A Week of Family Meals in Ontario for Under $135

Key Facts

• You can purchase the ingredients for five family-sized dinners, plus leftovers for lunch, for a total of $134.78 in Ontario (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026).
• The featured meal plan includes five main recipes: Asian Burgers, Pasta with Ricotta, Chicken Casserole, Tuna Pasta Salad, and a large-batch Pasta Salad (Source: eezly recipe database, July 2026).
• Strategic shopping at Food Basics, Fortinos, and Costco yields the lowest total price for this week's grocery list (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026).
• Key ingredients like Lean Ground Beef are available for as low as $3.50 at Foodbasics (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026).
• Villaggio Sausage Buns are currently at a 52-week low price of $2.67 at Food Basics, a 36% saving (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026).
• A significant deal on Compliments Instant Oatmeal is available at Foodland for $3.99, down from a regular price of $9.99 (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026).

This article provides a complete, costed-out dinner plan for five weeknights, designed to serve a family of four with leftovers to spare. We will break down each recipe, provide a complete, itemized grocery list with the lowest current prices, and offer practical tips for meal prep and making the most of your food budget. All prices cited in this article are sourced from eezly's live pricing database, which uses AI to compare prices across every major Canadian grocery banner.

Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.

Try eezly — Free

Your Budget-Friendly Ontario Meal Plan: An Overview

Managing a family's grocery budget in Ontario requires a smart approach. This meal plan is designed to do the heavy lifting for you, providing five distinct, family-friendly dinner recipes that are both delicious and economical. The total cost for all the necessary ingredients is $134.78. This budget covers five main courses, each yielding at least four servings. Several of these recipes are large-batch, meaning you will have ample leftovers for lunches the next day, further stretching your food budget and saving you time.

The cost per serving for these meals ranges from as low as $1.58 for a hearty Pasta Salad to $8.65 for a comforting Chicken and Noodle Casserole. By combining lower-cost vegetarian meals with affordable meat-based dishes, the plan strikes a balance between variety and affordability. Your average cost for a dinner plate comes in well under what you might expect, demonstrating that home-cooked meals remain the most powerful tool for controlling your household food expenditures.

This plan was constructed by analyzing the lowest available prices for each ingredient across a wide range of Ontario grocery stores, including discount banners like Food Basics and No Frills, conventional supermarkets like Metro and Sobeys, and warehouse clubs like Costco. The final shopping list represents a multi-store trip, the most effective strategy for achieving maximum savings.

This Week’s Dinner Menu: 5 Family-Friendly Recipes

Here is your dinner plan for the week. Each recipe is designed for flavour and value, using ingredients priced at their lowest available cost across Ontario grocers.

Monday: Asian Burgers

Start the week with a flavourful twist on a family classic. These Asian Burgers are infused with hoisin sauce and Chinese five-spice seasoning, offering a unique and delicious taste. The recipe makes five burgers, perfect for a family of four with one leftover for a quick lunch. At a cost of only $3.19 per serving, it's an affordable and exciting way to kick off your dinner rotation. The lean ground beef for this recipe was found at its lowest price at Foodbasics for just $3.50.

Tuesday: Pasta with Ricotta, Broccoli and Tomatoes

For your second meal, enjoy a vibrant and healthy vegetarian dish. This Pasta with Ricotta, Broccoli, and Tomatoes is simple to prepare and packed with fresh ingredients. The creaminess of the ricotta cheese pairs beautifully with the fresh grape tomatoes and nutritious broccoli florets. This recipe also yields five servings, ensuring a satisfying meal for everyone and a potential leftover portion. The cost per serving is $6.40, a reasonable price for a dish featuring fresh produce and quality cheese like the Ricotta found at Fortinos.

Wednesday: Chicken and Noodle Casserole

As you hit the midweek, a comforting and hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole is the perfect meal. This classic dish combines tender chicken breast, egg noodles, and a creamy sauce, all baked under a layer of melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that feels indulgent but is built from budget-conscious ingredients. This recipe serves four people at a cost of $8.65 per serving. Key components like the chicken breast fillets are priced economically at Food Basics 780 Talbot St. for $11.99.

