 oz of the ground turkey, breaking it up as it browns for about 10 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and 1 tsp of the cumin for the last 2 minutes so the spices bloom.
ResultBrowned chili turkey
4
Simmer the chili40 minStoveUnattended
Add the 2 cans of black beans with their liquid and the 2 cans of canned tomatoes to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly covered, and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and glossy. The long simmer lets the beans soften and the flavours meld.
ResultTurkey and black bean chili
5
Prep the frittata mix8 minStove
Heat a little of the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet, sauté 1 of the onions finely chopped for 3 minutes, then wilt in the 16 oz of spinach. Whisk the 8 eggs with 2 oz of the cheddar, the black pepper and a pinch of the salt, then pour over the spinach and onion in the skillet. Leave it to set on the hob for 1 minute so the base does not slide.
ResultEgg and spinach frittata mix
6
Bake the frittata18 minOven · 400°FUnattended
Transfer the skillet to the oven at 400°F (205°C) and bake for about 18 minutes until the centre is just set and springs back when pressed. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 8 wedges so it stays neat when reheated.
ResultEgg and spinach frittata
7
Make the marinara15 minStoveUnattended
Pour the remaining 2 cans of canned tomatoes into a saucepan with the olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic crushed. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and tastes rich. Season with a pinch of the salt.
ResultSimple tomato marinara
8
Combine meatballs and marinara10 minStove
Lower the heat under the marinara and add the 16 baked meatballs, turning them gently so they are coated. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the meatballs are hot through. This finishes the sauce and meatballs together for the freezer.
ResultTurkey meatballs in marinara
9
Prep the sheet pan10 minCounter
Cut the 14 oz of smoked sausage into thick coins, halve the 24 oz of baby potatoes, and cut the 12 oz of broccoli into small florets. Toss everything with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, 6 smashed garlic cloves and a pinch of salt on a large sheet pan so that it is spread in one layer.
ResultSausage, potato and broccoli sheet pan mix
10
Roast the sausage and potatoes25 minOven · 400°FUnattended
Roast the sheet pan at 400°F (205°C) for about 25 minutes, turning once halfway, until the potatoes are golden and tender when pierced and the sausage is browned at the edges. The single layer and high heat give the crisp edges that make this dish worth eating.
ResultRoasted sausage, potatoes and broccoli
11
Prep the fajita chicken12 minCounter
Slice the 20 oz of chicken thighs into thin strips and cut the 3 bell peppers and 1 onion into strips. Toss the chicken and vegetables with the juice of 2 limes, 2 tsp of the cumin and 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large bowl. Let them marinate while you do the rest of the session.
ResultSeasoned chicken and pepper strips
12
Cook the fajita filling15 minStoveUnattended
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the seasoned chicken and vegetables in batches, stirring, for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, reaching at least 165°F (74°C) and the peppers are blistered at the edges. Let the pan get hot between batches so the chicken browns rather than steams.
ResultChicken thigh fajita filling

Questions, or need to change something? !

Questions asked about this plan

Can I freeze the turkey meatballs in marinara together, and how long will they keep?

Yes, you can. The turkey meatballs go into the freezer in their marinara sauce, and the spaghetti is kept separate and cooked fresh when you serve it. They keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Which cheaper swaps work for the ground turkey in the chili if I want to stretch the budget?

Ground turkey is already one of the lower-cost proteins in this plan at $4.08 per pound, so the 16 oz in the chili is a modest line item. If you want to stretch it further, these swaps keep the chili working:

Add a third can of black beans in place of some of the meat. They're about $1.29 a can and make the chili more filling.
Use ground pork or ground chicken if they're cheaper where you shop. Both brown the same way and take the same spices.
Stretch the turkey with a little more onion or diced tomato so less meat goes further.

Check local prices before you buy, since the cheapest option depends on your store.

Can I prep the sheet pan sausage and potatoes ahead, or is it best roasted fresh?

You can roast it ahead. Cool the sausage, potatoes and broccoli, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days. Don't freeze this dish, because the potatoes go soft when frozen. To serve, reheat on a sheet pan at 400°F (205°C) for 12 to 15 minutes until hot throughout, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes if the potatoes need more color.

Your week, your tastes

Tell Bocalito who you cook for, how much time you have and what you like: it makes a plan like this one, just for you. Free, no card needed.