Kroger Vegetarian Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Protein ranking (most economical to most expensive per serving for 4 people):

This is a vegetarian week, so all protein comes from eggs, dairy, beans, pasta, and cheese available in the flyer. No meat or seafood is used. The relevant sale proteins and protein-carrying items are ranked below by approximate cost to feed 4 people:

• Barilla Pasta (12-16 oz): $1.39 per pack - roughly $1.39 for 4 servings (~$0.35/serving); paired with pantry beans for complete protein
• Kroger Steamer Vegetables (10-12 oz): 2 for $3.00 - $1.50 for 2 bags feeding 4 as a vegetable-protein side component
• Velveeta Family Size Shells & Cheese (24 oz): $3.99 each - roughly $1.00/serving for 4 people as a protein-carrying base
• Sargento Shredded Cheese (Select Varieties, 5-8 oz): 2 for $4.00 - $4.00 for 2 packs; used as a topping/protein boost across meals, roughly $1.00/serving
• Chobani Greek Yogurt (Select Varieties, 4.5-5.3 oz): 10 for $10.00 - $1.00 each; 4 cups for 4 people = $4.00 total ($1.00/serving) as a sauce or topping base

Why these meals: This week's Kroger flyer is unusually light on vegetarian protein sale items, with nearly the entire meat and seafood section off the table, so the plan leans hard into pantry-friendly proteins like pasta with beans, eggs, and cheese, all supported by genuinely great produce deals. Barilla Pasta at $1.39 a box is the anchor of two different meals, but each one takes a completely different direction - one becomes a hearty bean and pasta soup, the other a baked cheesy casserole - so you get variety without paying more. The Kroger Steamer Vegetables at 2 bags for $3.00 and Sargento Shredded Cheese at 2 packs for $4.00 stretch across multiple nights and keep per-person costs low. Sweet corn at $3.99 for a 4-count package is a perfect summer deal and anchors a fresh corn and egg frittata night. The Velveeta Family Size Shells & Cheese at $3.99 earns the one "premium convenience" slot as the most indulgent and highest single-item cost of the week, but it still comes in well under $1.00 per serving and gets elevated with sale asparagus and snacking tomatoes into something that feels like a real dinner rather than a box meal.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Barilla Pasta and White Bean Soup with Snacking Tomatoes
Description: A hearty Italian-style minestrone-inspired soup built from Barilla pasta simmered in seasoned vegetable broth with pantry white beans, garlic, and olive oil, finished with halved Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes stirred in at the end for brightness. The tomatoes soften just enough to release their juices into the broth while keeping a fresh, summery bite that makes this feel like a warm-weather soup rather than a heavy stew.
Sale items used: Barilla Pasta (12-16 oz), Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes (24 oz)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 box (12-16 oz) Barilla Pasta and 1 container (24 oz) Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes for 4 people; add 2 cans pantry white beans and 6 cups vegetable broth from pantry.

Tuesday
Meal: Skillet-Scrambled Egg and Sweet Corn Frittata with Sargento Shredded Cheese
Description: Fresh sweet corn kernels cut from the cob are sauteed in a large oven-safe skillet until lightly golden, then a seasoned egg mixture is poured over and cooked on the stovetop until the edges set before being finished under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes until puffed and golden. Sargento Shredded Cheese is scattered over the top in the last minute of broiling so it melts into a bubbly, savory crust over the sweet corn filling.
Sale items used: Kroger Sweet Corn (4 ct Package), Sargento Shredded Cheese (Select Varieties, 5-8 oz) x1 pack
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: Use all 4 ears from 1 package Kroger Sweet Corn and 1 pack Sargento Shredded Cheese; use 8 large eggs from pantry (or purchased separately if not on hand). Serves 4 with a simple green salad.

