Giant Standard Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

Why these meals: The five dinners this week lean hard on some genuinely cheap proteins. Fresh Dinner Sausage at under a dollar a serving is the week's best deal and anchors a hearty pasta night with Rao's sauce and DeCecco pasta. The 8-Piece Dark Meat Chicken at $5.99 flat for four people is an outstanding value and needs no cooking at all, making it a fast weeknight win. Whole Fresh Pork Tenderloin at $4.99/lb. is a lean, quick-cooking cut that feeds four for under $8 and pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes. Chicken Thighs at $3.99/lb. round out the economical nights with a braised skillet preparation. Domestic Shrimp at $7.40/lb. is the single premium night, chosen over Large Cooked Cocktail Shrimp and Tilapia because it delivers the best flavor payoff at the lowest per-serving cost among the seafood options. The salmon and steak items were left out entirely since their pricing units were unclear or missing. Rao's pasta sauce and DeCecco pasta are both under $4 and essential to one meal, so they make the buy list; everything else in the way of sauces and spices comes from the pantry.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Skillet-Braised Chicken Thighs with Baby-Cut Carrots and 90-Second Rice
Description: Bone-in chicken thighs are browned in a skillet until the skin is golden, then braised with chicken broth and aromatics until cooked through and tender. Sliced baby-cut carrots simmer alongside and soak up the pan juices, served over fluffy microwaved rice for a complete one-pan dinner.
Sale items used: Fresh Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs Giant, Grade A, Family Size; Giant Peeled Baby-Cut Carrots; Giant 90 Second Rice
Prep time: 45 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 lbs of Fresh Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs Giant, Grade A, Family Size (about 2 thighs per person). Use 1 bag of Giant Peeled Baby-Cut Carrots. Use 2 pouches of Giant 90 Second Rice (each pouch is one serving, so 4 pouches total - buy 4 individual pouches or 2 two-serving pouches as available; budget reflects 4 pouches at $0.99 each).
Recipes:
- One-Skillet Chicken Thighs & Rice
- Skillet Chicken Thighs with Carrots

Tuesday
Meal: Sausage and Rao's Pasta Sauce over DeCecco Pasta
Description: Sliced Fresh Dinner Sausage is browned in a skillet until cooked through, then simmered with Rao's pasta sauce until the flavors meld into a rich, meaty pan sauce. Tossed with al dente DeCecco pasta and finished with Sargento Sliced Cheese melted on top, this is a deeply satisfying weeknight bowl.
Sale items used: Fresh Dinner Sausage Giant; Rao's Alfredo or Pasta Sauce; DeCecco Pasta; Sargento Sliced Cheese
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serving note: Use 1.25 lbs of Fresh Dinner Sausage Giant. Use 1 jar of Rao's Alfredo or Pasta Sauce (select the pasta sauce variety). Use 2 boxes of DeCecco Pasta (each box is typically 1 lb; 1.5 lbs of dry pasta feeds 4 generously, so 2 boxes covers it with leftovers). Use 1 package of Sargento Sliced Cheese.

Wednesday
Meal: Pan-Seared Domestic Shrimp with NatureSweet Tomatoes and Sourdough Bread
Description: Fresh wild-caught domestic shrimp are seasoned and seared in a hot skillet with garlic and olive oil until pink and just cooked through, then tossed with halved NatureSweet tomatoes that soften and release their juices into a light pan sauce. Served with thick slices of Goldminer Sourdough Square Bread to soak up every drop.
Sale items used: Domestic Shrimp Fresh, Wild Caught; NatureSweet or Glorys Tomatoes; Goldminer Sourdough Square Bread
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serving note: Use 1.5 lbs of Domestic Shrimp Fresh, Wild Caught. Use 1 package of NatureSweet or Glorys Tomatoes. Use 1 loaf of Goldminer Sourdough Square Bread (slice and serve 2 slices per person).
Recipes:
- Sizzling Garlic Shrimp with Tomato Toast
- Baked Shrimp with Feta and Grilled Sourdough

Thursday
Meal: Roasted Whole Fresh Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Description: A whole boneless pork tenderloin is seasoned with pantry spices and roasted in the oven at high heat until golden on the outside and juicy within, resting briefly before slicing. Cubed sweet potatoes roast on the same sheet pan, caramelizing at the edges for a naturally sweet and savory side.
Sale items used: Whole Fresh Pork Tenderloin Giant, Boneless; Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 45 minutes
Serving note: Use 1.5 lbs of Whole Fresh Pork Tenderloin Giant, Boneless (one tenderloin typically runs 1 to 1.5 lbs; buy 1.5 lbs total). Use 1.5 lbs of Sweet Potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes, cubed). Total oven time is about 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees F after a 10-minute prep; the whole process fits well under 60 minutes.
Recipes:
- Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes | Roast Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Friday
Meal: 8-Piece Dark Meat Chicken with Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables and Jiffy Corn Muffin Bake
Description: The ready-to-eat 8-Piece Dark Meat Chicken (fried or baked as preferred) is the centerpiece, plated alongside steamed Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables heated per package directions. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix is stirred together and baked into a quick pan of cornbread to round out this easy Friday spread.
Sale items used: 8-Piece Dark Meat Chicken Fried or Baked; Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables; Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 package of 8-Piece Dark Meat Chicken Fried or Baked (2 pieces per person). Use 1 bag of Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables. Use 1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (makes one 8x8 pan; cut into 4 portions). Cornbread bakes in about 15-20 minutes while the vegetables steam, so everything is table-ready at the same time.

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Fresh Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs Giant, Grade A, Family Size (2 lbs): $7.98
- Giant Peeled Baby-Cut Carrots (x1): $0.99
- Giant 90 Second Rice (x4): $3.96
- Fresh Dinner Sausage Giant (1.25 lbs): $3.74
- Rao's Alfredo or Pasta Sauce (x1): $2.99
- DeCecco Pasta (x2): $1.98
- Sargento Sliced Cheese (x1): $3.99
- Domestic Shrimp Fresh, Wild Caught (1.5 lbs): $11.10
- NatureSweet or Glorys Tomatoes (x1): $2.49
- Goldminer Sourdough Square Bread (x1): $2.99
- Whole Fresh Pork Tenderloin Giant, Boneless (1.5 lbs): $7.49
- Sweet Potatoes (1.5 lbs): $1.19
- 8-Piece Dark Meat Chicken Fried or Baked (x1): $5.99
- Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables (x1): $1.99
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (x1): $0.69

Pantry staples needed:
- Olive oil
- Garlic (fresh or minced)
- Salt and black pepper
- Chicken broth (for braising Monday's chicken)
- Dried Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes
- Paprika or garlic powder (for pork tenderloin rub)
- Egg and milk (for Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix batter)
- Butter