Quebec Cheap Dinners: Vegetarian Patties $4.84 at Maxi
Key Facts
- Vegetarian Patties cost $67.70 total and $4.84 per serving at Maxi. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, May 2026)
- The recipe makes 14 servings, making it a batch-friendly Quebec dinner. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, May 2026)
- California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables costs $4.00 at Maxi. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, May 2026)
- Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count costs $8.59 at Metro. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, May 2026)
- Olive Oil is the highest-priced item in the basket at $19.99 at Metro. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, May 2026)
Introduction
Vegetarian Patties are the cheapest fully costed recipe in this Quebec price set at $4.84 per serving, with a total basket cost of $67.70 for 14 servings. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. If you are searching for cheap dinner recipes under $5 per serving in Quebec, this is the clearest complete recipe benchmark because every ingredient in the basket has a current store price attached.
For your May 2026 grocery planning, the lowest identified store for the overall Vegetarian Patties recipe is Maxi, while individual ingredients are priced across Maxi, Metro, and IGA. You should pay particular attention to the high-cost items: Olive Oil at $19.99 at Metro, Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count at $8.59 at Metro, and Butter at $6.79 at Maxi. These three items alone shape the economics of the meal, so your best savings opportunity is not only choosing a cheap recipe, but also knowing which components drive the basket total.
This guide focuses on budget meals Quebec households can actually cost before shopping. You will see one complete recipe from the supplied price set, plus two practical vegetarian dinner variations built from the same priced Quebec ingredients. The goal is to help you compare the cheapest recipes side by side without relying on vague estimates or unpriced pantry assumptions.
Recipe 1: Vegetarian Patties — $4.84 per serving
Vegetarian Patties cost $67.70 for 14 servings, or $4.84 per serving, with the overall recipe assigned to Maxi in Quebec. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. This is the strongest option if you want a batch-style dinner that can stretch across several meals while staying under the common $5-per-serving budget threshold.
The cost structure matters because this recipe includes both low-cost flavour builders and higher-cost staples. California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00 at Maxi and Mustard Seeds, Yellow at $1.50 at Maxi help keep the basket grounded. On the other hand, Olive Oil at $19.99 at Metro accounts for a substantial share of the total, so if you already have oil at home, your out-of-pocket trip cost may feel lower even though the fully priced basket remains $67.70.
You should think of this recipe as a Quebec vegetarian batch-cooking template. With 14 servings, it is useful for households that want dinner plus leftovers, packed lunches, or freezer portions. At $4.84 per serving, it fits squarely into the search category of cheap dinner recipes under $5, while still using recognizable grocery ingredients from major Quebec banners including Maxi, Metro, and IGA.
Ingredients with Prices
The full Vegetarian Patties basket totals exactly $67.70 when each listed ingredient price is added together. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. The itemized breakdown below is especially useful because it shows you which ingredients are inexpensive seasoning or vegetable components and which ones are higher-ticket basket drivers.
| Ingredient | Store | Price |
|---|---|---|
| California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables | Maxi | $4.00 |
| Shredded Parmesan Cheese | Metro | $5.47 |
| Shallots Onions | IGA | $4.39 |
| Celery | Metro | $4.99 |
| Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count | Metro | $8.59 |
| Basil, 100 g | Metro | $4.99 |
| President's Choice Thyme, 28 g | Maxi | $3.00 |
| Mustard Seeds, Yellow | Maxi | $1.50 |
| Butter | Maxi | $6.79 |
| Olive Oil | Metro | $19.99 |
| Heinz Mayonnaise Real, 340 ml | Metro | $3.99 |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of May 2026
The arithmetic is straightforward: $4.00 + $5.47 + $4.39 + $4.99 + $8.59 + $4.99 + $3.00 + $1.50 + $6.79 + $19.99 + $3.99 equals $67.70. Divided by 14 servings, your cost comes to $4.84 per serving after rounding. That makes this recipe the best-documented budget dinner option in the provided Quebec data.
Where to Buy Cheapest
Maxi is the cheapest identified store for the overall Vegetarian Patties recipe at $67.70 total and $4.84 per serving. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. For individual items, however, your ingredient list is split across three Quebec banners: Maxi, Metro, and IGA.
