your guide to turning $55 into 20 meals

my budget grocery series is back!! get everything you need right now 🛒

The series that brought so many of you here is back for the 12th edition and I could not be more excited about this one!! I’ve been working on this next installment of my Budget Grocery Series for a while now and I’m so excited to finally share it all—it’s seriously one of my favorite parts of what I do. And if I do say so myself, the recipes in this one are some of the best—seasonal and produce-focused, incredibly easy to prep, and of course delicious!

If you’re new around here and wondering what this is all about, you can check out the pinned post on our Substack homepage to catch up on all the previous editions. But if you’re already a subscriber you’re familiar with how this works anyways—I give you the grocery list and weeknight dinner recipes, you get your ingredients and follow along! By the end, you’ll use every single item on the list with no waste 👏

I started this series back in January 2023 because I kept seeing a huge gap in how we talk about food online. So much of what I try to share is rooted in making healthy, satisfying meals more doable—whether that’s saving you time, energy, or money. And that last one? It’s a big one. With a little intention, some clever ingredient choices, and a few pantry staples on repeat, it is possible to cook meals that feel good and cost less. This series gives you everything you need to make that happen—without the stress of planning it all yourself and a focus on budget-friendly ingredients.

How it’s done:

1. Shop the list. Copy and paste the grocery list or download the PDF on your way out to the store!

2. Make the recipes: All five recipe PDFs are included below, just click the recipe title. As an added bonus, there is a quick demo video for each recipe! Click on the recipe photo to watch! Each recipe we’re making this week uses simple and similar ingredients, which helps drive down costs, but doesn’t compromise on flavors or nutrition. By the end of the week every drop of coconut milk, grain of rice, and ounce of diced tomatoes will be used up—we love low waste 🫶🏻 Plus you’ll see a spin on our usual recipe notes—here’s a quick key to help navigate:

🔪 — prep ahead practical tips for making components ahead or freezing

⏱️ — time crunch easy ways to reduce your time spent prepping (chopping, rolling, etc.)

💡 — goood to know recipe variations, alternate uses for ingredients and other fun tips

💰 — price chop ingredient replacements to reduce your grocery bill

Per usual, swaps and subs for every recipe are included in this post!