Saskatchewan Meal Plan: Eat for $2.62/Serving With This Budget Menu
Key Facts
- The most affordable meal in this week's plan is Chicken with Rice, costing just $2.62 per serving. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- This seven-day dinner plan for a family of four costs approximately $180.16 for the main ingredients, averaging $4.19 per serving across all meals. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- You can find key ingredients at low prices, such as Lean Ground Beef for $10.00 at Your Independent Grocer and Compliments Taco Seasoning for $1.00 at Freshco. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- The Burrito Bake recipe provides eight servings for a total cost of $31.82, making it a highly economical family meal at just $3.98 per serving. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- Strategic shopping for this meal plan across Saskatchewan banners like Freshco, Your Independent Grocer, and Extrafoods can yield significant savings. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
- The Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe makes a large batch of 10 servings, perfect for providing planned leftovers for lunches during the week. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, June 2026)
This meal plan is designed specifically for a family of four, focusing on recipes that are both cost-effective and generous in portion size to allow for valuable leftovers. The total cost for the seven main dinner recipes is $180.16, which breaks down to an average of just $6.43 per person, per day for a hearty evening meal. By planning your purchases and knowing which stores offer the best prices on key ingredients, you can take control of your spending without sacrificing flavour or variety.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
This Week's Saskatchewan Meal Plan: A Daily Breakdown
A successful budget meal plan relies on variety, smart use of ingredients, and leveraging leftovers to reduce food waste and cooking time. This seven-day plan for Saskatchewan families is built around recipes with low per-serving costs, sourced from eezly's AI-powered grocery price intelligence platform. The total cost for these seven dinners is $180.16, providing more than enough food for a family of four, with many recipes yielding extra portions for the next day's lunch.
For breakfasts and snacks, we recommend stocking up on staples like oatmeal, eggs, seasonal fruit, and yogurt. While not included in the dinner-focused cost calculation below, budgeting an additional $40-$50 for these items will provide a more complete picture of your weekly grocery expenses.
Monday: Lentil Stew
Start your week with a nutritious and incredibly budget-friendly Lentil Stew. This vegetarian meal is hearty, filling, and costs only $4.03 per serving. The recipe makes five servings, so a family of four will have an extra portion perfect for a packed lunch. The primary cost comes from the shiitake mushrooms ($16.49 at Your Independent Grocer), which add a deep, savoury flavour. To reduce the cost further, you could substitute these with more common cremini or white mushrooms. The base of the stew, lentils, is exceptionally cheap at just $1.50 from Your Independent Grocer.Tuesday: Chicken with Rice
Tuesday features the most affordable meal of the week: a simple and satisfying Chicken with Rice for only $2.62 per serving. This recipe demonstrates that you don't need complex or expensive ingredients to create a wholesome dinner. The cost is kept low by using affordable pantry staples like rice ($4.00 at Your Independent Grocer) and chicken broth ($1.49 at Extrafoods), combined with a bag of California mixed vegetables ($5.00 at Your Independent Grocer). This one-pan meal is also a time-saver, making it ideal for a busy weeknight.Wednesday: Veggie Stir Fry
Mid-week calls for a colourful and quick Veggie Stir Fry, coming in at $5.37 per serving. This vegetarian dish is packed with nutrients from broccoli, mixed bell peppers, and protein-rich tofu. The best price for soft tofu is $2.29 at Your Independent Grocer, while a large pack of mixed bell peppers is most economical at Costco for $9.69. If you don't have a Costco membership, you can often find individual peppers on sale at banners like Freshco or Superstore. Served over rice, this meal is a healthy way to recharge for the rest of the week.Thursday: Burrito Bake
As you head towards the weekend, the Burrito Bake is a guaranteed family favourite. At $3.98 per serving, it's an economical choice that feels like a treat. This recipe makes a generous eight servings, ensuring plenty of leftovers for lunch on Friday. Key ingredients include lean ground beef ($10.00 at Your Independent Grocer), refried beans, and tortillas. You can find Compliments Taco Seasoning for just $1.00 at Freshco, a much cheaper alternative to branded spice mixes. Topped with melted mozzarella cheese, this casserole is pure comfort food.Friday: Meaty Turkey Burger
Kick off the weekend with Meaty Turkey Burgers. At $5.04 per serving, these offer a leaner alternative to traditional beef burgers without sacrificing flavour. The recipe uses lean ground turkey, which eezly's database prices at $10.00 from Your Independent Grocer. An onion soup mix packet adds a savoury flavour base for just $2.19 from Extrafoods at 910 Broadway Ave in Saskatoon. Serve on buns with your family's favourite toppings.Saturday: Cheeseburger Macaroni