Wednesday
Meal: Velveeta Family Size Shells and Cheese with Roasted Asparagus and Snacking Tomatoes
Description: Velveeta Family Size Shells and Cheese is prepared according to package directions and served alongside asparagus spears tossed in olive oil and roasted in a hot oven for 12 to 15 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized at the tips. Halved Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes are scattered over the plated pasta for a fresh, acidic contrast to the rich cheese sauce.
Sale items used: Velveeta Family Size Shells & Cheese (24 oz), Asparagus, Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes (24 oz)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 box (24 oz) Velveeta Family Size Shells & Cheese for 4 people; purchase 1 lb asparagus (at $3.49/lb) and use the remaining portion of the 24 oz snacking tomatoes container opened Monday (or purchase a second container if Monday's is fully used). Roast asparagus at 425 degrees F while pasta cooks.

Thursday
Meal: Baked Barilla Pasta Casserole with Kroger Steamer Vegetables and Sargento Shredded Cheese
Description: Cooked Barilla pasta is tossed with pantry marinara, two bags of Kroger Steamer Vegetables prepared according to package directions, and half a pack of Sargento Shredded Cheese, then transferred to a baking dish, topped with the remaining cheese, and baked at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. This is a completely different preparation from Monday's soup - the pasta is baked rather than simmered, the vegetables are the main body of the dish rather than a garnish, and the flavor profile is cheesy and oven-roasted rather than brothy and fresh.
Sale items used: Barilla Pasta (12-16 oz), Kroger Steamer Vegetables (10-12 oz) x2 bags, Sargento Shredded Cheese (Select Varieties, 5-8 oz) x1 pack
Prep time: 45 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 box Barilla Pasta, 2 bags Kroger Steamer Vegetables (purchased as 1 deal of 2 for $3.00), and 1 pack Sargento Shredded Cheese for 4 people; add 1.5 cups pantry marinara or canned crushed tomatoes.

Friday
Meal: Chobani Greek Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Flatbread Pizzas with Asparagus and Sargento Shredded Cheese
Description: Artesano Bread slices are brushed lightly with olive oil and toasted on a dry skillet or under the broiler until crisp, then spread with a tangy Chobani Greek Yogurt base seasoned with garlic and herbs, topped with thin asparagus pieces and Sargento Shredded Cheese, and returned under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges of the bread are golden. The yogurt base acts as a creamy, protein-rich alternative to tomato sauce and gives these open-faced flatbread pizzas a bright, slightly tangy flavor that pairs well with the asparagus.
Sale items used: Artesano Bread (20 oz), Chobani Greek Yogurt (Select Varieties, 4.5-5.3 oz) x4 cups, Asparagus, Sargento Shredded Cheese (Select Varieties, 5-8 oz) x1 pack
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serving note: Use 8 slices from 1 loaf Artesano Bread (2 slices per person), 4 individual Chobani Greek Yogurt cups (4.5-5.3 oz each, purchased as part of the 10 for $10.00 deal), 1 lb asparagus (at $3.49/lb), and 1 pack Sargento Shredded Cheese for 4 people.
Recipes:
- Grilled Yogurt Flatbread | FAGE USA

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Barilla Pasta (12-16 oz) x2 boxes: $2.78
- Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes (24 oz) x1 container: $5.00
- Kroger Sweet Corn (4 ct Package) x1: $3.99
- Sargento Shredded Cheese (Select Varieties, 5-8 oz) x4 packs (2 deals of 2 for $4.00): $8.00
- Velveeta Family Size Shells & Cheese (24 oz) x1: $3.99
- Asparagus x2 lbs (at $3.49/lb): $6.98
- Kroger Steamer Vegetables (10-12 oz) x2 bags (1 deal of 2 for $3.00): $3.00
- Chobani Greek Yogurt (Select Varieties, 4.5-5.3 oz) x4 cups (part of 10 for $10.00 deal): $4.00
- Artesano Bread (20 oz) x1: $2.49

Pantry staples needed:
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Salt and black pepper
- Dried Italian seasoning or oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Vegetable broth (6 cups for Monday)
- Canned white beans (2 cans for Monday)
- Canned crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce (1.5 cups for Thursday)
- Eggs (8 large for Tuesday)
- Baking dish