How To Turn a $60 Grocery Haul into 20 Healthy Meals

As grocery prices continue to rise, I’m here to help! I’m back with another one of my popular grocery series where I turn one single grocery trip into five different recipes, or 20 servings of delicious, healthy food! This series was inspired by my frustration with the rising prices and my desire to continue to eat healthy meals while still operating within a tight budget, I hope it helps!

This is my summer edition! If you love to eat veggie and protein packed meals but want to cut back that grocery bill, try getting the groceries from the list below, and following along with my recipes!

You can find all of the videos for the series on my Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. Be sure to follow me there for more videos like this! You can also check out my feature on Good Morning America, BuzzFeed, & Yahoo!.

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Grocery List:

• 1 lemon 
• 1 mango 
• 3 zucchini 
• 4 ears of corn 
• 1 eggplant 
• 2 red bell peppers 
• 1 cilantro bunch 
• 4 limes 
• 2 avocados 
• 5oz arugula 
• 1 garlic bulb 
• 1 small red onion 
• 1 pack corn tortillas (at least 12 tortillas) 
• 2 15oz chickpea cans 
• 1 15oz can coconut milk 
• 12oz gluten-free pasta (I used spaghetti) 
• 1 block firm tofu 
• 1 + 1/2 lbs chicken thighs 
• 1 lb frozen shrimp (pre-cooked is fine), about 36 shrimp 
• 1 package white or brown rice 

Household Spices/Sauces:

• olive oil 
• sesame oil (optional) 
• apple cider vinegar
• rice vinegar (can sub regular white vinegar) 
• maple syrup or honey 
• soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• ginger (ground or root)
• smoked paprika or paprika
• red pepper flakes (optional) 
• starch of any kind — corn, tapioca, arrowroot, etc. 

All 5 of the healthy meals are below – each one serves 3-4 people!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs with Arugula Salad & Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Marinade: 

• 1/2 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• juice of 1 lime
• 3/4 cup chopped cilantro (about 1/3 bunch)
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (opt.) 
• 1 + 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs

Salad:

• 2-3 corn tortillas (save 8-10) 
• 2 tbsp + 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2 cooked corn ears, chopped off of cob
• 1 bag of arugula (at least 5oz)
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced or cubed 
• salt & black pepper to taste

in a blender or processor, blend all of the marinade ingredients other than chicken on high speed until smooth. add the chicken to a large bowl or other container & cover them in the marinade. set in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but the longer the better. 

to cook, either heat your grill or a large skillet on the stove to medium-high, depending on how you’ll be cooking them. once heated add the chicken. cook fully, about 7-10 mins each side, until crisp & at a temp of 165 degrees. cut up and set aside. 

make the tortilla strips but cutting up the tortillas into thin strips, covering in 2 tbsp of olive oil + some salt, & cooking them in the air fryer or oven on 400 for about 7 minutes, until crispy. 

assemble the salad by adding the arugula, 1/4 cup olive oil, ACV, maple, garlic, and lime to a large bowl, along with the corn, chicken, avocado, & tortilla strips. season with salt and pepper to taste.

serve immediately for best results or in the fridge for up to 4 days. this will make you 4 servings.  

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Teriyaki Tofu with Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

Mango Salsa:

• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1 ripe mango, cubed 
• 1/2 avocado, pitted & cubed 
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro 
• juice of 1 lime
• salt, black pepper, & red pepper flakes to taste 

Tofu:

• 1 lb firm tofu, pressed for 30 mins
• 1 tbsp starch — cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca, etc. 

Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1/3 cup coconut aminos, soy sauce, or tamari
• 1/3 cup water 
• 1/4 cup maple syrup 
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional, can sub olive oil)
• 1 big garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp minced ginger (can sub ground)

• for serving: 1 cup rice, cooked according to package instructions

start by making your mango salsa by including all of those ingredients, giving it a mix, and setting in the fridge to chill. 

take your pressed tofu and cut it into small cubes. place into a mixing bowl. cover with 1 tbsp of starch. 

in a separate bowl, mix together all of the sauce ingredients. pour the sauce over the tofu and let sit for at least 10 mins (but the longer the better).

heat a large skillet over medium heat with some oil, then add in the tofu and sauce. still consistently for 10-15 mins, until the sauce is a thick consistency. 

serve over cooked rice (optional) and top with the mango salsa + some extra cilantro. 

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One Pot Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp & Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil 
• 1 zucchini, sliced into half-moon shapes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 12-16 shrimp, shells removed (you can use frozen uncooked or cooked) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12oz gluten-free pasta (I used brown rice spaghetti)
• 4 cups of water (plus more as needed) 
• 1 15oz can coconut milk (use the thicker white part of the milk & discard the water) 
• zest & juice of 1 lemon
• additional salt & black pepper to taste
• optional — parsley or basil for topping

tart by heating 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. 

chop up your zucchini & garlic and set aside. cover all of the shrimp in 1 tsp olive oil, salt, and black pepper. add to the pan and fully cook, about 5 minutes each side. remove from the pan and set aside. 

in the same pan, add the garlic and zucchini and sauté until the zucchini is browned on each side. stir continuously so the garlic does not burn. 

remove the zucchini and garlic and set aside. add in the spaghetti and immediately cover with 4 cups of water & sprinkle in some additional salt. cover the pan. 

after about 5 minutes, uncover and stir so the pasta does not stick to the pan. add additional water as needed if all of the water has been absorbed. cover again and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and easily stirred. 

turn heat to low and mix in the coconut milk, lemon juice, & lemon zest. add back the shrimp, zucchini, & garlic. 

remove from heat, serve, & top with chopped parsley or basil if desired. 

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Marinated Grilled Veggies with Crispy Chickpeas

Ingredients:

Grilled Veggies:

• 1 eggplant, sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos, soy sauce, or tamari
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Chickpeas: 

• 2 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained & rinsed 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 

For Serving: 

• 1 cup of rice, cooked according to package instructions 
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro 

preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. 
start by slicing all of your veggies, then add them to a large bowl. cover with the olive oil, coconut aminos, & spices, then use clean hands to evenly disperse it over everything. let marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but the longer the better. 

while the veggies marinate, prepare the chickpeas by covering them in olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, & paprika. transfer to the pan with parchment and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp. set aside. at this time you can also cook your cup of rice.

now, grill the veggies over medium-high heat by cooking for about 7 minutes on each side, or until each side has grill marks. if you’re doing this on the stove, just sauté the veggies on medium heat until soft. be sure to save your veggie marinade for topping later on. 

assemble your bowls by adding some cooked rice, a generous serving of grilled veggies, & the crispy chickpeas on top. drizzle on that saved marinade, then top with chopped cilantro. 

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Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Sauce

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

• 20-24 shrimp, shells removed (you can use frozen uncooked or cooked) 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Avocado Sauce:

• 1/2 avocado, pitted
• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• juice of 1 lime 
• 1/2 tsp salt

For Assembly: 

• 9-12 corn tortillas
• 2 cooked corn ears, chopped off of cob
• 1 cup arugula (omit if you don’t have it) 
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro 
• juice of 1 lime

start by covering your shrimp in the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, & paprika in a bowl. heat either your grill or a large skillet over medium heat. add your seasoned shrimp to the grill or skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked (will vary depending on what kind of shrimp). set aside. 

make your sauce by adding the avocado, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, & salt to a blender or food processor. blend on high speed until the sauce is smooth, and add additional olive oil as needed to reach a smooth consistency. 

assemble each taco with a corn tortilla, a sprinkle of corn and arugula, the grilled shrimp, and top it off with some chopped cilantro and lime juice. this recipe will make 9-12 total tacos! 

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As always, I really enjoyed putting this series together! If you have any feedback, my DMs are open!