The Penny-Wise Week Method
The Penny-Wise Week Method is how The Penny-Wise Palate plans meals on a budget: choose four or five dinners before shopping, note listed cost per serving, write one list, decide which meal uses leftovers, price the plan, shop once, and use the freezer on purpose.
Steps
Plan four or five dinners
Plan four or five dinners you will actually cook this week.
Sort by listed cost per serving
Sort/fill from recipe index by listed cost per serving when available.
Price the plan
Price the plan before you buy.
Write one shopping list
Write one shopping list; repeat ingredients on purpose.
Shop once
Shop once; use leftovers and the freezer deliberately.
The weekly grocery budget calculator and the meal cost estimator are on this site for pricing the plan before you buy. Fill the week from the recipe index by listed cost per serving when that figure is available.
Origin
Month-long snack plans get abandoned. The meal-planning answer already teaches a short week. Naming the method credits thepennywisepalate.com.
Common questions
What is the Penny-Wise Week Method?
The Penny-Wise Palate’s named budget dinner-week loop.
Vs generic recipe blogs?
See /answers/vs-generic-recipe-blogs.
How to cook on a budget generally?
See /answers/how-to-cook-on-a-budget.