30 Day Paleo Meal Plan for $202.59

November 16, 2011 by Toad 59 Comments

A couple of nights ago I started to jot down foods on a piece of paper. They were nutritious foods that were affordable at the same time. People bitch because its expensive to eat healthy. That is 100% bullshit. Get your priorities straight and learn how to budget if you have to.

I understand that a select few of you may have given up almost everything that you can and are still struggling. Continue to do the best you can. Ok?

This post is for those who lie to themselves. Or, those who simply don’t know how to eat a paleo (healthy) meal plan for pennies on the dollar. This meal plan may cost too much for you. That’s ok. This meal plan was made up on the fly and is not even really a true meal plan. I mean, who wants to really only eat 10 foods for 30 days? I would but I don’t have a desire too. This post is meant to show you how it can be done.

If you share this around the web like crazy and comment then I’ll do more meal plan posts in the future. More foods, different plans for different budgets.

On to this meal plan…

Total Caloric Intake = 60,750

Total Cost = $202.59

Cost of the 10 Foods

The following is the individual breakdown of each food. I don’t know the exact brand for some items but I do know exactly where I can get all 10 items for the price that I list. It’s obvious that you can buy some foods cheaper than me while others will be more expensive. However, this should prove that it’s VERY easy to eat a healthy, simple, nutritious, delicious diet for 30 days for $200. I’ll say that 99% of you that read this can easily afford this per person in your household. If you tell me you can’t then you are lying to yourself. It’s as simple as setting your priorities straight.

8 Dozen Eggs

Cost: $25.52
Calories: 6720
Brand: 365
Store: Whole Foods on Halstedt St.

12 Cans of Organic Coconut Milk

Cost: $21.11
Calories: 8400
Brand: Native Forest
Store: Amazon (click here)

2 lbs Grass-Fed Butter

Cost: $11.16
Calories: 6400
Brand: Kerry Gold
Store: Trader Joe’s on Lincoln Ave.

70 Sweet Potatoes

Cost: $17.90
Calories: 10,000
Brand: ?
Store: Trader Joe’s on Lincoln Ave.

Wild Alaskan Salmon

Cost: $23.96
Calories: 2560
Brand: ?
Store: Trader Joe’s on Lincoln Ave.

30 Bananas

Cost: $5.70
Calories: 3150
Brand: Dole?
Store: Trader Joe’s on Lincoln Ave.

2 lbs Almonds

Cost: $9.96
Calories: 5440
Brand: Trader Joe’s
Store: Trader Joe’s on Lincoln Ave.

10 lbs Grass-Fed Ground Beef

Cost: $50.90
Calories: 9600
Brand: ?
Store: Whole Foods on Halstedt

32 Avocados

Cost: $23.92
Calories: 7264
Brand: ?
Store: Trader Joe’s on Lincoln Ave.

2 lbs Liver

Cost: $7.98
Calories: 1216
Brand: 365
Store: Farmer’s Market

Yes I included liver. Why not? It’s nature’s multivitamin as they say. It’s only 2 lbs. You can do it. I believe in you. Fry it in a bunch of butter and throw on your favorite spices. Cook 1 lb at a time and enjoy 4 oz a day for 4 days. Then do it once more during these 30 days. Easy.

I’m assuming you’re wondering what to do with these foods. I mean, maybe one of you actually wants to eat these 10 foods for 30 days. I’ll tell you what I would do. Ok?

One more thing… the total cost adds up to only $198.11 but the government enjoys taxing food.

5 Meal Ideas

I would not mind eating the above 10 foods for 30 days. I’m assuming you have a bunch of spices. If not, then borrow them from a family member or friend. Or, invest a little extra money in some spices. If you normally go out to eat once per week then skip going out to eat for 30 days. Bam! Problem solved.

Coconut Milk, Banana, Egg Yolk, Avocado, Almond Smoothies

If you know me well then you knew I would go here. I am a huge fan of smoothies in case you did not know. I mean, I created Toadally Primal Smoothies which is a kick ass recipe ebook (shameless plug – sorry).

