This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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 #41
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
Ever heard of Sopa de Fideo? It is a Mexican sopa (soup) featuring fideo (a thin Mexican noodle).
There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe + the best part? You can usually find a bag of fideo at the grocery store for about a quarter!
Feel free to add chicken to make it heartier, to use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian or to add pureed tomatoes to make the flavor more rich. Lots of options for this simple, affordable & delicious soup!
We love to serve it with some warm corn tortillas on the side.
BENEFITS OF MEAL PLANNING
Thereโs nothing worse than the dread every time a family members asks, โWhatโs for dinner??โ And your answer is โI have no clue.โ 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 familyโs palates to all kinds of meals.
- No Indecision: Did you know thereโs such thing as โindecision fatigueโ? The idea is that when you canโt 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, youโre 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
Sopa De Fideo
This quick, simple and delicious Sopa (soup) de Fideo is a family favorite. Itโs also cheesy and flavorful! Just 5 Ingredients and youโll have dinner in no time.
This soup is often served with corn or flour tortillas (we prefer homemade)! You could also serve it with a yummy and simple appetizer like chips and salsa, or guacamole.
Tuesday
Flatout Flatbread Pizza
Zazz up pizza night by making quick and easy flatbread pizzas with Flatout Flatbread. Our favorites are caprese and chicken caesar salad!!
Since these pizzas are fairly light, there’s plenty of room for a side of Cheesy Garlic Bread or a Caesar Salad on the side!
wednesday
Sausage Cream Cheese Casserole
Sausage Cream Cheese Casserole is filled with a savory sausage and cream cheese center. Itโs the perfect breakfast recipe!
A light and refreshing breakfast smoothie, or even a fruit salad are perfect to pair with this savory casserole!
Thursday
Asian Meatballs
Easy and delicious Crock Pot Asian meatballs take minutes to prep, are perfect for parties and have that Asian flavor we all know and love.
You can serve these meatballs over white rice, or make some Homemade Fried Rice to serve with them. One of the sides of the week, Asian Noodle Salad, pairs perfectly with this dish!
Weekend
Lemon Chicken with Veggies
Roasted Lemon Chicken with Veggies including green beans and red potatoes. One of the easiest and yummiest dinner recipes!
This is an entire meal all on it’s own! It’s got the “meat AND potatoes” so to speak. If you would like to serve anything extra with it, a bread recipe would be great! Especially Homemade Dinner Rolls.
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
Asian Noodle Salad – coleslaw, linguine, chicken, and fried wonton strips covered in a delicious homemade Asian dressing! It’s great for BBQs and any Asian meal.
This salad is meant to be served with the Asian Meatballs on the meal plan this week.
Chocolate Muffins loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chunks, then topped with more chocolate chips and sprinkles. Every chocolate lover will appreciate these rich and indulgent muffins!
These are a great snack to make at the beginning of the week and eat all week long. They also double as a breakfast side for your Sausage Cream Cheese Casserole.
Dessert of the WEek
Millionaire Bars
These millionaire bars have a perfectly crumbly crust, an ooey gooey caramel middle, and a thin layer of delicious semi-sweet chocolate on top. They definitely earn their name!
For more Chocolatey Bar Desserts, try:
Download the Meal Plan!
Click the link below to download this weekโs FREE Meal Plan!
And remember โ 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!