Quebec Meal Plan: Feed Your Family for Under $4/Serving
Key Facts
- This week in Quebec, you can prepare a large Kale Salad with quinoa and avocado for as little as $3.28 per serving. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- A highly optimized weekly grocery basket for seven smaller meals can cost as little as $65.02 by shopping across five different Quebec banners. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- Lean Ground Beef, a summer BBQ staple, is priced at $10.00 at Maxi as part of this week's featured Bunless Burger recipe. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- Quebec shoppers can find significant discounts this week, including 44.4% off Lay's Magic Masala chips at IGA. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast for a family-sized chicken salad recipe is available for $18.83 at Metro this week. (Source: eezly real-time price tracking, July 2026)
- eezly's price tracking covers all major Quebec grocery banners, including IGA, Maxi, Metro, Super C, Provigo, and Walmart. (Source: eezly AI-powered grocery price intelligence platform)
This guide provides a complete, costed-out weekly dinner plan for a Quebec family, leveraging fresh, seasonal ingredients and smart shopping strategies. We break down five delicious, easy-to-prepare meals, provide a complete grocery list with exact prices and store locations, and offer tips to help you save both time and money. With a little planning, you can enjoy satisfying summer meals while keeping your grocery budget firmly in check.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
This Week's Summer Meal Plan: Five Dinners for Your Family
Navigating the grocery aisles to build a weekly menu can be a significant household expense. This week's plan is designed to deliver variety and flavour using ingredients priced at their lowest available cost across major Quebec grocery stores. The focus is on fresh, seasonal meals perfect for July, from a hearty kale salad to fun cheeseburger-inspired pies.
The following five dinner recipes are designed to be generous in their portions, often serving more than a family of four. This approach allows for convenient leftovers for the next day's lunch, stretching your food budget even further. The cost per serving is calculated based on the total cost of the ingredients required for the full recipe, as tracked by eezly's price database.
This plan demonstrates how you can create substantial, crowd-pleasing meals. For example, the Kale Salad recipe makes 15 servings, making it an excellent option for a large family gathering or for several days of healthy lunches. Similarly, the Chicken Salad yields 10 servings, providing a ready-to-eat protein source throughout the week. By planning for leftovers, you reduce food waste and lower your average daily food cost.
| Day | Dinner | Total Recipe Cost | Cost Per Serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Pasta with Ricotta, Broccoli and Tomatoes | $30.80 | $6.16 |
| Tuesday | Chicken Salad | $50.10 | $5.01 |
| Wednesday | Bunless Burgers | $25.77 | $6.44 |
| Thursday | Kale Salad with Quinoa & Avocado | $49.16 | $3.28 |
| Friday | Mini Cheeseburger Pies | $49.51 | $4.13 |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of July 2026
Monday: Pasta with Ricotta, Broccoli and Tomatoes
Start your week with a simple and satisfying vegetarian dish. This pasta recipe combines creamy ricotta cheese with fresh broccoli and sweet grape tomatoes for a meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. The total cost for this recipe, which yields five servings, is $30.80. At $6.16 per serving, it's a flavourful and budget-conscious way to kick off the week. The use of fresh broccoli, available at Costco Anjou for $9.07 for a large package of florets, adds a healthy, fibrous component to the meal.
Tuesday: Chicken Salad
For your second meal, this versatile Chicken Salad recipe is a perfect make-ahead option. It serves ten, making it ideal for Tuesday's dinner with plenty of leftovers for sandwiches or salads later in the week. The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breast, which eezly's data shows is priced at $18.83 at Metro. Combined with celery, red onions, and a creamy yogurt-based dressing, the total recipe cost is $50.10, which breaks down to a very reasonable $5.01 per serving. This high-protein meal is light yet filling, making it perfect for a warm July evening.
Wednesday: Bunless Burgers
Embrace summer BBQ season with a healthier take on a classic. These Bunless Burgers are served over a bed of crisp romaine lettuce with cheese, tomatoes, and pickles, offering all the flavour without the carbs. This recipe serves four and costs a total of $25.77, or $6.44 per person. The key ingredient, lean ground beef, is available at its best price of $10.00 at Maxi. This meal is quick to prepare, taking only 20 minutes, and satisfies the craving for a traditional summer cookout.
