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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 #85
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
Gougeres is the French term for the Cheese Puffs on this week’s menu. Think cream puff but with a savory cheese flavor.
For the cheese, we used a combination of Gruyere and cheddar. You can always change up the type of cheese you use, as long as it’s a kind that melts and incorporates easily.
Some of our other amazing puff pastry recipes are: Baked Brie Puff Pastry, Homemade Cream Puffs and Spinach Puffs. We love them all!
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
Pork Tacos
Pork tacos made simple using slow cooker pork and all of your favorite taco toppings! These tacos are flavorful, easy to make, and a big crowd pleaser.
Esquites, one of our featured sides this week, goes great with these yummy tacos! Together, they make an easy and tasty Mexican meal!
Tuesday
Chicken Parmigiana
Tasty chicken parmigiana is hearty and filling crispy chicken a top a bed of pasta covered in a rich homemade tomato sauce.
We always love to have a salad or vegetable with this filling dish. Some sides that pair well with it are Caesar salad with homemade Caesar Salad Dressing, Roasted Broccoli or Asparagus Salad. They’re all yummy and healthy!
wednesday
Breakfast Pie
This cheesy Bisquick breakfast pie takes only 10 minutes to prep, and is perfect for brunch or holiday. Loaded with eggs, cheese, bacon and potatoes, it’s a hearty and delicious recipe!
We love pairing this hearty dish with some fresh fruit or a light smoothie. Some of our favorite smoothies to serve with it are Pineapple Banana Smoothie, Blueberry Smoothie or Orange Juice Smoothie. They’re all so good!!
Thursday
Minestrone Soup
Not only is this Minestrone soup delicious and comforting, but also really nutritious! Perfect for lunch or dinner on a cool autumn day.
Try our amazing Cheese Puffs with this savory soup. They’re on the menu as a side this week. We promise everyone’s going to love them!
Weekend
Chicken STir Fry
Simple, quick, and delicious Chicken Stir Fry. This tasty dinner is simple and is filled with broccoli, carrots, and snow peas!
Try serving this stir fry over rice or noodles and with a side of Cream Cheese Wontons or Fried Egg Rolls. It’s the perfect Asian-inspired meal!
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
Cheese Puffs are light and fluffy on the inside with the perfect crunch on the outside. This little appetizer is bursting with cheesy flavor!
Some of our other favorite cheesy appetizers include Cheese Fondue, Chili Cheese Dip, Pull Apart Bread, Fried Mac and Cheese and Cheese Ball Bites. You’ve got to try these recipes!
Esquites is a tasty corn salad topped with chili and cotija cheese. It’s incredibly delicious and easy to whip up!
Some of our other favorite salads with a bit of a kick are Southwest Salad, Southwest Caprese Salad and Southwest Quinoa Salad. They’re great with any meal, especially Mexican cuisine!
Dessert of the WEek
Nutella Dip
Filled with hazelnut goodness and a helping of tangy cream cheese & whipped cream, this Nutella fruit dip is heavenly!
For more DESSERT DIPS, try:
- Chocolate Chip Dip
- Apple Brickle Dip Recipe
- Cheesecake Dip
- Snickers Dip
- Pina Colada Dip
- Caramel Apple Dip
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!
