NL Meal Plan: Feed Your Family for Under $25 a Day
Key Facts
- A family of four can follow this weekly meal plan for a total grocery cost of approximately $170, or about $24.29 per day. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- The Bunless Burgers dinner recipe in this plan costs $7.30 per serving using ingredients from Dominion and Independent. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- The Asian Burgers dinner recipe costs only $5.71 per serving with ingredients sourced from Foodland and Dominion. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- Key ingredients for this week's plan include Medium Ground Beef at $6.44 from Dominion. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- Shoppers can find bulk value on produce, such as Kumato Tomatoes for $7.99 at Costco in St. John's. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- To build the Asian Burgers, you can find Shallots for $7.69 at Foodland locations across the province. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
This guide provides a complete seven-day meal plan for a family of four, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We will break down the full grocery list, highlight where to find the best prices on key ingredients across the province, and offer practical tips to make meal prep faster and more efficient. The total estimated grocery cost for this entire week comes to approximately $170.18, which works out to just $6.08 per person, per day. This demonstrates that with careful planning, eating well on a budget is entirely achievable.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
This Week's Meal Plan for a Newfoundland & Labrador Family
A successful and budget-friendly week of meals begins with a solid plan. This structure is designed to minimize food waste by using overlapping ingredients and repurposing leftovers, while also providing variety and nutrition. The two feature recipes, Bunless Burgers and Asian Burgers, are built using real-time prices from local NL grocery stores to ensure cost accuracy. Other meal suggestions are based on common, low-cost pantry staples.
Here is a day-by-day breakdown of your meals for the week. The cost per serving for the featured burger recipes is based on direct price tracking, while other meal costs are estimates based on typical staple prices in the region.
Monday
* Breakfast: Oatmeal with frozen berries and a dash of cinnamon. A cost-effective and filling start to the week.
* Lunch: Leftover Sunday dinner (e.g., roast chicken and vegetables).
* Dinner: Bunless Burgers with a side of romaine lettuce salad. This low-carb, high-protein meal is satisfying and simple. The total cost per serving is just $7.30.
Tuesday
* Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with a slice of whole-wheat toast.
* Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches using leftover hard-boiled eggs.
* Dinner: Asian Burgers. This recipe offers a flavourful twist on a classic, costing only $5.71 per serving. Serve with a simple side of steamed rice.
Wednesday
* Breakfast: Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey.
* Lunch: Leftover Asian Burgers and rice.
* Dinner: Pasta with tomato sauce and lentils. A hearty, inexpensive, and protein-packed vegetarian meal.
Thursday
* Breakfast: Oatmeal with frozen berries.
* Lunch: Leftover pasta with tomato sauce.
* Dinner: Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies. Use sausage and seasonal vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and broccoli, all roasted on one pan for easy cleanup.
Friday
* Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and toast.
* Lunch: Tuna salad sandwiches.
* Dinner: Homemade Pizza Night. Use naan or pita bread as a base, top with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and any leftover vegetables from the week.
Saturday
* Breakfast: Pancakes made from scratch with maple syrup.
* Lunch: Leftover homemade pizza.
* Dinner: "Clean Out the Fridge" Frittata. A perfect way to use up any remaining vegetables, cheese, and meats from the week.
Sunday
* Breakfast: Pancakes or Greek yogurt.
* Lunch: Leftover frittata.
* Dinner: Simple Roast Chicken with roasted potatoes and carrots. This classic Sunday dinner provides leftovers for Monday's lunch.
Weekly Meal Cost Breakdown
This table summarizes the estimated cost per serving for each dinner throughout the week. By anchoring your week with a few highly affordable, data-verified meals, you can keep your overall budget in check.
| Day | Dinner Recipe | Estimated Cost Per Serving |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Bunless Burgers & Salad | $7.30 |
| Tuesday | Asian Burgers & Rice | $5.71 |
| Wednesday | Pasta with Lentil Tomato Sauce | ~$3.50 |
| Thursday | Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies | ~$4.75 |
| Friday | Homemade Naan Pizza | ~$4.00 |
| Saturday | "Clean Out the Fridge" Frittata | ~$3.25 |
| Sunday | Roast Chicken with Root Veggies | ~$5.50 |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking for featured recipes, as of July 2026. Other costs are estimates based on staple pricing.
Complete Grocery List with Prices
To execute this meal plan, here is a comprehensive shopping list. The prices for the featured ingredients are sourced directly from eezly's AI-powered grocery price intelligence platform, which tracks prices at banners like Dominion, Foodland, Your Independent Grocer, No Frills, and Costco across Newfoundland and Labrador. This ensures you know exactly what to pay for key items.
