Lifestyle

Make Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner for a Week for Under $55 From Trader Joe’s

By Cara Hutto at UNC — Chapel Hill

We’re all busy people with a million different things going on in our schedules. When we’re not on the go, all we wanna do is sit down, relax, and pretend like we don’t need to run more errands and clean up the dishes we’ve been putting off. We’ve all had these feelings, so to make things just a little bit easier for you, we created this list of items (for under $55) to get at Trader Joe’s that you can live off of for every meal of the whole week. That way, you only have to make the trip once, and you won’t have to think twice about what you’re going to make for dinner.

Here’s the list:

• 2 bananas
• 1 box of blueberries
• Fresh basil
• 1 onion
• 3 bell peppers
• 1 package of cut and cubed butternut squash
• 1 can of corn
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 crown of cauliflower
• 1 bag of spinach
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 bag of corn tortillas
• 1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 oz of mozzarella cheese
• Almond milk
• 1 carton of eggs
• 2 cans of black beans
• 1 box of linguine pasta
• 1 jar of marinara sauce
• 1 jar of salsa Verde
• 1 canister of oats
• 1 jar of peanut butter
• 1 box of frozen microwaveable brown rice
• 1 loaf of white bread
• 1 bag of vegetable medley

#SpoonTip: We assume you already have some ingredients including common spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon), olive oil, soy sauce, and nuts of your choice.

Monday

Breakfast: Nutty Banana Oatmeal

This easy and delicious oatmeal will definitely give you a much-needed boost of protein in the morning.

Lunch: Black Bean and Butternut Squash Tacos

These tacos are vegan, gluten-free, and packed with fiber and protein.

Dinner: Caprese Chicken

You’ll feel super fancy after making this amazing chicken dish.

Tuesday

Breakfast: Breakfast Taco

This breakfast taco is so simple and perfect for when you need to eat right before you slip out the door.

Lunch: Chicken Fajita Salad

This salad will for sure leave you full, satisfied, and ready to carry on with your day.

Dinner: Stuffed Peppers

Wednesday

Breakfast: Berry Detox Smoothie

There’s some spinach in this recipe that will give you some extra vitamins while still being super tasty.

Lunch: Caprese Grilled Cheese

This is the perfect adult version of your favorite childhood sandwich.

Dinner: Black Bean and Corn Chili

This chili is really hearty and will definitely leave you with some leftovers.

Thursday

Breakfast: Banana Oat Cookies

These breakfast cookies are super easy to make and you can even take a few on the road with you for a snack.

Lunch: Black Bean and Corn Chili Quesadillas

Make the most out of your chili leftovers and make quesadillas with your cheddar cheese.

Dinner: One Pot Pasta

Skip the dishes with this one-pot pasta.

Friday

Breakfast: Microwave French Toast

This recipe is done in 2 minutes so it’s a great breakfast for those mornings when you’re in a huge rush.

Lunch: Tortilla Pizza

These little vamped up lunchable pizzas are super easy, they’ll be ready in 5 minutes.

Dinner: Cauliflower Fried Rice

Plot twist: there’s actually not any rice in it – the cauliflower takes its place. It’s really healthy and also yummy.

Need more Trader Joe’s? Here:

• 10 Must Have Items From Trader Joe’s
• The 45 Best Frozen Foods at Trader Joe’s
• How to Make A Week’s Worth of Dinners For Under $25 at Trader Joe’s