Meal Plans Under $400: What To Eat And Buy

There are many ways to feed a family of 6 or 7 nutritious meals for under $400 a month. This can be achieved by meal planning, buying local, and reducing food waste.

Meal planning: determine how many meals you need and buy accordingly

Meal planning is simple. First, determine how many meals you need. If you’re just buying for the week, figure out how many meals you'll need, excluding times when you’re eating elsewhere, like work and school.

It's a good idea to plan your meals, so you won’t have all of the excess wasted food. The NRDC shows that Americans waste an average of $1,820 per year on unused food. When we waste food, we’re wasting money.

Some go-to meal options include tuna salad (homemade, with canned tuna, mayo, mustard, pickles and onions) with cucumber slices, frozen pizza (whatever one is the cheapest) and salad, and Mexican haddock (four fillets for less than $5, then add salsa, cheese and crushed up corn chips and bake it) with fries.

If you can reduce your budget to $400/month, you’re doing great. $100 per person, per month is great too. The point is, be mindful of what you spend — track it, and reduce it.

Track your spending: reduce your budget and be mindful of what you spend

To keep your spending down to $400 a month, it's important to track your spending, reduce your budget and be mindful of what you spend.

Meal planning is a great way to keep costs down. First, work out how many meals you need to buy for. If you're just buying for the week, figure out how many meals your family will need, excluding times when you're eating elsewhere, like work and school. Then, plan your meals so you don't have excess wasted food. The NRDC estimates that Americans waste an average of $1,820 per year on unused food.

You can also reduce costs by buying frozen food, which has similar nutritional values to fresh food, and buying local, organic produce that's grown without an abundance of chemicals.

Some meal ideas include tuna salad (homemade, with canned tuna, mayo, mustard, pickles and onions) with cucumber slices, frozen pizza, Mexican haddock (four fillets for less than $5, then add salsa, cheese and crushed up corn chips and bake it) with fries, and Dinner for a Dollar: $1 Per Person Per Meal by Shelly Longenecker.

Reduce waste: plan meals to avoid excess food waste

Planning meals is a great way to reduce waste and save money. By taking five minutes to write a list of meals for the week, you can avoid buying excess food that may go to waste. This is especially helpful if you're feeding a large family on a budget.

To start, determine how many meals you'll need for the week, excluding meals eaten at work or school. Then, plan your meals accordingly, making sure to use up all the food you buy with minimal waste. For example, if you have overripe bananas, you can make banana bread instead of throwing them out.

It's also a good idea to track your spending and reduce it where possible. This might involve choosing cheaper options, such as frozen pizza or canned tuna, or buying local, organic produce that's grown without chemicals. By being mindful of your spending and waste, you can feed your family nutritious meals for under $400 per month.

Buy local: buy local, organic produce grown without an abundance of chemicals

To keep your diet plan under $400 per month, you should plan your meals and buy local, organic produce. This will help you avoid wasting food and money. When you buy local, you're buying from farmers in your area, cutting back on fuel emissions. Organic food is grown without using additives like artificial chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified organisms. It's better for your health, with fewer chemical pesticides and other benefits like potentially reducing your risk of cancer. It's also better for the environment, reducing chemical runoff into the soil and water sources and encouraging biodiversity.

• Tuna salad (homemade, with canned tuna, mayo, mustard, pickles and onions) with cucumber slices
• Frozen pizza (whatever one is the cheapest) and salad
• Mexican haddock (four fillets for less than $5) with salsa, cheese and crushed up corn chips, baked with fries

You can also use overripe bananas to make banana bread.

Buy fresh: fresh produce has similar nutritional values to frozen

While it is possible to feed a family of seven nutritious meals for under $400 a month, it is important to be mindful of what you spend. Meal planning is a good way to keep costs down. It is also worth noting that frozen and fresh produce have similar nutritional values, so it is not necessary to buy fresh produce if it is not within your budget.

Some meal ideas that are affordable and nutritious include tuna salad (homemade, with canned tuna, mayo, mustard, pickles and onions) with cucumber slices, frozen pizza, Mexican haddock (four fillets for less than $5, then add salsa, cheese and crushed up corn chips and bake it) with fries, and radiator springs pasta.

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