NL Meal Plan: A Week of Family Meals for Under $130

Key Facts

• A Bunless Burgers meal for a family of four can be prepared for a total ingredient cost of $32.67 using items from Dominion, Independent, and Costco. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• Lean Ground Beef, a key component for a homemade Asian Burgers recipe, is priced at $10.32 at Dominion stores in Newfoundland and Labrador this week. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• The cost per serving for a homemade Asian Burgers meal is approximately $6.30, offering a budget-conscious dinner option for families. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• Shoppers can find Kumato Tomatoes at Costco for $7.99, an ideal ingredient for summer salads and burger toppings. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• Essential pantry items for flavorful summer meals, such as Hoisin Squeeze Sauce, are available at Dominion for $3.49. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)

This guide provides a comprehensive, seven-day meal plan designed to be both affordable and satisfying for a family of four. With a total weekly grocery cost estimated at under $130, this plan leverages current deals at local stores like Dominion, Foodland, and Costco. By planning your meals, creating a detailed shopping list, and knowing where to find the best prices, you can take control of your grocery spending without sacrificing flavour or nutrition. Let's explore a full week of budget-friendly meals.

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This Week's Meal Plan: Delicious and Affordable Family Dinners

A successful weekly meal plan balances cost, nutrition, and convenience. This plan is built around two feature dinner recipes with precisely tracked ingredient costs, supplemented by low-cost, versatile ideas for breakfast, lunch, and other evening meals. The goal is to maximize your grocery budget by using pantry staples and minimizing food waste. The total grocery list for this entire week comes in at under $130, demonstrating that with careful planning, feeding your family well on a budget is entirely achievable.

The cornerstone of this week's plan involves two flavourful, summer-appropriate burger recipes. On Tuesday, you'll enjoy Bunless Burgers, a classic and satisfying meal that costs just $8.17 per serving. Later in the week, on Friday, you can prepare Asian Burgers, which offer a unique taste profile for an even lower cost of $6.30 per serving. Other dinners rely on inexpensive and flexible staples like pasta, chicken, and rice, ensuring variety throughout the week. Lunches are designed to primarily use leftovers, which is a critical strategy for reducing both costs and food waste. Breakfasts are simple, healthy, and based on affordable bulk items like oatmeal.

Below is a day-by-day breakdown of the meal plan. The estimated costs per serving for the feature meals are based on eezly's real-time price tracking, while others are general estimates based on the cost of staple ingredients.

Source: Recipe costs for Bunless Burgers and Asian Burgers from eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026. Other costs are estimates.

Feature Meal Deep Dive: Bunless Burgers

This meal is a perfect example of a family favourite adapted for a healthier, lower-carb approach. By serving the juicy burger patty over a bed of crisp romaine lettuce with all the classic toppings, you get all the satisfaction without the extra cost or carbohydrates of buns. The total ingredient cost for four servings is $32.67.

Your key ingredients for this meal include one package of Medium Ground Beef, currently $9.91 at Dominion, along with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. The combination of fresh produce and savoury beef makes for a well-rounded and filling dinner. Preparing this meal is straightforward: form the patties, cook them to your preferred doneness, and set up a small topping bar with sliced cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles so everyone in the family can customize their own burger bowl.

Feature Meal Deep Dive: Asian Burgers

To add some variety to your week, this Asian-inspired burger recipe brings a completely different flavour profile. It costs only $6.30 per serving and makes five burgers, providing an extra portion that's perfect for lunch the next day. The recipe uses lean ground beef as a base and incorporates ingredients like shallots, Chinese five-spice powder, and hoisin sauce to create a sweet and savoury taste.

The Lean Ground Beef is priced at $10.32 at Dominion, and the flavour-packed additions like Hoisin Squeeze Sauce ($3.49 at Dominion) and Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice ($2.49 at Foodland) are inexpensive but have a big impact. These ingredients are also versatile; the remaining hoisin sauce and five-spice powder can be used in future stir-fries or marinades, extending their value beyond a single meal. Served with a side of simple steamed frozen vegetables, this dinner is both economical and exciting.

Your Complete Grocery List for the Week

Sticking to a grocery list is the single most effective way to manage your food spending. This list includes everything you need for the seven-day meal plan outlined above. The prices for the feature recipe ingredients are taken directly from eezly's database, which tracks prices across major Newfoundland and Labrador grocery banners like Dominion, Sobeys, No Frills, and Costco. The prices for general staples are current market estimates to help you budget. Your final total may vary slightly, but this list provides a reliable guide for a weekly shop under $130.

To get the best value, you may need to visit more than one store. This practice, often called a "split shop," allows you to capitalize on specific deals at different retailers. For example, this week Dominion has the best price on ground beef, while Costco is the go-to for Kumato tomatoes. Using a price comparison tool like eezly can help you identify these opportunities before you leave the house.

