Kroger Kid-Friendly Meal Plan
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BUDGET RATIONALE
5-DAY MEAL PLAN
Monday
Meal: Smoked Sausage and Tomato Skillet with Buttered Bread
Description: Sliced Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage is browned in a skillet with diced Grainger County Tomatoes and a splash of Prego Pasta Sauce, creating a savory, slightly sweet pan sauce kids love to scoop up with bread. The whole skillet comes together in about 25 minutes and is hearty enough to satisfy even picky eaters.
Sale items used: Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage (2 packs), Grainger County Tomatoes, Prego Pasta Sauce, Lewis Bakery Half Loaf Bread, Kroger Butter
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: Use both packs of Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage (approximately 25 oz total, sliced into coins), about 1 lb of Grainger County Tomatoes (diced), roughly half a 24 oz jar of Prego Pasta Sauce, 1 loaf of Lewis Bakery Half Loaf Bread (sliced and buttered with about half the 16 oz pack of Kroger Butter). Serves 4 comfortably.
Recipes:
- Smoked Sausage and Tomato Skillet
Tuesday
Meal: Baked Ground Chicken Meatballs over Pasta with Marinara
Description: Springer Mountain Ground Chicken is seasoned simply with garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning, rolled into kid-sized meatballs, and baked in the oven until golden, then served over pasta with Prego Pasta Sauce and melted Kroger Cheese on top. Kids can help roll the meatballs, making this a fun hands-on dinner that is on the table in under 45 minutes.
Sale items used: Springer Mountain 92% Lean All Natural Ground Chicken (2 packs), Prego Pasta Sauce, Kroger Cheese
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serving note: Use two 16 oz packs of Springer Mountain Ground Chicken (2 lbs total) to make approximately 20 meatballs. Use one full 24 oz jar of Prego Pasta Sauce. Top with one pack of Kroger Cheese (6-8 oz, shredded). Serve over pantry pasta for 4 people.
Wednesday
Meal: Braised Beef Brisket Sandwiches with Tomatoes and Buns
Description: A 3 lb piece of Whole Beef Brisket (USDA Choice) is braised low and slow in the oven with diced Grainger County Tomatoes and Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce until fork-tender, then sliced and piled onto Private Selection Buns for a crowd-pleasing sandwich night. The brisket is rich and saucy with a mild sweetness that kids enjoy, and the soft buns make it easy for younger children to eat.
Sale items used: Whole Beef Brisket (USDA Choice), Grainger County Tomatoes, Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, Private Selection Buns
Prep time: 30 minutes active, approximately 3.5 hours total (braise in oven)
Serving note: Purchase approximately 3 lbs of Whole Beef Brisket (USDA Choice) at $3.99/lb after digital coupon. Use about 0.5 lb of Grainger County Tomatoes (diced) and one 18 oz bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce for the braise. Use 4 buns from one pack of Private Selection Buns (8 ct). Make-ahead note: start the brisket braise in the early afternoon (around 2:00 PM) so it is ready by dinner; alternatively, braise it the night before and reheat sliced in the sauce.
Thursday
Meal: Kroger Dinner Sausage and Macaroni Bake with Cheese
Description: Kroger Dinner Sausage is sliced and browned, then stirred into cooked macaroni with Prego Pasta Sauce and topped with Kroger Cheese before being baked briefly in the oven until bubbly and golden. This is a comforting, cheesy baked pasta that kids consistently love, and it comes together in well under an hour.
Sale items used: Kroger Dinner Sausage, Prego Pasta Sauce, Kroger Cheese
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serving note: Use one 18 oz pack of Kroger Dinner Sausage (sliced). Use approximately half a 24 oz jar of Prego Pasta Sauce. Top with one pack of Kroger Cheese (6-8 oz). Serve over pantry macaroni for 4 people. One pack of Kroger Dinner Sausage is sufficient for 4 servings in a pasta bake.
Friday
Meal: Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder Sliders with Barbecue Sauce and Buns
Description: A bone-in Whole Pork Shoulder is seasoned with pantry spices and slow-cooked in the oven until the meat is tender enough to slice cleanly, then served on Private Selection Buns with Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce for a fun Friday slider night. Kids love building their own sliders, and the mild sweet barbecue flavor is a guaranteed hit with the 5-to-12 crowd.
Sale items used: Whole Pork Shoulder Bone-In, Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, Private Selection Buns
Prep time: 30 minutes active, approximately 4 hours total (slow oven braise)
Serving note: Purchase approximately 2.5 lbs of Whole Pork Shoulder Bone-In at $1.99/lb. Use one 18 oz bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce for serving. Use 4 to 8 buns from one pack of Private Selection Buns (8 ct) - the same pack purchased for Wednesday still has 4 buns remaining, so no second pack is needed. Make-ahead note: place the pork shoulder in the oven around noon on low heat (300 degrees F) so it is ready to slice and serve by dinner.