Saturday night is perfect for a crowd-pleasing, one-pot Cheeseburger Macaroni. This recipe costs $5.00 per serving and makes a massive batch of ten servings. It's an excellent choice if you're feeding extra guests or want to meal prep for the week ahead. The combination of lean ground beef, macaroni, and cheesy tomato sauce is classic comfort. The lowest price for lean ground beef for this recipe was found at Cindy's Your Independent Grocer for $11.19. Using canned stewed tomatoes ($2.00 at FreshCo 33rd St & Avenue) is a cost-effective way to build the sauce base.Sunday: Turkey and Pork Burger Patties
End your week with a summer BBQ classic: Turkey and Pork Burger Patties. These flavourful burgers cost $3.25 per serving and are perfect for grilling. By combining lean ground pork ($5.49 at Your Independent Grocer) with extra-lean ground turkey ($7.00 at Freshco), you get a juicy burger that's lighter on the budget than an all-beef version. The recipe makes eight patties, providing another opportunity for planned leftovers.Meal Plan Cost Summary
| Day | Dinner Meal | Total Recipe Cost | Servings | Cost Per Serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lentil Stew | $20.17 | 5 | $4.03 |
| Tuesday | Chicken with Rice | $10.49 | 4 | $2.62 |
| Wednesday | Veggie Stir Fry | $21.47 | 4 | $5.37 |
| Thursday | Burrito Bake | $31.82 | 8 | $3.98 |
| Friday | Meaty Turkey Burger | $20.18 | 4 | $5.04 |
| Saturday | Cheeseburger Macaroni | $50.05 | 10 | $5.00 |
| Sunday | Turkey and Pork Burger Patties | $25.98 | 8 | $3.25 |
| Total | $180.16 | 43 | $4.19 (Avg.) |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026. Costs are for specified ingredients only.
Complete Grocery List with Prices
To execute this meal plan, you'll need a comprehensive grocery list. The table below aggregates every priced ingredient from the seven dinner recipes, along with the specific Saskatchewan store where eezly identified the lowest price. Taking this list with you can help you shop strategically, a practice known as "flyer hopping" or "price matching," to ensure you get the best deal on every item. Note that some items, like spices, are used across multiple recipes.
| Category | Ingredient | Best Price | Store |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat & Protein | Lean Ground Beef (for Burrito Bake) | $10.00 | Your Independent Grocer |
| Lean Ground Beef (for Macaroni) | $11.19 | Cindy's Your Independent Grocer | |
| Lean Ground Turkey | $10.00 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Compliments Ground Turkey Extra Lean 450 g | $7.00 | Freshco | |
| Lean Ground Pork | $5.49 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Tofu, Soft | $2.29 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Produce | Lentils | $1.50 | Your Independent Grocer |
| Texas Sweet Onions | $2.18 | Freshco | |
| Shiitake Mushrooms | $16.49 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Broccoli | $2.99 | Extrafoods | |
| Mixed Bell Peppers | $9.69 | Costco | |
| Shallots Onions | $11.00 | Freshco | |
| Whole Sweet Red Peppers | $4.29 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Garlic | $5.99 | Freshco | |
| Pantry & Dairy | Pizza Mozzarella Shredded Cheese | $7.49 | Your Independent Grocer |
| Refried Black Beans | $3.85 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Water Coconuts | $5.99 | Freshco | |
| Whole Grain Whole Wheat Medium Tortillas | $3.49 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Medium Cheddar Cheese Slices | $5.79 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Compliments Canned Stewed Tomatoes 796 ml | $2.00 | FreshCo 33rd St & Avenue | |
| Tomato Ketchup | $2.99 | Extrafoods | |
| Blue Menu Whole Grain Macaroni | $2.79 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Soy Sauce | $2.50 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Fully Cooked Rice White Rice | $4.00 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| California Vegetable Blend Mixed Vegetables | $5.00 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Chicken Broth | $1.49 | Extrafoods | |
| Gourmet Barbecue Sauce | $3.99 | Extrafoods | |
| Spices & Seasoning | Compliments Seasoning Mix Taco Less Salt 35 g | $1.00 | Freshco |
| Ground Red Cayenne Pepper | $6.50 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Seasoning Salt | $3.50 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Soup Mix Onion | $2.19 | extrafoods 910 Broadway Ave Saskatoon | |
| Ground Black Pepper | $4.00 | Your Independent Grocer | |
| Onion Powder | $3.50 | Your Independent Grocer |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of June 2026. Prices reflect the lowest available cost for the specified item at the time of tracking.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Where to Shop in Saskatchewan for the Best Prices
Based on the data for this specific meal plan, a multi-store shopping trip will yield the most significant savings for your family. No single banner is the cheapest for every item. By using a tool like the eezly app to compare prices before you shop, you can build a strategic route.