Thursday: Kale Salad with Quinoa & Avocado
This is the most budget-friendly meal of the week and a nutritional powerhouse. At just $3.28 per serving, this Kale Salad is packed with superfoods like kale, quinoa, avocado, and carrots. The recipe makes a very large batch of 15 servings, making it an excellent choice for meal prepping. You can enjoy it for dinner on Thursday and have healthy, pre-made lunches for the rest of the week and into the weekend. The total ingredient cost is $49.16, a fantastic value considering the volume and quality of the ingredients, such as a bunch of black kale for $4.99 at Metro and avocados for $1.49 each at Maxi.
Friday: Mini Cheeseburger Pies
End the week with a fun, family-friendly meal that kids and adults will love. These Mini Cheeseburger Pies are a creative twist on a classic, combining lean ground beef and cheese in a simple, gluten-free crust. The recipe yields 12 individual pies, costing $49.51 in total, or $4.13 per serving. This is another recipe that's great for leftovers or for serving at a casual weekend get-together. The ground beef for this recipe is sourced from Alimentation Alexandra Cloutier Inc. for $25.90, demonstrating how eezly's platform tracks prices beyond just the major chains to find you value.
Complete Grocery List and Price Breakdown
To execute this five-day meal plan, you'll need a specific list of ingredients. The following list is compiled from all five recipes, with the lowest price for each item and the store where that price was found, according to eezly's real-time data for July 2026. Shopping at multiple stores is the key to achieving the lowest possible total. While it requires more planning than a single-store trip, the savings can be substantial. The total cost for all ingredients required for these five large-format recipes is $205.34.
Produce
- Romaine Lettuce: $3.99 at Metro
- Kumato Tomatoes: $6.49 at Iga
- Grape Tomatoes: $2.44 at Maxi
- Broccoli Florets: $9.07 at Costco Anjou
- Black Kale: $4.99 at Metro
- Bolthouse Farms Shredded Carrots (284 g): $2.99 at Metro
- Avocado (each): $1.49 at Maxi
- Cilantro Coriander (1 Bunch): $2.49 at Canada inc.
- Green Bell Peppers: $7.99 at Metro
- Organic Orange Bell Pepper: $3.96 at Metro
- Garlic: $1.99 at Metro
- Red Onions: $4.99 at Metro
- Lemon: $0.99 at maxi 1
- Celery: $4.99 at Metro
- Shallots Onions: $4.39 at Iga
Protein & Dairy
- Lean Ground Beef (for burgers): $10.00 at Maxi
- Lean Ground Beef (for pies): $25.90 at Alimentation Alexandra Cloutier Inc.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: $18.83 at Metro
- Marble Cheddar Cheese: $1.79 at Metro
- Ricotta Cheese: $7.00 at Maxi
- 100% Parmesan Shredded Cheese: $10.29 at Canada inc.
- Compliments 100% Pure Liquid Egg Whites (500 g): $5.49 at Iga
- 0% Fat Free Skim Milk (1L): $2.15 at Maxi
- Monterey Jack Cheese: $6.79 at Maxi
- Nonfat Yogurt Plain Sweetened: $7.49 at Maxi
- Sealtest 1% Cottage Cheese Low Fat (250 g): $3.99 at Iga
Pantry
- Dill Pickles: $3.50 at Maxi
- Rotini Pasta: $2.00 at Metro
- White Quinoa: $7.99 at Canada inc.
- Balsamic Vinegar: $4.50 at Maxi
- Olive Oil, Extra Light: $13.99 at Maxi
- Worcestershire Sauce: $3.19 at Maxi
- Original Extra-Fluffy Pancake And Waffle Mix: $4.00 at Maxi
- Reduced Salt Pepper Gravy, Less Salt: $1.79 at Maxi
- Black Pepper: $6.49 at Maxi
- Salad Seasoning: $5.79 at Canada inc.
Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Where to Shop in Quebec for the Best Prices
The key to unlocking significant grocery savings is understanding that no single store is the cheapest for everything. As the grocery list above illustrates, the lowest prices for your weekly shop are spread across various banners, including Maxi, Metro, Iga, and even warehouse clubs like Costco. According to eezly's analysis of a sample weekly basket, a strategic shopping trip across five banners—IGA, Maxi, Provigo, Super C, and Walmart—can yield a total cost of just $65.02 for a selection of 26 items. This represents a potential savings of over $94 compared to buying the same items at the most expensive available stores.
Your optimal shopping strategy depends on your location and willingness to visit multiple stores. For this meal plan, Maxi and Metro feature heavily for low-priced staples. Maxi offers the best price on lean ground beef ($10.00), dill pickles ($3.50), and ricotta cheese ($7.00). Meanwhile, Metro is the destination for produce like romaine lettuce ($3.99) and key proteins like chicken breast ($18.83).
To maximize your savings, it's crucial to look beyond advertised flyer deals. Real-time price comparison tools are essential. For example, while one store may have a sale on chicken, another might have a better regular price on ground beef that beats the sale price elsewhere. Using a tool like eezly's deal finder allows you to build your shopping list and see the best current price for each item across all major banners in your area.
This Week's Top Grocery Deals in Quebec
Beyond the ingredients for your meal plan, there are always standout deals on pantry staples and treats. Leveraging these sales can further reduce your overall grocery bill. Here are some of the top deals in Quebec for this week, as identified by eezly's real-time price tracking.
| Product | Sale Price | Regular Price | Savings | Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lay's Magic Masala ridged potato chips | $4.99 | $8.98 | 44.4% | IGA |
| Heinz Mayonnaise Style Sauce Sriracha | $2.99 | $4.99 | 40.1% | Metro |
| Nestlé Everyday Instant Chai Mix | $4.99 | $7.99 | 37.5% | Maxi |
| Barilla Pasta Farfalle 410 g | $1.99 | $2.99 | 33.4% | IGA |
| Red Leaf Lettuce 1 Count | $2.99 | $4.00 | 25.3% | IGA |
| Sober Carpenter Non Alcoholic Beer | $2.99 | $3.69 | 18.9% | Metro |
Source: eezly real-time price tracking, as of July 2026
These deals highlight significant percentage savings. A 44.4% discount on a family-size bag of chips at IGA or 40.1% off a specialty condiment at Metro are substantial savings that add up. The Barilla pasta at IGA for $1.99 is a great pantry-stocking opportunity, especially as it's a key ingredient in Monday's meal.
Prep Tips & Time-Saving Strategies
A successful weekly meal plan isn't just about cost; it's also about saving time and reducing stress during busy weeknights. The recipes in this plan were chosen for their efficiency and potential for batch preparation.
Embrace Batch Cooking and Meal Prep
Several recipes in this plan are perfect for a "cook once, eat twice (or more)" strategy. The Kale Salad, for instance, makes 15 servings. Prepare the entire batch on Thursday, but keep the dressing separate. Portion the salad into containers for grab-and-go lunches for the next few days. The Chicken Salad (10 servings) and Mini Cheeseburger Pies (12 servings) offer similar advantages. Spending a couple of hours on the weekend or a quieter day to prep these larger recipes can free up enormous amounts of time during the week.Use Leftovers for Lunch
The high-yield nature of these recipes is a built-in budget saver. Instead of buying separate, often expensive, lunch items, you can rely on leftovers from the previous night's dinner. The Pasta with Ricotta is just as delicious cold or reheated, and the Chicken Salad is perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or served on a bed of greens. This habit significantly lowers your family's overall food cost per day.Quick Prep Times for Busy Nights
When you're short on time, turn to the quickest recipes in the plan. The Bunless Burgers and the Pasta with Ricotta both have prep and cook times under 30 minutes. Having these quick meal ideas in your back pocket prevents the temptation to order expensive takeout on a hectic evening. You can further speed things up by pre-chopping vegetables like onions and peppers and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.Leverage AI for Planning
The most time-consuming part of this process can be the planning itself: finding recipes, making a list, and then cross-referencing flyers and apps to find the best prices. This is where technology can be a powerful ally. Platforms like eezly use AI to automate this entire workflow. You can use tools like the AI meal planner to generate a customized weekly plan based on your dietary needs and then automatically create a grocery list optimized for the lowest cost across all available stores. This transforms a multi-hour planning session into a few clicks.Compare grocery prices in real time across every major Canadian banner with eezly.
