This week’s meal plan follows a simple approach I love: cook once, use ingredients twice, and let your grocery list pull double duty. With a few thoughtful overlaps—chicken, broccoli, ham, and Swiss cheese—you’ll spend less time shopping and more time enjoying home-cooked dinners.
Plan to double certain components: make extra salad and garlic toast on Sunday for Monday, cook extra rice on Tuesday to use with Friday’s leftover chili, and buy value packs of chicken and sliced ham to cover multiple meals. The result is a practical, family-friendly week of dinners that’s easy on time, budget, and food waste.
Meal Plan 126
This free weekly meal plan includes seven dinners, along with breakfast, lunch, and snack suggestions, plus meal-prep tips and a shopping list to help streamline your week. It’s designed to be practical and achievable for busy families who want wholesome, homemade meals without a long list of one-off ingredients.
Download the printable meal plan, which contains the full shopping list and time-saving tips, or use the ideas below to build your grocery list and prep schedule.
Dinner Recipes
- Sunday: Baked Rotini with Homemade Garlic Toast and a simple Italian-style salad
- Monday: Broccoli Cheese Soup served with leftover salad and garlic toast from Sunday
- Tuesday: Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Lime Rice (stovetop instructions included)
- Wednesday: Instant Pot or Crockpot Chicken Chili
- Thursday: Chicken Cordon Bleu with roasted broccoli
- Friday: Leftover Chicken Chili spooned over the extra cilantro lime rice from Tuesday
- Saturday: Stuffed Pepper Casserole to finish the week
Breakfast Ideas
- Pumpkin baked oatmeal for a cozy, make-ahead option
- Baked ham and egg cups—easy to reheat for busy mornings
- Cottage cheese pancakes for a protein-rich start
Lunch Ideas
- Leftovers: soup, pasta, or chili make quick lunches
- Ham and cheese sandwiches using the deli-sliced ham
- Ranch veggie wraps for a lighter midday meal
Snack & Treats
- Homemade Larabars for a portable snack
- Baked apples for a warm, fruit-based treat
- Cinnamon-sugar baked donuts for an occasional sweet bite
Tips for This Week’s Meal Plan
- Sunday: Make extra garlic toast and salad with the baked rotini so they’re ready to pair with Monday’s soup. If your rotini recipe uses cottage cheese, save any leftover for cottage cheese pancakes.
- Monday: Use the salad and garlic toast from Sunday to complete the broccoli cheese soup supper. Buy enough fresh broccoli to cover both Monday’s soup and Thursday’s roasted broccoli to reduce waste and extra shopping trips.
- Tuesday: Prepare a double batch of cilantro lime rice—one portion for tacos and the extra for Friday’s chili bowls. No Instant Pot? Cook rice on the stovetop per package directions, then stir in lime zest and juice, a pinch of salt, and chopped cilantro.
- Wednesday: Purchase a larger pack of boneless chicken breasts and split the meat between the chicken chili and Thursday’s chicken cordon bleu. Use the slow cooker version of the chili if your day is extra busy.
- Thursday: You can buy just the sliced ham and Swiss you need from the deli, or pick up a little extra on purpose—use it in the egg cups and for ham and cheese sandwiches later in the week.
- Friday: Reheat leftover chicken chili and serve it over the reserved cilantro lime rice for fast chili bowls. Top with any remaining cheese, cilantro, or taco garnishes before shopping for anything new.
Printable Meal Plan
Click to print the full meal plan, which includes a one-page shopping list and helpful tips to save you time and money during the week.