MealBudgetA budget grocery list for a family of four
A family of four can eat seven dinners for about $96 a week, or $80 once the pantry basics are in. That is roughly $4 a serving, and 14 of the 32 items go into two or more dinners, so very little is left to go off in the fridge.
Meal planning on a budgetHow to build a grocery list from your budget
Full list
About $96
Pantry already stocked
About $80
Per serving
About $4
Household: two adults and two children, 7 dinners. Children count as about 0.6 of an adult portion. Prices are estimated from average US prices and rounded to the dollar.
The 7 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 6 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 4 ingredients with other dinners this week
- Day 4 · 35 min
Shakshuka
Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, eaten straight from the pan with bread.
Shares 8 ingredients with other dinners this week
- Day 5 · 35 min
Black Bean Burgers
Smoky mashed black bean patties, pan-fried crisp and served on buns.
Shares 7 ingredients with other dinners this week
- Day 6 · 35 min
Broiled Paprika Chicken with Charred Lemon
Bone-in thighs broiled until the skin crackles, with lemon halves charred right alongside.
Shares 7 ingredients with other dinners this week
- Day 7 · 47 min
Kielbasa, Potato, and Cabbage Sheet Pan
Smoked sausage roasted with potatoes and cabbage wedges until everything caramelizes.
Shares 6 ingredients with other dinners this week
The grocery list
32 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 $29- Yukon gold potatoes3 lb bag · used in 2 dinners$3.98
- Yellow onions3 lb bag (~5 onions) · used in 3 dinners$3.47
- Cherry tomatoes10 oz clamshell$2.98
- Lemon5 × 1 lemon · used in 3 dinners$2.75
- Red onion2 × 1 onion · used in 2 dinners$2.56
- Green cabbage1 head (~2.5 lb)$2.48
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley2 × 1 bunch · used in 4 dinners$2.18
- Spring mix salad greens5 oz clamshell$2.00
- Roma tomatoes~1 lb (4-5 tomatoes)$1.98
- Cucumber2 × 1 cucumber$1.78
- Garlic2 × 1 head (~10 cloves) · used in 4 dinners$1.58
- Red bell pepper1 pepper$1.48
Meat and seafood
About $10- Bone-in chicken thighs~2.5 lb pack$6.75
- Kielbasa / smoked sausage13 oz rope$3.06
Dairy
About $7- Crumbled feta cheese6 oz cup$5.00
- Large eggs1 dozen · used in 2 dinners$2.19
Bakery
About $5- Pita bread6-count pack · used in 2 dinners$2.98
- Hamburger buns8-count pack$2.28
Pantry
About $45- Extra virgin olive oil16.9 fl oz bottle · used in 7 dinners$11.15
- Ground black pepperpantry staple3 oz container · used in 2 dinners$4.28
- Canned chunk light tuna3 × 5 oz can$3.75
- Smoked paprikapantry staple2.1 oz jar · used in 2 dinners$3.48
- Canned crushed tomatoes28 oz can$2.99
- Ground cumin2 oz jar · used in 3 dinners$2.98
- Paprika2.1 oz jar · used in 3 dinners$2.68
- Dijon mustardpantry staple12 oz jar$2.68
- Crushed red pepper flakespantry staple1.5 oz jar$2.48
- Plain breadcrumbspantry staple15 oz canister$1.98
- Canned cannellini beans2 × 15 oz can$1.94
- Canned black beans2 × 15 oz can$1.72
- Spaghetti16 oz box$1.28
- Saltpantry staple26 oz canister · used in 5 dinners$1.18
Want this list for your store and your family? Set your own budget and the app plans the week to fit it.
Questions people ask
- How much should a family of four spend on groceries?
- It depends on where you live and what you eat. Dinners can be done for about $96 a week, as this plan shows. Our food budget guide covers the whole week.
- What are cheap dinners for a family of four?
- The seven on this page: Tuna and White Bean Salad, Baladi Salad with Toasted Pita, Garlic and Chili Oil Spaghetti, Shakshuka, Black Bean Burgers, Broiled Paprika Chicken with Charred Lemon, Kielbasa, Potato, and Cabbage Sheet Pan.
- Why are some items marked as pantry staples?
- Oil, rice, spices and sauces get bought once and last for weeks. They are $16 of this list. If you already have them, this week costs closer to $80.
- 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.
More budget grocery lists
- Budget meal plan for a family of four
- $100 grocery list for a family of four
- $40 a week grocery list for one person
- $50 a week grocery list for two
- $75 a week grocery list for a family of three
- $150 a week grocery list for a family of four
- $200 a week grocery list for a family of five
- Cheap meal plan for two, with a grocery list
- Cheap grocery list for one person
- Meal planning on a budget: a week of dinners