This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you are trying to get dinner on the table without the nightly scramble, you are in the right place. Every Thursday, I drop a fresh weekly meal plan with five weeknight dinners, a dessert, and tips to help you prep ahead and make each meal your own.
These are recipes I actually cook and trust, and I have been putting these plans together every single week for years. New here or a regular, the goal is always the same. Good food, less stress, more time for everything else.
Looking to get ahead or need more ideas? Browse all my weekly meal plans or come say hi on my about page.
To see EACH RECIPE post, CLICK ON the PHOTO BELOW
This Week’s Tips for Success
Monday: Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)
Meal Prep Tip: This one is a great weekend project. Braise it Sunday, then just reheat gently on the stove Monday night. It actually tastes even better the next day once the flavors settle in. It’s also perfect for the slow cooker too.
Customization: Serve it over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered pasta, whatever you have on hand.
Tuesday: Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Meal Prep Tip: Cook the pasta and char the corn ahead of time, then keep the dressing in a separate container. Toss everything together right before serving so it stays fresh instead of sitting soggy in the fridge.
Customization: Swap the cotija for feta if that is what you have, and add a diced jalapeno or black beans if you want more heat or bulk. Add shredded rotisserie chicken or baked chicken for a full meal
Wednesday: Marry Me Chicken Soup
Meal Prep Tip: If you want to make this ahead, cook the pasta separately and stir it in when you reheat. Pasta keeps soaking up broth as it sits, so adding it fresh keeps the soup from turning thick and stew like.
Customization: Not a fan of citrus in soup? Leave out the lemon juice. It brightens things up, but the soup is still delicious without it.
Thursday: Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
Meal Prep Tip: This is one to make fresh rather than ahead of time. The gravy gets its rich flavor from the browned bits left in the pan after searing the sausages, so hold off on browning anything in advance.
Customization: Traditional pork sausage or beef sausage both work great here, so use whichever your family likes best.
Friday: Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Meal Prep Tip: Mix the soups, milk, water, and seasonings together the night before and store in the fridge. Come Friday, just stir in the chicken and rice and pop it in the oven. Customization: Rotisserie chicken makes this a breeze, and you can swap in whatever cream soup combination you have in the pantry.
Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Meal Prep Tip: These are made for getting ahead. Bake them over the weekend, then let them chill in the fridge overnight so they slice clean and taste even better by the time you serve them.
Customization: Skip browning the butter if you are short on time. Just swap in a little extra melted butter for the crust and you will still get a great result.
Each meal plan includes five dinner recipes the whole family will love, with a nice variety to keep things interesting. Add a side dish or salad, and you have a complete meal!
If you are looking for extra sweets to curb that craving, head over to try some of our tasty desserts!
Save, Customize & Print This Meal Plan
Click the save button on the recipe card above to save this meal plan directly to your recipe collection. Then access it along with all your saved recipes and meal plans here.
Did you know you can also customize this meal plan, swap out recipes, see nutritional value and print a free shopping list ?
Register for a free account or log in to get started — then follow the steps below!
Customize if needed
Save it, then remove and swap out any recipes that don’t work for you.
Order groceries or print your list
If you’ve made any changes, generate a new shopping list and then order groceries or head to the store.
Learn More About How To…
Don’t forget if you make one of these recipes. I would really appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review on the recipe blog post. This helps others find our recipes, too!
Looking for blank meal planners? You can find them in our subscriber’s library. Don’t miss our past meal plans! Our recipe index offers lots more inspiration for adding to your menu!
My Signature Fall Dinner Dishes!
FREE EMAIL BONUS: My greatest hits: bold, cozy, and brag-worthy.n
My Most Recent Recipes
Enjoy Every Bite and Happy Cooking!