You should buy California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at Maxi for $4.00, President's Choice Thyme at Maxi for $3.00, Mustard Seeds, Yellow at Maxi for $1.50, and Butter at Maxi for $6.79. Metro is the listed source for Shredded Parmesan Cheese at $5.47, Celery at $4.99, Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count at $8.59, Basil at $4.99, Olive Oil at $19.99, and Heinz Mayonnaise Real 340 ml at $3.99. IGA is the listed source for Shallots Onions at $4.39.
If you are shopping only one store, the overall recipe is associated with Maxi. If you are willing to split your trip, the item-level data shows where each priced ingredient appears cheapest in this dataset. That distinction matters for budget meals in Quebec because a recipe can be cheap overall while still containing a few ingredients that are worth comparing before you buy.
Recipe 2: Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet — $2.30 per serving
A Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet built from six priced Quebec ingredients costs $32.24 for a 14-serving batch, or $2.30 per serving. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. This is the lowest per-serving recipe variation in this guide because it uses the same 14-serving batch framework but removes the highest-priced oil and mayonnaise components from the full Vegetarian Patties basket.
The priced basket for this variation uses California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00 at Maxi, Shredded Parmesan Cheese at $5.47 at Metro, Shallots Onions at $4.39 at IGA, Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count at $8.59 at Metro, President's Choice Thyme at $3.00 at Maxi, and Butter at $6.79 at Maxi. Added together, those six items total $32.24. When you divide that total by 14 servings, your cost is $2.30 per serving after rounding.
This is the recipe to consider when you want the cheapest recipes from the same Quebec ingredient list and you are comfortable with a simpler dinner format. You still get vegetables, eggs, cheese, aromatics, herb seasoning, and cooking fat, but you avoid the $19.99 Olive Oil line item that dominates the full Vegetarian Patties basket. For a household watching its weekly grocery cash flow, that difference is significant because it keeps your ingredient basket much smaller while preserving a complete vegetarian dinner profile.
Ingredients with Prices
This six-item skillet basket totals $32.24, with the largest single item being Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count at $8.59 at Metro. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. You should read this table as a recipe costing basket rather than a flyer sale table: every line reflects a current Quebec ingredient price from the supplied data.
| Ingredient | Store | Price |
|---|---|---|
| California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables | Maxi | $4.00 |
| Shredded Parmesan Cheese | Metro | $5.47 |
| Shallots Onions | IGA | $4.39 |
| Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count | Metro | $8.59 |
| President's Choice Thyme, 28 g | Maxi | $3.00 |
| Butter | Maxi | $6.79 |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of May 2026
The ingredient mix gives you a practical vegetarian dinner base. The eggs provide the centre of the meal, the mixed vegetables and shallots provide bulk and texture, the Parmesan adds savoury flavour, and thyme and butter carry the seasoning profile. Because the total is $32.24, this basket is a useful option when you want a low-cost dinner plan without building a long shopping list.
Where to Buy Cheapest
For this Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet, your lowest item-level sources are Maxi for the vegetables, thyme, and butter; Metro for the Parmesan and eggs; and IGA for the shallots. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. Maxi offers California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00, while Metro charges $8.59 for Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count — the largest item in this smaller basket.
Your most important decision is whether the store split is worth it. If you already plan to visit Metro for eggs and Parmesan, adding the $4.99 Basil from the full recipe would raise the basket, but it is not needed for this lower-cost variation. If you are trying to keep the recipe under $2.50 per serving, you should stay with the six priced items above and avoid adding the $19.99 Olive Oil unless you specifically need it for your kitchen.
This is also where AI-powered grocery price comparison can help you think in baskets instead of single items. A product that looks expensive on its own may still fit into an affordable recipe if the serving count is high. In this case, the $8.59 eggs are manageable because the overall basket is spread across 14 servings.
Recipe 3: Herb Vegetable Patties — $2.53 per serving
Herb Vegetable Patties made from five priced Quebec ingredients cost $35.47 for 14 servings, or $2.53 per serving. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. This variation is slightly more expensive than the egg skillet because it includes Olive Oil at $19.99 at Metro, but it still remains far below the $4.84 per-serving cost of the full Vegetarian Patties recipe.
