Quebec Meal Plan: Feed Your Family for $6.44/Serving

Key Facts

• Bunless Burgers can be made for as little as $6.44 per serving in Quebec this week. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• A budget-friendly vegetarian option, Lentil & Chickpea Burgers, costs just $3.35 per serving. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• The cheapest lean ground beef for this week's meal plan can be found at Maxi for $10.00. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• By choosing Maxi for key pantry staples, you can find Firm Tofu for $2.79 and Dill Pickles for $3.50. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• A family-sized Cheesy Rice and Veggie Bake costs an estimated $5.21 per serving. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• Metro is offering significant discounts on several chocolate bar brands this week, with some priced at $1.11, down from a regular price of $5.00. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
• Local corn on the cob, a perfect summer side, is available at IGA for $1.29. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)

This article leverages data from eezly, Canada's AI-powered grocery price intelligence platform, which tracks 196,000+ products across 2,700 stores and 27 banners, processing 40 million price points per week. All prices cited in this article are sourced from eezly's live pricing database. By using this data, you can create delicious, home-cooked meals without the financial stress, allowing you to enjoy the warm weather and festivities with your family.

Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.

Try eezly — Free

Your 5-Day Quebec Family Meal Plan

Planning your meals is the single most effective strategy for controlling your grocery spending. This five-day dinner plan is designed for a family of four, balancing cost, nutrition, and flavour, with all ingredient costs tracked by eezly. The total cost for these five dinners, serving four people each night, comes to an average of just $5.64 per person, per meal. This plan strategically uses a mix of meat-based and vegetarian recipes to keep costs and food waste down.

For breakfasts, we recommend budget-friendly staples like oatmeal, eggs, or toast. Lunches can be made from dinner leftovers, which is the most economical option, or simple sandwiches. The costs for these are not included in the dinner-focused budget below, but the necessary staples (eggs, bread, oats) are common, low-cost items you can add to your shopping list.

Monday: Vegetarian Tacos

Start the week with a flavourful and incredibly budget-friendly meal. These Vegetarian Tacos use firm tofu as a protein base, which is not only healthy but also significantly cheaper than most meats. The recipe has a quick prep time of only five minutes, making it perfect for a busy Monday. The total cost for four servings is $31.14, which breaks down to $7.79 per serving. The bulk of this cost comes from acquiring pantry staples like extra virgin olive oil and various spices. If you already have these on hand, your per-meal cost will be substantially lower. The key is the Firm Tofu, which you can find for just $2.79 at Maxi.

Tuesday: Cheesy Rice and Veggie Bake

Comfort food meets convenience with this Cheazy Rice and Veggie Bake. It's a one-dish meal that minimizes cleanup and maximizes flavour. This recipe is perfect for using up any vegetables you might have in your fridge. The core ingredients are rice, broccoli, and cheese, creating a satisfying meal that even picky eaters tend to enjoy. At a cost of $5.21 per serving, it's a great mid-week option. The Minute Rice is priced at $12.47 at Costco Anjou, a bulk purchase that will last for many meals, bringing the long-term cost down even further.

Wednesday: Lentil & Chickpea Burgers

Burgers don't have to mean beef. These Lentil & Chickpea Burgers are packed with protein, fibre, and flavour, costing only $3.35 per serving. This recipe makes a large batch of 20 patties, making it an excellent choice for meal prepping. You can cook what you need for Wednesday's dinner and freeze the rest for a quick meal on another day. This significantly reduces your cooking time later in the month. The most expensive single ingredient is a quality olive oil from Metro ($19.99), but like the rice, this is a foundational pantry item that will be used across dozens of meals.

Thursday: Kale Salad with Quinoa and Avocado

Towards the end of the week, a lighter, nutrient-dense meal can be a welcome change. This Kale Salad is substantial enough to be a full meal, thanks to the inclusion of quinoa and avocado. It's vibrant, healthy, and comes in at an impressive $3.28 per serving. The recipe makes 15 servings, so you can easily scale it down, or make the full batch and have healthy lunches ready for the next few days. You can find key ingredients like avocado for $1.49 and black pepper for $6.49 at Maxi, while Metro has the black kale for $4.99 this week.

Friday: Bunless Burgers

End the week with a classic summer celebration: burgers. To keep it on the healthier side, this recipe serves them bunless over a bed of lettuce with classic toppings. This is the most expensive meal of the week at $6.44 per serving, driven by the cost of lean ground beef ($10.00 at Maxi). However, it's still far more affordable than ordering takeout for the family. This is a perfect meal for a Friday evening, whether you're firing up the BBQ or cooking indoors. The recipe includes romaine lettuce, Kumato tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and pickles for a complete and satisfying burger experience.

Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026. Costs are based on creating the meal from scratch; your cost will be lower if you own pantry staples.

Your Complete Grocery List

To execute this meal plan, you'll need a specific set of ingredients. Below is the complete shopping list, broken down by category. We've also noted the store where eezly's AI-powered price database found the best price for many of these items. A smart shopping strategy involves "trip chaining"—visiting more than one store to secure the best prices on different categories of items. For this plan, a trip to Maxi for staples and produce, followed by a stop at Metro or IGA for specific items, will yield the most savings.

Produce

Protein & Dairy

Pantry

Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.

Try eezly — Free

Where to Shop in Quebec for the Best Prices

The key to unlocking significant savings is not just what you buy, but where you buy it. Based on the ingredients in this meal plan, a clear pattern emerges. Your lowest total grocery bill will likely come from shopping primarily at a discount banner like Maxi or Super C, supplemented by specific deals from traditional grocers like Metro and IGA.

Maxi consistently offers the lowest prices on many pantry staples and some produce. For this meal plan, Maxi is the clear winner for tofu ($2.79), pickles ($3.50), red lentils ($3.29), and various spices and oils. Their price on lean ground beef ($10.00) also makes it the go-to for your Friday burger night.

Metro and IGA, while having higher base prices on some items, often feature competitive sales and a wider selection of specialty or brand-name products. In our plan, Metro had the best price on Marble Cheddar Cheese ($1.79) and Black Kale ($4.99), while IGA was the place to get Shallots ($4.39) and Kumato Tomatoes ($6.49). You should always check the weekly flyer or use a price comparison tool like eezly's deal finder before you shop to see if a traditional grocer is offering a loss-leader deal that beats the discounters.

For bulk items, Costco is unmatched. The Cheesy Rice and Veggie Bake recipe uses Minute Rice, which is available at Costco Anjou for $12.47. While a larger upfront cost, the per-unit price is significantly lower, and it's an item that stores for a long time. If you have the storage space and a membership, buying staples like rice, oil, and even ground beef in bulk at Costco can drastically reduce your long-term grocery costs.

Staple Basket Price Comparison

To illustrate the price differences, let's compare a small basket of common items from this week's plan across three major Quebec banners.

Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026. Note: Prices are for specific product sizes and types in the recipe data and may not be exact one-to-one comparisons. The table illustrates where the best prices for these specific recipe items were found.

This comparison demonstrates that no single store is the cheapest for everything. The savvy shopper's strategy is to build a primary shopping list for a discount banner like Maxi and then make a secondary, smaller trip to Metro or IGA for specific sale items or specialty ingredients. For more detailed store comparisons, you can visit eezly's store pages.

Prep Tips and Time-Saving Strategies

A well-executed meal plan saves you not just money, but also precious time and mental energy during the week. The key is to invest a small amount of time on the weekend to prepare for the days ahead. This practice, often called "meal prep," is a game-changer.

Your Sunday Prep Session (60-90 minutes)

• Wash and Chop Vegetables: Go through your grocery list and wash, chop, or dice all the vegetables you'll need for the week. For this plan, that means chopping onions, celery, and carrots. Store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. This turns a 20-minute recipe prep into a 2-minute task on a busy weeknight.
• Cook Your Grains: Cook a large batch of quinoa for Thursday's Kale Salad. While it's cooking, you can also prepare the Minute Rice for Tuesday's bake. Once cooled, store them in the fridge.
• Prepare the Veggie Burgers: The Lentil & Chickpea Burger recipe is perfect for batch cooking. Prepare the entire mixture, form all 20 patties, and cook the ones you'll need for Wednesday. Place the remaining uncooked patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze them until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. You now have a healthy, homemade fast-food option ready to go.
• Mix Your Dressings and Spices: For the Kale Salad, you can mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil ahead of time. For the Vegetarian Tacos, you can pre-mix the chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small container.

Mid-Week Time Savers

* Embrace Leftovers: The most efficient way to handle lunch is to use leftovers from the previous night's dinner. The Kale Salad and Lentil Burgers are particularly well-suited for this.
* Clean As You Go: This simple habit prevents a large, daunting pile of dishes from accumulating. While something is simmering or baking, take a few minutes to wash the prep bowls and cutting boards.
* Read the Recipe First: Before you start cooking, read the entire recipe from start to finish. This helps you understand the workflow and prevents last-minute surprises, like realizing you were supposed to marinate something for an hour. For more recipe ideas that fit your budget, you can explore eezly's recipe collection.

This Week's Top Grocery Deals in Quebec

While planning your meals is the foundation of saving money, you can supplement your savings by looking for exceptional deals on other items. Here are some of the top discounts eezly has identified this week, perfect for adding a little treat to your cart without breaking the budget.

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

Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.

Try eezly — Free