NL Meal Plan: 6 Family Dinners from $2.64/Serving
Key Facts
- The most affordable family dinner in Newfoundland and Labrador this week is a Red Lentil Veggie Burger, costing just $2.64 per serving. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- A complete Noodleless Lasagna dinner for a family of six can be made for a total ingredient cost of $41.72, or $6.95 per person. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- The key ingredient for the week's cheapest meal, Lentils, are priced at $1.79 at Dominion. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- A hearty Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Soup that yields 10 servings costs $6.90 per serving, with chicken breasts priced at $15.00 at Blackmarsh Road stores. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- Bunless Burgers, including medium ground beef, cheese, and toppings, cost approximately $8.17 per serving to prepare at home. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- By sourcing ingredients from specific stores like Dominion, Independent, and Foodland, you can achieve the lowest possible cost for each meal. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
This article moves beyond simple flyer-watching and delves into a strategic approach to grocery shopping. By leveraging eezly's AI-powered price database, we pinpoint the lowest market price for every single ingredient required for these meals. This allows you to see the tangible savings you can achieve by planning your meals and your shopping trips. Whether you are looking for meatless options, quick weeknight dinners, or hearty comfort food, this guide provides a roadmap to feed your family well without overextending your budget.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Your Guide to Six Affordable Family Dinners in NL
Planning your weekly dinners is one of the most effective strategies for managing your household food budget. Below are six recipes analyzed by eezly, offering a variety of flavors and catering to different dietary preferences. Each entry details the cost per serving, total recipe cost, and a complete list of ingredients with their current best price and the store where you can find it. This itemized approach empowers you to build your shopping list with confidence, knowing you are securing the best value available.
1. Red Lentil Veggie Burgers (Vegetarian)
This recipe is the week's budget champion, coming in at an impressive $2.64 per serving. It’s a nutritious, plant-based meal that makes a large batch of 15 burgers, perfect for feeding a crowd, or for meal-prepping lunches and future dinners. The low cost is driven by the affordability of lentils, a protein-packed pantry staple.The total cost to acquire all ingredients for this 15-serving recipe is $39.63. By making a large batch, you can freeze the extra patties, providing you with an almost-instant, and extremely cheap, meal for a busy night later in the month. This is a prime example of how planning and batch-cooking can dramatically lower your average meal cost.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
* Lentils: $1.79 at Dominion
* Whole Water Chestnuts: $1.49 at Dominion
* Ginger: $1.33 at Dominion
* Yoats Yogurt Alternative Oat Vanilla: $5.69 at Dominion
* Green Beans: $6.00 at Blackmarsh Road
* Field Greens Salad Mix: $9.00 at Blackmarsh Road
* Sesame Seeds: $2.99 at Blackmarsh Road
* Garlic: $11.34 at Costco
* Total Recipe Cost: $39.63
2. Vegetarian Patties
Another excellent and versatile vegetarian option, these patties cost $4.56 per serving. This recipe yields 14 patties, making it another great choice for batch preparation. These patties are packed with vegetables and flavor from a blend of herbs and spices, offering a different taste profile from the lentil burgers. They can be served on buns, in a wrap, or alongside a fresh salad.The total ingredient cost for this recipe is $63.90. While the initial outlay is higher than the lentil burgers, the yield of 14 servings still presents significant value. The cost reflects a longer and more diverse ingredient list, including various vegetables, cheese, and spices, which contribute to a more complex and savory flavour.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
* Mustard Seeds, Yellow: $1.75 at Dominion
* California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables: $5.00 at Dominion
* Shredded Parmesan Cheese: $8.99 at Dominion
* Olive Oil: $11.00 at Dominion
* Shallots Onions: $7.69 at Foodland
* Baxter Butter 454 g: $7.99 at Foodland
* Heinz Mayonnaise Real 340 ml: $2.99 at Foodland
* Celery Sticks: $5.00 at Independent
* Freeze-Dried Basil: $6.99 at Blackmarsh Road
* Ground Thyme: $6.50 at Blackmarsh Road
* Total Recipe Cost: $63.90
3. Asian Burgers