The priced basket uses California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00 at Maxi, Celery at $4.99 at Metro, Basil at $4.99 at Metro, Mustard Seeds, Yellow at $1.50 at Maxi, and Olive Oil at $19.99 at Metro. The total is $35.47, and divided across 14 servings, your cost is $2.53 per serving after rounding. This recipe is useful if you want a lighter vegetable-forward dinner basket and already value the flexibility of having oil available for multiple meals.
The key cost lesson is that Olive Oil changes the budget profile. Metro offers Olive Oil at $19.99, while Maxi offers Mustard Seeds, Yellow at $1.50 — a difference of $18.49 between the highest and lowest priced items in this five-ingredient variation. You should therefore treat oil as a strategic purchase: it raises the current basket cost, but it may also support several dinners beyond this one recipe.
Ingredients with Prices
This Herb Vegetable Patties basket totals $35.47, with Metro supplying the celery, basil, and olive oil lines. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. The table shows why this recipe is still economical despite including the most expensive single item in the full data set.
| Ingredient | Store | Price |
|---|---|---|
| California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables | Maxi | $4.00 |
| Celery | Metro | $4.99 |
| Basil, 100 g | Metro | $4.99 |
| Mustard Seeds, Yellow | Maxi | $1.50 |
| Olive Oil | Metro | $19.99 |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of May 2026
You should use this recipe variation when you want the cheapest recipes that lean heavily on vegetables and herbs. The $4.00 mixed vegetables at Maxi and the $1.50 mustard seeds at Maxi keep the base cost low, while the $4.99 basil at Metro gives the basket a stronger fresh-herb profile. The oil is the only item that pushes the basket above $30.
Where to Buy Cheapest
For Herb Vegetable Patties, Maxi is the listed source for the $4.00 mixed vegetables and $1.50 mustard seeds, while Metro is the listed source for $4.99 celery, $4.99 basil, and $19.99 olive oil. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. If you are already going to Metro for oil, adding celery and basil there simplifies the trip.
Your best budget move is to decide whether the oil purchase belongs in this week’s dinner budget. If you need oil anyway, this recipe remains a reasonable $2.53 per serving when calculated over 14 servings. If you already have oil in your kitchen, your immediate checkout cost for the remaining four listed ingredients would be much lower, but the fully costed recipe basket remains $35.47 for consistent comparison.
This is also a good example of why your cheapest grocery store is not always determined by one item. Maxi has the lowest-priced individual item in this recipe, Mustard Seeds, Yellow at $1.50, while Metro carries the highest-priced item, Olive Oil at $19.99. Your best outcome comes from comparing the whole basket before you decide where to shop.
Basket Index: Quebec Ingredient Prices by Store
The Quebec recipe basket ranges from $1.50 for Mustard Seeds, Yellow at Maxi to $19.99 for Olive Oil at Metro. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. If you want budget meals in Quebec, you should look first at the ingredients that repeat across recipes, because those are the prices most likely to influence several dinners.
| Basket Item | Store | Price | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustard Seeds, Yellow | Maxi | $1.50 | Lowest-priced item in the full recipe data |
| President's Choice Thyme, 28 g | Maxi | $3.00 | Low-cost seasoning for batch recipes |
| Heinz Mayonnaise Real, 340 ml | Metro | $3.99 | Adds sauce cost to the full patties recipe |
| California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables | Maxi | $4.00 | Core vegetable base for all three recipes |
| Shallots Onions | IGA | $4.39 | Aromatic ingredient in two recipe baskets |
| Celery | Metro | $4.99 | Vegetable bulk for patties and herb variation |
| Shredded Parmesan Cheese | Metro | $5.47 | Adds dairy cost to the egg skillet and full recipe |
| Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count | Metro | $8.59 | Main protein-style ingredient in the skillet |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of May 2026
This basket index shows why Maxi is important for low-cost foundations. Maxi carries the $1.50 mustard seeds, $3.00 thyme, and $4.00 mixed vegetables in the supplied data. Metro, meanwhile, carries several higher-impact items, including eggs at $8.59 and Parmesan at $5.47. IGA appears for shallots at $4.39, which is a moderate-cost aromatic line rather than a major cost driver.
You should not judge the recipe only by the highest price. Olive Oil at $19.99 at Metro is the most expensive item in the full Vegetarian Patties basket, but it is not included in the basket index above because the table is designed to show 6 to 8 staple-style ingredients used across the meal planning comparison. When you include oil in a recipe, your total rises quickly; when you build around mixed vegetables, herbs, eggs, and cheese, your per-serving cost can remain low.
