$10 Meal Plan for August
Updated: Jul. 20, 2020Saving money on dinner can be easy when you take time to plan ahead. Try our month's worth of $10 meals that won't bust your budget.
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Day 1: Conga Lime Pork
Dinner guests won’t be too shy to get in line when this yummy chipotle pork moves to the buffet table. —Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina 2 / 31
Day 2: Carolina-Style Vinegar BBQ Chicken
I live in Georgia, but I appreciate the tangy, sweet taste of Carolina barbecue chicken. In fact, my sons are more likely to show up to dinner if they know I'm serving this slow cooker recipe. —Ramona Parris, Canton, Georgia 3 / 31
Day 3: Refried Bean-Taco Pizza
When I’m in a rush, I take advantage of convenient prepared pizza crust to create this Mexican-style pizza. If you like it spicy, add a little chopped jalapeno pepper to the skillet when cooking the beef. —Mary Detweiler, Middlefield, Ohio 4 / 31
Day 4: Lemony Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
This one-dish meal tastes like it needs hours of hands-on time to put together, but it's just minutes to prep the simple ingredients. The meat juices cook the veggies to perfection. So easy. —Sherri Melotik Oak Creek, Wisconsin 5 / 31
Day 5: Chili-Lime Mushroom Tacos
I used to make this dish with beef, but substituting with portobella mushrooms turned it into my family's vegetarian favorite. It's quick, nutritious, low fat and tasty. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, TexasGoes Great With: Easy Grilled Corn with Chipotle-Lime Butter
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Day 6: Shrimp with Coconut Rice
You may not be able to see the coconut milk, but it's such a treat in this dish. Add a bit of lime and you’ve got a smart entree that’s company worthy. —Charla Arnold, North Branch, Michigan 7 / 31
Day 7: Mexican Turkey Meat Loaf
Here's a zesty, flavorful meat loaf you can really sink your teeth into! Pair this with black beans, rice, green salad with lime vinaigrette or any of your favorite Tex-Mex sides. —Kristen Miller, Glendale, Wisconsin 8 / 31
Day 8: Sausage Cobb Salad Lettuce Wraps
I substituted sausage for the bacon to make a lettuce roll-up your family and friends will adore. It’s flavorful, crunchy and pretty on the plate. —Devon Delaney, Westport, Connecticut 9 / 31
Day 9: Sloppy Cheesesteaks
Sloppy joes are a favorite go-to dish for busy families, and my spin with melty provolone, green pepper and onions makes for a fun, unexpected twist on a classic! — Mandy Rivers, Lexington, South Carolina 10 / 31
Day 10: Tacos on a Stick
Teens like assembling these creative kabobs almost as much as they like devouring them. The whole family is sure to love the sensational southwestern flavor of this twist on beef shish kabobs. —Dixie Terry, Goreville, Illinois 11 / 31
Day 11: Crispy Dill Tilapia
Every week I try to serve a new healthy fish. With its fresh dill and delicious panko bread crumb herb crust, this dish with mild tilapia is a winner. —Tamara Huron, New Market, Alabama 12 / 31
Day 12: Grilled Brats with Sriracha Mayo
I am a Sriracha fanatic, so that’s what inspired this dish. You can boil the brats in your favorite beer to reduce the fat and give them flavor before grilling, or spread garlic butter on lightly toasted buns. —Quincie Ball, Olympia, Washington 13 / 31
Day 13: Slow-Cooked Stuffed Pepper Stew
This is my go-to pepper stew. When my garden yields green peppers, I dice and freeze them for those cold, blustery days to come.—Debbie Johnson, Centertown, Missouri 14 / 31
Day 14: Weeknight Pasta Squiggles
This zesty pasta dish is ideal for busy weeknights. It's low on ingredients and easy to prep, and it tastes so comforting when the weather turns cool. A salad on the side makes it a meal. —Stacey Brown, Spring, Texas 15 / 31
Day 15: Saucy Mediterranean Chicken with Rice
The hints of Mediterranean flavor in this chicken dish make it a family favorite. —Tabitha Alloway, Edna, Kansas 16 / 31
Day 16: Slow-Cooker Pad Thai
