If you are tired of eating processed food because you are trying to save money, I’m here to share how you can obtain clean eating for less than $70 a week for a family of 4 (without using coupons)!  You are going to want to PIN or bookmark this page for later!

You may be wondering, what is “clean eating?” For our family, clean eating means eating items with natural ingredients, food that has not been processed, is (mostly) organic and good for you.  Clean eating also means removing or reducing other additives (sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats) in your diet.  You will notice that these meals do not have a lot of carbs and are vegetarian or contain lean meats.

I’m sharing a typical weekly family meal in our home – including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to create an entire week’s worth of food for 4 people for less than $70!

By the way, if you need help with meal planning, I’ve got your covered! Go here to check out my post with the ultimate meal planning strategy plus free printable forms and dinner ideas cheat sheet!

I have wanted to write a post like this for some time now because I feel there are a lot of people that don’t know how to cook good, healthy foods without spending a ton of money.  One of our most popular posts continues to be 5 Meals Your 5 Year Can Make Like a Boss and I assume it’s popularity is from readers trying to find simple meals that anyone can make 😛

That said, the meals I’m sharing are very basic, easy-to-make meals that you probably have had before but are healthier versions.  I’m also including a full shopping list with prices broken down so you can try this healthy meal plan yourself!

Another great thing about all of these meals is that they can be prepared in advance.  All breakfast meals are grab-and-go and the lunches can be made ahead and packed for those mornings you need to be out the door fast.  Be sure to read our post 4 Simple Healthy School Lunches for more ideas.

A few side notes before you scroll down to the meals:

• Make the most of this meal by prepping everything on the first day of the week.  My favorite lunch packing items to use are Easy Lunchboxes and these Mini Dippers.
• You may find that this menu consists of repeated meals.  That’s because people, in general, tend to eat the same things and it keeps costs down!
• If your kids are not picky eaters then they will enjoy these meals. Our kids do not eat all of these exact meals listed below – we modify some of the meals in order to appeal to their taste buds – please keep that in mind when reviewing the shopping list below. Your family’s needs may vary depending on everyone’s likes/dislikes 🙂  Keep reading to the end for modified meals (with recipes) that we make our kids while still using the major ingredients from our shopping list.
• I eat eggs and Greek yogurt daily to add protein to my diet.  My hubby doesn’t like to eat yogurt or eggs daily so he gets his protein with a simple protein shake.
• I’m not a nutritionist or clean eating expert.  You should check with a health expert/physician to see if this meal plan is the appropriate calorie intake for you.  This meal plan is based on a 1400-1750 calorie diet.
• Each of my recipes listed below is for 1 serving unless otherwise noted.  Links to other recipes include the serving size on their page.
• Shopping list prices are from Aldi, local to my area (Washington D.C. area) and the current season (Summer).  Pricing will vary where you live and the current season you are shopping. This meal plan is meant to give you an idea of what easy, healthy meals on a budget can look like.  Grocery prices in your area may be less or more and the cost will vary depending on the season.

Monday

Breakfast – Banana, Grapefruit & Orange Smoothie

I personally dislike grapefruit but adding the banana and orange makes this smoothie delicious and grapefruit is known to be great for weight-loss.  Grab and go tip: Place everything (minus the water) into sandwich bags and place in the freezer until you are ready to make in the morning.  To add protein, add half a container of soft tofu or protein powder.

• 1 banana
• 1/2 a grapefruit
• 1/2 an orange
• 1/4 cup of ice
• 1/3 cup of water (or more depending on consistency)

Blend everything in a blender and serve. Makes 1 serving.  We use a Ninja Mega Blender system that includes Nutri Ninja single cups so we can easily make single-serving smoothies in the Ninja cup and head out the door.

Lunch – Healthy Egg Salad Sandwich

Did you ever eat egg salad as a kid?  I did and loved it 🙂  Egg salad is simple to make and this healthy version is super easy as well!  **I use 1 slice of sprouted 7-grain bread to make open-faced sandwiches.