Top Priced Grocery Opportunities for These Recipes
The best current Quebec recipe opportunity is California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00 at Maxi because it appears in all three dinner baskets. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. The table below lists the strongest price points in the recipe set; regular-price and savings-percentage fields are shown as not stated because the supplied May 2026 data contains live current prices, not separate flyer regular prices.
| Product | Current Price | Regular Price | Savings % | Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustard Seeds, Yellow | $1.50 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Maxi |
| President's Choice Thyme, 28 g | $3.00 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Maxi |
| Heinz Mayonnaise Real, 340 ml | $3.99 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Metro |
| California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables | $4.00 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Maxi |
| Shallots Onions | $4.39 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | IGA |
| Celery | $4.99 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Metro |
| Basil, 100 g | $4.99 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Metro |
| Shredded Parmesan Cheese | $5.47 | Not stated in source data | Not stated | Metro |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of May 2026
You should use this table as a practical shopping priority list. If your goal is to build cheap dinner recipes under $5 per serving, the first items to protect are the $1.50 mustard seeds, $3.00 thyme, and $4.00 mixed vegetables. These lower-priced components allow you to add more expensive items, such as eggs or cheese, without pushing the whole recipe beyond a budget-friendly range.
The important comparison is not only product-to-product, but store-to-store within your meal plan. Maxi offers California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00, while Metro charges $4.99 for Celery — a difference of $0.99 on vegetable components in the same broader recipe set. Maxi offers Mustard Seeds, Yellow at $1.50, while Metro charges $5.47 for Shredded Parmesan Cheese — a difference of $3.97 between a seasoning component and a dairy component. These comparisons help you decide where your budget is being used.
Price Comparison Table: All Recipes Side by Side
The cheapest recipe variation is Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet at $2.30 per serving, while the full Vegetarian Patties recipe costs $4.84 per serving. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. If you want the lowest checkout basket from the priced ingredients, the six-item skillet is the strongest option; if you want the complete supplied recipe, choose Vegetarian Patties at Maxi.
| Recipe | Total Cost | Servings | Cost/Serving | Cheapest Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet | $32.24 | 14 | $2.30 | Mixed: Maxi, Metro, IGA |
| Herb Vegetable Patties | $35.47 | 14 | $2.53 | Mixed: Maxi and Metro |
| Vegetarian Patties | $67.70 | 14 | $4.84 | Maxi |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of May 2026
This table makes the trade-off clear. The full Vegetarian Patties recipe is the most comprehensive basket, with 11 priced ingredients and the official $67.70 total. The two variations cost less because they use fewer ingredients from the same Quebec price set. That does not make them identical substitutes, but it does give you a practical way to scale your dinner plan up or down.
If your priority is the lowest possible cost per serving, you should start with the Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet at $2.30. If your priority is a vegetable-heavy option with herbs and oil, the Herb Vegetable Patties at $2.53 per serving are still highly budget-friendly. If your priority is the complete 14-serving recipe with sauce, herbs, dairy, eggs, vegetables, and cooking fats included, the Vegetarian Patties at $4.84 per serving remain under $5.
How to Shop These Budget Meals in Quebec
Your best Quebec shopping strategy is to anchor the basket at Maxi for low-cost items, then use Metro and IGA for the specific ingredients listed there. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. Maxi carries several of the least expensive lines in this data set, including $1.50 Mustard Seeds, Yellow, $3.00 President's Choice Thyme, and $4.00 California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables.
Metro carries more of the full recipe list, including $5.47 Shredded Parmesan Cheese, $4.99 Celery, $8.59 Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count, $4.99 Basil, $19.99 Olive Oil, and $3.99 Heinz Mayonnaise Real 340 ml. IGA appears for Shallots Onions at $4.39. If you are building the complete Vegetarian Patties recipe, you should expect your basket to touch all three banners unless you choose to substitute stores for convenience.
Quebec has active grocery banners in this data set including Costco, IGA, Maxi, Metro, Metro Plus, Provigo, Super C, Walmart, Wholesale Club, and Valu-mart, with 835 stores represented for the province in the supplied count. For this recipe-specific analysis, however, the concrete ingredient prices come from Maxi, Metro, and IGA. That is why your most actionable plan is to compare those three banners first when recreating these cheapest recipes.
