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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 #50
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
Homemade Ice Cream is hard to beat! Pair it with a classic dessert such as our Chocolate Cake, Peach Cobbler or Homemade Brownies.
Or, you could make your own ice cream sundaes! There are numerous mix-ins and toppings you can use to customize your ice cream.
No ice cream maker? No worries! We include instructions on how to make it with or without one.
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
Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken
Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken – a simple and delicious chicken recipe that is perfect for salads, burritos, quesadillas and tacos!
I love to go all out and pair this chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice, Homemade Flour Tortillas, and of course our Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing (a side of the week)!
Tuesday
Spinach Ricotta Stuffed PEppers
Super easy spinach ricotta Stuffed Peppers are full cheesy goodness. They are perfect for meatless Monday or dinner with vegetarian friends!
wednesday
Cinnamon Roll WAffles
If you love breakfast foods like I do, this recipe is for you! Two of my absolute favorite breakfasts combine in these amazingly delicious cinnamon roll waffles.
With this ultra sweet breakfast, I like to serve a side of scrambled eggs or breakfast sausage to balance it out!
Thursday
Hot Dogs in Crock pot
The easiest way to make hot dogs for a crowd! Cook hot dogs in the crock pot for all of your summer potluck needs.
If you don’t have time to let the hot dogs cook in the crock pot, you can always boil them using this recipe!
Weekend
baked pesto chicken
Chicken breasts covered in basil pesto, and baked with mozzarella cheese and tomato slices. This Baked Pesto Chicken takes just minutes to prep, is simple, tasty and the perfect meal to add to your dinner rotation.
If you’re feeling up to it, you can make your own Basil Pesto! It will take this recipe next level.
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
This copycat recipe for Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing is fresh and creamy with a hint of spice. We LOVE this stuff!
Obviously we have to pair it with the Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken this week! But it’s a delicious dressing/dip to use on all Mexican recipes, or any salad.
Lemon Poppyseed Salad is delicious salad with tomatoes, chicken, craisins, sunflower seeds and a delicious homemade lemon poppy seed dressing. The dressing only requires 4 ingredients and takes minutes to make!
This is a fairly versatile salad and can go several dishes, but it would pair great with the hot dog dinner on Thursday!
Dessert of the WEek
Vanilla Ice Cream
Fresh, creamy, and refreshing Vanilla Ice Cream. A simple 4 ingredient treat that is simply delish and the perfect side to all your favorite treats – cake, brownies and more!
For some toppings to use on your ice cream, 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!