Find the full recipe HERE.

Dinner – Tomato Basil Soup and Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad

This tomato basil soup is one of our favorite meals in our house and the kale salad is simple but packed with nutrition.  FYI, kale is high on the list of the world’s healthiest foods!  We grow kale in our garden during the warmer months so making this salad is pretty much free!

Find the tomato basil soup recipe HERE.

Find the lemon-garlic kale salad recipe HERE.

Snacks

• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with cinnamon
• 1 cup of baby carrots with 1 Tbsp of hummus (get the recipe HERE)

Tuesday

Breakfast – PB & J Overnight Oats

I love overnight oats because oatmeal is very healthy and overnight oats are one of the simplest morning meals to make!

• 1/2 cup oats (we use old-fashioned)
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or another type of milk/water)
• 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
• 1 tsp smooth all-natural PB, no sugar added

Place oats and almond milk in a small mason jar in the frig overnight.  If you like your oatmeal warm, heat the container in the morning then add the PB and strawberries and mix.  If you don’ mind cold oats, just mix everything the night before. Makes 1 serving.

Lunch – Healthy Cobb Salad

This Cobb salad is healthier because we eliminate the bacon and cheese and make our own dressing.  Pack this for lunch with the dressing in a mini dipper container on the side.

• 1 cup chopped romaine
• 1 cup of spinach
• 1/4 cup sliced carrots
• 1/8 cubed avocado
• 1/4 cup of sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 hard-boiled egg sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in a bowl, toss with dressing. Makes 1 serving.

Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing:

• 6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Whisk everything together in a bowl and pour into a storage container.  We keep our dressing for up to a week in the frig.

Dinner – Spinach, Mushroom, Pesto Zoodles

I love using our spiralizer to make zoodles but you can easily make zoodles with a julienne peeler (that’s what we used before we got our spiralizer!)

• 2 medium-sized zucchini (spiralized)
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup of spinach
• 2 Tbsp of basil pesto (get the recipe HERE)
• 1 garlic clove sliced

Heat the zoodles in extra virgin olive oil and garlic on medium heat until zoodles are almost soft.  Add mushrooms and spinach and saute.  Mix in pesto and serve. Makes 1 serving.

Snacks

• 1/2 avocado mashed on 1 slice of sprouted 7-grain toast, sprinkled with black pepper
• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with cinnamon
• 1 hard-boiled egg

Wednesday

Breakfast – Banana, Grapefruit & Orange Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1/2 a grapefruit
• 1/2 an orange
• 1/4 cup of ice
• 1/3 cup of water (or more depending on consistency)

Blend everything in a blender and serve.

Lunch – Avocado and Greek Yogurt Tuna Sandwich

You will want to make tuna sandwiches using Greek yogurt going forward after trying this healthy version!

**I use 1 slice of sprouted 7-grain bread and chunk light tuna, packed in water to make open-face sandwiches.

Find the full recipe HERE.

Dinner – Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps

We serve these to the kids with whole wheat tortillas but the romaine leafs make a healthier meal if your kids like lettuce.  The chicken is freezer friendly so save leftovers or double the recipe for a later meal.  This recipe serves 4.

• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup of water
• salt, pepper and cumin to taste
• romaine lettice leafs
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup cilantro

Cook the chicken, water and taco seasoning as directed on the taco seasoning package.  Top each lettuce leaf with chicken mixture, tomato and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Snacks

• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with cinnamon
• 1 cup of baby carrots with 1 Tbsp of hummus (get the recipe HERE)
• 1 hard-boiled egg

Thursday

Breakfast – PB & J Overnight Oats

• 1/4 cup oats (we use old-fashioned)
• almond milk (or another type of milk/water)
• 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
• 1 tsp smooth all-natural PB, no sugar added

Place oats and almond milk in a small mason jar in the frig overnight.  If you like your oatmeal warm, heat the container in the morning then add the PB and strawberries and mix.  If you don’ mind cold oats, just mix everything the night before. Makes 1 serving.

