7-Day Menu for Less Than $5 a Day
The menu provides an average of 2469 calories per day. You may need a few hundred calories more or less, depending on your size, age, and activity level.
You can go to www.choosemyplate.gov to estimate your calorie needs and get more nutrition information.
The menu is omnivorous—it includes all kinds of foods—and is as balanced as possible. A vegetarian menu could be just as affordable and nutritious.
Use condiments, like fresh or dried herbs, spices, or soy sauce or hot sauce, to add variety and give meals some kick! Condiments are not included in cost
estimate.
Note that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. Preparing food at home—yes, even cooking dry beans—will take a little time and effort, but is a lot
cheaper than eating in restaurants.
ONE WEEK MENU
Day 1*
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5**
Day 6
Day 7
Breakfast
2 cups cooked
oatmeal with 2
tablespoons
peanut butter
Smoothie: blend
together one
sliced, frozen
banana + 1 cup
yogurt +
1 cup calcium-
fortified juice
1 fried egg + 1 cup
cooked pinto
beans on 2
tortillas
1 cup cereal + 1
cup milk
1 cup calcium
fortified juice
2 cups cereal +
1 cup milk
2 cups cooked
oatmeal with
cinnamon (if
available) and ½
chopped apple
2 slices of toast
with 2
tablespoons
peanut butter
½ sliced apple
1 cup milk
Lunch
1 can of tuna
mixed with 2
tablespoons mayo
on 2 slices of
bread
1 apple
6 ounces leftover
chicken and 1 cup
vegetable rice
pilaf
1 carrot cut into
sticks
6 ounces leftover
chicken, chopped
and mixed with 2
tablespoons mayo
on 2 slices bread
1 carrot cut into
sticks
1.5 cup cooked
pinto beans with 2
cups cooked rice
4 tablespoons
peanut butter + 1
sliced banana on 2
slices bread
1 carrot cut into
sticks
1 can tuna mixed
with 2
tablespoons
mayo rolled in 2
tortillas
1 cup yogurt
2 tortillas +
1 cup pinto beans
1 cup calcium-
fortified juice
Snack
1 banana +
1 cup milk
1 cup cereal + 1
cup milk
2 slices toast with
2 teaspoons
butter
1 tortilla + 2
tablespoons
peanut butter
1 cup yogurt + 1
chopped apple
2 slices toast with
2 tablespoons
peanut butter
PB-banana
smoothie (blend
together one
sliced, frozen
banana +1 cup
milk + 2
tablespoons
peanut butter
Day 1*
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5**
Day 6
Day 7
Dinner
6 ounces baked
chicken
2 cups vegetable
rice pilaf (make
extra for lunch
tomorrow. Start
with 1.5 cups dry
rice as shown in
recipe below)
1.5 cup cooked
pinto beans and 2
cups cooked rice
Fried rice (sauté 2
cups leftover
cooked rice and ½
cup mixed
vegetables in 3
teaspoons oil,
then add soy
sauce and sprinkle
of sesame oil (if
available) before
serving
1 cup calcium-
fortified juice
2 egg broccoli
omelet made with
3 teaspoons oil
and ½ cup
chopped steamed
broccoli
+1 cup cooked
rice
6 ounces baked
chicken + 1 cup
cooked rice + ½
cup steamed
broccoli drizzled
with 1 tablespoon
melted butter
1 cup calcium
fortified juice
1/2 cup cooked
rice made with ½
chopped onion
and 1 chopped
carrot+ 2
teaspoons oil
+ 1 cup pinto
beans
1 cup calcium
fortified juice
6 ounces baked
chicken +1/2 cup
cooked rice + ½
cup steamed
chopped broccoli
+
1 sweet potato
Snack
2 slices of toast +
2 teaspoons
butter
Banana + 2
tablespoons
peanut butter
1 cup cereal + 1
cup milk
Sliced apple + 2
tablespoons
peanut butter
2 slices toast +
2 tablespoons
peanut butter
1 cup warm milk +
1 tortilla
2 slices toast + 4
teaspoons butter
Calories
2394
2389
2424
2461
2294
2415
2530
Average: 2469 calories per day
*Day 1 Peel, slice, and freeze 2 bananas to use in smoothies later.