What This Means for Cheap Dinner Recipes Under $5
All three recipe options in this Quebec analysis come in under $5 per serving, with costs ranging from $2.30 to $4.84. [Source: eezly real-time price tracking]. That gives you flexibility: you can choose a smaller basket when price is the top priority, or the full Vegetarian Patties recipe when you want the most complete ingredient list.
The under-$5 threshold is useful because it converts a grocery receipt into a meal-planning number. A $67.70 basket may look expensive at checkout, but across 14 servings it becomes $4.84 per serving. A $32.24 basket looks modest at checkout and becomes even stronger at $2.30 per serving. When you compare recipes this way, you can decide whether to spend more for variety, texture, and condiments or keep the ingredient list lean.
You should also think about overlap. California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00 at Maxi appears in every recipe in this guide. That makes it a high-value planning ingredient because it supports multiple dinners. Eggs, cheese, butter, and herbs then become add-ons that change the flavour and nutrition profile while keeping your meal plan within a measurable budget.
FAQ
Q: What is the cheapest dinner recipe in Quebec in this May 2026 price set?
A: The cheapest recipe variation is Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet at $32.24 total for 14 servings, or $2.30 per serving. It uses California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00 at Maxi, Shredded Parmesan Cheese at $5.47 at Metro, Shallots Onions at $4.39 at IGA, Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count at $8.59 at Metro, President's Choice Thyme at $3.00 at Maxi, and Butter at $6.79 at Maxi.
Q: What is the cheapest fully supplied recipe in the Quebec data?
A: The cheapest fully supplied recipe is Vegetarian Patties at $67.70 total and $4.84 per serving for 14 servings. The recipe is associated with Maxi overall, with individual ingredient prices also listed at Metro and IGA. It is a strong option if you want cheap dinner recipes under $5 per serving using a complete priced ingredient list.
Q: What is the cheapest grocery store in Quebec for these recipes?
A: For these specific budget meals, Maxi is the most important low-cost store because it carries California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables at $4.00, President's Choice Thyme at $3.00, Mustard Seeds, Yellow at $1.50, and Butter at $6.79. Metro is still necessary for several listed ingredients, including eggs at $8.59 and olive oil at $19.99, while IGA is listed for shallots at $4.39.
Q: Are these cheap dinner recipes under $5 per serving?
A: Yes. Vegetarian Patties cost $4.84 per serving, Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet costs $2.30 per serving, and Herb Vegetable Patties cost $2.53 per serving. All three calculations use May 2026 Quebec grocery prices from eezly's real-time tracking and divide the total ingredient basket by 14 servings.
Q: Which ingredient has the biggest impact on the Vegetarian Patties budget?
A: Olive Oil has the biggest single-item impact at $19.99 at Metro. In comparison, Mustard Seeds, Yellow cost $1.50 at Maxi, President's Choice Thyme costs $3.00 at Maxi, and California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables cost $4.00 at Maxi. If you are trying to control the basket cost, oil is the first item you should review.
Q: How can AI help save on groceries in Quebec?
A: AI can help you compare a full recipe basket instead of checking one product at a time. eezly's AI-powered grocery price comparison uses real-time price tracking across 27 Canadian grocery banners and 2,700 stores nationally, so you can see that a 14-serving Vegetarian Patties basket costs $67.70, while a smaller Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet basket costs $32.24 using the same Quebec ingredient price set.
Q: Which Quebec stores appear in this recipe costing analysis?
A: The priced ingredients in this article come from Maxi, Metro, and IGA. Maxi is listed for items such as $4.00 California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables and $1.50 Mustard Seeds, Yellow. Metro is listed for items such as $8.59 Gold Egg Organic Brown Eggs Large 12 Count and $19.99 Olive Oil. IGA is listed for Shallots Onions at $4.39.
Comparison
| Recipe | Total Cost | Servings | Cost/Serving | Cheapest Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetarian Patties | $67.70 | 14 | $4.84 | Maxi |
| Parmesan Vegetable Egg Skillet | $32.24 | 14 | $2.30 | Mixed: Maxi, Metro, IGA |
| Herb Vegetable Patties | $35.47 | 14 | $2.53 | Mixed: Maxi and Metro |
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