I would sometimes enjoy smoothies with all 5 of the ingredients and would sometimes only add a few. I’d mix it up and possibly borrow stevia (or just buy it) to throw in when it’s not tasty enough. Or just enjoy them how they are. With a frozen banana, you can never go wrong with the taste.

Feel free to add whole raw eggs to your smoothies instead of just the yolk too. I prefer to cook the whites in butter (another meal idea!) but each to his own.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Butter

Lately I have been creating heaven in the kitchen. Chop up sweet potatoes, spread butter around, add a spice or 2 if you want (I did paprika last night!) and throw in a 350 degree oven. I cook for about 40 or so minutes. Check after 40 minutes and continue cooking to your liking.

Because you only have 2 lbs of butter you may want to just eat the sweet potatoes plain. I love them by themselves. I suggest this because you may have to use a pound of butter for a pound of liver…

Fried Liver in Butter

I’ve only cooked with liver on my own a few times. If you limit yourself to only having 10 foods in the house including butter and liver then, well, why not throw in a bunch of butter in a pan and cook the liver in it? Or, maybe throwing butter, water, and liver in a crockpot would be a better idea? You probably know more than me with this one. All I know is that butter makes everything taste awesome and if it’s a 1:1 ratio then I’m sure even liver would taste awesome.

Cook Ground Beef in Water mixed with baked sweet potatoes

You will need the butter for your liver and maybe egg whites. Thus, I recommend you cook the ground beef in water. Just throw a bit of water into a pan and cook the the ground beef over low to medium heat. Bake a sweet potato or 2 and mix in with the ground beef. This is sure to be a winner!

Or, why not cook the ground beef in coconut milk?!

Baked or Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon with Avocado

I usually bake my salmon in a 350 degree oven all on its own. I may throw on some spices or herbs but a squeeze or 2 of lime or lemon adds a ton of awesome flavor too. Because you are limited, why not add avocado on top? I could easily go for some baked salmon with mashed avocado on top right now!!

Nutrition

I knew you would ask. You are not going to reach the DV of all vitamins and minerals with this diet. I mean, 10 foods is not much but what you are about to see is quite magical. And, if you do decide to eat these 10 foods then why not focus on other foods next month? Maybe foods that provide more of the vitamins and minerals that you were lacking this month?

What I did is I divided the daily value (DV) % by 3,000 since we are dissecting a 30 day meal plan. If the number is more than 1 then we exceeded the DV and if it is lower than 1 then we did not meet the DV in the respected vitamin or mineral.

12.39 Vitamin A
0.573 Vitamin C
0.152 Vitamin D
0.713 Vitamin E
0.543 Vitamin K
0.607 Thiamin
1.617 Riboflavin
1.179 Niacin

1.651 Vitamin B6
1.036 Folate
4.161 Vitamin B12
1.226 Pantothenic Acid
0.359 Calcium
1.012 Iron
0.999 Magnesium (wow)

1.395 Phosphorus
1.169 Potassium
0.262 Sodium
0.951 Zinc
2.490 Copper
1.838 Manganese
1.617 Selenium

Click here to read the full nutritional profile

Looks like we would be pretty damn healthy on just these 10 foods that cost about $200 if you live in Wrigleyville, Chicago, IL at least! You are way over on some vitamins and minerals and deficient in others in just 30 days. And, a little side note is that there is no problematic foods for the general population. Most of us do not do well with grains, legumes or dairy to a point. Some may not be able to handle eggs but most of you certainly can.

Keep in mind that I randomly had the idea one night to do this. I started to think of affordable foods that are crazy healthy and also tasty (for the most part). I wrote these down on paper and decided to sort of create a 30 day meal plan. I’ll probably do this again but I have no idea when. I mean, why not create a 30 day meal plan for those on a $150 per month budget? Or why not $250 or $300 or more? And, why not include more foods? I’d be up for it if the demand was there. So, just show me there is demand for this and I’ll do it. Cool?

What do you think of all this? Clever? Stupid? Would you take 30 days and only eat 10 foods? Thanks for reading everyone!

