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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 #55
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
Have you ever heard of Pigs in a Blanket? Essentially, they are hot dogs wrapped in bread! So fun, fast and tasty!
Other variations of this dinner that we enjoy are our Com Dogs or our Hot Dog Nuggets. Our Mini Com Dog Muffins are pretty fun for a snack as well!
We also love to dip and dunk these in the classic ketchup and mustard, or switch it up and dip in Honey Mustard or Homemade Fry Sauce. YUM!
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
GREEN CHILI CHICKEN
Green chili chicken is easy and delicious. Topped with cheese and green chili sauce guarantees it will become a new favorite in no time!!
If you’re feeling up to it, I highly recommend making your own Green Enchilada Sauce to use in this recipe! It’s one of FIVE ingredients required to make this dish.
Tuesday
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Flavorful Lemon Chicken Pasta is covered in a delicious sauce made from lemons, whipping cream, cheeses, and fresh basil.
This is a great dish to serve the Strawberry Spinach Salad (one of our sides of the week) with! And don’t forget some Cheesy Garlic Bread while you’re at it.
wednesday
Banana Waffles
Banana Waffles are filled with fresh banana puree for a naturally sweet flavor. This kid-friendly breakfast whips up in only 15 minutes!!
If you don’t have a waffle maker, you can still get your banana fix for breakfast with our Banana Pancakes recipe!
Thursday
Pigs in a blanket
A yummy lunch, dinner, or snack idea for the whole family! Homemade pigs in a blanket with delicious crescent dough and a sprinkling of sesame seeds on top!
Be sure to see the tip of the week for our favorite variations of this recipe as well as some homemade dipping sauces we love to serve these with!
Weekend
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Hamburger Helper is filling and hearty. A perfect dish for the family that comes together in under 30 minutes!
This would be another great dish to serve the light and refreshing Strawberry Spinach Salad with!
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
Strawberry Spinach Salad is fresh, naturally sweet, colorful, and absolutely delicious. Serve it as a quick lunch, a dinner side, or a potluck item!
With such a versatile flavor profile, you could serve this salad with a couple different dishes this week. It has a homemade dressing, but it also pairs really nicely with our Strawberry Vinaigrette!
Cheesy Zucchini Tots are a fun twist on tater tots, and are loaded with my favorite vegetable. They’re super easy and quick to make.
These healthier tots would go great with Pigs in a Blanket. And don’t forget the dipping sauces! We love Marinara, Ketchup, Fry Sauce, or Ranch Dressing.
Dessert of the WEek
Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Prep this ice cream sandwich cake in 5 minutes! It’s perfect for hot summer days and your kids will LOVE it. Chocolate ice cream sandwiches topped with whipped cream and crushed Oreos!
For more frozen desserts try:
- Oreo Ice Cream Cake
- Frozen Strawberry Dessert
- Angel Food Ice Cream Cake
- Frozen Butterfinger Pie
- Mud Pie
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!
