Budget Meal Prep:3 Now, 3 Later

$215: Food, Gas & Gifts 💰

On my mind:, inspired by “You Need a Budget.” (My Newest Read)

My goal? No more credit card use.

Paycheck:–> food ($110.45), gifts ($39.09) & gas ($39.72). With one more gas fill-up & $23 for Maple Festival this Weekend, smart spending is key – especially on food.

Enter my “Half-Dozen” Ground Beef Meal Prep! Instead of a huge 12-meal plan, I’m using just 6 pounds of ground beef for 6 efficient meals.

Find this FREE Printable Meal Plan HERE Shopping List Included!

Why this smaller prep?

• Budget-friendly: Lower upfront cost, less potential waste.
• Time-saving: Prepped components mean quicker weeknight dinners.

My Half-Dozen Meals:

• Taco Night (Dinner 1)
• Freezer Taco Meat (Future Meal 1)
• Shepherd’s Pie (Dinner 2)
• Freezer Shepherd’s Pie (Future Meal 2)
• Pasta Sauce (Dinner 3)
• Freezer Pasta Sauce (Future Meal 3)

Grocery List for My Half-Dozen:

🛒 Grocery List (Half-Dozen Edition) 🛒

(Meat & Dairy) 

✅ 6 lb Ground Beef 

✅ Cheese (16 oz)

✅ Butter/Margarine (adjust based on your needs for mashed potatoes) 

✅ Milk (½ quart or adjust based on your mashed potato preference)

(Pantry – Baking & Spices) 

✅ Flour 

✅ Beef Bouillon (2-3 cubes) 

✅ Taco Season (2 packets) 

✅ Salt 

(Pantry – International Aisle) 

✅ Flour Tortillas (2 packs) 

✅ Taco Sauce (1 jar)

(Pantry – Pasta & Sides) 

✅ Pasta Sauce (2 jars/cans) 

✅ Pasta (2 lbs) 

✅ Corn (2 cans) 

✅ Instant Mashed Potatoes (smaller box or adjust quantity as needed)

(Produce) 

✅ Lettuce (1 head)

(Non Food) 

• Freezer Bags,Gallon & Quart Size 
• 2 pans for Shepherd’s Pie 
• Aluminum Foil 
• Saran Wrap 
• Sharpie 

Journalofasinglemom.com

Scaling down my meal prep helps me stay on track with my budget goals without sacrificing convenient, home-cooked meals. What are your favorite budget-friendly food strategies? Share in the comments! Maybe I’ll see some of you at the Maple Festival this weekend!

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