Lidl Vegetarian Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Why these meals: This week at Lidl, you buy a few staples once and use them twice, so the cart stays simple. The 32 oz carton of liquid egg whites is split between Monday's skillet burritos and Friday's savory steel cut oat bowls. The 8 oz bag of Alesto raw mixed nuts is split between Tuesday's spaghetti topping and Thursday's orange salad. The 5 lb bag of yellow potatoes also covers two nights, going into Monday's burritos and Thursday's roasted wedges. Wednesday's pancake supper gets its protein from the Organic creamy peanut butter ($2.99), and every dinner is vegetarian and ready in 40 minutes or less.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Skillet Egg White and Potato Burritos with Melted Mexican Blend Cheese
Description: Diced yellow potatoes and onion are pan-fried until golden, then scrambled with liquid egg whites and folded into warm Flour Tortillas with melted cheese. The burritos are toasted in the skillet until lightly crisp and served hot.
Sale items used: Liquid egg whites, 32 oz; Finely Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese, 8 oz; Flour Tortillas, 8 ct; Yellow potatoes, 5 lb; Yellow onions, 3 lb
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serving note: Use 8 Flour Tortillas (the full 8 ct pack, 2 per person), 16 oz liquid egg whites (half the carton), the full 8 oz bag of Finely Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese, 1 lb yellow potatoes (diced small), and 1 yellow onion. Season with salt, pepper, and ground cumin.
Recipes:
- Easy Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos
- Veggie and Potato Breakfast Burritos
- Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos

Tuesday
Meal: Skillet Tomato and Olive Spaghetti with Toasted Bread Crumb and Mixed Nut Topping
Description: Fresh tomatoes are cooked down in a skillet with garlic and chopped olives in brine to make a quick, briny sauce for Combino Spaghetti. Bread crumbs and chopped raw mixed nuts are toasted in olive oil and sprinkled on top for crunch and protein.
Sale items used: Combino Spaghetti, 16 oz; Tomatoes, 1 lb; Lidl Preferred Selection olives in brine, 7.5 oz; Bread Crumbs, 15 oz; Alesto raw mixed nuts, 8 oz
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: Use the full 16 oz Combino Spaghetti, 1 lb Tomatoes (chopped), the full 7.5 oz jar of olives in brine (drained and chopped), about 1 cup (roughly 5 oz) of the Bread Crumbs, and 4 oz of the Alesto raw mixed nuts (half the bag), chopped. Save the other 4 oz of nuts for Thursday.
Recipes:
- Spaghetti with Olives and Bread Crumbs
- Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Basil, and Toasted Bread Crumbs
- Pasta with olives, tomatoes and breadcrumbs

Wednesday
Meal: Peanut Butter, Apple, and Blackberry Topped Buttermilk Pancake Supper
Description: Frozen buttermilk pancakes are heated until hot and topped with warmed organic creamy peanut butter, sliced Honeycrisp apple, and fresh blackberries. It is a fun, fast breakfast-for-dinner with real protein from the peanut butter.
Sale items used: Frozen buttermilk pancakes, 33 oz; Organic creamy peanut butter, 16 oz; Honeycrisp apple; Blackberries, 6 oz
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 box of Frozen buttermilk pancakes (33 oz), heating as many as the table will eat and keeping the rest frozen. Use about 8 oz (half the jar) of Organic creamy peanut butter, 2 Honeycrisp apples (thinly sliced), and 2 packs of Blackberries (12 oz total).
Recipes:
- Blackberry & peanut butter pancakes
- Peanut Butter Buttermilk Pancakes
- Blackberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Thursday
Meal: Baked Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks with Roasted Yellow Potato Wedges and Orange Mixed Nut Salad
Description: Frozen breaded mozzarella cheese sticks are baked until crisp alongside yellow potato wedges roasted until browned at the edges. A crisp lettuce salad with navel orange segments and chopped raw mixed nuts, tossed in a mustard and olive oil dressing, rounds out the plate.
Sale items used: Frozen breaded mozzarella cheese sticks, 8.8 oz; Yellow potatoes, 5 lb; Lettuce, 1 head; Navel oranges, 3 lb; Alesto raw mixed nuts, 8 oz
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 packs of Frozen breaded mozzarella cheese sticks (17.6 oz total), 2 lb yellow potatoes cut into wedges, 1 head of Lettuce, 2 Navel oranges (segmented, plus a squeeze of juice for the dressing), and the remaining 4 oz of Alesto raw mixed nuts, chopped. Roast the potatoes at 425 F for about 30 minutes, adding the cheese sticks for the last 12 to 15 minutes or per package directions.
Recipes:
- Baked Mozzarella Sticks
- Mozzarella Stick Salad Recipe
- Breaded mozzarella, beetroot and potato salad

Friday
Meal: Savory Steel Cut Oat Bowls with Sauteed Onion, Tomato, and Scrambled Egg Whites
Description: Steel cut oats are simmered in salted water until creamy, like a savory porridge, and topped with onion and tomato sauteed in a skillet. Liquid egg whites are scrambled soft and spooned over each bowl, with black pepper and chili flakes to finish.
Sale items used: Steel cut oats, 24-30 oz; Liquid egg whites, 32 oz; Yellow onions, 3 lb; Tomatoes, 1 lb
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serving note: Use about 1 1/2 cups (roughly 10 oz) dry Steel cut oats simmered in about 6 cups of salted water, 16 oz liquid egg whites (the remaining half of the carton), 1 yellow onion (sliced), and 1 lb Tomatoes (chopped). Steel cut oats take about 25 minutes to cook, so start them first and prep the toppings while they simmer.
Recipes:
- Savory Tomato Oatmeal with Fried Egg
- Savory Avocado Steel Cut Oatmeal with Egg
- Savory Steel Cut Oats with Fried Egg

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Finely Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese, 8 oz (x1): $1.25
- Liquid egg whites, 32 oz (x1): $3.99
- Flour Tortillas, 8 ct (x1): $2.39
- Yellow potatoes, 5 lb (x1 pack): $2.99
- Yellow onions, 3 lb (x1 pack): $1.49
- Combino Spaghetti, 16 oz (x1): $1.35
- Tomatoes, 1 lb (x2): $3.90
- Lidl Preferred Selection olives in brine, 7.5 oz (x1): $2.99
- Bread Crumbs, 15 oz (x1): $1.39
- Alesto raw mixed nuts, 8 oz (x1): $3.99
- Frozen buttermilk pancakes, 33 oz (x1): $2.79
- Organic creamy peanut butter, 16 oz (x1): $2.99
- Honeycrisp apple (x2): $2.98
- Blackberries, 6 oz (x2 packs): $2.98
- Frozen breaded mozzarella cheese sticks, 8.8 oz (x2): $3.58
- Lettuce, 1 head (x1): $1.95
- Navel oranges, 3 lb (x1 pack): $2.69
- Steel cut oats, 24-30 oz (x1): $1.99

Pantry staples needed:
- Salt and black pepper
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Vegetable oil
- Lidl Preferred Selection mustard (or any mustard you have at home)
- Ground cumin
- Chili flakes
- Water