Proteins
* Medium Ground Beef (approx. 1 kg): $6.44 (at Dominion for the first 454g pack) * Lean Ground Beef (approx. 1 kg): $7.36 (at Dominion for the first 454g pack) * 1 dozen large eggs * 1 whole roasting chicken (approx. 1.5 kg) * 1 package of sausage (e.g., Italian or breakfast sausage) * 2 cans of tuna * 1 can of brown or green lentilsDairy & Deli
* Medium Cheddar Cheese Slices: $5.79 (at Dominion) * Greek yogurt (large tub) * Milk (2L) * Butter or margarine * Mozzarella cheese (shredded)Produce
* Romaine Lettuce: $3.99 (at Your Independent Grocer) * Kumato Tomatoes: $7.99 (at Costco) * Shallots: $7.69 (at Foodland) * Yellow onions (2-3) * Garlic (1 head) * Potatoes (5 lb bag) * Carrots (2 lb bag) * Bell peppers (assorted colours) * Broccoli (1 head) * Frozen berries (1 bag)Pantry & Spices
* Dill Pickles: $4.99 (at Dominion) * Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice 36 g: $2.49 (at Foodland) * Crushed Red Pepper: $7.49 (at Dominion) * Garlic Hoisin Sauce: $3.50 (at Dominion) * Rolled oats (large bag) * Whole wheat bread (1 loaf) * Pasta (1 box) * Canned tomato sauce (2 large cans) * Long-grain white rice (1 bag) * All-purpose flour * Pancake mix or ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) * Maple syrup * Honey * Olive oil * Vegetable oil * Salt, black pepper, cinnamonThis list forms the foundation for your week. By shopping strategically, you can acquire all these items for an estimated total of $170.18. You can further optimize this cost by checking flyers on an app like eezly's deal finder before you shop and substituting items you may already have in your pantry.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Where to Shop for the Best Prices in Newfoundland & Labrador
Knowing where to shop is as important as knowing what to buy. Prices for the same item can vary significantly between grocery banners. Based on eezly's real-time price tracking across 2,700 stores in Canada, including major banners in Newfoundland & Labrador like Sobeys, Dominion, Foodland, No Frills, and Costco, we can pinpoint where to get the best value for this week's meal plan.
Your strategy should involve visiting one or two stores to capture the best deals, rather than trying to visit every banner. For this specific meal plan, a combination of shopping at Dominion for key protein deals and Your Independent Grocer or Costco for produce could yield significant savings.
Top Deals for Your Meal Plan Basket
This table highlights the best current prices for the core ingredients in our featured recipes. Planning your shopping trip around these specific deals is a direct path to lowering your grocery bill.
| Ingredient | Best Price | Store | Regular Price Est. | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Ground Beef (454g) | $6.44 | Dominion | $8.99 | 28% |
| Lean Ground Beef (454g) | $7.36 | Dominion | $9.99 | 26% |
| Medium Cheddar Cheese Slices | $5.79 | Dominion | $7.49 | 23% |
| Romaine Lettuce (3-pack) | $3.99 | Your Independent Grocer | $5.99 | 33% |
| Kumato Tomatoes (907g) | $7.99 | Costco | $10.99 | 27% |
| Dill Pickles (1L) | $4.99 | Dominion | $6.29 | 21% |
| Shallots (3-pack) | $7.69 | Foodland | $8.99 | 14% |
| Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice | $2.49 | Foodland | $3.49 | 29% |
| Garlic Hoisin Sauce (398ml) | $3.50 | Dominion | $4.99 | 30% |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of July 2026. Regular prices are estimates based on category averages.
To maximize savings, consider the strengths of each store. Costco is often your best bet for bulk items like the Kumato tomatoes, paper products, and larger packs of meat if your family is larger or you have freezer space. Discount banners like No Frills and Walmart are excellent for pantry staples, canned goods, and everyday low prices on a wide range of products. Full-service grocers like Dominion, Sobeys, and Your Independent Grocer are where you will find weekly flyer specials, like the ground beef deal at Dominion, which can offer deep discounts on fresh meat and produce.
Prep Tips & Time Savers
A great meal plan can fall apart if you don't have the time to execute it. Meal prepping is the key to staying on track, even on your busiest days. Investing a couple of hours on Sunday can save you immense time and stress during the week.
Your Sunday Prep Session
Set aside two hours to get ahead. Here’s a checklist tailored to this week's plan:- Wash and Chop Vegetables: Wash your romaine lettuce, dry it thoroughly, and store it in a container with a paper towel to keep it crisp. Chop onions, bell peppers, and broccoli for the Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Make Burger Patties: Prepare the patties for both the Bunless Burgers and Asian Burgers. You can stack them between sheets of wax paper and keep them in the fridge, ready to be cooked on Monday and Tuesday night. This cuts dinner prep time down to less than 15 minutes.
- Cook Grains: Make a large batch of rice to serve with the Asian Burgers. You can use the extra for another lunch or side dish later in the week.
- Hard-Boil Eggs: Boil a half-dozen eggs for quick breakfasts and for Tuesday's egg salad sandwiches.
- Roast the Chicken: If your Sunday allows, make the roast chicken for dinner. The leftovers are then immediately ready for Monday's lunch, requiring zero effort.
