Feeding My Family for $10 a Day: Meal Plan and Grocery Haul

As a mom, I want to provide healthy, nourishing meals for my family, but sometimes finances make it tough. I challenged myself to feed my family breakfast, lunch, and dinner for just $10 a day, focusing on the healthiest, most filling foods I could find at Aldi. Here's how I did it, including the lessons I learned and the meals I prepared.

1. The purpose of this challenge

This experiment isn’t about meeting all nutritional needs for a week or checking every box for a growing family. Instead, it’s about getting through those tough days when all you have is $10 and a hungry family. 

I know some of us face this regularly, and if you’re struggling with food insecurity, I’ve included links to local food banks in the video description. My goal was to show that even with a tight budget, you can still provide decent, healthy meals.

2. Shopping strategy at Aldi

I walked into Aldi with $10, a calculator, and an open mind. With such a limited budget, I couldn’t stick to a rigid meal plan. I needed to be flexible, check every option, and hunt for clearance or low-priced items. 

My focus was on finding protein-rich foods and staples that could stretch across meals. I started with dinner, as a hearty evening meal helps keep everyone full through the night.

3. Protein options for dinner

In the meat section, I considered three options:

Ground chicken: ($3.39 for a pound): A minimally processed, healthy choice that could anchor dinner.

Kielbasa sausage: ($2.79): Not a healthy food, but affordable and easy to pair with vegetables.

Breakfast sausage: ($2.89): Slightly more processed but kid-friendly and versatile for something like sausage balls.

I leaned toward the Kielbasa for its lower cost and familiarity in my household, keeping it in the cart to pair with other ingredients.

4. Building meals around rice

Rice became my budget-friendly staple. I grabbed a 32 oz bag of white rice for $2.60, knowing it would stretch across multiple meals. 

I also considered instant rice but chose the larger bag to save about 70 cents, which could be crucial later. Rice is filling and versatile, perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a tight budget.

5. Finalizing the grocery haul

After some indecision, I finalized my purchases, going 11 cents over budget but justifying it with a 25-cent cart return. My haul included:kielbasa sausage ($2.79), white rice (32 oz, $2.60), green lentils (16 oz, $1.39), Yellowstone beef chili ($1.53) and a half gallon of milk ($1.79).

I swapped out sauerkraut and pasta sauce for the chili to add protein and flavor to lunch. I regretted not grabbing a head of cabbage for more nutrients, but I gave myself grace for doing my best under pressure.

7. Breakfast: rice pudding

I cooked the entire 32 oz bag of rice in the morning, which was way more than needed, but it ensured we had plenty. For breakfast, I made rice pudding using:

- 2 cups cooked rice

- 1 cup milk (diluted with 1 cup water)

- A pinch of salt

- 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

- A sprinkle of cinnamon

This simple, comforting dish was a hit and worked well as a budget-friendly breakfast, even if it’s typically a dessert in my house.

8. Lunch: chili and rice

For lunch, I combined the Yellowstone beef chili with rice, watering down the chili to stretch it across more servings.

It added good flavor and protein, making it a satisfying meal. Leftover lentils could’ve been included, but I saved them for dinner.

9. Dinner: kielbasa and rice skillet

Dinner was straightforward: I browned the kielbasa sausage in a skillet without oil, then removed it and heated the rice in the same skillet to soak up the flavor. 

I added the lentils, creating a casserole-style dish. In hindsight, I wish I’d kept the lentils separate for better presentation, but it was still tasty and filling with a bit of salt.

This $10 meal plan fed my family for a day, but it wasn’t perfect. I learned to give myself grace for imperfect choices and to plan smarter with bulk purchases for longer-term savings. 

I’m eager to tackle a month-long budget meal plan next. If you’re in a similar spot, know that you’re doing great by feeding your family wholesome food on a tight budget. 

Share your ideas below for my upcoming month-long plan! If you found this helpful, check out these healthy and affordable snack ideas.