Weekly Meal Plan - September 22, 2025

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Some weeks, all I want are meals that work. No overthinking, no complicated ingredients—just real dinners that feel good to eat and don’t ask too much of you at 5 o’clock.

That’s exactly what this week’s plan delivers. From cozy slow cooker meals like Salisbury steak and tortilla soup to quick-prep favorites like Instant Pot goulash and a comforting chicken and rice dish, this lineup is all about low effort with big rewards. There’s even a homemade granola you can batch early in the week for easy breakfasts or snack breaks.

And, as always, I’ve added practical tips to help you prep ahead, adapt each recipe to your family’s tastes, and stretch your meals a little further when needed.

Soulfully Made weekly meal plan for September 22, 2025 image.

This Week’s Tips for Success

✅ Monday: Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

Prep Tip: Mix and shape patties the night before and refrigerate. In the morning, just drop them into the slow cooker with the gravy.
Customization: Use ground turkey for a lighter option or store-bought gravy if you’re short on time.

✅ Tuesday: Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Tip: This one comes together fast thanks to canned corn, beans, and tomatoes. The only chopping is onion and garlic—use frozen diced onions or pre-chopped from the store, and jarred minced garlic to make it even easier
Customization: Dial the heat up or down with Rotel type or add jalapeños.

✅ Wednesday: Instant Pot Goulash

Prep Tip: Brown the ground beef ahead of time and refrigerate. The whole meal comes together in under 30 minutes.
Customization: Swap in your favorite pasta or sneak in extra veggies like spinach or zucchini.

✅ Thursday: Boil “Out of the Bag” Chicken and Rice

Prep Tip: Instead of using canned chicken, boil and shred the chicken or make Instant Pot Chicken during meal prep day. You can also cook the rice in advance and reheat.
Customization: Add frozen peas or corn for color and to sneak in those veggies. You can use instant rice for this if you do not have boil-in-the-bag rice.

✅ Friday: Pasta Fagioli Soup

Prep Tip: This soup gets better as it sits! Make ahead and store in the fridge or freezer in meal-sized portions
Customization: Use ground sausage for more depth or skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian version. Serve it with Easy Garlic Breadsticks, Olive Garden Salad, and Dressing

✅ Snack or Breakfast: Maple Pecan Granola

Prep Tip: Bake a batch on Sunday. It stays fresh all week in an airtight container and makes a great snack or breakfast topper.
Customization: Swap pecans with walnuts or almonds. I recommend making it as is once to give this flavor profile a try. However, you can then experiment with other flavor combinations, such as dried cranberries or chocolate chips, to keep it interesting.

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!

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