Food Lion Gluten-Free Meal Plan

SALE ITEMS FOUND

Meats on sale:
- Cold Water Lobster Tail: $3/oz
- Fresh Chicken Tenderloins: Family Pack
- Raw Shrimp Peeled and Deveined Tail-Off: $16/oz bag
- Boneless Pork Loin Roast or Whole Pork Tenderloin: $1/lb
- Chop House Beef and Pork Burger: $21/28 oz
- Pork Chops Center Cut Bone-In: sale price (no amount listed)
- Beef Chuck Roast: sale price (no amount listed)
- Thin Sliced Boneless Chicken Breast: Family Pack
- Chicken Drumsticks: $5/lb bag
- Swift Dry Rub St. Louis Style Pork Ribs: $19/oz pkg
- Oscar Mayer Sliced Bacon: $16/oz pkg
- Eckrich Smoked Sausage: $12-14 oz pkg
- Johnsonville Fresh Dinner Sausage: $7-9 oz pkg
- Smithfield Marinated Pork Loin Filet: $23/oz pkg
- Cod or Haddock Fillets: $10/oz
- Flounder Fillets: $32/oz pkg
- Food Lion Cooked Shrimp: $16/oz bag
- Luke's Lobster Cakes: $6/oz pkg

Vegetables on sale:
- Strawberries: $1/lb container
- Blueberries: $1/pint
- Mini Potatoes: $14/oz
- Mini Cucumbers: $24/oz
- Yellow or White Nectarines: sale price
- Mini Watermelon: sale price
- Hass Avocados or Mangos: sale price
- Taste of Inspirations Tomatoes: sale price
- Broccoli Crowns: sale price
- Food Lion Baby Cut Carrots: $1/lb bag
- Fresh Express Salad Blends: $6-9 oz pkg
- Realsweet Organic Vidalia Onions: $3/lb bag
- Nature's Promise Organic Nectarines, Peaches or Plums: $2/lb bag
- Fresh Cherries: sale price

BUDGET RATIONALE

Protein ranking (most economical to most expensive per serving for 4 people):
- Boneless Pork Loin Roast or Whole Pork Tenderloin: $1/lb - need about 2 lbs for 4 people = roughly $2.00 total, ~$0.50/serving (exceptional value)
- Chicken Drumsticks: $5/lb bag - need about 2.5 lbs for 4 people = roughly $12.50 total, but bag pricing likely means a 5 lb bag for $5 = ~$1.25/serving (outstanding deal)
- Johnsonville Fresh Dinner Sausage: $7-9 oz pkg - 1-2 pkgs at roughly $7-8 feeds 4 comfortably = ~$1.75-2.00/serving (budget friendly)
- Eckrich Smoked Sausage: $12-14 oz pkg - 1-2 pkgs at roughly $8-10 total = ~$2.00-2.50/serving (solid value)
- Thin Sliced Boneless Chicken Breast: Family Pack - family pack likely $8-12 for 4 servings = ~$2.00-3.00/serving (good everyday value)
- Fresh Chicken Tenderloins: Family Pack - family pack likely $10-14 for 4 servings = ~$2.50-3.50/serving (reasonable)
- Beef Chuck Roast: sale price unlisted - typically $4-6/lb, need 2 lbs = ~$8-12 total = ~$2.00-3.00/serving (good slow-cook value)
- Pork Chops Center Cut Bone-In: sale price unlisted - typically $3-5/lb, need 2 lbs = ~$6-10 total = ~$1.50-2.50/serving (solid mid-range)
- Chop House Beef and Pork Burger: $21/28 oz pkg - one pkg barely feeds 4 lightly, likely need 2 pkgs = ~$42 total (extremely expensive, skipped)
- Swift Dry Rub St. Louis Style Pork Ribs: $19/oz pkg - even a modest rack at this unit price would be very costly (skipped as implausibly priced)
- Smithfield Marinated Pork Loin Filet: $23/oz pkg - unit price implies very high cost (skipped as implausibly priced)
- Oscar Mayer Sliced Bacon: $16/oz pkg - processed/condiment role, not a main protein
- Food Lion Cooked Shrimp: $16/oz bag - 16 oz bag at $16, feeding 4 people likely needs 2 bags = $32 total = ~$8/serving (premium)
- Raw Shrimp Peeled and Deveined Tail-Off: $16/oz bag - same as above, premium pricing
- Cod or Haddock Fillets: $10/oz - very high per-oz cost, premium
- Flounder Fillets: $32/oz pkg - very high per-oz cost, premium
- Luke's Lobster Cakes: $6/oz pkg - premium specialty item
- Cold Water Lobster Tail: $3/oz - even at "sale" price, lobster is the most expensive protein per serving on this flyer

