7 Meals, 1 Week, Under $40: My Aldi Protein Meal Prep
I’ve been experimenting with meal prep for a while now, and I’ve found that shopping at Aldi helps me save a lot of money without sacrificing flavor. This week, I managed to prep 7 protein-packed meals for under $40, which is a win in my book. As the weather starts to warm up, I’m looking forward to enjoying some of these meals outdoors, maybe even on a picnic for Easter.
Shopping List and Rough Costs
I started by making a list of the ingredients I needed for the week. I stuck to mostly protein sources like chicken, beans, and eggs, and paired them with some affordable veggies and whole grains. Here’s what I picked up at Aldi:
- 1 pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts ($8)
- 1 dozen eggs ($1.50)
- 1 can of black beans ($1)
- 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies ($1.50)
- 1 loaf of whole grain bread ($2)
- 1 block of cheddar cheese ($3)
- 1 bag of apples ($3)
Total cost came out to be around $20, leaving me with $20 to grab some extras like nuts, seeds, and spices.
Meal Prep and Cooking
I spent about 2 hours on Sunday afternoon cooking and prepping all my meals for the week. I started by roasting a few chicken breasts in the oven with some salt, pepper, and olive oil. While the chicken was cooking, I boiled some eggs and sautéed a mix of frozen veggies with some garlic and ginger. I also cooked a big batch of black beans with some onion and cumin.
Once everything was cooked, I portioned out 7 meals: 3 chicken and veggie bowls, 2 egg and bean burritos, and 2 cheese and apple sandwiches. I stored them all in individual containers and stuck them in the fridge for the week.
Tips and Variations
A few things I learned from this meal prep: first, it’s a lot easier to cook in bulk and portion out individual meals than I thought. Second, having a few staples like eggs, beans, and frozen veggies on hand makes it easy to whip up a meal in no time. And third, Aldi is a great resource for affordable, high-quality ingredients. If you’re looking to mix things up, you could try adding some different spices or sauces to your meals, or swapping out the chicken for another protein source like tofu or salmon.
I’m already looking forward to next week’s meal prep – maybe I’ll try some new recipes or ingredients. What do you use for protein in your meal prep?
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