Cheap Walmart Meals for a Week ($55 Weekly Meal Plan for Family of 4) in 2026

Spread the love

What if you could be strategic when it comes to selecting your meals, choosing to cook meals that are so affordable that you actually end up saving hundreds of dollars on your food bill? Sometimes when money is tight, you’re left with no choice. And in times like this, cheap Walmart meals have always saved the day!

As a frugal mom, planning cheap meals has almost become a superpower of mine! When all other bills are fixed, the only money left in our control is how much we spend on food and groceries. The lower our food bill, the more debt we can pay off, the more we can save and the faster we can achieve financial freedom.

Or sometimes we choose cheap meals because all we have left is a few dollars to feed our families. Either way, this cheap Walmart meal plan and these cheap Walmart meals will be a game changer!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that we may make a commission if you make a purchase via a qualifying link (at no extra cost to you!). You can read our full disclosure for more info.

God alone knows how I’ve been able to feed my family of four (my husband, 10 year old son and 12 year old daughter) on next to nothing at times! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to stretch a dollar so thin, that we had no choice but to survive the month on cheap Walmart meals and smart grocery shopping tips.

Thankfully, this particular meal plan does not majorly compromise on taste and comfort. With family faves like fried chicken and wedges, and chicken pasta salad, these delicious meals hardly feel like a sacrifice!

Before we get to the list of yummy, cheap meals, here are some bonus tips to ensure you accomplish meal planning success!

Table of Contents

How to Save Money on Groceries at Walmart?

1. Make a Grocery List (and Stick to it!)

If you’re trying to cut your grocery bill, a grocery list is a must! It helps you stick to your plan and reduces the temptation to pick up more than you need. Of course it must align with your budget if you want it to work. You shouldn’t have items like lobster and steak on a cheap meal plan on a tight budget, right?

Your cheap grocery list should be concise and include all the ingredients you need after checking your pantry for items that you already have. Luckily, this cheap Walmart meal plan already includes a detailed grocery list with prices, setting you up for budget meal planning success!

With just $55, you’ll be able to feed your family of 4 with these cheap Walmart meals for the entire week. It’s done for you already – all you need is the willpower to stick to the list and stick to the plan!

2. Order Online for Delivery (or Have ONE designated Grocery-Shopping day)

Once you have your grocery list in hand and you’re ready to purchase, simply pull out your phone and use the Walmart app to place your order. Not only is this convenient but it can also save you money!

When you order online, you eliminate the temptation to overfull your shopping cart with random items that you don’t need. It’s as simple as click, click, click, done… No scent of baked goodies, no $5 discount bins, no impulse buys at the checkout counter.

If you must go in-store to do your grocery shopping, have one designated shopping day. Trust me, every time you walk into the grocery store, your wallet becomes vulnerable. By limiting your grocery shopping to one day, you limit the chances of overspending.

If shopping in-store, ensure that you walk with your shopping list (now is not the time to wing it!), do not shop while hungry, avoid buying convenience items like pre-cut vegetables (these cost more!), leave the kids at home (if you can help it) and use a small shopping cart. Run in, get what you NEED and run out.

3. Use Cash back Apps

Cash back Apps are the biggest hack when it comes to budget grocery shopping. If you could get a certain percentage back on the money you spend on groceries each week, why wouldn’t you take it? It might seem like just a little at the time, but trust me, over the months, the money adds up!

Look at my Rakuten cash back over the years. I’ve earned back over $800 over time – money I would never have if I never signed up. This cash back can be used for free groceries for another month, or can be used for fun stuff like vacations or shopping trips.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for a $50 bonus when you get started with Rakuten today!

4. Use Generic Brands to Save Money

Ninety percent of the items in my Walmart cart are Great Value brand items. They are always several dollars cheaper and add up to huge savings at checkout. When it comes to sticking to your budget and your cheap Walmart meal plan, using generic brands to save money is a must!

5. Meal Prep

Once you have all of your grocery items, meal prepping on a weekend will surely set you up for success on busy weeknights when you’re drained and tired. Meal prepping means preparing all meats and marinades, cutting up and washing vegetables and even setting aside seasonings needed for during the week.

