Grocery prices have risen in recent years, but there are still smart ways to stretch your food budget—especially when you combine weekly meal planning with cashback rewards. Fluz makes it easy to save on groceries and dining out by offering instant cashback when you purchase digital gift cards to major merchants like Safeway, Instacart, and Kroger.
Whether you’re cooking at home or supplementing meals with fast-casual favorites, this guide breaks down how to stick to a $75 budget for five dinners a week while using Fluz to maximize savings.
Buy Gift Cards to Grocery Stores via Fluz
Instead of swiping your debit or credit card at checkout, use Fluz to purchase digital gift cards and earn cashback instantly.
Here’s how:
1. Open the Fluz app and search for your grocery store of choice
2. Buy a digital gift card for Safeway, Instacart, or Kroger
3. Use that gift card to shop online or in-store
4. Earn cashback and reinvest it into future meals
This small shift can yield long-term savings—especially when groceries are one of your largest recurring expenses.
Balance Grocery Cooking with Takeout Support
Cooking every night may not be realistic for busy weeks. That’s where takeout from fast-casual restaurants comes in handy—as long as it complements your grocery haul.
Example strategy:
• Cook three full meals using grocery staples
• Order fast-casual meals two nights a week from places like Cava, Sweetgreen, or Panera
• Use side items or leftovers (like a salad or grain bowl base) to stretch restaurant meals with home-cooked add-ons like grilled chicken, roasted veggies, or soup
This approach reduces the stress of cooking every night while still making the most of your grocery budget.
Batch Prepping with Grocery Staples and Takeout Pairings
Batch cooking is a great way to use up your ingredients efficiently. Focus on a few base staples and add variety with different sauces or protein pairings.
Grocery staples to prep on Sunday:
• Roasted sweet potatoes
• Quinoa or brown rice
• Sheet pan vegetables (e.g., bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini)
• Grilled or baked chicken thighs
• A pot of lentils or beans
Fast-casual pairing ideas:
• Add Chipotle guacamole or salsa to homemade burrito bowls
• Use leftover Panera Bread soup as a base for a veggie-packed dinner
• Mix Sweetgreen salad leftovers with your own protein for a second serving
Pairing batch-prepped items with affordable takeout elements keeps meals interesting while reducing overall effort.
Sample Weekly Meal Plan: $75 for 5 Dinners
Here’s how a budget-friendly plan could look with Fluz savings factored in:
Grocery Budget: $45
• Buy ingredients at Safeway or Kroger using Fluz
• Prepped items: chicken, vegetables, rice, beans, tortillas, lettuce, sauces
Fast-Casual Budget: $30
• Monday: DIY taco bowls with homemade chicken + salsa from Chipotle
• Tuesday: Cava bowl (split into 2 meals by adding extra rice at home)
• Wednesday: Rice and lentil stir-fry with roasted vegetables
• Thursday: Sweetgreen salad paired with roasted sweet potatoes
• Friday: Panera Bread soup with grocery store bread and side salad
With Fluz cashback averaging 2–8% depending on the merchant, you could easily recoup a few dollars each week—effectively reducing your $75 budget to closer to $70.
Final Thoughts
Meal planning doesn’t have to mean strict routines or giving up convenience. By combining grocery staples with a few curated fast-casual meals—and using Fluz to earn cashback—you can enjoy flavorful, efficient dinners throughout the week without breaking your budget.