Weekly Grocery Shopping List (Estimated Total: ~$127)

Meat
* Medium Ground Beef (1 pkg): $9.91 (at Dominion)
* Lean Ground Beef (1 pkg): $10.32 (at Dominion)
* Chicken Thighs (1 large pack): ~$12.00

Produce
* Romaine Lettuce (1 head): $3.99 (at Independent)
* Kumato Tomato (1 container): $7.99 (at Costco)
* Shallots Onions (1 bag): $7.69 (at Foodland)
* Apples (1 bag): ~$6.00
* Bananas (1 bunch): ~$2.00
* Yellow Onions (1 bag): ~$3.00
* Garlic (1 head): ~$1.00
* Bag of potatoes or carrots: ~$4.00

Dairy & Deli
* Medium Cheddar Cheese Slices (1 pkg): $5.79 (at Dominion)
* Eggs (1 dozen): ~$4.50
* Milk (2L): ~$4.00
* Yogurt (1 large tub): ~$5.00
* Shredded Mozzarella (for pizza): ~$5.50

Pantry & Frozen
* Dill Pickles (1 jar): $4.99 (at Dominion)
* Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice (36 g): $2.49 (at Foodland)
* Crushed Red Pepper (1 jar): $7.49 (at Dominion)
* Hoisin Squeeze Sauce (1 bottle): $3.49 (at Dominion)
* Oats (1 large container): ~$5.00
* Bread (2 loaves): ~$7.00
* Dry Pasta (1 box): ~$2.50
* Pasta Sauce (1 jar): ~$3.00
* Rice (2kg bag): ~$8.00
* Frozen Vegetables (1 large bag): ~$4.00
* All-purpose flour (if needed for pizza dough): ~$5.00
* Yeast (if needed for pizza dough): ~$2.00

Source: Highlighted prices sourced from eezly's real-time price tracking, as of June 2026. Other prices are market estimates.

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Where to Shop in Newfoundland and Labrador for the Best Prices

Securing the lowest grocery bill often means not limiting yourself to a single store. Prices for identical items can vary significantly between banners like Sobeys, Dominion, Foodland, and Walmart. By strategically planning your shopping trip based on weekly flyers and real-time price data, you can ensure you are paying the lowest possible price for every item on your list.

This week, the data shows a clear case for a split-shopping approach. While Dominion offers excellent prices on both medium and lean ground beef, as well as several pantry items, you would find better value on specific produce items elsewhere. For instance, heading to an Independent grocer for romaine lettuce and Costco for Kumato tomatoes will yield savings. Foodland is the place to go for shallots and specific spices. This highlights the importance of comparing prices before you shop. Platforms like eezly automate this process, scanning prices across all major local banners to pinpoint the best deals.

The table below breaks down the prices for the key ingredients in this week's feature recipes, illustrating where to find the best value as of June 2026.

Ingredient Price Comparison (June 2026)

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

This data makes a compelling argument against store loyalty when your primary goal is savings. Your weekly savings from a split shop could easily amount to $10-$20 or more, which adds up to a significant sum over the course of a year. Before your next grocery run, take a few minutes to check the prices for your big-ticket items across the different stores in your area, including Dominion, Sobeys, Foodland, Your Independent Grocer, No Frills, and Walmart.

Prep Tips and Time-Saving Strategies

A great meal plan not only saves you money but also saves you time. The key is to invest a small amount of time upfront to streamline your cooking process throughout the week. This practice, often called "meal prep," can transform chaotic weeknights into calm, enjoyable dinners.

Sunday Prep Session: Dedicate about an hour on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. You can wash and chop vegetables like onions, and lettuce, and store them in airtight containers. This makes assembling salads and starting stir-fries much faster. You can also pre-form the patties for both the Bunless Burgers and the Asian Burgers. Layer them between sheets of wax paper and store them in the refrigerator. This turns Tuesday's and Friday's dinner into a simple matter of cooking the patties, which takes less than 15 minutes.

Cook Once, Eat Twice (or More): This meal plan is built on the principle of using leftovers effectively. When you make the chicken thighs and rice on Wednesday, consider making a double batch of rice. The extra rice can be used for Thursday's stir-fry, saving you a cooking step. Leftover burger patties, crumbled up, can be a fantastic addition to the simple pasta sauce on Monday for a heartier meal, or even sprinkled over a salad for lunch.

Embrace Your Pantry and Freezer: The plan includes flexible meals like "Pantry Clean-out Soup" for a reason. These are opportunities to use up any leftover vegetables, small amounts of pasta or rice, and remaining protein. The freezer is your best friend for preserving value. If you buy a large pack of chicken thighs on sale, cook what you need for the week and freeze the rest in meal-sized portions. The same goes for bread; if you find a good deal but won't use two loaves in a week, freeze one. This minimizes waste and locks in low prices. For more ideas on using up ingredients, you can explore thousands of options on platforms like eezly's recipe finder.

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