Your Independent Grocer: Your Protein and Pantry Hub
For this week's plan, Your Independent Grocer emerges as a strong contender, offering the best prices on several key proteins and pantry staples. You'll find Lean Ground Beef ($10.00), Lean Ground Turkey ($10.00), and Lean Ground Pork ($5.49) at competitive prices. It's also the go-to for pantry items like lentils ($1.50), soft tofu ($2.29), and tortillas ($3.49). While some specialty produce like shiitake mushrooms can be pricey, the store provides solid value across core categories.Freshco & Extrafoods: The Discount Duo
Discount banners like Freshco and Extrafoods are essential for lowering your overall bill. Freshco offers excellent deals on produce like Texas Sweet Onions ($2.18) and garlic ($5.99), as well as the cheapest taco seasoning ($1.00). Extrafoods, including the location at 910 Broadway Ave in Saskatoon, is the price leader for essentials like chicken broth ($1.49) and barbecue sauce ($3.99). You should always check the flyers and in-app prices for these stores before a big shop, as their weekly deals can be substantial.Superstore and Costco: For Bulk and Produce
While not heavily featured in the best prices for this specific list, Real Canadian Superstore and Costco are crucial players in the Saskatchewan grocery landscape. Costco offered the best unit price on mixed bell peppers ($9.69 for a large pack). If your family consumes large quantities of certain items, the bulk savings at these stores can be significant over time. Superstore, with its large footprint, often has competitive pricing on produce and its own No Name and PC brand products, which are worth comparing against other store brands.By splitting your shopping list between 2-3 of these stores, you can optimize your spending. For example, you might visit Your Independent Grocer for your meat, Freshco for produce and seasonings, and Extrafoods for sauces and broths. This requires more planning but directly translates to more money in your pocket at the end of the month.
Prep Tips and Time-Saving Strategies
A great meal plan saves you not only money but also precious time. The key is front-loading the effort. Dedicate an hour or two on Sunday to "pre-prepping" ingredients for the week ahead.