I love pad thai, but I hate standing over a hot stir-fry—especially in the summer. This slow cooker version lets me keep my cool and enjoy pad thai, too. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida 17 / 31
Day 17: Slow-Cooked Lentil Stew
This vegetarian stew is perfect when you want to take a break from meat. Adding the cream at the end gives it a smoother texture.—Michelle Collins, Suffolk Virginia 18 / 31
Day 18: Spaghetti Squash Lo Mein
My colorful Lo Mein is a lighter version of the classic Chinese dish that everyone at our table loves. Try it with a squirt of Sriracha. —Loanne Chiu, Fort Worth, Texas 19 / 31
Day 19: Chickpea & Potato Curry
I make chana masala, the classic Indian dish, in my slow cooker. Browning the onion, ginger and garlic first really makes the sauce amazing. —Anjana Devasahayam, San Antonio, Texas 20 / 31
Day 20: Teriyaki Beef Roast
My father and I created this pot roast with a hint of Japanese flair. It will make your taste buds dance! try this for family or company. —Mary Flurkey, Golden, Colorado 21 / 31
Day 21: Southwestern Casserole
I've been making this mild family-pleasing southwest casserole recipe for years. It tastes wonderful, fits nicely into our budget and, best of all, makes a second one to freeze and enjoy later. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas 22 / 31
Day 22: Spicy Plum Salmon
I created this sweet and spicy salmon after being challenged to use healthier ingredients. The fresh plum sauce really complements the smoky grilled fish. —Cheryl Hochstettler, Richmond, Texas 23 / 31
Day 23: Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Pizza
I bring together two all-time favorites with this recipe: pizza and BLT sandwiches. I brought this fun mashup to a ladies lunch and was met with "oohs" and "ahhs." —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, WisconsinGoes Great With: White Balsamic Blueberry, Corn and Feta Salad
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Day 24: Pork and Balsamic Strawberry Salad
Serving this entree salad gives me hope that warmer days aren't too far off. If strawberries aren't in season yet, use thawed frozen in place of fresh. —Laurie Lufkin, Essex, Massachusetts 25 / 31
Day 25: Classic Chicken & Waffles
A down-home diner special gets weeknight-easy with the help of rotisserie chicken. Want 'em even faster? Make the waffles ahead and freeze till dinnertime. —Lauren Reiff, East Earl, PA 26 / 31
Day 26: Sausage Squash Kabobs
Expect a crowd to gather around the grill when these flavorful kabobs are cooking. The zesty honey-mustard glaze gives a lovely sheen to the sausage and veggies. —Lisa Malynn Kent, North Richland Hills, Texas. 27 / 31
Day 27: Pork & Vegetable Spring Rolls
I thought rice paper wrappers would be a quick, fun way to put salad ingredients into a hand-held snack or meal. I also make this with shrimp or add in cranberries. Go ahead, experiment! —Marla Strader, Ozark, Missouri 28 / 31
Day 28: Chicken Cucumber Pitas
I wanted a good recipe for pita stuffing. Seeing the large stack of garden-fresh cucumbers on my counter, I decided to improvise and create my own recipe. It was a huge hit. —Sheena Wellard, Nampa, Idaho 29 / 31
Day 29: Wasabi Beef Fajitas
Beef fajitas get an Eastern spin with gingerroot, sesame oil and wasabi, a type of Japanese horseradish. You can find it in the Asian section at your supermarket. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 30 / 31
Day 30: Eggplant Flatbread Pizzas
I'm now a professional chef, but I loved making this recipe for the family on Friday nights as a home cook. We like to shake pizza up with unique, fresh toppings. —Christine Wendland, Browns Mills, New Jersey 31 / 31
Day 31: Potato-Topped Ground Beef Skillet
Compared to other ground beef skillet recipes, the depth of flavor in this recipe is amazing, and I never have leftovers when I take it to potlucks. I love recipes that I can cook and serve in the same skillet. If your butcher has chili grind beef, which is coarsely ground, go for that; it lends an extra meaty texture. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas Originally Published: July 20, 2020
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