St. John's Meal Plan: Eat for Less with Romaine for $1.49

June 19, 2026 · 12 min read · NL

Key Facts

According to eezly's real-time tracking of 196,000 products across 2,700 Canadian grocery stores, the standout deal in St. John's this week is Romaine Lettuce for $1.49 at Sobeys, a steep discount from its regular $5.49 price as of June 2026. Managing your grocery budget in Newfoundland and Labrador requires a smart approach, and building your weekly meals around these key discounts is the most effective strategy.

This guide provides a comprehensive 7-day meal plan designed for a family in St. John's, utilizing current deals to maximize savings without sacrificing nutrition or flavour. We will break down breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an entire week, provide a complete shopping list with the best available local prices, and compare where to shop for the best value. By planning your meals and purchases, you can gain control over your food spending and navigate the city's grocery landscape like a pro.


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Your 7-Day Budget Meal Plan for St. John's

This meal plan is designed to be flexible, nutritious, and cost-effective, leveraging current promotions at St. John's grocery stores. It assumes you have basic pantry staples on hand, such as cooking oil, salt, pepper, common spices, flour, and sugar. The recipes are simple, focused on minimizing food waste by using ingredients across multiple meals.

Monday

* Breakfast: Oatmeal with a handful of blueberries. * Lunch: Leftover Roasted Chicken and Veggie Wraps. Use the deeply discounted romaine lettuce for a crisp, fresh crunch. * Dinner: Roasted Chicken with a side of President's Choice Butternut Squash Chunks (on sale for $3.00 at Dominion) and steamed green beans. A simple roast chicken can provide protein for several meals throughout the week.

Tuesday

* Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with a side of toast. * Lunch: Big Green Salad. Use the Taylor Farms Green Goddess Chopped Salad Kit ($4.44 at Sobeys) as a base and add leftover shredded chicken for a filling, protein-packed meal. * Dinner: Pasta with a simple tomato and basil sauce. Sauté garlic and onions, add a can of crushed tomatoes, and finish with fresh President's Choice Basil ($3.00 at Dominion). Serve over your choice of pasta.

Wednesday

* Breakfast: Yogurt with a drizzle of honey and sliced mango. The Ataulfo Mango is currently $2.99 at Sobeys. * Lunch: Leftover pasta from Tuesday night. Lunch is always easier and cheaper when it's planned from the night before. * Dinner: Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies. Combine sliced sausage (pork, chicken, or turkey) with the President's Choice 3 Pepper & Onion Blend ($3.00 at Dominion) and baby-cut carrots. Toss with olive oil and spices and roast until cooked through.

Thursday

* Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries. * Lunch: Sausage and veggie leftovers from dinner. * Dinner: Homemade Black Bean Burgers on buns with a side salad. Use your $1.49 romaine lettuce and other fresh vegetables. This is a great, inexpensive meat-free meal that is both filling and high in fibre.

Friday

* Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and toast. * Lunch: Leftover Black Bean Burger, crumbled over a salad. * Dinner: DIY Pizza Night. Use naan bread or pre-made pizza crusts as your base. Top with tomato sauce, cheese, and any leftover vegetables from the week, like peppers, onions, and the Compliments Organic Sliced Cremini Mushrooms ($4.99 at Sobeys).

Saturday

* Breakfast: Pancakes or waffles with Tuscan Cantaloupe ($3.88 at Sobeys) on the side. * Lunch: Leftover pizza. * Dinner: Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowls. Cook chicken breast seasoned with lemon and oregano. Serve over a bed of rice with a simple salad of chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a sprinkle of Tre Stelle Feta Cheese ($7.49 at Sobeys).

Sunday

* Breakfast: Yogurt with fruit and a sprinkle of granola. * Lunch: "Clean out the fridge" stir-fry. Use any remaining vegetables like broccoli, peppers, and carrots with leftover chicken or a can of chickpeas. Serve over rice with a simple soy-ginger sauce. * Dinner: Hearty Lentil Soup. A very inexpensive and nutritious meal. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery, then add vegetable broth and red or brown lentils. Simmer until tender. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Complete Grocery List for St. John's

To execute this meal plan, you'll need a specific set of ingredients. The list below highlights items currently on sale at St. John's grocery stores, showing you where to find the best price. For items without a specific deal listed, prices will vary. We recommend using the eezly deals page to find the latest prices for these items before you shop.