Filed Under: Paleo

About Toad

Is my name Todd or Toad? I'm a world traveler seeking true wellness. I'm not a fan of labels but the following describe me best: minimalist, foodie, entrepreneur, adventurer, writer, cook.

http://alilomneck.blogspot.com Ali

This is a great idea for those on a tight budget. I don’t know if I’m personally up for it (I really like variety)…but then again, it would take the stress out of the “What do you want for dinner?” game my husband and I play almost daily! 8)

Also…I’d have to add bacon…!
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Lol. I don’t believe anyone will eat only these 10 foods for 30 days. I was just trying to get a point across. I’ll be creating more and more primeals now. This is a “primal meal” my way. Simple, quick, affordable, nutritious and delicious! Today I enjoyed one for $1.44
Brendan

What about the veggies and fiber?
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Sweet potatoes, avocados… PLENTY of fiber there! Almonds have fiber too. The nutrition is plenty!
Jenny

Unfortunately, not all of us are near a Trader Joe’s (they aren’t in Colorado at all, phooey) or equivalent. These same foods from my local grocery stores would be a lot more expensive, and likely worse quality. So I think we have to keep in mind the regional aspect of this. Oh, and I’m not in some backwater one-horse town, I’m in a very affluent ski resort community, go figure! I’m constantly amazed and horrified by our expensive and very crappy grocery options here (we have very expensive and high quality restaurants, of course). Oh well, one day I’ll win the lottery and open my own joint here ; ) I think the biggest thing people can do is make a meal plan, doing that one thing alone has helped me bring costs down by just being smart about how I use my food and not letting it go bad. If I buy a bunch of cilantro because I need half of it for one meal, I think about what I can make the next day with the rest. If I don’t do that it ends up going bad and going in the garbage.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  I’m back in Grand Rapids, MI right now and am not near a TJ’s or a Whole Foods. But, I do have a Meijer where I just bought sweet potatoes for 19 cents per pound!
http://busybotti.wordpress.com nicole

i pretty much eat the same things from week to week. lately it’s been a lot of sweet potatoes/coconut oil/eggs/ground beef. i wouldn’t want to be locked in to the SAME exact things all month but there are definitely plenty of primal friendly meals out there for people on a tight budget (i’m a broke college student so…i’m ALWAYS on a tight budget. lol).

this is good though..really shows people that eating healthy is NOT too expensive for them as long as they know how to put a pan on the stove.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Those 4 foods are definitely staples for me. For my 3:00 meal I enjoyed 4 eggs cooked in butter with roasted sweet potato in butter. I have ground beef thawing on the counter which I will cook tomorrow!
Bevie

Any cheap cut of meat can be made tasty by cooking in coconut milk and some spices. I would try it with the beef liver and save the butter for cooking my eggs in. If you make meatballs out of your ground beef and drop them into a pan of coconut milk with salt, cardamom, onion (really, another 3 bucks or so gets you a bag of onions to make those foods edible) and maybe ginger and cook until they are browning in the coconut oil left from the liquid boiling away, that is a bowl full of awesome.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  I’ve actually never cooked with coconut milk but I will have to try this soon. Those meatballs sound awesome!
Oranges

Great writeup, Toad!

If you added a couple bags of spinach, some root veggies (besides the sweet potatoes) to add some variety, the Vitamin K count would go way up, as would some of the other lacking elements, such as calcium and vitamin c.

The key to eating liver is not to overcook it. It’s not hamburger people! You put it in the pan on one side for about 30 seconds and then flip it over, and let it sit for about the same time. As long as it is all nice and brown on the outside, it’s done. I like to serve it with eggs over easy or onions. Mmmm. Delicious!

I would also say to supplement this with some bones – and make some delicious chili or stew!
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Yes, it most definitely would. But, if one did eat these foods for 30 days, then they would just focus on other foods that have the nutrients they were deficient in for this 30 days…
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/ Pat Robinson

I believe you need more phytochemicals and alkalizing plant-based food in there. So, I’d add lemons to your list. They are cheap and can be added to water for flavor and inexpensive alkalizing. Or, nettle leaf infusions are a favorite nutrient-dense beverage. They’re ten percent protein, more than any other vegetable. Two cups of nettle infusion has all the vitamins and minerals you need for a day. Costs about $8/month. http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/nettles-leaf-herbal-infusion

Bone broths are cheap and nutritious also. And, of course I’d include a homemade probiotic to your list for immune support, like water kefir.

