ALDI Standard Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Why these meals: This week, the 4 lbs of boneless chicken thighs ($9.16) anchor Monday and Wednesday, first in a skillet with a cranberry glaze and then roasted on a sheet pan with Campari tomatoes. Tuesday and Thursday are meatless, with a creamy squash or sweet potato soup and a green bean and tomato pot pie, so the middle of your week gets a break from meat. Friday ends on a showpiece, the bone-in ribeye roast ($17.98), served with mashed potatoes and buttered squash. The squash, green beans, mashed potatoes, Campari tomatoes and cream each turn up on more than one night, so one ALDI trip covers the whole week.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Skillet Cranberry-Glazed Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
Description: Boneless thighs are browned in a skillet and finished with a sweet-tart glaze made from whole berry cranberry sauce. They are served over creamy instant mashed potatoes with buttery green beans on the side.
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: 30 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 lbs chicken thighs, 1 can cranberry sauce, 1/2 box instant mashed potatoes, 1 bag green beans and 2 Tbsp butter (for the beans). Cook the potatoes with water and a little salt, and simmer the beans in a skillet until tender-crisp.
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 squash or sweet potatoes are simmered with onion and broth, blended smooth, and finished with heavy cream for a velvety meatless soup. Warm crescent rolls brushed with butter are served alongside for dipping.
Sale items used: Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 bags Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 package crescent rolls (baked per package directions) and 3 Tbsp butter (1 Tbsp to sauté the onion, 2 Tbsp to brush the rolls). Season the soup with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
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: Chicken thighs are rubbed with Stonemill Poultry Spices or Herbs and roasted on a sheet pan with Campari tomatoes until the juices run clear and the tomatoes burst. Warm, buttered Hawaiian sweet rolls soak up the pan juices.
Sale items used: Fresh Antibiotic Free Family Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, Stonemill Poultry Spices or Herbs, Campari Tomatoes on the Vine, L'oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 45 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 lbs chicken thighs, 1 jar Stonemill Poultry Spices or Herbs, 1/2 lb Campari tomatoes (half the package, save the rest for Thursday), 1 pack Hawaiian sweet rolls and 2 Tbsp butter. Roast at 425 F for about 30 minutes, then warm the rolls for the last 5 minutes.
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: A meatless filling of green beans, Campari tomatoes and onion in a heavy cream sauce is baked under a golden pie crust. It is a cozy, savory change of pace from the chicken nights.
Sale items used: Season's Choice Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans, Campari Tomatoes on the Vine, Bake House Creations Pie Crusts, Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 55 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 bag green beans, the remaining 1/2 lb Campari tomatoes, 1 package pie crusts (one crust tops the dish), 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream and 3 Tbsp butter. Make a sauce with the butter, flour, vegetable broth and cream, fold in the vegetables, top with the crust and bake at 400 F for about 30 minutes.

Friday
Meal: Roasted Bone-in Ribeye Roast with Instant Mashed Potatoes and Buttered Squash or Sweet Potatoes
Description: A seasoned bone-in ribeye roast is oven-roasted with butter until medium-rare to medium, then rested and sliced. It is served with creamy mashed potatoes and skillet-buttered squash or sweet potatoes.
Sale items used: Fresh USDA Choice Bone-in Ribeye Roast, Chef's Cupboard Instant Mashed Potatoes, Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream, Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted)
Prep time: 85 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 lbs bone-in ribeye roast, 1/2 box instant mashed potatoes, 1 bag Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 5 Tbsp butter (2 on the roast, 2 in the potatoes, 1 for the squash). Timing note: take the roast out of the fridge and season it 30 minutes ahead, sear-roast at 450 F for 15 minutes, then 325 F for about 40 minutes more until 125 to 130 F inside. Rest it 15 minutes while you make the potatoes and warm the squash in a skillet.
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 Antibiotic Free Family Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (4 lbs): $9.16
- Fresh USDA Choice Bone-in Ribeye Roast (2 lbs): $17.98
- Simply Nature Organic Squash or Sweet Potatoes (x3 bags): $7.47
- Season's Choice Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans (x2 bags): $4.98
- Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream (x1 carton): $4.59
- Countryside Creamery Butter Quarters (Salted or Unsalted) (x2): $3.98
- Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (x1 package): $2.97
- Campari Tomatoes on the Vine (x1 pkg): $2.49
- L'oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (x1 pack): $1.99
- Stonemill Poultry Spices or Herbs (x1): $1.95
- Bake House Creations Pie Crusts (x1 package): $1.89
- Chef's Cupboard Instant Mashed Potatoes (x1 box): $1.85
- Sweet Harvest Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (x1 can): $1.59

Pantry staples needed:
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- All-purpose flour
- Yellow onion
- Vegetable broth