THE FRIDGE Newsletter: 5 Ingredients or Less
Your Five-Ingredient Meal Plan Inside
One Week of Simple Meals Under $75
What’s with the recipes that call for 37 ingredients these days? Look, we love a fancy-schmancy meal every now and again, too, but most weeks we’re looking to get in and out of the kitchen without having to think too much about it.
If that sounds like you too, this week’s Fridge is dedicated to a week’s worth of simple meals made with 5 ingredients (pantry staples excluded) or less all under $75.
What’s Trending at the Store
Here’s how prices on some products are looking on average this week.
Pricing and availability may vary by location.
Item | National Average Price | Change Since One Year Ago |
Ground Beef | $6.64/lb | ▲ + $0.89 |
Chicken Breast | $4.94/lb | ▲ + $0.11 |
Eggs | $3.99/doz | ▼ - $1.51 |
Bread | $3.13/loaf | ▲ + $0.15 |
Bacon | $6.77/lb | ▲ + $0.16 |
Orange Juice | $4.71/32 oz. | ▲ + $0.94 |
Fab Fives (Under $75)
Sheet Pan Breakfast Sandwiches
Easy to make once and reheat all week–avocado optional!
Bacon Alfredo Pasta
This cheesy, bacon-y pasta is simple to make without sacrificing flavor.
Quick N’ Easy Meatballs N’ Gravy
Serve over pasta or rice.
Super Simple Pot Roast
Use the juice from the roast as gravy for the potatoes.
Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas
Perfect for meatless Monday, and leftovers can be frozen to reheat and eat later in the week!
🧊 Cool Hacks and Savings
Check your pantry for ingredients before you shop
When it comes to the meatballs look at the prices for 1 lb of ground beef, frozen meatballs, and pre-made fresh meatballs–any of those will work for the recipe so choose the one that fits your budget (and taste) best
Buy one big package of pasta to use for both the alfredo and put your meatballs on top of if the per-oz price of buying the larger package works out to be less than buying two packages of pasta
One-Off Ingredients – What’s Your Take?
When you see a recipe that calls for an ingredient you’ll only use once, what’s your move?
Try to swap it out for something I already have that might work
Make the recipe and end up with a half-used jar in the back of the fridge (oops)
🛒 Your Shopping List
Produce
Garlic, red onion, avocado
Meat & Dairy
Eggs, ground beef, chuck roast, bacon, milk, half and half, cheese
Pantry
English muffins, tortillas, beef broth, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, black beans, corn, mashed potatoes, taco seasoning
All of these savings come back to the same idea: fewer ingredients, used on purpose.
When recipes stick to five ingredients and those ingredients show up across meals, it’s easier to shop, easier to cook, and less likely you’ll waste money on things you didn’t really need.
Happy eating,
The WorkMoney Team
P.S. Want more 5 ingredient recipes? Food.com’s top 100 are here.