Thursday: Tuna Pasta Salad

Light, fresh, and incredibly easy to assemble, this Tuna Pasta Salad is an ideal dinner for a busy Thursday. It combines gluten-free rigatoni with solid light tuna, baby spinach, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. The addition of pickled onions adds a zesty kick. This is a great way to incorporate fish into your weekly diet. The recipe serves four at a cost of $7.15 per serving. With ingredients like Solid Light Tuna in Water available for just $1.79 at Food Basics 780 Talbot St., it’s a protein-packed meal that doesn't break the bank.

Friday: Big-Batch Pasta Salad

Celebrate the end of the week with a versatile and delicious Big-Batch Pasta Salad. This recipe is a true budget champion, yielding a massive 15 servings for a total cost of only $23.63. That’s just $1.58 per serving. It’s loaded with mixed bell peppers, black olives, and cheddar cheese, all tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. You can serve this for dinner on Friday, and you’ll have plenty of leftovers for easy weekend lunches or as a side dish for a Saturday barbecue. The value is driven by smart purchases, like a large bag of mixed bell peppers from Costco.

Your Complete Ontario Grocery List: $134.78 Total

To achieve the total weekly cost of $134.78, you will need to purchase specific items from the stores where they are priced lowest. This strategy, known as "strategic shopping" or "flyer hopping," is made simple with price intelligence tools. The following list consolidates all ingredients needed for the five recipes. It is organized by store to make your shopping trip as efficient as possible.

Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of July 2026

Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.

Try eezly — Free

Where to Shop in Ontario for Maximum Savings

To secure the $134.78 total for this week's groceries, this plan requires a shopping strategy that involves visiting three different stores: Food Basics (including a specific location for certain deals), Fortinos, and Costco. While visiting multiple stores requires more effort than a single shopping trip, the savings are significant. As eezly's data shows, purchasing this exact basket of goods at the single most expensive banner could cost upwards of 40-50% more.

Your shopping trip is primarily anchored at Food Basics, where the majority of the items are found at their lowest price. This includes staples like pasta, sauces, and key proteins like chicken and ground beef. A second stop at Fortinos is necessary for a few specific items like fresh spinach, ricotta cheese, and olives. Finally, a trip to a warehouse club like Costco is leveraged for bulk produce items where the value is unbeatable, such as the large bag of broccoli florets and mixed bell peppers.

This multi-store approach is the core of smart grocery shopping in a competitive market like Ontario, which features a wide array of banners including Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys, No Frills, Freshco, Walmart, and more. By using a tool that compares prices across all these options, you can be confident that you are paying the absolute lowest price for every single item on your list, turning what could be a $200 grocery bill into a more manageable $135. For more store-specific deals, you can explore flyers and prices at your local banner page, such as https://eezly.com/stores/maxi.

Meal Prep and Time-Saving Strategies for a Busy Week

A successful and low-stress week of meals isn't just about saving money; it's also about saving time. A little bit of preparation at the beginning of the week can make your weeknight cooking routine significantly smoother. When you get home from your grocery trip, dedicate an hour to "pre-prepping" your ingredients.

You can wash and chop vegetables like the bell peppers and broccoli, storing them in airtight containers in the fridge. This means on Tuesday, your pasta dish comes together in minutes. You could also pre-form the Asian burger patties and store them separated by wax paper, ready to be cooked. For the Big-Batch Pasta Salad, you can cook the pasta and mix the dressing ahead of time. This "component prep" approach breaks down cooking into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Embrace your leftovers. This meal plan is intentionally designed to create them. Pack leftover Asian Burgers or Chicken Casserole for lunch the next day. The large Pasta Salad from Friday can serve as an easy lunch or a light dinner over the weekend. Using leftovers effectively is one of the best ways to reduce food waste and maximize the value of every dollar you spend on groceries. To explore more recipes and build your own plans, check out the options at https://eezly.com/recipes.

Beyond the Plan: Top Grocery Deals in Ontario This Week

While the meal plan provides a structured way to save, savvy shoppers know to keep an eye out for exceptional deals on items they use regularly. Here are some of the top deals available in Ontario this week, as identified by eezly's AI-powered price tracking. You might consider adding these to your shopping list if they fit your household's needs.

Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of July 2026

These deals highlight the importance of staying informed. A 60% discount on oatmeal or a 40% discount on a large fruit platter can lead to substantial savings over time. You can find a constantly updated list of the best sales in your area by visiting https://eezly.com/deals.

*

Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.

Try eezly — Free