Why these meals: The pork tenderloin at $1/lb is the single best deal on this entire flyer - two pounds feeds four people for about $2, which is almost unheard of for a lean, versatile cut. Chicken drumsticks at $5 for a whole 5 lb bag anchor another night beautifully, giving you more than enough protein for pennies per serving. Smoked sausage and Johnsonville sausage round out two more economical weeknights with big flavor at low cost, and the thin-sliced boneless chicken breast family pack covers the fifth budget night well. For the one premium night, Food Lion Cooked Shrimp was chosen over the raw shrimp, cod, flounder, and lobster because it is pre-cooked and ready to use with no waste or prep loss, making the $16 bag go further and stretch more realistically for a family dinner. Items like the Chop House Burger and the St. Louis Ribs showed confusing or extremely high per-ounce pricing that made them poor value picks regardless of how they appeared on the flyer.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mini Potatoes and Broccoli
Description: A whole pork tenderloin is seasoned with garlic, olive oil, and herbs then roasted alongside mini potatoes and broccoli crowns for an easy sheet-pan dinner. The tenderloin stays juicy at the center while the potatoes and broccoli caramelize at the edges.
Sale items used: Boneless Pork Loin Roast or Whole Pork Tenderloin, Mini Potatoes, Broccoli Crowns
Prep time: 45 minutes
Serving note: 2 lbs pork tenderloin sliced into 4 portions, 14 oz bag mini potatoes halved and divided evenly, 1 large broccoli crown cut into florets for 4 plates
Recipes:
- One-Pan Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Potatoes, and Garlic Recipe

Tuesday
Meal: Smoky Paprika Chicken Drumsticks with Baby Carrots and Avocado Salad
Description: Chicken drumsticks are coated in a smoky paprika and garlic rub then baked until the skin is crispy and the meat falls cleanly from the bone. Roasted baby carrots and sliced avocado on the side keep it colorful and filling.
Sale items used: Chicken Drumsticks, Food Lion Baby Cut Carrots, Hass Avocados
Prep time: 55 minutes
Serving note: 3 lbs drumsticks (roughly 2-3 per person), 1 lb bag baby carrots roasted, 2 avocados sliced and divided across 4 plates

Wednesday
Meal: Eckrich Smoked Sausage and Mini Potato Skillet with Onions and Peppers
Description: Sliced smoked sausage is pan-seared with halved mini potatoes, sliced Vidalia onions, and any available bell peppers for a one-pan gluten-free skillet that is hearty and full of savory depth. Everything cooks in one pan in under 30 minutes, making cleanup fast on a weeknight.
Sale items used: Eckrich Smoked Sausage, Mini Potatoes, Realsweet Organic Vidalia Onions
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: 2 pkgs Eckrich Smoked Sausage sliced into coins, 14 oz bag mini potatoes quartered, half of the 3 lb onion bag sliced thin, divided equally across 4 plates
Recipes:
- Sausage, Potato and Peppers Skillet
- Smoked Sausage and Potato Skillet Recipe

Thursday
Meal: Garlic Butter Cooked Shrimp over Mahatma Jasmine Rice with Cucumber Salad
Description: Pre-cooked shrimp are warmed quickly in garlic butter and lemon then served over fluffy jasmine rice for a bright, coastal-style dinner that comes together in about 20 minutes. Mini cucumbers sliced thin with a splash of vinegar and Vidalia onion make a cool, crisp side salad.
Sale items used: Food Lion Cooked Shrimp, Mahatma Jasmine Rice, Mini Cucumbers, Realsweet Organic Vidalia Onions
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serving note: 2 bags cooked shrimp (32 oz total) divided evenly across 4 bowls, 1 bag jasmine rice cooked per package directions for 4 servings, 6-8 mini cucumbers sliced for the salad
Recipes:
- Easy Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Garlic Butter Shrimp

Friday
Meal: Johnsonville Sausage and Broccoli Rice Bowl with Tomatoes
Description: Johnsonville fresh dinner sausage links are sliced and browned then tossed with steamed rice, roasted broccoli, and fresh diced tomatoes for a satisfying end-of-week bowl with savory Italian notes. A drizzle of Ken's salad dressing ties everything together as a gluten-free weeknight winner.
Sale items used: Johnsonville Fresh Dinner Sausage, Mahatma Jasmine Rice, Broccoli Crowns, Taste of Inspirations Tomatoes, Ken's Salad Dressing
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serving note: 2 pkgs Johnsonville sausage sliced and browned, 1 bag jasmine rice cooked for 4, 1 large broccoli crown roasted, 1 container tomatoes diced and divided, a drizzle of Ken's dressing on each bowl

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Boneless Pork Loin Roast or Whole Pork Tenderloin (2 lbs): $2.00
- Chicken Drumsticks (1 x 5 lb bag): $5.00
- Eckrich Smoked Sausage (2 pkgs): $16.00
- Food Lion Cooked Shrimp (2 x 16 oz bags): $32.00
- Johnsonville Fresh Dinner Sausage (2 pkgs): $16.00
- Mini Potatoes (2 x 14 oz bags): $28.00
- Broccoli Crowns (2 heads): $4.00
- Food Lion Baby Cut Carrots (1 lb bag): $1.00
- Hass Avocados (2): $3.00
- Realsweet Organic Vidalia Onions (1 x 3 lb bag): $3.00
- Mahatma Jasmine Rice (2 x 8.8 oz bags): $6.00
- Mini Cucumbers (1 x 24 oz bag): $5.00
- Taste of Inspirations Tomatoes (1 container): $3.00
- Ken's Salad Dressing (1 x 16 oz): $3.00

Pantry staples needed:
- Olive oil
- Garlic (fresh or minced)
- Salt and black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, or Italian seasoning)
- Butter
- Lemon juice or fresh lemons
- White or apple cider vinegar (for cucumber salad)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)