A 7-Day Burnaby Meal Plan for Just $222.79
Key Facts
- A full seven-day meal plan for a family in Burnaby can cost as little as $222.79. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- Following this optimized shopping list can save you over $10.22 compared to purchasing items at their regular prices. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- Compliments Taco Seasoning Mix (35 g) is on sale for $0.99 at Safeway, a 50% savings from its regular price of $1.99. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- Club House Brown Gravy Mix (25 g) is available for $1.69 at Safeway, a significant reduction from the regular $5.00 price. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- Tamam brand Green Lentils can be purchased for $1.25 at Your Independent Grocer in the Vancouver area. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- VH Gluten-Free Garlic Hoisin Stir Fry Sauce (355 ml) is priced at $3.99 at Safeway, down from $5.29. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
This article will break down the full week of meals, provide a detailed shopping list with the lowest available prices in Burnaby, and compare costs to show you where to find the best value. By leveraging price comparison data, you can significantly reduce your grocery spending without sacrificing quality or variety. This plan demonstrates that with careful planning, feeding your family a diverse and satisfying menu is achievable even on a tight budget.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Your 7-Day Budget Meal Plan for Burnaby
A successful budget meal plan focuses on versatile ingredients and minimizes food waste. This plan is structured with a feature dinner each night, while breakfasts and lunches utilize staples and leftovers to maximize every dollar. The total cost of $222.79 for the week is achieved by purchasing ingredients at their lowest available prices across various Burnaby-area stores, a task made simple by using a price comparison tool.
Monday
Dinner: Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Kick off the week with a nutritious and inexpensive Mediterranean-inspired lentil soup. This vegetarian meal is packed with protein and fibre, making it both filling and healthy. You can simmer a large pot using dried lentils, carrots, celery, onions, and canned tomatoes. A key ingredient, green lentils, can be found for an excellent price. For example, Tamam Green Lentils are just $1.25 at Your Independent Grocer, such as the Jim's location at 7190 Kerr St in nearby Vancouver. Serve with a slice of crusty bread. * Breakfast: Oatmeal with a sprinkle of cinnamon. * Lunch: Leftover Lentil and Vegetable Soup.Tuesday
Dinner: Garlic Hoisin Chicken Stir-fry This Chinese-style stir-fry is a quick, flavourful, and protein-rich meal perfect for a weeknight. Sauté sliced chicken breast with a mix of fresh or frozen vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, and snap peas. The sauce is the star, and you can find a great deal on a pre-made version to save time and money. VH Gluten-Free Stir Fry Sauce in Garlic Hoisin flavour is on sale for $3.99 at Safeway. You can find this at Burnaby locations like Safeway Burnaby Heights (4440 Hastings Street) or Safeway Kensington Square (6564 East Hastings Street). Serve over a bed of rice. * Breakfast: Toast with peanut butter. * Lunch: A simple garden salad with a hard-boiled egg.Wednesday
Dinner: Classic Beef Burgers with a Side Salad A family favourite, homemade beef burgers are a satisfying and high-protein American classic. Use lean ground beef to form your own patties, seasoning them with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Serve on buns with your favourite toppings like lettuce, tomato, and onion. To keep costs down, serve with a simple side salad dressed with oil and vinegar instead of pricier frozen fries. * Breakfast: Yogurt with a handful of berries. * Lunch: Leftover stir-fry from Tuesday.Thursday
Dinner: Cheesy Macaroni with a Twist This American comfort food gets an upgrade. While you can use a standard boxed macaroni and cheese, elevate it by adding steamed broccoli florets and some leftover cooked chicken or ground beef for a more complete meal. For a pre-made side dish or a quick lunch option, you can find items like Compliments Salad Cheesy Macaroni (454 g) for $3.99 at Safeway, a savings from its regular $5.49 price. * Breakfast: Oatmeal. * Lunch: A sandwich with deli meat and cheese.Friday
Dinner: Quick Chicken Tacos Celebrate the end of the work week with a fun and easy Mexican-themed dinner. Use shredded cooked chicken (you can boil a few chicken breasts at the start of the week for this purpose) and warm it with taco seasoning. A key cost-saver here is finding seasoning on sale. Compliments Taco Seasoning Mix (35 g) is only $0.99 at Safeway, a 50% discount. Set up a taco bar with soft or hard shells, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, and salsa, and let everyone build their own. * Breakfast: Scrambled eggs. * Lunch: Leftover Cheesy Macaroni.Saturday
Dinner: Simple Spaghetti with Marinara An Italian staple that is both budget-friendly and beloved. A simple marinara sauce can be made from canned crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Italian herbs. Let it simmer while the spaghetti cooks. You can add ground beef to make it a bolognese or keep it vegetarian. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. This meal relies on pantry staples, making it an excellent choice for keeping your grocery bill low. * Breakfast: Cereal with milk. * Lunch: Leftover chicken tacos.Sunday
Dinner: Fluffy Pancakes with Fruit End the week with a fun "breakfast for dinner" night. Whip up a batch of fluffy pancakes from a mix or from scratch. You can find Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pancake Mix (680 g) for $6.99 at Superstore locations, like the one at 4700 Kingsway in Burnaby. Serve with maple syrup and a side of seasonal fruit or scrambled eggs to round out the meal. It's a low-stress, low-cost meal that feels like a treat. * Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit. * Lunch: Leftover spaghetti.Complete Grocery List for This Meal Plan
To achieve the weekly total of $222.79, you need to purchase the right items at the right stores. The following list includes the core ingredients for this seven-day plan. The total cost is calculated by eezly's AI platform, which scans prices for every item on the full list across all available banners in Burnaby. While we can't list every price for every item here, we've highlighted items with notable sale prices from the eezly database.