Lunch – Healthy Cobb Salad

• 1 cup chopped romaine
• 1 cup of spinach
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots
• 1/8 cubed avocado
• 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 hard-boiled egg sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in a bowl, toss with balsamic dressing (recipe above).  Makes 1 serving.

Dinner – Slow Cooker Tomato, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

I LOVE this soup!  I made this recently using kale and tomatoes grown in our garden and it was soooo good!  It is one of my favorite meatless meals to make in the slow cooker.  This meal is freezer friendly if you have leftovers, freeze and save for a later meal!

Find the full recipe HERE.

Snacks

• 1/2 avocado mashed on 1 slice of sprouted 7-grain toast, sprinkled with black pepper
• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with cinnamon
• 1 hard-boiled egg

Friday

Breakfast – Banana, Grapefruit & Orange Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1/2 a grapefruit
• 1/2 an orange
• 1/4 cup of ice
• 1/3 cup of water (or more depending on consistency)

Blend everything in a blender and serve.

Lunch – Avocado and Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Sandwich

Avocado gives this creamy chicken salad sandwich just the fix of yummy goodness that you need for lunch 🙂

**I use 1 slice of sprouted 7-grain bread to make open-faced sandwiches.

Find the full recipe HERE.

Dinner – Spinach, Pesto, Chicken Quinoa Bowls

The first time I had this dish was at the Protein Bar and I fell in love.  I knew I had to recreate it and once I did, our kids fell in love with it too!  This meal is freezer friendly – if you have leftovers or like to prepare freezer meals in advance 🙂  This recipe serves 4.

• 4 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cup diced rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1/2 cup of basil pesto (get the recipe HERE)

Cook the quinoa as directed.  Lightly saute spinach in extra virgin olive oil in a separate pan while quinoa is cooking.  Mix spinach, chicken, and pesto with the cooked quinoa. Makes 4 servings.

Snacks

• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with cinnamon
• 1 cup of baby carrots with 1 Tbsp of hummus (get the recipe HERE)

8/1/16 UPDATE:  Adding Saturday and Sunday meals below as requested by readers 🙂

Saturday

Breakfast – Oatmeal with cinnamon

Lunch – Leftover Tomato Basil Soup and Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad (using leftover kale and dressing)

Dinner – Leftover Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps

Sunday

Breakfast – Eggs and Toast with sauteed spinach

Lunch – Leftover Tomato, Kale and Quinoa Soup

Dinner – Leftover Spinach, Pesto, Chicken Quinoa Bowls

The Shopping List

Produce:

• 12 Bananas  -$2.50
• 3 Grapefruit – $ 2.67
• 3 Oranges – $1.47
• Strawberries – $1.59
• 5 Avocados – $4.45
• 4 medium Zucchini – $3.98
• Celery – $1.99
• Organic Kale (1 bag/bunch) – $3.49
• 6 heads of Romaine – $3.98
• Organic Spinach (2 bags) –  $3.58
• Whole Mushrooms – $1.29
• 1 Yellow Onion – $0.59
• 2 Red Onion – $0.99
• 2 (16 oz bags) Organic Baby Carrots – $2.98
• Whole Garlic – $0.59
• Basil – $1.49
• Cilantro – $0.99

Dry/Canned Goods:

• 1 loaf of 7-Grain Sprouted Bread – $2.99
• 1 canister of Oats – $2.39
• 1 (16 oz bag) Organic Quinoa – $2.99
• 1 can of Crushed Tomatoes – $1.49
• 2 (14 oz) cans of Diced Tomatoes – $1.98
• 1 can of Garbanzo Beans – $0.59
• 1 can of Great Northern Beans – $0.59

Dairy:

• 16 oz of Heavy Cream – $1.49
• 32 oz container of Greek Yogurt – $3.49

Meat/Protein:

• 2 Rotisserie Chickens, shredded – $9.98
• 2 cans of Chunk Light Tuna, packed in water – $1.98
• 1 Dozen Eggs – $0.99

Total Cost: 69.57

Existing pantry items not included on the shopping list:

