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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 #62
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
Something we like to do with meals is make them go farther by adding a few simple things …. Either add in some protein, extra veggies or a carb.
For example, serve the Cheesy Zucchini Casserole alongside some rice. Include your choice of chicken or pork with the Garlic Noodles. The Bruschetta Chicken pairs fabulously with asparagus or your choice of green veggie.
It will quickly transform from a dish to a full meal. ENJOY!
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
Chicken Tortilla soup
The BEST slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is filled with chunks of chicken, beans & corn. It is easy to make and full of flavor!
I love to make Homemade Tortilla Chips to crush up on top of this soup. If you need an even lighter version, try our Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Baked Tortilla Chips!
Tuesday
Bruschetta Chicken
Baked Bruschetta Chicken is marinated in Italian dressing and topped with cheese. It is simple and delicious!!
Serve this chicken with a side of Baked Parmesan Asparagus, or another of your favorite healthy vegetable side dishes.
wednesday
Chocolate Waffles
Fresh-made Chocolate Waffles are decadent, delicious and whip up in minutes!! They are the perfect start to your day, or a sweet dessert.
If chocolate flavored waffles sound too rich to you, you can always try our adding chocolate chips to our Buttermilk Waffles for just a slight hint of chocolate!
Thursday
Garlic Noodles
Perfectly spiced Garlic Noodles are flavored with a simple savory sauce. They are no fuss, but packed with flavor!!
Check out the tip of the week for ideas on how to make these a more filling dinner dish. Some of our favorite protein to add to these noodles (or enjoy side by side) are Orange Chicken and Honey Chicken.
Weekend
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
This cheesy Zucchini Casserole is a simple and delicious dish made with zucchini chunks, cheese, butter and crushed Chex! It’s great for family dinners and especially for holiday gatherings.
This is typically enjoyed as a side, but you can add some shredded chicken or baked and cubed chicken to make it a more hearty and filling main dish.
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
Easy Fruit Salad makes the perfect side dish to any meal! Colorful, healthy, delicious, and filled with all your favorite fruits!
This side dish is so versatile, you can enjoy it with any of the dinners on the plan this week, especially the Chocolate Waffles or Zucchini Casserole.
Olive Garden Breadsticks are light and airy on the inside, and flavored with butter and garlic salt on the outside, just like the originals. You can never eat just one!
We’re planning on eating these Italian style breadsticks with the Bruschetta Chicken this week. But keep this recipe on hand to eat with all your pasta and soup recipes!
Dessert of the WEek
Peach Pie
Homemade fresh Peach Pie cannot be beat! Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and all peach fans will be in heaven!
For more peach desserts, 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!