When you know dinner is as simple as tossing your prepped items into a pot or pan, you’re a lot less likely to abandon your meal plan and experience failure. Meal prepping ensures that cooking is simpler than stopping for takeout – especially when you’re trying to save money and eat at home.

If you struggle with finding meals that are CHEAP, yummy and kids-approved, then the $5 Meal Plan is a must!

This is for you if:
✔️ You struggle with finding quick, easy, healthy & cheap meals
✔️ You struggle staying on track with your meal budget
✔️ You want to kick your ‘takeout addiction’ to the curb
✔️ You want to save an extra $200 – $300 every month

The $5 Meal Plan makes meal planning simple and effortless. You’ll save time AND money as you’ll get a customized meal plan sent directly to you each week. The best part is that each meal costs around $2 per person (or less)!

So if you just want to check out $5 meal plan (with no strings attached), try it here for free (for 2 weeks).

6. Stick to your Meal Plan

The final step to ensuring that you are successful is sticking to your meal plan. It’s now time to work the plan and use your willpower to avoid any temptations. When you tell yourself takeout is not an option, you owe it to yourself to follow-through.

Cheap Walmart Meals – $55/Week Cheap Meal Plan

What’s Included in this Cheap Walmart Meal Plan

• A grocery shopping list with all the main ingredients needed + the costs (remember prices vary from city to city)

• Walmart meal ideas for 7 days of breakfasts, lunches and dinners

• Bonus tips to reduce your food bill

What’s Not Included in this Cheap Walmart Meal Plan

• Basic pantry items such as seasonings, salt, pepper, oil etc. are not included on the shopping list.

• Expensive meal ideas

• Actual recipes – this meal plan is simply to generate meal ideas. The majority of these meals are popular in most family households, and you’ll already have your own way of cooking these anyway.

• 21 Different meals – Many of the meals on this meal plan are repeated to allow for leftovers or buying in bulk to save money.

Cheap Walmart Grocery List for $55 Weekly Meal Plan

2 packs pizza dough, 16 oz – 2 x $1.98 = $3.96

1 jar pizza sauce, 23.9 oz – $1.88

1 pack Shredded Cheddar Cheese, 16 oz – $3.48

2 bags Sandwich Bread, 20 oz – 2 x $1.48 = $2.96

1 pack sliced cheese, 8 oz (12 slices) – $1.67

4 cans Tomato Soup, 10.75 oz can – $4.88

Milk, 64 fl oz – $1.63

Rotisserie Chicken, 2.25 lbs – $5.97

2 Packs Medium Soft Taco Flour Tortillas – 2 x $1.98 = $3.96

1 pack Shredded Lettuce – $1.97

3 packs Pasta – 3 x $0.98 = $2.94

Mayonnaise, 15 fl oz – $2.12

1 can mixed vegetable medley, 14.5 oz – $0.96

Long Grain White Rice, 2 lb – $2.48

1 can Red Kidney Beans, 15.5 oz – $0.86

1 bag Chicken Drumsticks, 5 lb – $5.46

1 bag Potatoes, 5 lb – $3.24

Hash Browns, 4.8 oz – $1.98

2 tins tuna – 2 x $0.96 = $1.92

TOTAL = $54.32

Cheap Walmart Meals for a Week

Cheap Walmart Dinners

Day 1: Cheese Pizza

Use the 2 packs of pizza dough, the jar of pizza sauce and the pack of shredded cheddar cheese. These ingredients will make 4 medium cheese pizzas, enough for a family of 4 for dinner, with leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day.

Day 2: Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Use the 4 cans of tomato soup, the milk, bread and sliced cheddar cheese to make the grilled cheese sandwiches. You can use seasonings from your pantry to season the soup to your taste.

Day 3: Chicken Wraps

You will need to shred the rotisserie chicken for these wraps (Try to keep some back to add to your pasta salad for the next day). Use tortillas and shredded lettuce to assemble your wraps.

