Meal Plan 124: 7-Day Menu for Balanced Eating

Dinner Recipes

• Sunday: Instant Pot whole chicken (or homemade rotisserie-style roast) with Italian roasted vegetables
• Monday: Grilled chicken thighs with grilled vegetable kabobs — ideal for a casual Labor Day at home
• Tuesday: Chicken rice bowls using leftover grilled chicken and vegetables with Instant Pot jasmine or brown rice
• Wednesday: Creamy, cheesy chicken and rice casserole served with steamed vegetables
• Thursday: Tacos made with simple seasoned taco meat, served with chips and salsa
• Friday: Taco pizza topped with leftover taco meat, served alongside refreshing mango smoothies
• Saturday: Sausage sheet pan meal — an easy, one-pan dinner that’s perfect for using up remaining produce

Breakfast Ideas

• Baked apple oatmeal — a warming, make-ahead option that reheats well
• Ham and egg breakfast cups — portable, protein-packed, and kid-approved
• Whole wheat waffles — a simple base to serve with fruit, yogurt, or nut butter

Lunch Ideas

• Leftovers from dinner — the easiest, most efficient lunch
• Chicken salad with grapes, made from leftover whole chicken
• Tossed salad topped with leftover grilled chicken for a quick, healthy meal

Snack & Treats

• Cream cheese apple dip served with sliced fresh apples
• Chocolate zucchini muffins — a sneaky veggie treat that also satisfies sweet cravings
• No-bake energy bites for easy, packable snacks

Tips for This Week’s Meal Plan

• Sunday: Roast or pressure-cook the whole chicken and reserve about 2 cups of cooked chicken for Wednesday’s casserole. While the chicken cooks, mix Monday’s chicken thigh marinade and chop vegetables for the kabobs so you can either marinate overnight or add them Monday morning.
• Monday: Grill the marinated chicken thighs and veggie kabobs. Cook a little extra chicken and vegetables and store them in the fridge for Tuesday’s rice bowls.
• Tuesday: Assemble easy chicken rice bowls using Monday’s leftovers. Cook enough rice to set aside 4 cups of cooked rice to use in Wednesday’s cheesy chicken and rice dish.
• Wednesday: The casserole comes together quickly using the 2 cups of reserved chicken and the 4 cups of cooked rice saved from earlier in the week. Serve with steamed broccoli, green beans, or your family’s favorite vegetable.
• Thursday: Make taco meat and reserve 1 to 1½ cups for Friday’s taco pizza. The rest serves perfectly with tortillas, taco shells, and toppings. For Friday’s pizza, use a thicker, chunkier salsa rather than fresh salsa, which can be watery.
• Friday: Spread reserved taco meat and thick salsa over a pizza crust, add a layer of refried beans if you like, and bake for a quick taco pizza night.
• Saturday: Use this night to clean out the produce drawer. The sausage sheet pan meal works well with 8–10 cups of combined potatoes and vegetables — think zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, broccoli, or cauliflower. Add softer vegetables like zucchini or tomatoes halfway through baking with the sausage so they don’t overcook.
• Easy swaps and money-saving tips:
  • If you won’t have time for Sunday prep, pick up a rotisserie chicken or poach a few chicken breasts to cover Wednesday’s casserole.
  • Buy whatever color bell peppers are least expensive; they work across multiple recipes this week.
  • Zucchini and yellow squash are used in several dishes, which helps reduce waste and extra shopping.
  • Use ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork for taco meat depending on sales and preference.
  • Don’t buy extra produce just for Saturday — that meal is intended to use what’s left over from the week.

Printable Meal Plan

A printable version of this meal plan includes a consolidated shopping list and time-saving tips to guide your week. Print it to simplify grocery shopping and prep.