For a flavorful twist on a classic, these Asian Burgers cost $6.30 per serving. This recipe makes five burgers and uses lean ground beef infused with garlic hoisin sauce and Chinese five-spice powder. It’s a quick and exciting meal that takes only 10 minutes to prep, making it ideal for a busy weeknight when you want something more interesting than a standard burger.The total cost for all ingredients is $31.49. This recipe demonstrates how you can create an internationally inspired dish at home for a fraction of the cost of takeout. The key is sourcing a few specific flavour-building ingredients, like the Garlic Hoisin Sauce ($3.50 at Dominion) and Chinese Five Spice ($2.49 at Foodland), which can then be used for other meals.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
* Lean Ground Beef: $10.32 at Dominion
* Garlic Hoisin Sauce: $3.50 at Dominion
* Crushed Red Pepper: $7.49 at Dominion
* Shallots Onions: $7.69 at Foodland
* Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice 36 g: $2.49 at Foodland
* Total Recipe Cost: $31.49
4. Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Soup
A perfect meal for a cooler summer evening, this hearty Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Soup costs $6.90 per serving. The recipe makes a substantial 10 servings, ensuring you have delicious leftovers for lunches or another dinner. It's a complete meal in a bowl, packed with chicken, rice, and a variety of vegetables like carrots, celery, and mushrooms.With a total ingredient cost of $69.04, this soup is an investment that pays off in convenience and nutrition throughout the week. The cost is influenced by the inclusion of fresh chicken breasts and a large quantity of Portabella mushrooms, but the large yield keeps the per-serving cost reasonable for such a substantial meal.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
* Chicken Breasts: $15.00 at Blackmarsh Road
* Lactose Free 10% Half & Half Cream: $4.96 at Blackmarsh Road
* Red Carrots: $1.32 at Dominion
* Chicken Stick Buffalo: $3.00 at Dominion
* Ground Red Cayenne Pepper: $6.50 at Dominion
* Seasoning Salt: $3.50 at Dominion
* Celery Sticks: $5.00 at Independent
* Portabella Mushrooms: $17.29 at Foodland
* Minute Rice Long Grain White Rice: $12.47 at Costco St. John's
* Total Recipe Cost: $69.04
5. Noodleless Lasagna
This modern, lower-carb take on a classic comfort food costs $6.95 per serving. By swapping traditional pasta for layers of thinly sliced zucchini, this Noodleless Lasagna offers a lighter yet equally satisfying meal. It serves six and is a fantastic way to incorporate more vegetables into your family's diet.The total cost to assemble this dish is $41.72. The primary ingredients are lean ground beef, a variety of cheeses, and fresh zucchini. Sourcing your Zucchini from Independent at $2.15 and your lean ground beef from a Blackmarsh Road store at $10.81 is key to keeping the cost of this delicious and healthy meal in check.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
* Lean Ground Beef: $10.81 at Blackmarsh Road
* Mozzarella Cheese: $6.49 at Blackmarsh Road
* 100% Parmesan Shredded Cheese: $6.00 at Blackmarsh Road
* Egg Whites: $10.78 at Blackmarsh Road
* Zucchini: $2.15 at Independent
* Marinara Pasta Sauce: $5.49 at Dominion
* Total Recipe Cost: $41.72
6. Bunless Burgers
A simple, classic, and satisfying meal, these Bunless Burgers cost $8.17 per serving. This recipe is perfect for a quick summer BBQ, focusing on a quality ground beef patty with cheese, served on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce instead of a bun. It’s a great low-carb, high-protein option for a family of four.The total ingredient cost comes to $32.67. This covers the ground beef, cheddar cheese, and fresh toppings like lettuce, tomato, and pickles. The price reflects the current market rate for medium ground beef ($9.91 at Dominion) and fresh produce, making it a straightforward and popular choice for a no-fuss weeknight dinner.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
* Medium Ground Beef: $9.91 at Dominion
* Medium Cheddar Cheese Slices: $5.79 at Dominion
* Dill Pickles: $4.99 at Dominion
* Romaine Lettuce: $3.99 at Independent
* Kumato Tomato: $7.99 at Costco
* Total Recipe Cost: $32.67
Where to Shop for the Best Prices in Newfoundland and Labrador
The data for this week's meal plan highlights a crucial principle of grocery savings: no single store is the cheapest for everything. To achieve the lowest possible cost for your groceries, a strategy of visiting multiple stores for specific items is the most effective approach. Our analysis of the ingredients for these six meals shows that the best prices are spread across banners like Dominion, Foodland, Independent, and Costco.