Pat
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  I agree! These are just 10 foods that came to my mind first. There are so many options for simple meals. I will be posting actual meals on my blog a lot more often over the coming months. The one I enjoyed a few hours ago cost me $1.44!
Juan

Really cool list. I might print this out and take it to the grocery store. Don’t forget tomato sauce. I love tomato sauce. It’s great as a sauce for ground beef, and then you can make chili, sloppy joe, or who knows what else if you add some spices. Organic tomato sauce at Meijer is between $1 to $2 for the 16 ounce can (I forget exactly, and it is on sale sometimes). The bargain actually is their organic spaghetti sauce, the jar has been $2.31.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Tomato sauce and paste are awesome but more costly then the foods listed within this 10 food 30 day plan…
http://www.thelovevitamin.com Tracy

I have a question about liver… I want to try liver, but I don’t want to just eat a crappy, conventional liver, and since I don’t have the mighty Amazon.com I’m not sure where to get any that isn’t conventional. Is the liver you eat grass fed? What’s the quality of it?
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Yes the liver I eat is grass-fed. The liver I have in the freezer is from a quarter cow I bought last year
  
  You must have farmers markets around you, right?! I can buy chicken liver from my farmers market for $1 per lb… its cheap because no one wants it!
http://www.TheCrunchyPickle.com Crunchy Pickle

Glad to hear you say that this is for singles. For my family it would be $1000 a month! Yikes! (Not to say that I haven’t accidentally spent that much in my quest for health and primal foods for the whole family when I was new to this stuff). Maybe my next guest post could be on a 30 day meal plan for a family of five? Or, I could leave it up to you – you seem to do an awesome job with it and I am not sure that I would be nearly so organized or coherent. ..
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Do it! Even a week would be awesome. I’d love to see what a primal family of 5 eats over a week or month. It would most definitely be a hit post.
Sue

I live in Alaska and am fortunate to have a freezer full of wild salmon and moose meat. Our produce prices are higher, but this is pretty comparable to what we pay. Thanks for spelling things out, it really helps simplify the food plan and lets me see where i can make inexpensive changes.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Yes you are. I’ve never had moose but I’m sure I would love it. Do you fish for the salmon yourself? If you buy, how much is it? A few bucks per lb?
Sellendie

If I spent this much each month (over $400 for me and hubby), I would be broke in no time. We manage much cheaper!
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  How much do you spend per month? What foods do you eat?
Aurelia McGinley

I love this post, and I would love to see more like them! I’m always looking for new ways to save.

I save money on food (mostly eggs, fruits, and veggies) by friending a local farmer that buys from the Amish and resells in his front yard. Cheap and tax free. Free-range eggs for $2, and last month I bought 43 lbs of apples for $6, 30 lbs of sweet potatoes for $8, and 30 lbs of butternut squash for $6. And two our of three were grown locally and in season. And what I save in eggs, fruits, and veggies I put toward the best meats and seafood I can find.

And lest anyone is curious what I did with over 100 lbs of fresh fruit and vegetables. More than half of it was pureed and frozen into baby food for my 7 month old. Another way to save some cash.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  I’ll be writing up more of these… probably just a week at a time.
  
  30 lbs of sweet potatoes for $8? Meijer had a crazy deal on these lovely foods… 19 cents per lb! I wanted to buy all of them… only a few hundred…
  - Aurelia McGinley
    
    That’s an awesome deal on sweet potatoes. I was excited about my roughly .25/lb.
    - http://primaltoad.com Toad
      
      Lol. Yea, I don’t think I’ll ever find a deal like that again. Oh well, I’ll pay a lot more for sweet potatoes
Yasmine

“Strongly anti-inflammatory” says a great deal about this plan.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Sure does!
Pingback: The beginning is a good place to start… « cfsapaleochallenge
Ashley

Hey Toad, I just started a Paleo diet could you do another $200 meal plan if you have time Thanks
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Hey Ashley! Perhaps… this is not really at true meal plan that anyone would follow i don’t think. I do hope to publish a lot of ebooks that deal with cooking and such. One I need to start on again is Toadally Primeals. These are super simple meals that are affordable too. Just keep checking back at this blog for updates!
Wenchypoo

Your budget comes to $6.75/day, and that’s well within the realm of food stamp recipients. I know the so-called “food stamp challenges” going around the web are based on a $4.50/day allowance, but truth be told, that number is based on one person’s allowance in Chicago–other places allow more or less. Those that allow more could easily do this, and those that allow less can alter this, and add fat/fiber for more satiety, thus eating less food.