ItemBest Price Found in St. John's (June 2026)
Produce
Romaine Lettuce, 1 bunch$1.49 at Sobeys
Taylor Farms Green Goddess Salad Kit$4.44 at Sobeys
PC Butternut Squash Chunks, frozen$3.00 at Dominion
PC 3 Pepper & Onion Blend, frozen$3.00 at Dominion
Compliments Organic Sliced Cremini Mushrooms$4.99 at Sobeys
Compliments Baby-Cut Carrots, 907 g$5.49 at Sobeys
Ataulfo Mango, 1 count$2.99 at Sobeys
Tuscan Cantaloupe$3.88 at Sobeys
PC Basil, fresh$3.00 at Dominion
Onions, 2 lb bagPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Garlic, 1 headPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Cherry Tomatoes, 1 pintPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Cucumber, 1 long EnglishPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Blueberries, 1 pintPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Green Beans, ~400gPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Protein
Whole Roasting Chicken (approx. 1.5 kg)Price varies - check eezly for current deals
Italian Sausage (approx. 500g)Price varies - check eezly for current deals
Large Eggs, 1 dozenPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Canned Black Beans, 2 cansPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Dry Lentils, 1 bagPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Dairy & Deli
Tre Stelle Feta Cheese, 200 g$7.49 at Sobeys
Plain Yogurt, 750 g tubPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Mozzarella Cheese, shreddedPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Pantry
Rolled Oats, 1 kg bagPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Pasta, 900 g boxPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Canned Crushed Tomatoes, 796 mLPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Long Grain White Rice, 2 kg bagPrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Whole Wheat Wraps, 1 packagePrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Burger Buns, 1 packagePrice varies - check eezly for current deals
Naan Bread or Pizza CrustsPrice varies - check eezly for current deals

Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026


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Strategic Shopping: Where to Buy in St. John's

You don't need to visit every grocery store in St. John's to get the best deals. A strategic approach, focusing on 1-2 stores for specific items, can save you both time and money. Based on this week's flyer data from eezly, a two-stop shop at Sobeys and Dominion will yield the most savings for this particular meal plan.

Your Sobeys Shopping List:

Sobeys is your primary destination for produce deals this week. Stores like Sobeys Ropewalk Lane (45 Ropewalk Lane) or Sobeys Merrymeeting Road (8 Merrymeeting Road) are where you will find the biggest discounts for this plan. * Romaine Lettuce: The star of the show at $1.49. * Taylor Farms Salad Kits: At $4.44, these are a great shortcut for quick lunches. * Compliments Organic Mushrooms: $4.99 is a solid price for organic mushrooms. * Compliments Baby-Cut Carrots: A large 907g bag for $5.49. * Tre Stelle Feta Cheese: Save $1.50 on this essential ingredient for the Mediterranean bowls. * Fruit: Sobeys also has the best prices on the Ataulfo Mango ($2.99) and Tuscan Cantaloupe ($3.88).

Your Dominion Shopping List:

Dominion, including locations like Blackmarsh Road (260 Blackmarsh Rd) or Stavanger Drive (55 Stavanger Dr), is the go-to for President's Choice deals, especially frozen vegetables that offer great value and convenience. * PC Frozen Vegetables: Stock up on the Butternut Squash Chunks, 3 Pepper & Onion Blend, and PC Broccoli Florets, all priced at an easy $3.00 each. * PC Fresh Basil: At $3.00, it's a great way to add fresh flavour to your pasta sauce.

For your remaining items like chicken, eggs, and pantry staples, a quick price check on eezly before you leave home will tell you whether Dominion, Sobeys, or another store like Walmart or No Frills has the better price that day. This targeted approach ensures you get the advertised specials without spending extra gas money driving all over the city.

Top Grocery Deals in St. John's This Week

To help you plan beyond this specific meal plan, here are some of the best overall grocery deals available in St. John's right now. These discounts represent significant savings and are worth building meals around.

ProductStoreSale PriceRegular PriceSavings
Romaine Lettuce, 1 BunchSobeys$1.49$5.4972.8%
PC Grilled Ready Veggie EggplantDominion$3.00$5.4945.4%
Taylor Farms Chopped Salad KitSobeys$4.44$6.9936.5%
PC Broccoli Florets, frozenDominion$3.00$4.5033.3%
Compliments Organic Cremini MushroomsSobeys$4.99$6.4923.1%
Compliments Baby-Cut Carrots, 907 gSobeys$5.49$6.9921.5%
Tre Stelle Feta Cheese, 200 gSobeys$7.49$8.9916.7%
Ataulfo Mango, 1 countSobeys$2.99$4.0025.2%

Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026

Smart Substitutions to Save Even More

A great meal plan is a flexible one. Prices change weekly, and the best way to consistently save money is to adapt your shopping list to the current flyers. Here are some smart substitutions you can make to this meal plan to accommodate sales at St. John's stores.