Use Your Freezer
Your freezer is a powerful tool for saving both time and money.
* Freeze Extra Meat: The ground beef deals at Dominion are for 454g packs. Since the recipes call for about 1kg total, you'll buy two packs of each type. If you don't use it all, freeze the extra ground beef immediately.
* Batch Cook and Freeze: Double the pasta sauce recipe and freeze half for a future meal. This "cook once, eat twice" strategy is one of the most effective ways to save time.
* Save Vegetable Scraps: Keep a large freezer bag for vegetable scraps like carrot peels, onion ends, and celery tops. Once the bag is full, you can use it to make a flavourful, free vegetable broth.
By implementing these strategies, you transform your meal plan from a list of ideas into a practical, easy-to-follow system that works for your busy family life. You'll find yourself reaching for pre-made components instead of expensive takeout, securing both financial and time savings. You can explore more recipes and build your own custom plans using tools like the eezly meal planner.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Comparison
| Ingredient | Best Price | Store | Regular Price Est. | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Ground Beef (454g) | $6.44 | Dominion | $8.99 | 28% |
| Lean Ground Beef (454g) | $7.36 | Dominion | $9.99 | 26% |
| Medium Cheddar Cheese Slices | $5.79 | Dominion | $7.49 | 23% |
| Romaine Lettuce (3-pack) | $3.99 | Your Independent Grocer | $5.99 | 33% |
| Kumato Tomatoes (907g) | $7.99 | Costco | $10.99 | 27% |
| Dill Pickles (1L) | $4.99 | Dominion | $6.29 | 21% |
| Shallots (3-pack) | $7.69 | Foodland | $8.99 | 14% |
| Spice Barn Chinese Five Spice | $2.49 | Foodland | $3.49 | 29% |
| Garlic Hoisin Sauce (398ml) | $3.50 | Dominion | $4.99 | 30% |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of July 2026. Regular prices are estimates based on category averages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest grocery store in Newfoundland and Labrador?
There is no single "cheapest" store for every item. The best strategy is to shop at multiple banners based on their strengths. According to eezly's real-time price tracking, discount banners like No Frills and Walmart often have the lowest everyday prices for pantry staples and packaged goods. However, full-service stores like Dominion and Sobeys frequently offer deep discounts on fresh meat and produce in their weekly flyers, such as Medium Ground Beef for $6.44 at Dominion this week. For bulk purchases, Costco is often the most cost-effective option.
How can I create a family meal plan on a tight budget in NL?
Start by planning your meals around weekly flyer deals. Build your dinners around discounted proteins and produce. Incorporate low-cost staples like pasta, rice, lentils, and eggs. Plan for leftovers to cover lunches, which eliminates the need to buy separate lunch items. Finally, use a grocery price comparison tool like eezly to find the lowest prices for your shopping list items across different stores before you go.
How can AI help me save money on groceries?
AI-powered platforms like eezly automate the process of finding the best deals. Instead of manually checking multiple flyers, the AI scans prices for over 196,000 products across 2,700 Canadian stores, including those in Newfoundland and Labrador. It can then generate an optimized shopping list showing you where to buy each item for the lowest price. It can also create entire [meal plans](https://eezly.com/meal-plans) based on the cheapest available ingredients that week, saving you both time and money.
What are some cheap and healthy meal ideas for a family?
Some excellent budget-friendly and healthy meal ideas include lentil soup or chili, sheet pan dinners with sausage and seasonal vegetables, large frittatas using leftover veggies and cheese, bean and rice bowls, and whole-roasted chicken which can provide several meals. The key is to focus on whole foods and cook from scratch, which is almost always cheaper and healthier than buying pre-packaged or takeout meals.
Is it cheaper to buy groceries in bulk at Costco in St. John's?
It can be significantly cheaper, but only if you can use the products before they expire. For non-perishable pantry staples, paper goods, and freezer-friendly items like meat, buying in bulk at Costco can offer substantial savings. For fresh produce, it depends on your family's consumption. For example, the 907g pack of Kumato Tomatoes for $7.99 is a great deal if your family will eat them, but a poor value if half go to waste. Always consider the unit price and your ability to use the full quantity.
Where can I find the best grocery deals in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The best deals are typically found in weekly flyers from stores like Dominion, Sobeys, Foodland, and No Frills. You can access these flyers digitally or use a service that aggregates the deals for you. For this week's meal plan, eezly's data shows top deals like Romaine Lettuce for $3.99 at Your Independent Grocer and various burger ingredients at Dominion. Checking for these specific offers before you shop is the most effective way to save.
What are some tips for reducing food waste?
Plan your meals meticulously so you only buy what you need. Designate one night a week as a "clean out the fridge" meal, like a frittata, stir-fry, or soup, to use up leftover ingredients. Store produce correctly to extend its life—for example, keep herbs in a jar of water and wrap leafy greens in a paper towel. Finally, make friends with your freezer; freeze leftovers, extra bread, and produce that's about to turn.
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