Coming up with dinner every.single.day. can be such a struggle. My weekly dinner plans are created to help you get one thing off your to-do list and have less stress at dinner time!
Visit the WEEKLY DINNER PLANNER archive for more meal planning ideas!
Table of Contents
Dinner Plan #41
Meal Prep Tips
These are some basic prep ideas you can do before the week starts to get ahead of the game! Do some, do them all, whatever works for you! I just barely make it to the grocery shopping part, so actual meal prep is a stretch for me personally …. but I hear it’s super-efficient 😬🤪
| Stuffed Acorn Squash | Prepare and cook squash. Prepare and cook meat filling (steps 5-7.) |
| Chipotle Ranch Chicken Wraps | Cook/shred chicken. Shred cheese if using block. Make dressing if not using store-bought. |
| Honey Butter Cajun Shrimp and Gouda Grits | Chop shallot. Juice & zest lemon. Grate gouda cheese. |
| Instant Pot Ramen | Slice bok choy & scallions. Make Ramen Eggs. |
| Meatloaf Muffins | Chop green pepper and onion. |
Recipe Links • Side Ideas • Helpful Tips
Stuffed Acorn Squash
from The Clean Eating Couple
For something fun and full of fall vibes, try this healthy stuffed acorn squash. Just the right mix of sweet and savory all packaged neatly under a little blanket of golden cheese.
FYI:
- LONG COOK TIME: Though this takes a little longer to make (45minutes – 1 Hr) it is simple to put together yet looks fancy!
- You can easily make these a few days in advance. Follow instruction up to scooping the filling back into the squash. Once you’re ready to eat, bake for about 20 minutes on 400°F or until warmed through, then top with cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes.
- This is a great recipe for a dinner party.
SIDE IDEAS:
- Wild rice
- Quinoa
- Couscous
Chipotle Ranch Chicken Wraps
from Moments and Meals
Light but filling, these wraps are the perfect dinner idea when you need something quick and easy to eat on the run.
FYI:
- You don’t need to get the specific brand of chipotle ranch dressing I call out in the recipe card. Check the post for alternatives to making your own.
- I like to get a rotisserie chicken and shred it to have on hand for chicken wraps throughout the week.
SIDE IDEAS:
- Fruit salad
- Potato chips
- Fries
- Esquites (Mexican roasted corn, served in a cup)
Honey Butter Cajun Shrimp and Gouda Grits
from Butter Be Ready
Get your bowls ready, folks! Bold Cajun shrimp swimming in a zesty honey butter pool all nestled in smoky, creamy grits? Just go ahead and curl up on the couch with a blanket and a big bowl of this goodness.
FYI:
- Though shrimp tails can be pretty for presentation, I prefer to serve them with tails off for easier eating.
SIDE IDEAS:
- Note: I do not eat this with other sides because I refuse to ruin the flavors going on in my mouth.
- If you insist, I will suggest this Fried Okra because it has a mild flavor and the cornmeal pairs with the grits.
Instant Pot Ramen
from Rasa Malaysai
Chicken, bok choy, and squiggly, chewy ramen noodles all cooked in the Instant Pot to make a quick and easy Ramen soup that is flavorful and full of nutrients.
FYI:
- One of the ingredients for this soup is Ramen eggs, which are linked to as a separate recipe. They are quick to make, but require a day to marinade in a soy mixture. Though they are delicious and add an extra special flavor to the soup, I generally skip this step and just make regular soft boiled eggs for time’s sake.
SIDE IDEAS:
- Gyoza (potstickers)
- Garlic mushroom bok choy
- Kimchi
- Quick pickled carrots and daikon
Meatloaf Muffins
from Taste of Home
A fun take on meatloaf that allows dinner to be ready in a fraction of the time! Can’t beat that for busy weeknights!
FYI:
- Serve with one of those Birds Eye sides like this Roasted Red Potato Blend and you’re golden. Semi-homemade for the win!!
- If you have your favorite meatloaf blend that you like to make, I say go for that and just bake in the muffin tin per the recommended bake time in this recipe.
SIDE IDEAS:
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- White rice
- Buttered corn or green beans
- Macaroni & cheese
Hope this helps make dinner time less stressful for you this week! If you have questions or feedback let me know in the comments or email me, I’d love to hear from you 💜
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How To Use the Meal Plans
People are typically put off by commitment but if you give yourself a guideline with the flexibility and permission to make changes as needed, you’ll be more likely to stick to it. That’s why flexible meal plans work.
I give you 5 suggestions and you pick 3-5 meals for your week. Each week I scour through my collections of recipes from a variety of amazing food bloggers, recipe sites, cookbooks and personal recipes to thoughtfully create a weekly dinner plan that is easy and delicious. Pick 3-5 of them for your week based on what works for your schedule and include days for eating out, leftovers, etc.
Use the order of the meals as a guideline. You’ll notice dinners are not listed as Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. and that’s on purpose. I don’t want you to feel restricted. That sense of “I HAVE to do this” is what makes people stop meal planning. Keep things flexible and be realistic with your expectations and schedule.
Make mindful adjustments. Sometimes, you need to consider foods (i.e. meats) that need to be used by certain days. For example, if you planned on making steak fajitas on Tuesday, but now it’s Tuesday and you can’t or don’t want to, think about your ingredients for a minute. Check your steak, if the date is good til tomorrow then just make sure you make that meal tomorrow. Otherwise, throw it in the freezer and plan to make it on Friday instead (just take it out the day before to thaw.) This will become second nature as you continue meal planning.
Grocery shop for the week. Get all your groceries for the week so you have everything on hand. This will save you so much time and extra money spent on impulse purchases.