Protein Swaps

The meal plan calls for a whole chicken and Italian sausage. However, if you find ground beef, pork chops, or a different type of sausage on a deep discount, don't hesitate to make the switch. Ground meat works wonderfully in pasta sauce or can be made into patties. Pork chops can be roasted on a sheet pan with vegetables just as easily as sausage. For a plant-based option, tofu or extra cans of chickpeas are almost always cheaper than meat and can be substituted in the stir-fry, rice bowls, and salads.

Vegetable Variations

The produce deals are a highlight this week, but you have many options. If you find a great price on sweet potatoes, they are a perfect substitute for the butternut squash. Instead of the 3 Pepper & Onion blend, you could buy whole peppers and onions if they are cheaper and chop them yourself. Any leafy green, like spinach or kale, can be used in place of romaine in salads and wraps, especially if one is on sale. Always check the price per kilogram or per unit to determine the true value.

Grain and Pantry Flexibility

This plan uses pasta and rice, which are typically inexpensive staples. However, you can easily substitute other grains you may have on hand or find on sale, such as quinoa, barley, or couscous. For the pizza night, instead of naan bread, you could use tortillas, pita bread, or even make your own dough from scratch if you have flour and yeast, which is often the most budget-friendly option of all. Using an AI-powered tool like eezly's meal planner can help you build recipes around the items you already have in your pantry, further reducing your weekly spend.

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Comparison

ProductStoreSale PriceRegular PriceSavings
Romaine Lettuce, 1 BunchSobeys$1.49$5.4972.8%
PC Grilled Ready Veggie EggplantDominion$3.00$5.4945.4%
Taylor Farms Chopped Salad KitSobeys$4.44$6.9936.5%
PC Broccoli Florets, frozenDominion$3.00$4.5033.3%
Compliments Organic Cremini MushroomsSobeys$4.99$6.4923.1%
Compliments Baby-Cut Carrots, 907 gSobeys$5.49$6.9921.5%
Tre Stelle Feta Cheese, 200 gSobeys$7.49$8.9916.7%
Ataulfo Mango, 1 countSobeys$2.99$4.0025.2%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest grocery store in St. John's, NL?

There is no single "cheapest" grocery store in St. John's for every item. The best store for you depends entirely on what you're buying that week. According to eezly's real-time price tracking for June 2026, Sobeys currently has the best prices on key produce items like romaine lettuce ($1.49) and salad kits ($4.44), while Dominion has strong deals on President's Choice frozen vegetables ($3.00). Discount banners like No Frills and Walmart often have lower base prices on pantry staples. The most effective strategy is to check weekly flyers and use a price comparison tool to see which store has the best price for the specific items on your list.

How can I feed a family in St. John's on a budget?

Feeding a family on a budget in St. John's involves three key strategies: planning, strategic shopping, and cooking from scratch. First, plan your meals for the week, as outlined in this article. This prevents impulse buys and reduces food waste. Second, build your meal plan around what's on sale. Check flyers or use eezly to find deals like the $1.49 romaine at Sobeys and make those items the core of your meals. Third, cook from scratch as much as possible, as processed and pre-made foods are significantly more expensive.

How can AI help me save money on groceries in Newfoundland and Labrador?

AI-powered platforms like eezly can save you money by automating the time-consuming process of price comparison. Instead of manually checking multiple flyers, eezly's AI scans prices for over 196,000 products across all major banners in Newfoundland and Labrador, including Sobeys, Dominion, No Frills, and Walmart. It can show you which store has the lowest price for each item on your list, identify the best deals of the week, and even generate optimized meal plans based on current sales, ensuring you never miss a chance to save.

What are some cheap meal ideas for this week in St. John's?

Based on current deals for June 2026, some cheap meal ideas include big salads using the $1.49 romaine and $4.44 salad kits from Sobeys, pasta with a simple sauce using fresh basil from Dominion, and sheet pan dinners with $3.00 frozen vegetable blends from Dominion. Other highly affordable meals include lentil soup, black bean burgers, and stir-fries using whatever vegetables are on sale.

Is it cheaper to buy groceries at Costco in St. John's?

Buying groceries at Costco in St. John's can be cheaper for certain items, but it requires careful consideration. You'll often find lower unit prices on items bought in bulk, such as paper products, some pantry staples, and meat. However, this is only a saving if your family can consume the entire product before it expires. For fresh produce or items you use less frequently, the risk of food waste can negate the savings. Also, you must factor in the annual membership fee. It's best to compare the per-unit price at Costco with sale prices at traditional grocers like Sobeys or Dominion before buying.

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