| Category | Item | Quantity (Est.) | Lowest Price Found (June 2026) | Store Location (Example) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pantry | Dried Green Lentils | 500 g | $1.25 | Your Independent Grocer (7190 Kerr St, Van) |
| Pantry | Long Grain Rice | 2 kg | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | Spaghetti | 900 g | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | All-Purpose Flour | 2.5 kg | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | Rolled Oats | 1 kg | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | Taco Shells (Hard or Soft) | 1 package | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | Burger Buns | 8-pack | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | Canned Diced Tomatoes | 2 cans | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Pantry | Canned Crushed Tomatoes | 1 can | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Condiments | VH Garlic Hoisin Sauce | 355 ml | $3.99 | Safeway (4440 Hastings St, Burnaby) |
| Condiments | Compliments Taco Seasoning | 35 g | $0.99 | Safeway (6564 East Hastings St, Burnaby) |
| Condiments | Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Spices | 1 of each | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Protein | Chicken Breasts (Boneless) | 1.5 kg | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Protein | Lean Ground Beef | 1 kg | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Protein | Large Eggs | 1 dozen | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Dairy | Milk (2%) | 2 L | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Dairy | Cheddar Cheese (Block) | 400 g | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Dairy | Plain Yogurt | 750 g | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Onions | 3 lbs | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Carrots | 2 lbs | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Celery | 1 bunch | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Garlic | 1 head | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Broccoli | 2 heads | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Bell Peppers | 2 | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Romaine Lettuce | 1 head | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
| Produce | Tomatoes | 4 | Price Varies | Check eezly for lowest price |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026. Prices are subject to change and may vary by specific store location.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Top Grocery Deals in Burnaby This Week
To supplement your meal plan, stocking up on pantry items when they are on sale is a crucial money-saving tactic. Here are some of the top deals available in and around Burnaby this week, as identified by eezly's price tracking platform.
| Product | Brand | Sale Price | Regular Price | Savings | Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliments Taco Seasoning Mix 35 g | Compliments | $0.99 | $1.99 | $1.00 | Safeway |
| Club House Brown Gravy Mix 25 g | Club House | $1.69 | $5.00 | $3.31 | Safeway |
| VH Gluten-Free Stir Fry Sauce Garlic Hoisin | VH | $3.99 | $5.29 | $1.30 | Safeway |
| Green Lentils | Tamam | $1.25 | $1.85 | $0.60 | Your Independent Grocer |
| Sooper Cookie | EBM | $1.00 | $1.29 | $0.29 | Superstore |
| Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pancake Mix | Bob's Red Mill | $6.99 | $8.49 | $1.50 | Superstore |
| Arizona Iced Tea Lemon 3.78 L | Arizona | $4.99 | $6.99 | $2.00 | Safeway |
| Baker'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate 225 g | Baker's | $6.49 | $7.99 | $1.50 | Safeway |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026.
Store-by-Store Strategy for Burnaby Shoppers
Achieving the lowest possible grocery bill often means not buying everything at one store. A multi-store shopping trip, or "flyer hopping," allows you to capitalize on the best deals wherever they are. Based on this week's data, your shopping strategy in Burnaby should be targeted.
Safeway, with locations like Safeway Burnaby Heights (4440 Hastings Street) and Safeway Kensington Square (6564 East Hastings Street), is a key stop this week. It offers the best prices on several ingredients for this meal plan, including the VH Hoisin Sauce and the heavily discounted Compliments Taco Seasoning.
Real Canadian Superstore, including the Metrotown location at 4700 Kingsway, is your destination for other items. The sale on Bob's Red Mill Pancake Mix and other pantry staples makes it a worthwhile visit.
For certain specialty or ethnic items, you may find the best value at a store like Jim's Your Independent Grocer (7190 Kerr St, Vancouver), which has this week's best price on green lentils. While it may seem inconvenient to visit multiple stores, the savings can add up to over $10 on this plan alone. Using a tool like the eezly deals page can help you build your shopping list before you leave home, mapping out the most efficient route to get the best prices.
