Publix Kid-Friendly Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Why these meals: This week leans on dinners kids tend to like, with Monday's chicken burgers on toasted bagels and Thursday's sloppy joes on hoagie rolls as the hands-on, messy-fun nights. One bag of Publix Gold Potatoes at $4.99 does double duty: half goes into wedges on Monday, and the other half comes back on Wednesday beside the honey-glazed chicken thighs. Ben's Original Ready Rice is 2 for $5.00, and the two packs cover Tuesday's cheesy sausage and broccoli skillet and Friday's cedar planked salmon, so you only grab that deal once. No night repeats the same cut, so the week stays varied, and the baby carrots, coleslaw mix and cucumber slices add easy crunch on the side.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Ground Chicken Breast Burgers with Cheese Slices and Baked Gold Potato Wedges
Description: Pan-cooked ground chicken patties are topped with melty cheese and served on toasted bagels. Oven-baked potato wedges and baby carrots make it a fun hands-on dinner.
Sale items used: Springer Mountain Farms Ground Chicken Breast, Publix Cheese Slices, GreenWise Bagels, Publix Gold Potatoes, Publix Baby Cut Carrots
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serving note: 1 package ground chicken breast (feeds 4), 1 package cheese slices (use 4 slices), 4 bagels (1 package of the flyer's GreenWise Bagels), 1 bag Publix Gold Potatoes (use half), 1 package baby cut carrots for dipping.

Tuesday
Meal: Italian Sausage and Broccoli Cheesy Rice Skillet
Description: Sliced Publix Pork Italian Sausage is browned in a skillet, then tossed with broccoli, Ben's Original Ready Rice and shredded cheese. It is mild, cheesy and cooks in one pan.
Sale items used: Publix Pork Italian Sausage, Broccoli, Ben's Original Ready Rice, Publix Shredded Cheese
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: 1 package Publix Pork Italian Sausage (feeds 4), 1 broccoli (the 2 for $6.00 deal, buy 1 at $3.00), 1 package Ben's Original Ready Rice (the deal is 2 for $5.00, buy 1 at $2.50), 1 package Publix Shredded Cheese (the deal is 2 for $5.00, buy 1 at $2.50).
Recipes:
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice
- Cheesy Sausage and Rice Skillet
- Smoked Sausage Rice Skillet

Wednesday
Meal: Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs with Honey Glaze and Potatoes
Description: Publix Boneless Skinless Marinated Chicken Thighs are baked until cooked through and served with the leftover roasted gold potatoes. Cool coleslaw mix on the side adds crunch.
Sale items used: Publix Boneless Skinless Marinated Chicken Thighs, Publix Gold Potatoes, Publix Coleslaw Mix
Prep time: 45 minutes
Serving note: 1 package chicken thighs (feeds 4), remaining half of the Publix Gold Potatoes bag from Monday, 1 bag Publix Coleslaw Mix.
Recipes:
- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Easy Honey Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Sheet Pan Honey Lemon Chicken Thighs

Thursday
Meal: Ground Chuck Tacos-Free Sloppy Joes on Hoagie Rolls
Description: Ground Chuck is browned and simmered with sweet onion and tomatoes into a mild sloppy joe filling. It is spooned into toasted Hoagie Rolls for a messy, kid-pleasing dinner.
Sale items used: Ground Chuck, Hoagie Rolls, Sweet Onions, Tomatoes on the Vine
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: 1.25 lbs Ground Chuck, 1 package Hoagie Rolls, 1 Sweet Onions bag (use 1 onion), 0.5 lb Tomatoes on the Vine.
Recipes:
- Ultimate Baked Cheesy Sloppy Joe Hoagies
- Super Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Recipe

Friday
Meal: Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon with Buttery Rice and Cucumber Slices
Description: Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon is baked in the oven in its cedar plank, then flaked over Ben's Original Ready Rice. Cool cucumber slices and baby carrots keep the plate simple and fresh.
Sale items used: Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon, Ben's Original Ready Rice, Hot House Cucumbers
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: 1 package Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon (feeds 4), 1 package Ben's Original Ready Rice (second package of the 2 for $5.00 deal), 2 Hot House Cucumbers (the 2 for $4.00 deal).
Recipes:
- Cedar Plank Salmon with Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
- Cedar Plank Salmon
- Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Springer Mountain Farms Ground Chicken Breast (x1): $3.99
- Publix Cheese Slices (x1 pack, from 2 for $5.00): $2.50
- GreenWise Bagels (x1 pack): $1.99
- Publix Gold Potatoes (x1 bag): $4.99
- Publix Baby Cut Carrots (x1 pack, from 2 for $3.00): $1.50
- Publix Pork Italian Sausage (x1): $5.69
- Broccoli (x1, from 2 for $6.00): $3.00
- Ben's Original Ready Rice (x2, 2 for $5.00): $5.00
- Publix Shredded Cheese (x1 pack, from 2 for $5.00): $2.50
- Publix Boneless Skinless Marinated Chicken Thighs (x1): $7.99
- Publix Coleslaw Mix (x1): $1.49
- Ground Chuck (1.25 lbs): $6.24
- Hoagie Rolls (x1): $3.89
- Sweet Onions (x1 bag): $4.99
- Tomatoes on the Vine (0.5 lb): $1.00
- Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon (x1): $8.99
- Hot House Cucumbers (x2, 2 for $4.00): $4.00

Pantry staples needed:
- Olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, honey, ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard