Category: Meal Plans on a Budget

This category collects our budget meal plans, seven-day menus built to feed one person for roughly $30 to $50 per week without giving up macro balance. Coverage includes 1,200-calorie budget, budget keto, cheap vegan for $30 a week, low-calorie meals under $5 per day, DASH on a budget, and paleo on $40.

Every budget plan is priced against a national grocery average (Aldi and Walmart baseline, with a Kroger comparison for produce) and recalculated when staple prices shift. Nutrition is calculated per meal against the Nutritionix database and USDA FoodData Central. Plans still hit protein at or above 0.8 g/kg body weight, fiber above 25 g, and sodium under 2,300 mg per day, so cheap does not mean nutrient-thin.

Budget plans are structured by a Registered Dietitian on our team (Brenda Peralta, Kerly Cordova, Marita Radloff, or Karolina Peterova), medically reviewed by Franco Cuevas, MD, and cooked and tested by our Food Editor Damla Sengul. If a price or macro looks off, tell us at social@dietsmealplan.com.