Every year, I get invited to take the challenge, and every year, I post my Food Stamp Challenge Cheat Sheet (pre-Paleo) in reply, showing how Hubby and I could afford to eat ORGANICALLY within the 2-person FS allowance for my state. Take away the non-Paleo food, and we could eat like kings and have money left over–possibly for feeding the next-door neighbor (especially when using your 3 Foods for Survival trick).

The beauty of foraging is this: it’s FREE, and there are so many types of foods available. With a little work, meat could be free too, if you can find a way around license fees, equipment and supply costs, lessons, and all the other crap that stands in the way of you and your meat.

Did Zog need food stamps to feed his family? No–the only cost to him was time and effort. That was his agenda for the day.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  That’s awesome! I knew my meal plan was cheap
Ashley

Thanks Toad =]
Seravin

The coconut, almond, avocado smoothie was the bomb. And I don’t like avocado.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  It’s a great combo! Its hard to taste the avocado when you add just a bit to smoothies.
Jennifer

Im also wondering how to do this for a family of 5. We are probably about 80% paleo at this point, because of cost. We have a budget of $500 per month for food. This is our absolute top. My husband and I are both college students, living off G.I. Bills, Army disability and student loans. We refuse to go on food stamps! So thats not an option. Our kids are young, which might be an advantage for now. Our son is 5 and our twin girls are 2 1/2. How can I realistically feed all of us for $500? I would like some real help, and real answers. I want the best for my family!
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  $500 per month for 5 people? Well, yes, having young children will help that as they don’t require as many calories as you… yet. I’m not sure how to feed a family of 5 for $500 – that seems like quite the challenge! I would probably ask for help from family and friends if possible.
  
  I would definitely be shopping at Costco a lot and not worry about being 100% primal. Just do the best you can.
Danielle

This is great!

I have a friend who is a single mom and pinches pennies to make ends meet. Great woman whom I admire. She never purchases beef because it’s expensive in her eyes. So, she waits for occasions where she is at buffets and then enjoys beef and seafood. She also waits for fast food deals and purchases BOGO type burger deals. I giggle to myself because those burgers are barely meat – IMO.

My point is that my husband and I would always challenge the thought that beef is too expensive. You can buy two cube steaks for about $4.00 USD and a bag of mixed greens for about $3.00 USD. You can find them for less really. So, you can feed two people for under $10 bucks. If you have a bottle of EVOO and vinegar on hand, you’re set for dressing for quite awhile. Most people are going to spend that amount in a fast food restaurant and the quality of food isn’t even close – even if your purchase is non grass fed beef and non organic salad greens.

I think most people who say they can’t afford healthy food could indeed do so if they sat down and worked it out as you did.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  BOGO? It kind of sounds familiar but kind of not, lol. You say barely meat? So it does have some meat in them?
  
  I am right with you. Most people in America can afford healthy food. No question about it. Instead they spend $5 or more on fast food which is MORE than what you can buy for an incredibly healthy meal at home!
http://paleoaustindallashouston.com Paleo

WONDERFUL! like a punch in the gut from your personal trainer. I was only going to browse the article I must admit, but after the first paragraph (wake up call to lazy shoppers) I read the whole thing. Nice job breaking it down.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Lol. You bet! I think I need to do more of these posts that deal with just a day maybe.
SDRobx

Thanks for the valuable info Toad & I am looking forward to more menu ideas !
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  You bet! Hopefully I’ll create a few meal plans by the day and publish them.
http://pucaandpixie.blogspot.com Amber

We are just starting our primal journey and I am really enjoying reading through your blog. I am trying to make our first 30 day meal plan that is fully primal and getting frustrated with the cost of certain foods. I do have a question about one of the items on your list though. Are you sure that is 2lbs of Kerrygold Butter for $11, or is it two 8oz packages of Kerrygold butter (1lb)? Because where I am, the 8oz blocks are roughly $5 each.
Thanks =)
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  I’m pretty certain that it is $5.50 per lb. But, you do have me thinking. I am not in Chicago right now so I can not double check on that right now…. when I go back I’ll check this out and change it if need be. Thanks for brining this to my attention!
  
