ALDI Standard Meal Plan

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Skillet Cranberry-Glazed Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
Description: Two boneless chicken thighs are seared until golden, then glazed in a sweet-tart cranberry pan sauce. They are served with fluffy mashed potatoes and buttery green beans for a cozy single-serving dinner.
Sale items used: Chicken thighs, whole berry cranberry sauce, instant mashed potatoes, frozen green beans, butter
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: Use about 0.5 lb chicken thighs (2 thighs) from a 1 lb portion of the family pack, which covers Monday and Wednesday. Use 3 tbsp cranberry sauce for the glaze, 1/2 cup dry potato flakes prepared per the box (one serving), 1 cup (about 4 oz) frozen green beans, and 1 tbsp butter. The remaining cranberry sauce is good on a sandwich or stirred into oatmeal.
Recipes:
- Cranberry Chicken Thighs
- Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Skillet
- Cranberry Glazed Chicken Thighs

Tuesday
Meal: Creamy Organic Squash or Sweet Potato Soup with Crescent Rolls
Description: Frozen organic squash is simmered with onion and broth, blended smooth, and finished with a splash of cream. Two warm, flaky crescent rolls are baked on the side for dunking.
Sale items used: Organic squash or sweet potatoes, heavy whipping cream, crescent rolls, butter
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serving note: Use about 5 oz (roughly half the bag) of frozen squash, 1 cup broth, 2 tbsp cream, and 1 tsp butter for sauteing the onion. Bake 2 crescent rolls from the can and save the rest of the dough tube, wrapped tightly in the fridge, for a few days or bake all and freeze the extras. Save the other half of the squash for Friday.
Recipes:
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup (Roasted)

Wednesday
Meal: Sheet-Pan Herb-Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Campari Tomatoes and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Description: Two chicken thighs rubbed with poultry herbs roast on one pan alongside blistered Campari tomatoes that make a juicy natural sauce. A couple of soft, sweet Hawaiian rolls soak up all the pan juices.
Sale items used: Chicken thighs, Campari tomatoes, poultry spices or herbs, Hawaiian sweet rolls, butter
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serving note: Use about 0.5 lb chicken thighs (2 thighs) from the 1 lb portion, 4 to 5 Campari tomatoes (about 6 oz, roughly 1/3 of the pack), 1 tsp poultry seasoning, and 2 sweet rolls. Roast at 425 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Keep the remaining tomatoes for Thursday and freeze the remaining rolls.
Recipes:
- Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies
- Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Thursday
Meal: Green Bean and Tomato Cream Pot Pie with Pie Crust Top
Description: Green beans and tomatoes are simmered in a light cream sauce, then topped with a flaky pie crust and baked in a single ramekin. It is a vegetable-forward comfort dish sized for one.
Sale items used: Frozen green beans, Campari tomatoes, heavy whipping cream, pie crust, butter
Prep time: 50 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 cup (about 4 oz) frozen green beans, 4 Campari tomatoes (about 5 oz), 1/4 cup cream, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp flour, and 1/3 cup broth. Cut a round from 1 pie crust to cover a 2-cup ramekin, and bake at 400 F for about 25 minutes. Make the filling earlier in the day if you like, then top and bake when hungry. Wrap the second crust and freeze it.

Friday
Meal: Roasted Bone-in Ribeye Roast with Instant Mashed Potatoes and Buttered Squash or Sweet Potatoes
Description: A small bone-in ribeye roast is seared and oven-roasted to a rosy medium-rare with a crusty exterior. It comes with creamy instant mashed potatoes and tender squash glazed in butter.
Sale items used: Bone-in ribeye roast, instant mashed potatoes, organic squash or sweet potatoes, butter
Prep time: 55 minutes
Serving note: Ask the meat counter to cut a roughly 1 lb section of bone-in ribeye roast (assumed 1 lb total weight, about 8 to 10 oz of meat after the bone). Roast at 400 F for 30 to 35 minutes to an internal temperature of 130 F, then rest 10 minutes. Use the remaining 1/2 cup potato flakes for the mash, the remaining half of the squash (about 5 oz) with 1 tbsp butter, and salt and pepper. If the cut is large, slice leftovers for a sandwich the next day.
Recipes:
- Easy Bone-In Ribeye Roast Recipe With Au Jus
- Juicy Ribeye Roast Made Easy
- Ribeye Steak Roast Recipe

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (1 lb): $2.29
- Fresh USDA Choice Bone-in Ribeye Roast (1 lb): $8.99
- Campari Tomatoes on the Vine (x1 pkg): $2.49
- Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream (x1): $4.59
- Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (x1): $1.99
- Bake House Creations Pie Crusts (x1): $1.89
- L'oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (x1): $1.99
- Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (x1): $2.97
- Season's Choice Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans (x1): $2.49
- Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes (x1): $2.49
- Chef's Cupboard Instant Mashed Potatoes (x1): $1.85
- Sweet Harvest Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (x1): $1.59
- Stonemill Poultry Spices or Herbs (x1): $1.95

Pantry staples needed:
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil or cooking oil
- All-purpose flour
- Chicken or vegetable broth (about 1 1/3 cups total)
- Yellow onion (small)
- Garlic or garlic powder