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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 #9
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 (or tried) Gnocchi before? Gnocchi are a traditional Italian potato dumpling that are small, thick, and soft. They are typically made from potatoes, semolina, or flour and served with a sauce.
This week’s meal plan includes our Pesto Gnocchi which is insanely good! Love pesto? CLICK HERE for even more yummy pesto dishes!
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
Mexican Lasagna
If you’re a fan of Mexican food, you’ll LOVE this Mexican Lasagna recipe! Flour tortillas layered with tons of cheese, shredded chicken, las palmas green chile enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, and lots of seasonings!!
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can use Homemade Flour Tortillas in this recipe. Make sure you have some salsa and guacamole on the side!
Tuesday
Pesto Gnocchi
This bright and fresh pesto gnocchi will become your go-to summer meal. It’s bold, full of flavor, and so delicious!
Pesto gnocchi is filled with fresh veggies, but if you want to add some protein, chopped chicken is a great way to go. Cheesy Garlic Bread (one of the sides of the week) is also a MUST!!
Wednesday
Biscuits and Gravy
This CLASSIC Biscuits and Gravy recipe is one everyone knows and loves! Delicious buttery biscuits smothered in a homemade sausage gravy! It only takes a few simple ingredients and is perfect for breakfast (dinner) or a holiday morning!
This can be a pretty hearty breakfast, so we like to serve it with something light and fresh like fruit salad or a berry smoothie.
Thursday
Cobb Salad
This simple Cobb salad is so full of tasty ingredients it’s a meal all on it’s own. It is quick to make and utterly delicious.
This salad is substantial enough on its own, but it also pairs well with a simple Tomato Basil Soup and Easy Yeast Rolls.
Weekend
Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
Marinated Teriyaki Chicken Burgers are quick, easy and full of sweet, tangy flavor! Grilled pineapple makes these burgers perfection.
Naturally, the Homemade French Fries (the other side dish on the week’s meal plan) are the ultimate companion for these chicken burgers!
Sides of the week
Our Top Two Choices
Cheesy Garlic Bread is by far our favorite garlic bread recipe. It takes minutes to put together and is SO cheesy and delicious. It’s the perfect side dish for any meal, but especially for pasta and Italian dishes!
Sometimes if we have extra time, we’ll make Homemade French Bread to use for this recipe!
Homemade French Fries are completely worth the effort, and turn out better than restaurant fries. They are crispy, salty perfection!!
Make sure you whip up some homemade Fry Sauce to dip them in when you serve them with your burgers this week.
Dessert of the Week
Brownie Delight
Brownie Delight is a delicious 4-layer dessert that is cool, creamy and chocolate-y. It is deliciously refreshing!
For more layered 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 Meal Plan #9!