Recipes:
- Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe
🛒 Shopping List
SHOPPING LIST
Buy on sale:
- Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage (x2 packs, 2/$7.00): $7.00
- Grainger County Tomatoes (1.5 lbs total across Monday and Wednesday): $2.82
- Prego Pasta Sauce (x3 jars, 24 oz each at $1.59 each): $4.77
- Lewis Bakery Half Loaf Bread (x1): $1.99
- Kroger Butter, select varieties, 16 oz (x1): $2.99
- Springer Mountain 92% Lean All Natural Ground Chicken or Chicken Patties, 16 oz (x2): $5.98
- Kroger Cheese, select varieties, 6-8 oz (x2): $2.98
- Whole Beef Brisket (USDA Choice) (3 lbs at $3.99/lb after digital coupon): $11.97
- Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce (x2 at $1.59 each): $3.18
- Private Selection Buns, select varieties, 8 ct (x1): $3.49
- Kroger Dinner Sausage, 18 oz (x1): $3.99
- Whole Pork Shoulder Bone-In (2.5 lbs at $1.99/lb): $4.98
Pantry staples needed:
- Dried pasta (macaroni or spaghetti)
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil or neutral cooking oil
- Paprika (for pork shoulder rub)
- Brown sugar (optional, for pork rub)
🏷️ All sale items this week
SALE ITEMS FOUND
Meats on sale:
- Whole Beef Brisket (USDA Choice): $3.99/lb (after $2.00/lb digital coupon; regular with card $5.99/lb)
- Whole Pork Shoulder Bone-In: $1.99/lb
- Large Peeled & Deveined Shrimp 31-40 ct, Raw, 2 lb bag: $6.99/lb
- Springer Mountain 92% Lean All Natural Ground Chicken or Chicken Patties, 16 oz: $2.99 each
- Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage, 12-13 oz: 2/$7.00
- Wild-Caught Lobster Tails, 3-4 oz: 2/$12.00
- Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillets Farm-Raised: $9.99/lb
- Kroger 85% Lean Ground Beef, 1 lb package: $7.99 each
- Kroger Boneless Chicken Breasts or Kroger Chicken Party Wings, 8 lb: $20.00 each
- Kroger Dinner Sausage, 18 oz: $3.99 each
- Schweid & Sons Burger Patties, 1.32-1.33 lb: $10.00 each
- Johnsonville Hatch Green Chile Smoked Sausage, 19 oz: $5.00 each
- Simple Truth Bacon, 12 oz: $5.00 each
- Just Bare Frozen Chicken, 36 oz: $14.99 each
- Oscar Mayer Bacon 12-16 oz or Kroger Beef Bacon 10 oz (select varieties): $4.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Private Selection Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, sliced to order or Grab & Go, In the Deli: $11.99/lb (with digital coupon)
- Private Selection Sliced Salami or Pepperoni, 5 oz: $3.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Kroger Boneless Chicken Breast Cutlets, Frozen, 2.5 lb: $9.49 each (with digital coupon)
Deli and prepared on sale:
- Yucatan Hatch Guacamole, Mild or Medium, 7.5 oz, In the Deli: $4.99 each
- Private Selection Summer Hatch Chile Roll, select varieties, 10.6 oz, In the Deli: $9.99 each
- Private Selection Salad Bowls, select varieties, 6.25-8.45 oz: $5.00 each
- Private Selection Sliced Cheese, select varieties, 8 oz, In the Deli: $4.99 each
- Home Chef Chicken Tenders, Fully Cooked, select varieties, 5 ct: $5.00 each
Produce on sale:
- Grainger County Tomatoes: $1.88/lb
- Personal Watermelon, Cantaloupe or Honeydew Melons: 2/$6.00
- California Yellow or White Peaches or Nectarines: $1.88/lb (with digital coupon)
- Strawberries, 16 oz: $1.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Hatch Chile Peppers: $1.49/lb
- Hatch Sweet Onions, 3 lb bag: $3.99 each
- California Plums or Plumcots: $1.49/lb
- Kroger Pluots, 2 lb bag: $5.99 each
- Organic Yellow or White Peaches or Nectarines: $2.99/lb
- Cuties Seedless Mandarins or Kroger Cosmic Crisp Apples, 3 lb: $4.99 each
- Asparagus: $3.49/lb
- Private Selection Signature Melons: $4.99 each
- Simple Truth Organic Blueberries, 18 oz: $6.99 each
- Mighties Ripe & Easy Green Kiwi, 2 lb: $6.00 each
- Private Selection Vidalia Sweet Onions, 3 lb: $3.79 each
Dairy and eggs on sale:
- Kroger Cheese, select varieties, 6-8 oz: $1.49 each (with digital coupon)