• Smooth, All-Natural Peanut Butter
• Almond milk or your preferred milk product
• Parmesan Cheese (for the basil pesto)
• All-Natural Unsalted Butter (for the tomato soup)
• Various spices, salt, and pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Balsamic Vinegar

Modified Meal Ideas (For Picky Eaters):

Our kids do not eat all of these exact meals listed above (like many households with picky eaters!)  We modify some of the meals in order to appeal to their taste buds – please keep that in mind when reviewing the shopping list!  Your family’s needs may vary depending on everyone’s likes/dislikes 🙂

Breakfast – Banana Cinnamon Almond Oat Smoothie

Our kids eat this instead of the Orange Grapefruit smoothie. You can sneak in milled flax seed or half a container of soft tofu and they will never know!  

• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup of oats
• 1/4 cup of ice
• 1/2 cup of almond milk (more or less depending on consistency)
• 1/4 Tsp of cinnamon

Blend everything in a blender and serve. Makes 1 serving. Another option is to substitute the cinnamon for 1 tbsp of cocoa powder for a Banana Chocolate  Oat smoothie!

Lunch – PB & Strawberry Sandwich

• 2 slices of sprouted 7-grain bread
• all-natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup sliced strawberries

Spread the PB on both sides of the bread, arrange strawberry slices on top.

A few other modified suggestions that we offer our kids:

• Spinach, mushroom, pesto zoodles – Substitute whole grain spaghetti noodles for zoodles with pesto sauce only (no spinach or mushrooms)
• Spinach, Pesto, Chicken Quinoa Bowls – Eliminate the spinach
• Slow Cooker Tomato, Kale, and Quinoa Soup – Eliminate the kale
• Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps – Serve with whole wheat tortillas instead of lettuce

Eating a clean, healthy diet doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult if you stick to simple, natural ingredients.  Try turning one of your favorite recipes into a healthier meal by substituting a low-calorie item (romaine lettuce instead of a tortilla, Greek yogurt instead of mayo, etc).

Useful Kitchen supplies for clean eating that we love and use in our home:

Kitchen Aid Spiralizer

 

Spiralizer Cookbook

 

Nutri Ninja Blender System

 

Instant Pot

 

Portion Control Containers

 

Meal Prep Containers

Easy Lunchboxes

Mini Dippers

 

Wide-Mouth Mason Jars (for overnight oats)

 

SkinnyTaste Cookbook

 

Fixate Cookbook

Want more clean eating recipes? Check out these books:

• Clean Eating Cookbook & Diet: Over 100 Healthy Whole Food Recipes & Meal Plans
• Clean Eating: 365 Days of Clean Eating Recipes
• Hungry Girl Clean & Hungry: Easy All-Natural Recipes for Healthy Eating in the Real World

Meal Planning Printable Resources

Lastly, to be the most successful meal planner and cook in your home, grab this bundle of printable meal planning cheat sheets and checklists.

The Meal Planning Bundle includes:

• ONE (1) Cheat Sheet with Dinner Ideas for Mon-Sun (each day is a different meal category to simplify things even more!)
• ONE (1) Detailed Menu Planner Form (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Snacks – Mon-Sun)
• ONE (1) Dinner Only Menu Planner Form (Mon-Sun)
• ONE (1) Cheat Sheet with Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, and Snack Ideas (use as a reference when meal planning)
• ONE (1) Pantry Staples Cheat Sheet (use as Inventory Checklist when making your shopping list)
• ONE (1) Meal Planning Checklist (To-Do list for the beginner meal prep and meal planner)

Get instant access to the only printables you need to master meal planning today!

Now you know what you need in the kitchen to make meal planning, prepping, and cooking so much easier!

The Ultimate Healthy Meal Planning Bundle

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There’s one thing I can think of that will help… meal planning.

When you know what’s for dinner every day, you’ll be more efficient, less stressed, and you’ll have more margin in your life. While meals won’t throw themselves together, you might be surprised at how much easier (and even enjoyable) it feels.

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