Pan-Seared Scallops with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes and Corn

Ingredients

• 1 lb Frozen wild caught sea scallops

  On sale at Walmart: Marketside Frozen Wild Caught Sea Scallops, 1 lb. Plastic Bag, 16 Pieces

  $10.00 $25.76

• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese

  On sale at Walmart: Fritz Cheddar Cheese, 16 oz

  $2.72 $5.43

• 2 pouches Idahoan Cheddar and Sour Cream mashed potatoes

  On sale at Walmart: Idahoan Cheddar & Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, 4 oz Pouch

  $0.75 $1.48

• 15 oz Great Value golden sweet whole kernel corn

  On sale at Walmart: Great Value Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn, 15.25 oz

  $0.50 $0.82

• 3 tablespoons Butter

  pantry

• to taste Salt

  pantry

• to taste Black pepper

  pantry

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil

  pantry

Prices are from Walmart the week of October 4, 2026. Sale prices change every week and differ by store.

Steps

1. Thaw scallops and pat very dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
2. Prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions using water and butter, then stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
4. Working in batches if needed, sear scallops for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, then set aside.
5. In the same skillet, warm the corn with 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt and pepper.
6. Plate scallops over cheddar mashed potatoes with buttered corn on the side.

Why it’s cheap

4 of the 8 ingredients were on sale at Walmart the week of October 4, 2026, led by frozen wild caught sea scallops at $10.00 instead of $25.76.

The sale items rang up $19.52 under their regular prices.

Penny Meals prices a dinner by the share of each package you actually cook, adds an estimated shelf price for anything that wasn’t on sale, and counts pantry staples like oil and salt as free. That came to $3.17 a serving, or $12.68 for 4 servings.

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