Lidl Vegetarian Meal Plan

BUDGET RATIONALE

This week's flyer is unusually rich in Asian pantry sauces and frozen convenience items, which makes it easy to build varied, satisfying vegetarian dinners without spending much at all. The pasta night anchors the week at under $1.35 per person, and the pierogies are a fantastic $1.50-per-person comfort meal that needs almost no work. The Thai meal kit gives you a full, restaurant-style dinner for well under $2 per person. The mushroom fritter night is the most expensive of the five at roughly $2.87 per person, but it is still a very reasonable spend for a crispy, produce-forward plate. Skipping the large-format olive oil, the bulk nut bags, and the multi-bottle sauce lineups kept the total honest and avoided inflating the week with items you would barely use.

5-DAY MEAL PLAN

Monday
Meal: Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Garlic Sauce and Shredded Parmesan
Description: Thin spaghetti is boiled until al dente and tossed with the full jar of tomato, basil & garlic pasta sauce, then finished with a generous shower of shredded Parmesan and a pinch of crushed red pepper. It is a fast, deeply satisfying weeknight dinner that comes together in about 20 minutes with pantry staples doing most of the work.
Sale items used: Combino thin spaghetti (16 oz.), tomato, basil & garlic pasta sauce (24 oz.), shredded Parmesan cheese (5 oz.), crushed red pepper (1.02 oz.)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serving note: Use the full 16 oz. package of spaghetti (feeds 4 well), the full 24 oz. jar of sauce, and divide the full 5 oz. bag of shredded Parmesan across 4 bowls. Crushed red pepper is passed at the table.

Check the label: many hard cheeses are set with animal rennet.

Recipes:
- Homemade Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Sauce

Tuesday
Meal: Panfried Pierogies with Crispy Fried Onions and Arugula Salad
Description: Frozen pierogies are boiled briefly then pan-fried in a little butter until golden and crisp on both sides, then topped with a heap of crispy fried onions for crunch and savory depth. Alongside, a simple salad of baby arugula and halved sweetpops tomatoes dressed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon rounds out the plate.
Sale items used: Mrs. T's frozen pierogies, classic onion (32 oz.), Kania crispy fried onions (17.6 oz.), Peak Harvest organic baby arugula (5 oz.), Sweetpops tomatoes (1.5 lb.)
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: Use the full 32 oz. bag of pierogies (approximately 12 pierogies, 3 per person). Use about 1 cup of crispy fried onions from the bag (the remainder keeps well). Use the full 5 oz. bag of arugula and the full 1.5 lb. container of sweetpops tomatoes, halved, split across 4 salad portions.
Recipes:
- Vegan Pierogi with Potatoes
- Easy Vegan Pierogi Recipe

Wednesday
Meal: Thai Style Noodle Kit with Vitasia Thai Style Noodles and Mung Bean Sprouts
Description: The Vitasia Thai style meal kit provides a seasoned sauce base that is stirred together in a hot pan with the cooked Thai style noodles, mung bean sprouts, and sliced red bell pepper for crunch and color. Everything comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes for a bright, saucy noodle dinner with a satisfying mix of textures.
Sale items used: Vitasia Thai style meal kits, choose from assorted varieties (9 - 10 oz.), Vitasia Thai style noodles, choose from assorted varieties (11.6 oz.), Vitasia mung bean sprouts (11.6 oz.), Red bell peppers (2 ct.)
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: Use 1 meal kit, 1 package of Thai style noodles, the full 11.6 oz. package of mung bean sprouts (rinsed), and both red bell peppers (sliced thin). Divide evenly across 4 bowls.
Recipes:
- Easy Thai Noodles

Thursday
Meal: Curried RANA Gnocchi with Broccolini and Sweetpops Tomatoes
Description: Gnocchi are boiled until they float, then stirred into a simmering Vitasia curry sauce along with blanched broccolini florets and halved sweetpops tomatoes for a quick, warming curry-style skillet dinner. The pillowy gnocchi soak up the sauce beautifully and the tomatoes add a bright pop of acidity to balance the spice.
Sale items used: RANA gnocchi (12 oz. x2 packs), Vitasia curry sauces, choose from assorted varieties (7 oz.), Broccolini (6 oz.), Sweetpops tomatoes (1.5 lb.)
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 packs of RANA gnocchi (24 oz. total, 6 oz. per person), the full 7 oz. jar of curry sauce, the full 6 oz. package of broccolini (trimmed and blanched), and the full 1.5 lb. container of sweetpops tomatoes (halved). Serve directly from the pan into 4 bowls.
Recipes:
- Curried Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables
- Gnocchi With Blistered Tomatoes and Broccolini

Friday
Meal: Pan-Fried Vitasia Mushroom Fritters with Garlic Naan and Avocado
Description: Mushroom fritters are pan-fried in a little oil until crispy and heated through, then served alongside warm garlic naan and sliced fresh avocado for a casual, textured plate with earthy and creamy contrasts. A drizzle of Vitasia sweet chili sauce over the fritters adds a gentle sweet heat that ties the whole plate together.
Sale items used: Vitasia frozen mushroom fritters (9.8 oz. x2 packs), Frozen garlic naan (4 ct. 12 oz.), Large avocados (x2, 1 ct. each), Vitasia sweet chili sauce (23.1 fl. oz.)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serving note: Use 2 packs of mushroom fritters (19.6 oz. total, split evenly across 4 plates). Warm all 4 naan in the oven or directly on a burner. Slice 2 avocados and divide across 4 plates. Drizzle sweet chili sauce over the fritters at the table; the large bottle will have plenty left for the week.

SHOPPING LIST

Buy on sale:
- Combino thin spaghetti (1 pack, 16 oz.): $0.98
- Tomato, basil & garlic pasta sauce (1 jar, 24 oz.): $1.69
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (1 bag, 5 oz.): $2.69
Check the label: many hard cheeses are set with animal rennet.
- Crushed red pepper (1 bottle, 1.02 oz.): $0.99
- Mrs. T's frozen pierogies, classic onion (1 bag, 32 oz.): $5.99
- Kania crispy fried onions (1 bag, 17.6 oz.): $3.49
- Peak Harvest organic baby arugula (1 bag, 5 oz.): $2.99
- Sweetpops tomatoes (x2 containers, 1.5 lb. each): $7.98
- Vitasia Thai style meal kits, choose from assorted varieties (1 kit, 9 - 10 oz.): $3.99
- Vitasia Thai style noodles, choose from assorted varieties (1 pack, 11.6 oz.): $2.49
- Vitasia mung bean sprouts (1 pack, 11.6 oz.): $0.99
- Red bell peppers (1 pack, 2 ct.): $2.49
- RANA gnocchi (x2 packs, 12 oz. each): $3.94
- Vitasia curry sauces, choose from assorted varieties (1 jar, 7 oz.): $2.49
- Broccolini (1 pack, 6 oz.): $2.49
- Vitasia frozen mushroom fritters (x2 packs, 9.8 oz. each): $5.98
- Frozen garlic naan (1 pack, 4 ct. 12 oz.): $1.99
- Large avocados (x2, 1 ct. each): $1.38
- Vitasia sweet chili sauce (1 bottle, 23.1 fl. oz.): $2.49

Pantry staples needed:
- Butter (for pan-frying pierogies)
- Olive oil (for salad dressing and pan-frying)
- Lemon (for arugula salad dressing)
- Salt and black pepper
- Water (for boiling pasta, pierogies, gnocchi, and noodles)