ALDI Kid-Friendly Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Why these meals: This week's plan keeps things familiar and kid-friendly while making a few sale buys do double duty. The 4 lbs of boneless chicken thighs ($9.16) cover Monday's cranberry-glazed bake and Tuesday's sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls, and the 10 lb Butterball turkey ($12.70) gives you a roast dinner on Thursday and a pot pie on Friday from the leftovers. Wednesday's bone-in ribeye roast ($22.48) is the one splurge night, served with mild, slightly sweet squash or sweet potatoes, and you will pick up a second bag of those for Friday's pot pie. One package of butter stretches across Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so there is very little to buy beyond the main ingredients. Wednesday and Thursday are the longer cooking nights, so give yourself a head start on those afternoons and keep Monday and Tuesday for quick weeknight dinners.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Cranberry-Glazed Baked Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
Description: Boneless chicken thighs are baked in the oven with a sweet, sticky cranberry glaze that kids love. They are served with creamy instant mashed potatoes and buttery green beans.
Sale items used: Fresh Antibiotic Free Family Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, Sweet Harvest Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce, Chef's Cupboard Instant Mashed Potatoes, Season's Choice Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serving note: 2 lbs chicken thighs, 1 can cranberry sauce (spread over the chicken in the last 10 minutes of baking), 1 package instant mashed potatoes, 1 bag green beans, and a little butter from the shared package. Before bed, move the frozen turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator for Thursday.
Recipes:
- Cranberry-Glazed Chicken recipe
- Baked Cranberry Rosemary Chicken - The Ultimate Holiday One-Pan Dinner
- Baked Cranberry Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Orange - Key To My Lime

Tuesday
Meal: Pan-Seared Chicken Thigh Sliders on Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Description: Boneless chicken thighs are seasoned, seared in a skillet, sliced, and tucked into soft, sweet rolls with fresh tomato slices. Crisp apple slices on the side make it a fun hands-on dinner.
Sale items used: Fresh Antibiotic Free Family Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, L'oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, Campari Tomatoes on the Vine, New York Gala Apples
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: 2 lbs chicken thighs (4 lbs total chicken for the week), 1 package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, 1 lb pkg Campari tomatoes (sliced), and 4 Gala apples from the 3-lb bag (sliced). Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Recipes:
- Chicken Sliders Recipe (with Hawaiian Rolls)
- Shredded Chicken Sliders · Easy Family Recipes
- Avocado Ranch Chicken Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

Wednesday
Meal: Oven-Roasted Bone-in Ribeye Roast with Buttery Squash or Sweet Potatoes
Description: A bone-in ribeye roast is rubbed with salt and pepper and slow-roasted until tender, then sliced for the table. Frozen squash or sweet potatoes are roasted with butter on the side for a mild, slightly sweet pairing.
Sale items used: Fresh USDA Choice Bone-in Ribeye Roast, Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes total (15 minutes hands-on)
Serving note: About 2.5 lbs bone-in ribeye roast, 1 bag Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, and a few tablespoons of butter from the shared package. This runs past 60 minutes, so take the roast out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, put it in the oven by about 5:00 pm, and let it rest 15 minutes before slicing. The roasted squash or sweet potatoes can go on a second pan for the last 30 minutes.
Recipes:
- Herb-Crusted Bone-In Ribeye Roast Recipe
- Easy Ribeye Roast (Prime Rib) - Grits and Gouda
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash ⋆ Easy + Tasty!

Thursday
Meal: Roast Whole Turkey with Green Beans and Crispy Fried Onions
Description: A butter-rubbed whole turkey is roasted in the oven until golden, then carved for a classic family dinner. Green beans are tossed in butter and topped with crunchy French fried onions.
Sale items used: Frozen Whole Turkey (Butterball Premium), Season's Choice Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans, Chef's Cupboard French Fried Onions, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 3 hours 15 minutes total (20 minutes hands-on)
Serving note: One 10 lb frozen turkey is assumed (thawed in the refrigerator since Monday). Carve about 2 lbs of meat for tonight and save about 2 lbs for Friday, plus extra for sandwiches. You will also need 1 bag green beans, 1 container French fried onions, and a few tablespoons of butter from the shared package. This runs well past 60 minutes, so start roasting by 2:30 pm at 325 F, rubbing the bird with butter, salt, and pepper. The green beans only take about 10 minutes at the end. If time is tight, roast the bird the night before and reheat the carved meat.
Recipes:
- Roasted Green Beans with Caramelized Onions - Skinnytaste
- Roasted Green Beans with Fried Onions
- Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions - Renee Nicole's Kitchen

Friday
Meal: Turkey and Squash Pot Pie with a Pie Crust Top
Description: Leftover turkey and squash or sweet potatoes are folded into a creamy sauce made with butter, flour, and milk. It is covered with a pie crust and baked until golden and flaky.
Sale items used: Frozen Whole Turkey (Butterball Premium), Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, Bake House Creations Pie Crusts, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 55 minutes
Serving note: About 2 lbs leftover cooked turkey from Thursday's bird (chopped), 1 bag Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, 1 package Bake House Creations Pie Crusts (used as the top crust), and a few tablespoons of butter from the shared package. Bake in a baking dish at 400 F for about 30 minutes, until the crust is golden. The filling sauce uses butter, flour, milk, and broth from your pantry.
Recipes:
- Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
- Turkey Pot Pie - Culinary Hill
- Mini Turkey Pot Pies with Butternut Squash and Bacon

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Fresh Antibiotic Free Family Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (4 lbs): $9.16
- Frozen Whole Turkey (Butterball Premium) (10 lbs): $12.70
- Fresh USDA Choice Bone-in Ribeye Roast (2.5 lbs): $22.48
- Chef's Cupboard Instant Mashed Potatoes (x1): $1.85
- Season's Choice Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans (x2 bags): $4.98
- Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes (x2 bags): $4.98
- Sweet Harvest Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (x1): $1.59
- L'oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (x1): $1.99
- Campari Tomatoes on the Vine (x1 pkg): $2.49
- New York Gala Apples (x1 bag): $1.99
- Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted) (x1): $1.99
- Chef's Cupboard French Fried Onions (x1): $2.89
- Bake House Creations Pie Crusts (x1): $1.89

Pantry staples needed:
- Salt and black pepper
- Garlic powder
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Chicken or turkey broth