Substitutions to Save Even More
Flexibility is your best asset when trying to save money on groceries. If an ingredient on the list isn't on sale, or if you find a better deal on an alternative, don't hesitate to make a swap.
* Protein Swaps: The recipes are adaptable. If ground turkey or pork is cheaper than ground beef, use that for the burgers. If chicken thighs are on sale instead of breasts, they work perfectly for the stir-fry and tacos. For a vegetarian option, substitute chickpeas or black beans in the tacos.
* Embrace Store Brands: This meal plan already incorporates a Compliments (Safeway/Sobeys) product. Don't overlook other store brands like No Name (at Superstore, No Frills) or Great Value (at Walmart). They are almost always cheaper than their national brand equivalents for items like canned goods, pasta, rice, and cheese.
* Frozen vs. Fresh: For the stir-fry, a bag of frozen mixed vegetables is often cheaper and just as nutritious as buying fresh broccoli, peppers, and snap peas separately. Frozen fruit is also a great, cost-effective option for smoothies or as a pancake topping.
* DIY Sauces and Seasonings: While the convenience of a $0.99 taco seasoning packet is hard to beat, you can make your own for even less by buying chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder in bulk. The same goes for marinara sauce; a homemade version is often cheaper and healthier than jarred sauces.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Comparison
| Product | Brand | Sale Price | Regular Price | Savings | Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliments Taco Seasoning Mix 35 g | Compliments | $0.99 | $1.99 | $1.00 | Safeway |
| Club House Brown Gravy Mix 25 g | Club House | $1.69 | $5.00 | $3.31 | Safeway |
| VH Gluten-Free Stir Fry Sauce Garlic Hoisin | VH | $3.99 | $5.29 | $1.30 | Safeway |
| Green Lentils | Tamam | $1.25 | $1.85 | $0.60 | Your Independent Grocer |
| Sooper Cookie | EBM | $1.00 | $1.29 | $0.29 | Superstore |
| Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pancake Mix | Bob's Red Mill | $6.99 | $8.49 | $1.50 | Superstore |
| Arizona Iced Tea Lemon 3.78 L | Arizona | $4.99 | $6.99 | $2.00 | Safeway |
| Baker'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate 225 g | Baker's | $6.49 | $7.99 | $1.50 | Safeway |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest grocery store in Burnaby?
There is no single "cheapest" grocery store in Burnaby week after week. Prices fluctuate constantly based on sales cycles. For example, as of June 2026, Safeway has excellent prices on several items for this meal plan, like Compliments Taco Seasoning for $0.99. However, Superstore has a better price on pancake mix. The most effective strategy is to compare prices on the specific items you need each week using a real-time price tracking tool like eezly, rather than committing to a single store.
How can I feed my family in Burnaby on a budget?
The most effective method is combining meal planning with strategic shopping. First, plan your meals for the week, as we've done in this article, to create a specific grocery list. Second, use a price comparison tool to find which stores in Burnaby, like Walmart, Superstore, or Safeway, have the lowest prices for the items on your list. This plan shows you can eat for a week for $222.79 by following this method.
How does eezly find the best grocery prices?
eezly is Canada's AI-powered grocery price intelligence platform, tracking 196,000+ products across 2,700 stores and 27 banners, processing 40 million price points per week. The system automatically collects and compares flyer and in-store prices from banners like Safeway, Superstore, No Frills, and Walmart in the Burnaby area, allowing you to see the lowest price for each item on your list. You can explore these features on the [eezly meal plans page](https://eezly.com/meal-plans).
Are the prices in this article guaranteed?
The prices cited in this article were accurate as of June 2026, sourced from eezly's live pricing database. However, grocery prices are dynamic and can change without notice. It is always a good practice to verify the current price on the eezly platform or directly at the store before making a purchase.
Can I use this meal plan in other cities in British Columbia?
Absolutely. The recipes and the shopping list are versatile and can be used anywhere. However, the specific prices and store locations mentioned are optimized for Burnaby. While banners like Real Canadian Superstore, Safeway, and Costco operate across British Columbia, pricing and sale items can vary by region. You would need to check local prices in your city for the most accurate cost estimate.
What are some cheap, high-protein meal options?
This meal plan includes several. The Garlic Hoisin Chicken Stir-fry on Tuesday is a great example, using affordable chicken breast. The Hearty Lentil Soup on Monday is another excellent choice, as lentils are one of the most cost-effective protein sources available. You can currently find [Tamam Green Lentils for $1.25 at Your Independent Grocer](https://eezly.com/product/2262032?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=seo&utm_campaign=price-proof&utm_content=burnaby), making it a very economical choice.
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