If you stick to this grocery list, you’ll have 20 medium tortillas, giving you more than enough for this dinner, and leftovers for breakfast for 2 days and for lunch the next day. I go light on the chicken to have enough for all the wraps.

Day 4: Pasta Salad

Use the three packs of pasta, 3/4 jar of mayonnaise, the can of mixed vegetables and any remaining shredded rotisserie chicken.

Day 5: Beans, Rice & Oven-baked Chicken

Use the can of beans, rice and half of the drumsticks.

Day 6: Fried Chicken & Wedges

Use the potatoes and remainder of drumsticks.

Day 7: Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Use the remainder of bread, tuna and mayonnaise.

Cheap Walmart Lunches

Day 1: Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Day 2: Cheese Pizza (Leftovers from Day 1 Dinner)

Day 3: Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (Leftovers from Day 2 Dinner)

Day 4: Chicken Wraps (Leftovers from Day 3 Dinner)

Day 5: Pasta Salad (Leftovers from Day 4 Dinner)

Day 6: Beans, Rice & Oven-baked Chicken (Leftovers from Day 5 Dinner)

Day 7: Fried Chicken & Wedges (Leftovers from Day 6 Dinner)

Cheap Walmart Breakfasts

Day 1: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Day 2: Cheese Pizza (Leftovers from Day 1 Dinner)

Day 3: Hash Browns

Day 4: Chicken Wraps (Leftovers from Day 3 Dinner)

Day 5: Chicken Wraps (Leftover from Day 3 Dinner)

Day 6: Hash Browns

Day 7: Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Pssst! Did you know you can save more money by meal planning? Meal Planning saves me thousands of dollars every year! Not sure how to get started? Grab a copy of my free Meal Planning e-guide below.

Additional Info on Cheap Walmart Meals – FAQs

Are Walmart meals cheaper than takeout?

Yes, Walmart meals are definitely cheaper than takeout! Cooking at home is always cheaper than buying out, especially when you use cheaper brands such as the Walmart Great Value brand.

Also, if you’re strategic about cooking cheaper meals, spending the same $5 on a home-cooked meal (instead of $5 on takeout) can produce several more servings than the takeout meal. So, cooking your own cheap Walmart meals will stretch your dollar, providing you with more for your money compared to what you’d get with takeout.

What is the $5 meal plan?

The $5 meal plan is a $5 monthly subscription plan that provides a delicious meal plan which includes cheap meals that cost around $2 per person. If you’re looking to expand your food options at home and build a bank of cheap meal ideas, the $5 meal plan will be perfect for you!

If you just want to try it out, with no strings attached, sign up for a free trial today!

How to feed a family of 4 with $10?

Feeding a family of 4 with $10 is super simple. Focus on cheaper staples that produce a high-volume when cooked. Think foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes, beans, soups, pizza and ground meat. Even proteins such as drumsticks are budget-friendly.

If you’re looking to feed your family low-budget meals, you can even consider starting a kitchen garden to save money on ingredients.

How much is Walmart eMeals?

The Walmart eMeals service is as low as $4.99 a month for a 12 month subscription.

How to avoid Walmart 6.99 fee?

You are only charged the $6.99 fee if your order is below $35. Since this Walmart grocery list is $55, you will not be charged the $6.99 fee.

However, if your order is under $35, you can avoid the $6.99 fee if you choose free in-store pickup or if you join Walmart+.

Final Thoughts on Cheap Walmart Meals for a Week

These cheap Walmart meals have saved me time and time again when I’ve been caught in a financial bind. It is one of my go-to cheap meal plans, when I’m desperately broke and still trying to feed my family without feeling like we’re suffering.

These meals are all meals that my kids absolutely love – cheese pizza, pasta salad, chicken wraps, fried chicken… Seriously, where is the compromise? If you have any other cheap Walmart meals that are also delicious and kid-approved, please share them with us in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more money saving and frugal living tips!

Liked this post? Pin it!

Cheap Walmart Meals for a Week (Meal Plan for Family of 4)