Kroger Kid-Friendly Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Why these meals: This week's plan keeps dinnertime easy and kid-approved with meals your whole family will actually eat. You'll start Monday with a chicken sausage and rice skillet, move into fun mini beef sliders on Tuesday, then enjoy fall-off-the-bone BBQ pork ribs on Wednesday. Thursday brings crispy baked chicken tenders with oven fries, a guaranteed hit, and Friday wraps things up with garlic butter shrimp over rice for a special end-of-week treat. Watermelon makes two appearances, on Tuesday and Friday, so you get the most out of that one whole melon, and simple sides like peaches, grapes, and apples round out each plate without any fuss.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Chicken Sausage and Rice Skillet
Description: Sliced chicken sausage is browned in butter then simmered with rice for an easy, kid-friendly one-pan dinner. Served with sliced peaches on the side for a sweet, simple finish.
Sale items used: Simple Truth Chicken Sausage, Minute Rice White Rice or Jasmine Rice, Kroger Butter, California Yellow or White Peaches or Nectarines
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: 1 package Simple Truth Chicken Sausage sliced, 1 box Minute Rice, 2 tbsp Kroger Butter, 1 lb peaches sliced for serving.
Recipes:
- Chicken, Sausage and Rice - Life Made Simple Bakes
- Italian Sausage and Rice {One Pot} - WellPlated.com

Tuesday
Meal: Mini Beef Sliders with Coleslaw
Description: Juicy beef patties made from ground beef are cooked on the stovetop and served on soft buns, a fun handheld dinner kids love. Cool, creamy coleslaw and a few slices of watermelon round out the plate.
Sale items used: Kroger 93% Lean Ground Beef, Kroger Buns, Kroger Coleslaw, Whole Seedless Watermelon
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: 1.5 lb Kroger 93% Lean Ground Beef formed into 8 mini patties, 1 package Kroger Buns (4 used), 1 container Kroger Coleslaw, 1/4 of a Whole Seedless Watermelon sliced.
Recipes:
- Mini BBQ Beef Sliders with Creamy Crunchy Coleslaw - Toot Sweet 4 Two
- Mini BBQ Sliders with Coleslaw - Tender Pulled Meat & Crunchy Slaw

Wednesday
Meal: Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Back Ribs
Description: Pork back ribs are slow-baked in the oven until tender, then brushed with a mild barbecue sauce kids enjoy. Served with crispy oven fries and grapes on the side.
Sale items used: Pork Back Ribs, Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes, Red, Green or Black Seedless Grapes
Prep time: 20 minutes active, oven time about 90 minutes
Serving note: 3 lb Pork Back Ribs, 1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, 1 package Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes, 1 lb grapes. Make-ahead note: ribs can be seasoned the night before and baked low and slow the next day to fit a weeknight schedule.
Recipes:
- Easy Oven-baked BBQ Pork Ribs Recipe - Simple Home Edit

Thursday
Meal: Baked Chicken Tenders with Oven Fries
Description: Kroger Boneless Chicken Tenders are baked until crispy and golden, a simple favorite for kids. Paired with oven-baked fries and sliced apples for a balanced, easy plate.
Sale items used: Kroger Boneless Chicken Tenders, Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes, Kroger Gala, Pink Lady or Cosmic Crisp Apples
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serving note: 1 package Kroger Boneless Chicken Tenders (feeds 4), 1 package Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes, 1 pack (4 ct) Kroger Apples sliced.
Recipes:
- Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe | Betty Crocker

Friday
Meal: Garlic Butter Shrimp with Rice
Description: Extra-large cooked shrimp are warmed in a mild garlic butter sauce and served over rice for a special, easy weeknight treat. Watermelon on the side keeps it light and kid-friendly.
Sale items used: Extra-Large Cooked Shrimp, Kroger Butter, Minute Rice White Rice or Jasmine Rice, Whole Seedless Watermelon
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: 2 lb bag Extra-Large Cooked Shrimp, 2 tbsp Kroger Butter, 1 box Minute Rice, remaining 1/4 of the Whole Seedless Watermelon from earlier in the week sliced fresh.

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Simple Truth Chicken Sausage (1 package): $4.99
- Minute Rice White Rice or Jasmine Rice (2 boxes): $2.98
- Kroger Butter (1 package): $2.99
- California Yellow or White Peaches or Nectarines (1 lb): $1.99
- Kroger 93% Lean Ground Beef (1.5 lb): $10.49
- Kroger Buns (1 package): $1.79
- Kroger Coleslaw (1 container): $1.99
- Whole Seedless Watermelon (1 each): $3.99
- Pork Back Ribs (3 lb): $8.97
- Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce (1 bottle): $1.49
- Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes (2 packages): $5.98
- Red, Green or Black Seedless Grapes (1 lb): $1.99
- Kroger Boneless Chicken Tenders (1 package): $8.00
- Kroger Gala, Pink Lady or Cosmic Crisp Apples (1 pack, 4 ct): $4.00
- Extra-Large Cooked Shrimp (2 lb bag): $17.98

Pantry staples needed:
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder
- Cooking oil or nonstick spray
- Ketchup (for serving with sliders, if desired)