For example, to make the Red Lentil Veggie Burgers for the lowest possible price, your shopping trip would involve visiting Dominion for the lentils, water chestnuts, and ginger, while heading to a store in the Blackmarsh Road area for your greens and sesame seeds. This may seem like extra work, but the savings can be substantial. A shopping list built with AI-powered price intelligence from a tool like eezly can save you 30-40% compared to buying all your items at a single, more expensive banner.
Consider the staple items in our meal plan. A strategic shopper in NL would purchase their lentils at Dominion, their zucchini at Independent, and their bulk garlic at Costco. This "de-bundling" of your shopping list prevents you from overpaying for items that are not on sale at your usual one-stop-shop.
To illustrate this, the table below compares prices for a few key staples across different stores, based on the best available prices found in our recipe analysis.
Staple Ingredient Price Comparison (NL, June 2026)
| Ingredient | Best Price | Store | Also Found In |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lean Ground Beef | $10.32 | Dominion | Asian Burgers |
| Lentils (Dry) | $1.79 | Dominion | Red Lentil Veggie Burgers |
| Zucchini | $2.15 | Independent | Noodleless Lasagna |
| Celery Sticks | $5.00 | Independent | Chicken Soup, Veggie Patties |
| Shallots/Onions | $7.69 | Foodland | Asian Burgers, Veggie Patties |
| Shredded Cheese | $6.00 | Blackmarsh Road | Noodleless Lasagna |
| Chicken Breasts | $15.00 | Blackmarsh Road | Chicken, Rice & Veg. Soup |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026
This table demonstrates that savings are found item by item. Planning your shopping route around these key deals, perhaps by visiting one or two extra stores on your weekly errand run, can translate into significant budget relief over the course of a month.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Top Grocery Deals in NL This Week
To maximize your savings, it pays to know which specific items offer the best value at any given time. Based on eezly's analysis of over 196,000 products, here are some of the top deals on ingredients featured in this week's meal plan. Building your shopping list around these high-value items is a smart way to start your meal planning process.
| Product | Best Price | Store | Use in Recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils | $1.79 | Dominion | Red Lentil Veggie Burgers |
| Red Carrots | $1.32 | Dominion | Chicken, Rice & Veg. Soup |
| Whole Water Chestnuts | $1.49 | Dominion | Red Lentil Veggie Burgers |
| Zucchini | $2.15 | Independent | Noodleless Lasagna |
| Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice | $2.49 | Foodland | Asian Burgers |
| Heinz Mayonnaise Real 340 ml | $2.99 | Foodland | Vegetarian Patties |
| Romaine Lettuce | $3.99 | Independent | Bunless Burgers |
| Dill Pickles | $4.99 | Dominion | Bunless Burgers |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026
Prep Tips and Time-Saving Strategies
An affordable meal plan is only effective if it's practical for your lifestyle. Saving money on groceries shouldn't mean spending all your free time in the kitchen. Here are some strategies to make these budget-friendly meals work for a busy family.
Embrace Batch Cooking: Several recipes in this plan are perfect for cooking in large quantities. The Red Lentil Veggie Burgers (15 servings), Vegetarian Patties (14 servings), and Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Soup (10 servings) are prime candidates. Spend a bit of time on a Sunday afternoon preparing one of these large-batch recipes. You can freeze individual portions of the soup or uncooked burger patties for quick, homemade meals on nights when you don't have the time or energy to cook from scratch.
Component Preparation: Your time is valuable. Streamline your cooking process by doing "component prep." When you get home from the grocery store, wash and chop vegetables that will be used in multiple recipes. For instance, both the Chicken Soup and Vegetarian Patties call for celery. The Asian Burgers and Vegetarian Patties both use shallots. By prepping these ingredients at once and storing them in airtight containers, you can cut down on daily prep time significantly.
