A Full Week of Gluten-Free Meals on a Budget

November 06, 2021

A Full Week of Gluten-Free Meals on a Budget

Figuring out what to eat for every meal is such a pain. It's time-consuming and disheartening, especially when you're first going gluten-free on a budget. That's why I created this easy-to-follow meal plan for a full week of gluten-free meals on a budget.

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Here are the groceries you'll need:

Polenta (corn grits) - no need to get it premade, it's very easy
Orange juice
Raisins
Rotisserie chicken
Romaine lettuce
Carrots
Whatever salad dressing you like
Corn chips
Chunky salsa
Instant mashed potatoes (I like Idahoan brand)
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Yogurt
Granola (make sure it's gluten-free, I just crumble crunchy granola bars)
Microwave popcorn
White rice
Red bell pepper
GF one-to-one flour (I like Bob's Red Mill)
Milk
Eggs
Butter
Jam
Whipped cream
Boxed jambalaya mix (I like Zatarain's)
Kielbasa sausage
Granola bars
Rice noodles
Ground beef
Garlic
Green onions
GF soy sauce
Oyster sauce
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha sauce
Chicken broth
Chicken thighs
Small potatoes
Corn tortillas
GF taco seasoning
Maple syrup

Sunday

Breakfast:

Sweet polenta and orange juice

If you're from the south, you'll know this as grits. It's a classic breakfast made with corn. I like to make it as usual and then add milk and sugar. It's probably not super good for you, but I love eating really sweet things in the morning. This meal is great for breakfast because it's quick and filling!

Lunch:

Raisin and chicken salad

This is a great make-ahead meal. Just shred your rotisserie chicken when you get home from shopping. When you make this, just add some chicken, raisins, finely chopped carrots, and chopped lettuce to your container. Then, add a smaller container or ziploc bag of salad dressing. When it's lunch time, just pull it out, add the dressing, and shake it up!

Snack:

Chips and salsa

One of my all-time favorite snacks! It's quick, it's simple, and it's cheap.

(Photo Source)

Dinner:

Mashed potato casserole

I found this recipe in my family cookbook a few months ago and it immediately became a staple. Just make your instant potatoes as you normally would, then add 1/4 cup sour cream, shredded chicken, salt, and black pepper. Mix that all together, add it to a 9x9 baking dish, and cover it in grated cheddar cheese. Bake it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese is melted.

Monday

Breakfast:

Yogurt and granola

Who could forget a classic like this? It's filling and easy! Just add your granola to your yogurt and enjoy.

Lunch:

Leftover mashed potato casserole

I'm a sucker for leftovers. They're so easy and you already know they're filling too. Mashed potato casserole is especially good for leftovers because it reheats exceptionally well.

Snack:

Popcorn

If you've read my previous blog posts, you know how much I love popcorn. It's a great snack hot or cold!

Dinner:

Salsa rice

This is another staple in my house. It's great if you have a rice cooker, but it's still easy without one. Just prepare your rice as you normally would, but add 3/4 cup chunky salsa before you cook it. I also like to add a tablespoon or so of taco seasoning. When your rice is 75% of the way done, add some shredded chicken and diced red bell pepper. Let it finish cooking and you've got yourself a full meal!

Tuesday

Breakfast:

Crepes with jam and whipped cream

You'd never know it because they seem so fancy, but crepes are actually super easy to make! This is my favorite gluten-free crepe recipe. Just add all your ingredients to a blender, mix until smooth and cook them in a frying pan. You can dress them up however you like, but they're great with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

Lunch:

Leftover salsa rice

Another great leftover! Not only is it filling, but it also has a ton of vegetables in it. So, you're getting some great nutrients from this easy meal.

Snack:

Popcorn

If you've read my previous blog posts, you know how much I love popcorn. It's a great snack hot or cold!

Dinner:

Jambalaya with sausage

I wouldn't normally recommend making food from a box when you're trying to be more healthy, but this jambalaya is incredible and cost-effective! Just make it as the box says and add some sliced sausage.

Wednesday

Breakfast:

Sweet polenta and orange juice

Lunch:

Leftover jambalaya

Really, anything with rice will reheat nicely. This is honestly my favorite lunch of this whole list.

Snack:

Granola bar

This is pretty self-explanatory. Granola bars are quick and easy alongside being incredibly portable. I nearly always have one in my purse.

Dinner:

Rice noodles in meat sauce

This was a staple in my husband's house growing up. I'm a huge fan. All it is is ground beef, rice noodles, a delicious Asian sauce, and green onions. Here's the recipe.

Thursday

Breakfast:

Yogurt and granola

Who could forget a classic like this? It's filling and easy! Just add your granola to your yogurt and enjoy.

Lunch:

Raisin and chicken salad

This is a great make-ahead meal. You can easily make a few containers and eat it throughout the week. Just shred your rotisserie chicken when you get home from shopping. When you make this, just add some chicken, raisins, finely chopped carrots, and chopped lettuce to your container. Then, add a smaller container or ziploc bag of salad dressing. When it's lunchtime, just pull it out, add the dressing, and shake it up!

Snack:

Popcorn

If you've read my previous blog posts, you know how much I love popcorn. It's a great snack hot or cold!

Dinner:

Chicken and potatoes

A comfort food if I've ever seen one. My favorite way to make this is by cutting the potatoes in half, and boiling them until they're fork-tender. Then, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle butter, salt, and pepper on them. After that, bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they're crispy.

For the chicken, cook it in a covered frying pan on medium-low heat with butter, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Flip it occasionally. It's done when the internal temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Make an extra piece for leftovers!

Friday

Breakfast:

Sweet polenta and orange juice

Lunch:

Leftover chicken and potatoes

By this point, you know how much I love leftovers. Just about every meal I make will end up as leftovers regardless. Chicken and potatoes are perfect. It just warms you up from the inside out.

Snack:

Granola bar

This is pretty self-explanatory. Granola bars are quick and easy alongside being incredibly portable. I nearly always have one in my purse.

Dinner:

Chicken Tacos

Tacos are a staple of the gluten-free community because they're so easy to make without wheat! All you need to do is cook your diced red bell pepper and shredded chicken with a little bit of oil and taco seasoning. You don't really need to cook either of these things, so they're done when they're warmed to your liking. I also prefer to heat my corn tortillas in a little bit of oil before eating them so they don't break. Then, assemble your tacos with the cooked meat and bell pepper, sour cream, and cheese.

(Photo Source)

Saturday

Breakfast:

German pancakes with syrup

My mom would only make this for us on weekend mornings, so it always feels special to me. To make this, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter in a 9x13 pan in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together 1 cup gluten-free flour, 1 cup milk, 6 eggs, and 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract. Once your butter has melted completely, add your batter to the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with maple syrup.

Lunch:

Leftover chicken tacos

I literally just love leftovers. They're easy and you don't have to worry about what's for lunch! If you're heating up your food in a microwave, I'd only heat the tortillas for 20 seconds or less.

Snack:

Popcorn

If you've read my previous blog posts, you know how much I love popcorn. It's a great snack hot or cold!

Dinner:

Salsa rice

To be perfectly honest with you, this is what a normal week of meals looks like at my house. You really don't need anything fancy to live a gluten-free life. Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these meals -- I'd love to know what you think!