Comparison
| Day | Dinner | Total Recipe Cost | Cost Per Serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Pasta with Ricotta, Broccoli and Tomatoes | $30.80 | $6.16 |
| Tuesday | Chicken Salad | $50.10 | $5.01 |
| Wednesday | Bunless Burgers | $25.77 | $6.44 |
| Thursday | Kale Salad with Quinoa & Avocado | $49.16 | $3.28 |
| Friday | Mini Cheeseburger Pies | $49.51 | $4.13 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest grocery store in Quebec?
There is no single "cheapest" grocery store in Quebec for every item, every week. Prices fluctuate constantly based on sales, supply, and store strategy. However, discount banners like Maxi and Super C consistently offer some of the lowest base prices on many staple goods. This week's meal plan, for example, finds the best price for lean ground beef ($10.00) and ricotta cheese ($7.00) at Maxi. The most effective strategy is to use a real-time price comparison tool like eezly to see which store has the lowest price for each specific item on your list for that particular week.
How much should a family of 4 spend on groceries in Quebec in 2026?
Grocery spending varies widely based on diet, location, and shopping habits. However, based on this week's meal plan, a budget of approximately $200-$225 can cover five large, home-cooked family dinners with ample leftovers for lunches. This plan focuses on whole ingredients and strategic shopping. For a more comprehensive weekly budget including breakfast, lunch, and snacks, a family of four in Quebec could reasonably aim for a budget of $250-$350 per week by actively seeking deals and minimizing food waste. eezly's data shows that a highly optimized, smaller basket of 26 items can be purchased for as little as $65.02.
How can AI help me save money on groceries?
AI can significantly streamline the process of saving money on groceries. AI-powered platforms like eezly automate several key tasks. First, they track millions of prices in real-time across all major stores, eliminating the need for you to manually check flyers. Second, they can generate optimized shopping lists that tell you exactly which store to visit for each item to get the lowest total price. Third, AI can create personalized [meal plans and recipes](https://eezly.com/recipes) based on items that are currently on sale, helping you build your menu around the week's best deals.
What are some cheap family meals for summer in Quebec?
Summer is a great time for budget-friendly meals that use seasonal produce. Beyond the recipes in this guide, consider options like sausage on a bun with grilled peppers and onions, large garden salads with grilled chicken or chickpeas, or homemade pizzas on the BBQ using store-bought dough. The key is to focus on recipes that are flexible. For example, a pasta salad can incorporate any vegetables that are on sale that week. This week, with bell peppers and pasta on sale, a vegetarian pasta salad is an excellent, low-cost option.
How do I find the best grocery deals in Montreal or Quebec City?
The best way to find deals in a specific city like Montreal or Quebec City is to use a hyperlocal price tracking service. Platforms like eezly allow you to input your postal code to see prices and deals specific to the stores in your immediate area. You can see, for example, that the IGA, Metro, or Maxi nearest to you has the best price on an item. The platform tracks prices at specific store locations, such as the "Costco Anjou" mentioned in this meal plan, ensuring the data is relevant to your shopping trip.
Is it worth visiting multiple grocery stores to save money?
Yes, for most families, the savings from visiting two or three different stores can be substantial and well worth the extra time. The price difference on a single item can be several dollars, and when multiplied across a full grocery list, savings can easily reach $30-$50 per week. For instance, in this meal plan, buying chicken at Metro ($18.83) and ground beef at Maxi ($10.00) instead of purchasing both at a single, more expensive store directly contributes to a lower total bill. The key is to plan your route efficiently to minimize travel time.
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