Can two people eat on $50 a week?

For five dinners, yes: about $41 once the pantry basics are in. Every meal of the day for two on $50 is very tight and needs cheap breakfasts and packed leftovers.

What should be on a $50 grocery list?

Mostly things that show up in more than one meal. On this list 12 of the 21 items go into two or more dinners, which is why it stays low.

Why are some items marked as pantry staples?

Oil, rice, spices and sauces get bought once and last for weeks. They are $20 of this list. If you already have them, this week costs closer to $41.

Are these real store prices?

No. They are estimated from average US prices, not read from your store. A discount grocer will usually come in under them and a city-centre store over them. Use the total as a planning number, not a receipt.

Can I get a list like this for my own budget?

Yes. In the MealBudget app you set the amount, the people you feed and anything you will not eat, and it plans the dinners and one shopping list that adds up to it. The first week is free.

A $50 a week grocery list for two

Five dinners for two people fit in $50 a week. The plan below is about $6 a plate, and 12 of the 21 items go into two or more dinners. Starting from an empty cupboard the first shop is about $61, because oil, rice and spices get bought once. After that a week like this costs about $41, inside $50.

Meal planning on a budget How to build a grocery list from your budget

Full list

About $61

Pantry already stocked

About $41

Per serving

About $6

Household: two adults, 5 dinners. Children count as about 0.6 of an adult portion. Prices are estimated from average US prices and rounded to the dollar.

The 5 dinners

Day 1 · 15 min
Tuna and White Bean Salad
A no-cook dinner salad of canned tuna, cannellini beans, red onion, and lemon over greens.
Shares 7 ingredients with other dinners this week
Day 2 · 25 min
Baladi Salad with Toasted Pita
Chopped tomato, cucumber and onion with lemon and oil, and torn pita crisped in the oven for crunch.
Shares 6 ingredients with other dinners this week
Day 3 · 20 min
Garlic and Chili Oil Spaghetti
The pantry hero: sliced garlic bloomed in olive oil with chili flakes, tossed with spaghetti and parsley.
Shares 6 ingredients with other dinners this week
Day 4 · 10 min
Egyptian Hummus with Cumin and Lemon
Chickpeas blended smooth with tahini, sharpened with lemon and dusted with cumin. Ten minutes, and it disappears faster than that.
Shares 6 ingredients with other dinners this week
Day 5 · 30 min
Fresh Tomato and Basil Spaghetti
Spaghetti tossed with garlicky burst tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan.
Shares 7 ingredients with other dinners this week

The grocery list

21 items, sorted by aisle. Duplicates across the dinners are merged and every quantity is rounded up to the packages you actually put in the cart.

Produce

About $18

Cherry tomatoes2 × 10 oz clamshell · used in 2 dinners$5.96
Fresh basil0.75 oz clamshell$2.40
Spring mix salad greens5 oz clamshell$2.00
Roma tomatoes~1 lb (4-5 tomatoes)$1.98
Lemon3 × 1 lemon · used in 3 dinners$1.65
Red onion1 onion · used in 2 dinners$1.28
Fresh flat-leaf parsley1 bunch · used in 4 dinners$1.09
Cucumber1 cucumber$0.89
Garlic1 head (~10 cloves) · used in 3 dinners$0.79

Dairy

About $3

Grated Parmesan cheese8 oz container$3.12

Bakery

About $3

Pita bread6-count pack · used in 2 dinners$2.98

Pantry

About $37

Extra virgin olive oil16.9 fl oz bottle · used in 5 dinners$11.15
Tahinipantry staple16 oz jar$9.08
Ground black pepperpantry staple3 oz container · used in 2 dinners$4.28
Ground cuminpantry staple2 oz jar · used in 2 dinners$2.98
Canned chunk light tuna2 × 5 oz can$2.50
Crushed red pepper flakespantry staple1.5 oz jar · used in 2 dinners$2.48
Spaghetti16 oz box · used in 2 dinners$1.28
Saltpantry staple26 oz canister · used in 3 dinners$1.18
Canned chickpeas15 oz can$0.98
Canned cannellini beans15 oz can$0.97

Want this list for your store and your family? Set your own budget and the app plans the week to fit it.

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Questions people ask

Can two people eat on $50 a week?: For five dinners, yes: about $41 once the pantry basics are in. Every meal of the day for two on $50 is very tight and needs cheap breakfasts and packed leftovers.
What should be on a $50 grocery list?: Mostly things that show up in more than one meal. On this list 12 of the 21 items go into two or more dinners, which is why it stays low.
Why are some items marked as pantry staples?: Oil, rice, spices and sauces get bought once and last for weeks. They are $20 of this list. If you already have them, this week costs closer to $41.
Are these real store prices?: No. They are estimated from average US prices, not read from your store. A discount grocer will usually come in under them and a city-centre store over them. Use the total as a planning number, not a receipt.
Can I get a list like this for my own budget?: Yes. In the MealBudget app you set the amount, the people you feed and anything you will not eat, and it plans the dinners and one shopping list that adds up to it. The first week is free.

Planning the whole week, not just dinners? See how much to budget for food.

Try a free week

Tell MealBudget what you want to spend and who you are feeding. It picks dinners that share ingredients and hands you one list that adds up, before you get to the store.

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store

A $50 a week grocery list for two

The 5 dinners

Tuna and White Bean Salad

Baladi Salad with Toasted Pita

Garlic and Chili Oil Spaghetti

Egyptian Hummus with Cumin and Lemon

Fresh Tomato and Basil Spaghetti