7 Day Menu for Less Than $5 a Day - One Week Menu

Sep 27, 2026

A detailed seven-day omnivorous meal plan designed to keep daily food costs under $5 while targeting roughly 2469 calories per day. The plan emphasizes balanced meals, affordable staples, and cooking at home with guidance on meal prep, soaking beans, and making rice pilaf. It includes daily breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner line items, calorie totals, and a shopping list with portion amounts and price estimates based on January 2013 Safeway and Berkeley Bowl.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

One Week Menu

Day Menu Notes

Breakfast

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Calories

Shopping List

7􀖽Day Menu for Less Than $5 a Day ● The menu provides an average of 2469 calories per day. You may need a few hundred calories more or less, depending on your size, age, and activity level. You can go to www.choosemyplate.gov to estimate your calorie needs and get more nutrition information. ● The menu is omnivorous—it includes all kinds of foods—and is as balanced as possible. A vegetarian menu could be just as affordable and nutritious. ● Use condiments, like fresh or dried herbs, spices, or soy sauce or hot sauce, to add variety and give meals some kick! Condiments are not included in cost estimate. ● Note that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. Preparing food at home—yes, even cooking dry beans—will take a little time and effort, but is a lot cheaper than eating in restaurants. One Week Menu | | Day 1* | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5** | Day 6 | Day 7 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Breakfast | 2 cups cooked oatmeal with 2 tablespoons peanut butter | Smoothie: blend together one sliced, frozen banana + 1 cup yogurt +
1 cup calcium fortiﬁed juice | 1 fried egg + 1 cup cooked pinto beans on 2
tortillas | 1 cup cereal + 1 cup milk
1 cup calcium fortiﬁed juice | 2 cups cereal +
1 cup milk | 2 cups cooked oatmeal with cinnamon ( if available) and ½ chopped apple | 2 slices of toast with 2 tablespoons peanut butter ½ sliced apple
1 cup milk | | Lunch | 1 can of tuna mixed with 2 tablespoons mayo on 2 slices of
bread
1 apple | 6 ounces leftover chicken and 1 cup vegetable rice pilaf
1 carrot cut into sticks | 6 ounces leftover chicken,
chopped and mixed with 2 tablespoons mayo
on 2 slices bread 1 carrot cut into sticks | 1.5 cup cooked pinto beans with 2 cups cooked rice | 4 tablespoons peanut butter + 1 sliced banana on
2 slices bread
1 carrot cut into sticks | 1 can tuna mixed with 2 tablespoons mayo rolled in 2 tortillas
1 cup yogurt | 2 tortillas +
1 cup pinto beans
1 cup calcium fortiﬁed juice | | Snack | 1 banana +
1 cup milk | 1 cup cereal + 1 cup milk | 2 slices toast with 2 teaspoons butter | 1 tortilla + 2 tablespoons peanut butter | 1 cup yogurt + 1 chopped apple | 2 slices toast with 2
tablespoons peanut butter | PB-banana smoothie ( blend together one sliced, frozen banana +1 cup milk + 2
tablespoons peanut butter | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Dinner | 6 ounces baked chicken
2 cups vegetable rice pilaf ( make extra for lunch tomorrow. Start with 1.5 cups dry rice as shown in recipe below) | 1.5 cup cooked pinto beans and 2 cups cooked rice | Fried rice (sauté
2 cups leftover cooked rice and ½ cup mixed vegetables in 3 teaspoons oil, then add soy sauce and sprinkle of sesame oil ( if available) before serving
1 cup calcium fortiﬁed juice | 2 egg broccoli omelet made with 3 teaspoonsoil
and ½ cup chopped steamed broccoli
+1 cup cooked rice | 6 ounces baked chicken + 1 cup cooked rice + ½ cup steamed broccoli drizzled with 1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup calcium fortiﬁed juice | 1/2 cup cooked rice made with ½ chopped onion and 1 chopped carrot+ 2
teaspoons oil + 1 cup pinto beans
1 cup calcium fortiﬁed juice | 6 ounces baked chicken +1/2 cup cooked rice + ½ cup steamed chopped broccoli +
1 sweet potato | | Snack | 2 slices of toast +
2 teaspoons butter | Banana + 2 tablespoons peanut butter | 1 cup cereal + 1 cup milk | Sliced apple + 2 tablespoons peanut butter | 2 slices toast +
2 tablespoons peanut butter | 1 cup warm milk +
1 tortilla | 2 slices toast + 4 teaspoons butter | | Calories | 2394 | 2389 | 2424 | 2461 | 2294 | 2415 | 2530 | | | Average: 2469 calories per day | | | | | | | * Day 1 Peel, slice, and freeze 2 bananas to use in smoothies later. ● Rinse beans and cover in water to soak overnight in refrigerator. ● Make juice from concentrate. ● Cut 3 carrots into sticks, store in fridge. ● Consider storing bread in freezer to prevent st

FAQs

What calorie target does the 7-day menu aim to meet?

The menu averages about 2469 calories per day, with variations of a few hundred calories depending on body size, age, and activity level.

Are the meals in this plan prepared at home?

Yes. All meals and snacks are prepared at home, and the document notes that home cooking is cheaper than eating in restaurants.

How are the cost estimates in the shopping list determined?

The prices are based on advertised Safeway and Berkeley Bowl rates in January 2013, and the document notes that costs may be lower at other local markets.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Guten tag