Meal planning on a budget: see what the week costs before you shop
Groceries are one of the biggest bills a family has, and most of the overspend happens before you reach the store: no plan, no list, and a second trip mid-week. Fridge Door can show what the week's meals will cost against a budget you set, before you shop.
Step 1: set a weekly budget
Open Settings › Household and set a Weekly grocery budget. The Plan page then shows the week's planned meals against it.
Step 2: give your recipes a cost
On a recipe's Edit page, fill in Cost to make: roughly what it costs to make as written. It doesn't need to be exact. The Plan page adds up the week from these, and lists the planned recipes that don't have a cost yet, so you can fill them in as you go.
Step 3: remember prices on the list
On the shopping list, choose Add a price on an item. Fridge Door remembers it for next time, so the list shows roughly what the shop will cost.
Habits that bring the bill down
- Plan, then shop once. A full list from the week's meals means fewer extra trips, and fewer impulse buys.
- Cook once, eat twice. Tick Makes leftovers on big dinners, and the next day's lunch is planned as the leftovers.
- Shop your pantry first. Pantry staples are left off the list, and you untick anything already in the cupboard before it goes on.
- Repeat the cheap favourites. Make a low-cost dinner Repeat every week.
- Let Fill the week help. It suggests from recipes you already have, so ingredients get used up rather than bought new.
Planning the week and shopping lists have the details.
Questions
Do I have to enter every price?
No. Even rough costs on your regular recipes give a useful total, and the Plan page shows which ones are missing.
Does it work in Canadian dollars?
Yes. Amounts are just numbers you enter, so it works in whatever currency you shop in.
Can I see what we spent last week?
The Plan page shows each week's planned cost; move back a week to see it.
More on recipes and meals, all help and guides, or get in touch.