Batch Prep Your Vegetables
Many recipes this week use onions and peppers. Instead of chopping an onion every night, chop all the onions you need for the Lentil Stew, Cheeseburger Macaroni, and burgers at once. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can do the same with the bell peppers for the Veggie Stir Fry. This "mise en place" approach turns a 25-minute recipe into a 15-minute one on a busy weeknight.Leverage Your Leftovers
This meal plan is intentionally designed to produce leftovers. Don't let them go to waste. * Burrito Bake: The eight servings mean a family of four will have four extra portions. Pack these for lunch on Friday. It's a complete meal that reheats beautifully. * Cheeseburger Macaroni: With ten servings, you'll have significant leftovers. This is perfect for lunches for two or three days. It's a meal kids are often happy to eat more than once. * Burger Patties: The Turkey and Pork Burger recipe makes eight patties. You can cook all of them on Sunday and have cooked patties ready for quick lunches or another fast dinner later in the week. A cooked patty can be crumbled over a salad or put in a wrap.Cook Grains in Advance
Both the Chicken with Rice and Veggie Stir Fry call for rice. Cook a large batch at the beginning of the week. Store it in the fridge, and you can quickly portion it out and reheat it for your meals. This saves you 20 minutes of cooking time each night you need it. You can apply the same logic to the macaroni for the Cheeseburger Macaroni dish.By thinking of your week's meals as a single project rather than seven individual ones, you can create efficiencies that make home cooking feel less like a chore and more like a smart, manageable system for feeding your family well. For more ideas on how to build efficient meal plans, explore the tools available at eezly.com/meal-plans.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Comparison
| Day | Dinner Meal | Total Recipe Cost | Servings | Cost Per Serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lentil Stew | $20.17 | 5 | $4.03 |
| Tuesday | Chicken with Rice | $10.49 | 4 | $2.62 |
| Wednesday | Veggie Stir Fry | $21.47 | 4 | $5.37 |
| Thursday | Burrito Bake | $31.82 | 8 | $3.98 |
| Friday | Meaty Turkey Burger | $20.18 | 4 | $5.04 |
| Saturday | Cheeseburger Macaroni | $50.05 | 10 | $5.00 |
| Sunday | Turkey and Pork Burger Patties | $25.98 | 8 | $3.25 |
| Total | $180.16 | 43 | $4.19 (Avg.) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest grocery store in Saskatchewan?
There is no single "cheapest" grocery store in Saskatchewan for every item. According to eezly's real-time price tracking in June 2026, discount banners like No Frills, Freshco, and Extrafoods consistently offer low prices on pantry staples and some produce. However, conventional stores like Your Independent Grocer or Real Canadian Superstore may have better prices on meat or specific weekly sale items. For this meal plan, the lowest prices were found by shopping across Your Independent Grocer, Freshco, and Extrafoods. The best strategy is to compare prices for your specific list using a tool like eezly before you shop.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries per week in Saskatchewan?
A reasonable grocery budget can vary widely based on diet and shopping habits. This specific 7-day dinner plan for a family of four costs $180.16 for the main ingredients. If you add an estimated $50-$70 for breakfasts, lunches (outside of planned leftovers), and snacks, a weekly budget of approximately $230-$250 would be a realistic target for a family of four eating at home. Your own costs may be higher or lower depending on the brands you choose and how closely you follow sales.
How can AI help me save money on groceries?
AI-powered platforms like eezly automate the process of comparing grocery prices, which used to require manually checking multiple flyers. The system tracks over 196,000 products across 2,700 Canadian stores, including Saskatchewan banners like Sobeys, Safeway, and Walmart. It can instantly identify which store has the lowest price for each item on your list, build an optimized shopping cart, and even generate cost-effective [meal plans and recipes](https://eezly.com/recipes) based on current sale items, saving you both time and money.
What is the most expensive part of this meal plan?
Based on the ingredient prices from June 2026, the most expensive single item in this meal plan is the Shiitake Mushrooms for the Lentil Stew, priced at $16.49 at Your Independent Grocer. While they add significant flavour, you could substitute them with a more affordable mushroom variety to lower the recipe's cost. Generally, meat and fresh produce tend to be the highest-cost categories in any grocery bill.
Is it cheaper to cook at home or eat out?
It is overwhelmingly cheaper to cook at home. The average cost per serving for the dinners in this meal plan is $4.19. The most "expensive" meal, the Veggie Stir Fry, is $5.37 per serving. In contrast, a single meal from a fast-food restaurant or fast-casual establishment would likely cost between $12 and $20 per person. By cooking at home, a family of four can save over $50 on a single dinner compared to eating out.
Are the prices in this article guaranteed?
The prices cited in this article are based on eezly's real-time price tracking database as of June 2026. Grocery prices are dynamic and can change daily due to sales, promotions, and supply chain factors. While these prices were accurate at the time of writing, you should always verify the current price in-store or by using a real-time price comparison tool before making a purchase.
Can I substitute ingredients in these recipes to save more money?
Absolutely. Substitution is a great way to lower costs. For example, if chicken breast is on sale for cheaper than ground turkey, you could easily adapt the burger recipes. You can swap out more expensive vegetables like bell peppers for seasonal, lower-cost options like cabbage or carrots in the stir fry. The key is to maintain the core components of the recipe while being flexible with the details based on what's on sale.
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