Leverage Your Leftovers: Plan for leftovers. The large-yield soup isn't just for dinner; it makes for a fantastic, filling lunch the next day, saving you money on expensive midday meals. The Noodleless Lasagna is also excellent when reheated. Bunless burger patties can be crumbled into a salad or a quick pasta sauce for a completely new meal. Thinking of leftovers as "planned-overs" is a key mindset for reducing food waste and stretching your budget.
Quick Prep Wins: Not every meal has to be a long-term project. Note the prep times provided in the data. The Asian Burgers require only 10 minutes of preparation before cooking. On your busiest evening, schedule this meal. Knowing you have a quick, delicious, and affordable option ready to go can prevent the temptation to opt for costly takeout.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Comparison
| Product | Best Price | Store | Use in Recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils | $1.79 | Dominion | Red Lentil Veggie Burgers |
| Red Carrots | $1.32 | Dominion | Chicken, Rice & Veg. Soup |
| Whole Water Chestnuts | $1.49 | Dominion | Red Lentil Veggie Burgers |
| Zucchini | $2.15 | Independent | Noodleless Lasagna |
| Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice | $2.49 | Foodland | Asian Burgers |
| Heinz Mayonnaise Real 340 ml | $2.99 | Foodland | Vegetarian Patties |
| Romaine Lettuce | $3.99 | Independent | Bunless Burgers |
| Dill Pickles | $4.99 | Dominion | Bunless Burgers |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest family meal I can make in Newfoundland this week?
According to eezly's real-time price tracking for June 2026, the most affordable meal in our guide is the Red Lentil Veggie Burgers. At a cost of just $2.64 per serving, it's a highly economical and nutritious option. The key budget ingredient is dry lentils, available for $1.79 at Dominion.
How can I find the lowest grocery prices in St. John's?
The most effective method is to use a comprehensive price comparison tool that tracks prices across all major banners. Platforms like eezly scan prices at stores across St. John's, including Dominion, Sobeys, Costco, No Frills, and Walmart, allowing you to compare the cost of your entire shopping list before you leave the house. This lets you see, for example, if it's cheaper to buy your produce at one store and your meat at another.
Is it cheaper to shop at one grocery store or multiple stores in NL?
Our data consistently shows that shopping at multiple stores leads to the most significant savings. No single grocery chain has the lowest price on every item. For instance, this week's data shows the best price for lentils is at Dominion ($1.79), while the best price for zucchini is at Independent ($2.15). A one-stop shopper would inevitably overpay for one of those items. Strategic shopping across two or three stores for the best deals can reduce your grocery bill by up to 30%.
How can AI help me save money on groceries?
AI-powered platforms like eezly automate the process of finding the best prices. Instead of you manually checking dozens of websites and digital flyers, an AI system processes millions of price points from over 2,700 stores across Canada every week. It can then generate an optimized shopping list that routes you to the cheapest store for each item on your list, or build a meal plan based on the items that are currently on sale, maximizing your savings with minimal effort.
What are the best budget-friendly proteins for families in NL?
This week's meal plan highlights several excellent budget-friendly proteins. Plant-based proteins are often the most economical; lentils are a standout at just $1.79 at Dominion for the base of a meal. For meat-eaters, lean ground beef can be an affordable option when purchased at the right store, with prices around $10.32 at Dominion for the Asian Burger recipe. Chicken breasts, while generally more expensive, can be cost-effective when part of a large-batch recipe like our Chicken Soup.
Where can I find the full recipes for this meal plan?
This guide provides the ingredient lists and real-time costs to help you plan your grocery budget. For detailed, step-by-step cooking instructions, you can use the recipe search function on a platform like the eezly app. Simply search for the recipe names, such as "Noodleless Lasagna" or "Red Lentil Veggie Burgers," to find preparation methods and cooking guides. You can explore more options at https://eezly.com/recipes.
Are grocery prices in Newfoundland and Labrador higher than in other parts of Canada?
Newfoundland and Labrador can experience higher food prices due to transportation costs and supply chain logistics. This makes budget strategies like meal planning and strategic shopping even more critical for residents. By using data to find the lowest prices available locally at banners like Dominion, Foodland, and No Frills, you can actively mitigate some of these regional price pressures on your household budget.
Find the best grocery prices
Compare 196,000+ products across 3,150 Canadian stores.
Compare prices now
