Here are ideas for traditional dinners. You should probably eat lighter at dinner because heavier meals are harder to digest and you’ll still be digesting them while you’re sleeping. You should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper, saving you heavy proteins for lunch. However, most people eat their big meal at dinner, so check these out:
NOTE: Many/most of these meal prices aren’t available any more. Some deals are even better, while some of these meals cost a bit more.
Prices change every month, some of these prices are based on manager’s specials, coupons, manufacturer events, sales, etc.
However, new deals will be cropping up next week, next month and all this year. For example, I based my breakfast meals on 7¢ per egg. Kroger is selling eggs this week for 5 each¢. I also get a coupon for a free dozen eggs every other month, so technically, eggs are often free!
Brand name pasta is about $1.25 per box, while generic is $1.00. However, two or three times per year, you can buy Ronzoni for 49¢ per box if you buy six.
The same goes for canned vegetables. Brand name veggies go for $1.20 or so a can, while generics cost about 59¢. However, you’ll occasionally see a sale of Green Giant or Del Monte vegetables for 49¢ a can if you buy 10.
The point is, you can make meals like this every week. Even if your prices go up 25%, that just means one of my 47¢ meals would cost 59¢. Bottom line? You can eat well for pennies most meals.
If you have a loyalty card, you will get discounts on many of the items you buy as soon as the cashier finishes scanning your items. Kroger has digital coupons you can download each week, and they send you coupons for items you regularly buy (if you have a loyalty card), as well as for free items.