Rinse beans and cover in water to soak overnight in refrigerator.
Make juice from concentrate.
Cut 3 carrots into sticks, store in fridge.
Consider storing bread in freezer to prevent staling.
Bake the chicken and make rice pilaf.
Rice pilaf instructions: Heat 1.5 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat, sauté ½ chopped onion in oil until soft, add 1.5 cup rice and sauté for
one minute more. Add 3 cups water, cover, and cook until water is absorbed. Add 1/2 cup frozen vegetables for 4 minutes at the end of cooking
until heated through.
Shopping list
Cost estimates based on Safeway and Berkeley Bowl prices advertised in January 2013. While lower prices may be found at various local markets, this list
represents a “one-stop-shopping” which may be more realistic for busy students. Cut down further on cost by buying in bulk, using coupons or club cards, and
looking for sales and specials. Note that costs are for portions used in the menu; your up-front cost will be higher if you purchase all items on the list as
packaged.
Ingredient
Example
Estimated price
Bread, whole wheat, 1 loaf
Open Nature Bread 100% Whole Wheat – 24 Oz
$2.49 for 24 ounces
($0.10/ounce)
$1.87 for 18 slices
Rice, white, small bag
(brown rice is slightly more
nutritious but takes longer to cook)
Safeway brand Long Grain White Rice - 32 Oz
$2.79
Oatmeal, regular, small container
Safeway Quaker Hot Cereal Oatmeal Regular –
18 Oz
$2.00 for 18 ounces
($0.11/ounce)
$1.21 for 11 ounces
Cereal, whole grain, 1 box
Kashi GoLean, 13.1 ounce box
$3.00 for 13.1
ounces
($0.23/ounce)
$2.07 for 9 ounces
Tortillas, 10-inch, one package
Mission 10-count multigrain tortillas
$1.99
Pinto beans, dry, small bag
Safeway Pinto Beans - 16 Oz
$1.79
($0.11/ounce)
Chicken, whole
3.50 LB Foster Farms Chicken Whole Fresh
$3.47
($0.99/lb)
Peanut butter, small jar
Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter – 18 Oz
$2.99 for the jar (36
tablespoons)
$1.70 for 20
tablespoons
Tuna, canned in oil
Chicken Of The Sea Tuna Chunk Light In Oil - 5
Oz
$1 per can
$2 for 2 cans
Eggs, ½ dozen
Lucerne Eggs Large Grade AA – 6 Count
$1.49 for 6
$0.74 for 3
Oil
Canola Oil, store brand
$0.20
Butter
Safeway Lucerne Butter Sweet Cream Quarters -
16 Oz
$3.89 (0.24/oz)
$0.48 for ½ stick or
2 oz
Mayonnaise
Safeway Best Foods Easy Out 22 oz Mayo
$2.99 for 22 ounce
container
$0.42 for 3 ounces
Apples, 1 lb or 4 small
Berkeley Bowl special: Washington Grown X-
Fancy Aurora Apples (Gala/Golden Delicious
cross)
$1.29/lb
Bananas, 5
Safeway
$0.36 each
$1.80 for 5
Juice, frozen concentrate, with
added calcium
Safeway Calcium Enriched Orange Juice - 12 Fl.
Oz.
$2.30
($0.19/fl.oz)
Sweet potato, 1
Safeway produce
$0.99/lb
$0.50 for one
Broccoli
Safeway Pantry Essentials Broccoli Cuts - 12 Oz
$1.09
($0.09/ounce)
Carrots, 4 large
Safeway 1 lb bag carrots
$1.09/lb
$0.27 for ¼ lb
Onion, 1
Safeway Yellow Onion
$0.59
Mixed vegetables, small bag
Pantry Essentials Mixed Vegetables – 12 Oz
$1.09 ($0.09/ounce)
$0.72 for 8 ounces
Yogurt, 24 ounce tub
Lucerne Pantry Essentials 24 ounce Lowfat
Vanilla Yogurt
$1.99
Milk, 1%, ½ gallon
Lucerne Milk Low Fat 1% - Half Gallon
$2.29
($0.04/fl.oz)
Total food cost for the week: $34.59 ($4.94/day)