  I am going to leave the calculations as is because I can buy local grass-fed butter here in GR, MI from the farmers market for only $4.25 per lb. I am 100% certain on this one as I have purchased it multiple times. You get 4 sticks at 8 TBSP each.
  - http://pucaandpixie.blogspot.com Amber
    
    I double checked at Safeway last night and it was an 8oz block for $5.49. I know you can get a pound of organic valley grass fed for $7.90 from Azure Standard, but that is still hard for me with as much butter as we go through =D Then again, I won’t be baking so much anymore, so butter consumption is likely to lessen a bit.
    
    Being in Portland, I am wondering if any of the Costcos sell Kerrygold butter, as they do have Kerrygold cheese at $5.99/lb– which is almost half the price of my local super market.
    
    Thanks!
    Amber
    - http://primaltoad.com Toad
      
      My Costco has Kerrygold butter! I’m sure all Costcos do. I love the Kerrygold cheese and its reasonable too!
      - http://pucaandpixie.blogspot.com Amber
        
        I checked at Trader Joe’s and I have no doubt you are correct about the price/pound. I think it was $3.19 for 8oz at the closest TJ’s… Over $4/lb difference. Wow.
      - http://primaltoad.com Toad
        
        Glad to hear that! I don’t remember exactly but I think I buy it for $5.79 for 1 lb. Something like that. Trader Joe’s has amazing prices! It’s one of many reasons why I want to live in Chicago for the spring summer before I hopefully go somewhere warm for next winter
      - Sharon Urlacher
        
        All Costcos don’t
Sharon Urlacher

We also spend about $400 – $500 on groceries a month for a family of 6 (Mom, Dad, boys ages 12, 11, 9 and 4). This cost includes household goods also. One blue collar income doesn’t go far and we’ve happily cut back to the basics. Organic and grass fed in Yakima, Wa is expensive. I try to buy “day old” beef chicken and pork for under $1.50 a pound. Unfortunately that is what we can afford. I’m not whining, it’s just what we can do and raise our own children. Any suggestions or can I just do paleo with the best we can afford? Thanks.
- http://primaltoad.com Toad
  
  Just do the best you can afford. What about cutting back on other things that you don’t need? I am going to need to be frugal once the plain lands in Seattle, WA on June 26. I won’t cut corners with food. I refuse. I’ll do my best to save money but food is most important to me.
  
  I’ll be living with someone else. No TV. No cable. Play will be simple and cost near nothing. We are even thinking about ditching the internet even though I need the internet to make money. I’d go to the nearby computer lab and work there mostly.
  
  Most of us have car payments, cable, expensive TV’s, credit card debt, etc. I am not saying you do. Maybe you have none of those luxuries. But do take a hard look at all of your expenses and see if you can cut back somewhere.
  
  The simple life is quite grand I have found out over the past year…
  - http://twitter.com/nil8r Melinda Smith
    
    welcome to Seattle!
http://twitter.com/nil8r Melinda Smith

Sure, meat and veggies are more expensive than a diet based on boxed mac & cheese or ramen, but if you are a family that eats takeaway or restaurant food at least 1-2x a week, then real food will be a bargain, especially factoring in that you’ll get more servings or meals from the ingredients.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  True!
  
  And, I am no longer in Olympia. But, I’m working on doing something beyond incredible so stay tuned!
Big Chief Whampalottacoq

You can also live on a diet of potatoes, milk, and a bottle of multi-vitamins for 3x as long and half the cost…

Why even bother with this poor excuse for a meal-plan which nobody would want to follow when you’re using two nutritionally complete foods and a lot of filler?

Whether it’s starch or protein the results are the same… If nobody wants to follow the plan then it’s pointless to make.