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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 #29
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
Avocados are the star in this week’s “Brinner”. Here are a few tips when picking avocados:
- To test an avocado, hold it in the palm of your hand and gently press with your fingers. You want to it to have some give and feel soft. Not too mushy or it’s too ripe.
- If it is completely firm, it will need 4-5 more days at room temperature to fully ripen.
- If you need to slow down the ripening process, store your avocados in the fridge.
- A perfectly ripe avocado can last 2-3 days at room temperature or 3-5 days in the fridge.
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
Tamale Pie
Tamale Pie is bursting with spice and hearty meat with a fabulous crust of tamale goodness and filled with beef, chiles, cheese and more. It is a delicious one pan meal and easy to make!
Since this main dish is so easy to make, I like to add a few simple sides as well, like Mexican Rice, Guacamole, or Mexican Street Corn. Don’t forget to add any side dish ingredients to your grocery list!
Tuesday
Chicken gnocchi soup
This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is so hearty and so flavorful. It is filled with chicken, carrots, spinach, broccoli and gnocchi! It’s perfect all year long and is bound to be a new favorite.
Since this is an Olive Garden copycat recipe, I can’t make it without serving Olive Garden Breadsticks as well!
wednesday
Avocado Eggs
Avocado Bacon and eggs are simple, delicious and hearty! So many great ingredients are used and make for a great breakfast recipe without much work!
These are pretty satisfying on their own, but if you want a more filling meal, you can add some breakfast sausage, hash browns, or a smoothie on the side.
Thursday
Pepper Steak
Steak strips and vegetables smothered in a peppery oriental sauce, and served over steamed rice. Next time you’re craving Chinese food, give this pepper steak a try!
The Cauliflower Fried Rice on the meal plan this week was made to be paired with this pepper steak! You can also do a plain Cauliflower Rice without all the vegetable and flavor additions, and serve the pepper steak over the top.
Weekend
crockpot ranch chicken
You’ll love how simple, yet flavorful, this delicious dinner recipe is. Made entirely in the crockpot, creamy ranch chicken is perfect on its own or served over rice.
Asparagus Salad (the other side of the week) is a light and fresh companion to this hearty and creamy main dish.
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
You will not miss the usual white rice in this Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe. This gluten-free and keto-friendly fried rice recipe is perfect for your healthy eating goals without having to sacrifice flavor or deliciousness!
You can take out the pork if you just want a veggie fried rice to accompany the Pepper Steak this week. Or, you can eliminate the extras altogether and make a plain Cauliflower Rice!
Filled with mozzarella cheese, and cherry tomatoes, seasoned with basil, and covered in a light balsamic vinaigrette, Asparagus Salad is bursting with flavor! Best of all, it comes together in less than 10 minutes!
If you don’t like the idea of a dressed asparagus salad, you can make Baked Parmesan Asparagus with essentially the same main ingredients!
Dessert of the WEek
Andes Mint Cookies
Andes mint cookies are chocolate and mint perfection. The best part is they are crazy quick & easy to make!!
For more Chocolatey Cookies, try:
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!
