Sometimes, the best meals are the ones you don’t plan. This apple and onion pork chop recipe came together with simple ingredients from my freezer and pantry and it was so delicious. After I made it my husband Mike told me, “You better go write that down right now before you forget!” We ended up making it again not soon after so that I could write down the exact amounts so that you could enjoy it too!
This hearty meal is a great example of how to stretch a grocery haul, use what you already have on hand, and still serve up something that feels a little fancy. The sweet-and-savory spice rub, caramelized apples and onions, and creamy mashed potatoes all come together for a comforting, one-pan dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights or hosting guests over the weekend.
Saving Money on Groceries
I like to portion large packs of meat from grocery hauls into individual dinners. It helps to save money on groceries when you buy in bulk on meat purchase. The pork chops that I used for this meal came from a large package that was enough for us to make four meals. Since I only go grocery shopping once every three weeks, it is important that I have different meat options in the freezer so that we have a variety of items to choose from.
I keep an inventory of what we have as well as meal ideas in my Grocery Planner. I’ve designed a planner that allows you to plan meals, make shopping lists, track your budget, and more! Be sure to check it out in The Cross Legacy Shop and there are 5 cover designs to choose from.
Save Time with Batch Cooking
Another thing that I do to make my life easier when I am cooking is batch cooking! This means I cook once and make enough to freeze extra servings. I serve these pork chops with mashed potatoes and I have found that mashed potatoes freeze really well! When I make this meal I will either make fresh mashed potatoes and freeze the extras, or I’ll grab a container out of the freezer.
You can freeze them in a glass container or I also enjoy freezing things in Souper Cubes. These silicone storage containers allow you to freeze the perfect size portions.
Keeping Produce Fresh
I use apples in this pork chop dish and sometimes the apples that I have are months old. Did you know that most apples that you buy at the store are already a year old? They are harvested once a year (in the fall) and then kept in cold storage before traveling to the supermarket. If you are buying apples in the summer, know that they are older and they will do better if you keep them in the fridge, but away from other fruits and vegetables. I go into more detail about how to wash and store apples in this blog post.
If you want to learn more about how to keep produce fresh for weeks, check out my Zero Waste Produce Guide. It has information for washing and storing 75 produce items. This book also has 40 recipes to try! It is available in The Cross Legacy Shop and on Amazon.
Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas
If you’re looking for other easy dinner ideas besides these pork chops, be sure to check out my One Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo and my Farro Grain Bowls.
I’ve also been posting every dinner from 2025 on my YouTube Channel. You can see one of the videos here and use the link in the description to watch the rest of them. I hope these inspire you to see that it is possible to cook delicious, healthy meals for your family while sticking to a grocery budget.
Pork Chops & Apples
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon additional for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon garlic and herb seasoning
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 apple sliced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix together rub ingredients (herbs, salt, and pepper) and rub on pork chops a few hours prior to cooking
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Sear the pork chops in an oven safe pan for with a small amount of oil for 2 minutes on each side
- Add onions to pan
- Place in oven for 10 minutes
- Add sliced apples to pan, sprinkle with cinnamon and return to oven
- Cook until pork chops reach internal temperature of 145 degrees
- Remove from the oven and place pork chops
- To make the glaze add brown sugar and butter to the pan
- Cook until blended (about 1 minute) and then drizzle on top of pork chops
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