- Kroger Butter, select varieties, 16 oz: $2.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Chobani Greek Yogurt, select varieties, 4 ct: $2.99 each (with digital coupon)
- The Greek Gods Greek Yogurt, 24 oz: $3.79 each (with digital coupon)
- Chobani Greek Yogurt Drink, 7 fl oz or Built Puff Protein Bar, 1.41-1.45 oz: 2/$4.00
- Yoplait Go-Gurt, 8 ct or Dannon Danimals Smoothies, 6 ct: $1.49 each (with digital coupon)
Bakery and bread on sale:
- Lewis Bakery Half Loaf Bread, select varieties, 12 oz: $1.99 each
- Private Selection Buns, select varieties, 8 ct: $3.49 each
- Strawberry Crunch Cake, 8" or other varieties, In the Bakery: $9.99 each
- Angel Food Cake 9-13 oz or Private Selection Cupcakes, 4 ct: $6.00 each
- Private Selection Fresh Baked Butter Croissants Large 4 ct or Mini 12 ct or Bakery Fresh Muffins, 4 ct: $5.00 each
Pantry on sale:
- Prego Pasta Sauce, 14.5-24 oz or Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, 18 oz: $1.59 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Hellmann's Mayonnaise, select varieties, 20-30 fl oz: $5.49 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Kraft Mac & Cheese Microwave Cups, 4 ct or Multipack 5 ct: $3.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Nabisco Oreo Family Size Cookies, 7.14-20 oz or Pepperidge Farm Cookies, 5-8.6 oz: $3.99 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Nabisco Snack Crackers, 3.5-8.5 oz or Keebler Cookies, 8.5-13.4 oz: $2.99 each (with Buy More Save More)
- General Mills Cereal, 8.9-14 oz or Jif Peanut Butter, 15-16 oz: $2.29 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Kellogg's Giant Size Cereal, 16.5-29.5 oz or Starbucks Iced Coffee, 48 fl oz: $4.99 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, 6-10 ct or Chex Mix, 7-8 oz: $1.99 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, 4.8-8 oz or Mission Tortilla Chips, 9-11 oz: $1.99 each (with Buy More Save More)
- Mott's Applesauce, 6 ct or Kroger Fruit Cups, 4 ct: 2/$5.00
- Stouffer's Family Size Entrées, select varieties, 28-40 oz: $8.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Green Mountain or McCafé K-Cups, 8-10 ct or Community Coffee, 12 oz: $6.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Kroger Coffee, select varieties, 20-29 oz can: $9.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Lunch Meat, 7-9 oz or Claussen Pickles, 20-32 fl oz: $3.49 each (with digital coupon)
- Simple Truth Organic Tortilla Chips, select varieties, 7.5-9 oz: 2/$5.00
- José Olé Taquitos, select varieties, 15-20 ct: $5.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Liquid I.V. Drink Mix, 6 ct or Chomps Chomplings Meat Sticks, 6 ct: $7.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Mission Carb Balance Tortillas, 8 ct or Morningstar Farms Entrée, 5.25-12 oz: $3.99 each (with digital coupon)
Frozen on sale:
- Stouffer's or Lean Cuisine Entrée, select varieties, 8-12.875 oz: 4/$10.00 (when you buy 4 with card)
- Nestlé Drumstick Cones, select varieties, 8-20 ct: $5.99 each (with digital coupon)
- California Pizza Kitchen or DiGiorno Pizza, select varieties, 13.4-28 oz: $6.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Eggo Waffles, 8-10 ct or Cascadian Farm Organic Cereal, 9.2-15 oz: $2.49 each (with digital coupon)
- Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars, 4 ct Sandwiches or 3 ct: $3.99 each (with digital coupon)
- Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream, 14 fl oz or Bars 3-6 ct: $4.49 each (with Buy More Save More)
🛒 Estimated Shopping Cost
Based on sale prices for items in this plan
$56.14
for 4 people · $14.04 per person
📍 Disclaimer: Prices and availability are based on the Kroger weekly sales flyer for the week of August 05, 2026. Flyers are sourced from store websites and weekly flyer aggregator sites. Actual prices may vary by location. Always verify prices at your local store. We are not affiliated with Kroger.