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Save yourself some time, money and stress by using this FREE Meal Plan that is full of amazing recipes. Each plan includes 5 dinner ideas, 2 side dishes, 1 dessert and a shopping list making meal planning easier than ever!!
WEEKLY MEAL PLAN #26
Each week, I share with you a FREE meal plan that consists of 5 dinner ideas (Monday-Thursday plus one Weekend meal), 2 side dishes, and 1 dessert!
Included is a grocery list with EVERY ingredient you need for all the items on the meal plan.
This is meant to help simplify menu planning, shopping, and cooking so you can more easily enjoy meals with your family throughout the week!
TIP OF THE WEEK
We love freezer meals! They are so handy on nights that are busy with not much time to dinner prep. And during the holiday season, this tends to happen a lot.
This week’s Ham and Bean Soup is a great one to use as a freezer meal. Double the batch and freeze half of it for another busy night this month. It’s also a great meal to take into friends/family when they need a dinner.
Whether you want to make the soup ahead of time or save for later, freezing is such a great option!
Pro tip: Make sure food has cooled before freezing. Freeze in a freezer safe storage container. Make sure you leave 2 inches of space to allow for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months.
BENEFITS OF MEAL PLANNING
There’s nothing worse than the dread every time a family members asks, “What’s for dinner??” And your answer is “I have no clue.” Having a meal plan for the week eliminates that completely, which is the number one benefit in my book!
Besides having a game plan in place, there are several other benefits of meal planning, including:
- Cost: When you have a plan set in place, and a specific list of groceries, you eliminate cost wasted on impulse items or produce that never gets used.
- Decrease Waste: No wasted money, and no wasted food! Having a set grocery list will help to avoid both of those issues.
- Variety: Our meal plans specifically include a lot of variety, with Mexican, Italian, Breakfast for Dinner, and so much more! You can expose your family’s palates to all kinds of meals.
- No Indecision: Did you know there’s such thing as “indecision fatigue”? The idea is that when you can’t make a decision on something (like what to make for dinner) it actually makes you mentally fatigued. When dinners are already planned out, though, you avoid indecision completely!
- Health: When you plan for/anticipate making well-rounded meals, you’re much more likely to actually make them rather than defaulting to convenient boxed meals, or unhealthy fast food!
As you can see, there are so many benefits to meal planning!
And if you want to create your own menu, be sure to check out all our recipes and visit our recipe pages, including: Main Dish, Side Dishes, Desserts, Appetizers and Breakfast!
Monday
Mexican Casserole
This Mexican casserole is an easy weekday dinner idea that is full of Spanish rice, chicken, and melty cheese. It’s flavorful and everyone will love it!
This recipe calls for Spanish Rice, Taco Seasoning, and Salsa, and I like to use my homemade versions if I have any leftover from a previous dinner (or if I have the time to make them from scratch)!
Tuesday
Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is flavorful and beyond easy to make! This tasty dish requires surprisingly few ingredients and is cooked in a lemon butter sauce topped with capers.
You can serve this chicken over a bed of pasta, or rice! And don’t forget to whip up the Brussel Sprout Salad (one of the sides of the week!).
Wednesday
Snowman Pancakes
Adorable Christmas Snowman Pancakes are the kid-favorite holiday breakfast. They’re simple and great to enjoy all winter long.
You could dress these babies up by using another pancake recipe with mix-ins like Chocolate Chip Pancakes, or Funfetti Pancakes!
Thursday
Ham and Bean Soup
Easy ham and bean soup is perfect for using up leftover ham. It is warm, hearty, and full of savory flavors!
This dish also pairs really well with the Italian Bread on the plan this week. If Italian Bread isn’t your style though, you could also pair it with Homemade Dinner Rolls instead!
Weekend
Shepherd’s Pie
Easy Shepherd’s Pie is homemade comfort food at its best. It has a rich beefy base, loaded with vegetables and a thick, buttery potato topping.
This classic dish is a meal on its own, with meat, vegetables, and potatoes! However, the Italian Bread will also go great with it if you want a side.
Sides of the week
Our top Two Choices
Brussel Sprout Salad is as pretty as it is tasty—full of shredded Brussel sprouts, pomegranate seeds, sliced almonds, and a little bit of shaved parmesan.
This is a cold salad with raw brussel sprouts, and it’s actually delicious! If you prefer your brussel sprouts cooked, however, definitely try Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts or Brussel Sprouts with Bacon.
It is so easy to make Italian Bread at home with just a few simple ingredients. Nothing beats a soft and crusty bread warm from the oven!
Italian Bread loaves are really similar to a French Bread. They bake directly on a sheet pan, instead of a loaf pan. Easy!
Dessert of the Week
Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert
Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert is a cool and refreshing dessert stuffed with candy cane bits, all atop an Oreo crust.
For more peppermint desserts, try:
- Peppermint Brownies
- Peppermint Chocolate Delight
- Marbled Peppermint Bark
- Peppermint Fluff Dip
- Peppermint Cheesecake Bars
Download the Meal Plan!
Click the link below to download this week’s FREE Meal Plan!
And remember – if you want to create your own menu, be sure to check out all our recipes and visit our recipe pages, including: Main Dish, Side Dishes, Desserts, Appetizers and Breakfast!
Click Here to Download the PDF!
