What’s for Dinner? Our Weeknight Meal Plan

Let’s be honest—figuring out what to make for dinner every single night can feel like a never-ending game of “what’s left in the fridge?” With a family of eight to feed, I’ve learned that the key to keeping my sanity (and avoiding the 5 p.m. dinner panic) is meal planning.

Each week, I map out our dinners, jot down the ingredients I’ll need, and prep as much as possible in advance. It’s nothing fancy—just simple, satisfying meals that don’t require a ton of time or brainpower. In this post, I’m sharing our meal plan, exactly what we’re having for dinner this week, along with the full shopping list and easy-to-follow instructions. I hope it helps make your week a little smoother, too!

MOM TIP: When you see a recipe on social media or the internet, pin it. Create a board for dinner ideas. I like to break it down even more where I have a board for Crockpot Recipes, a board for One Pan Recipes, etc. I will share my WEEKLY MEAL ROUND UP BOARD HERE so you can check it out 🙂

Our Meal Plan this Week:

Meal #1: Retro Dorito Taco Salad

Original Recipe and Image by Daniela_dish

Shopping List:

• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes sliced in half (optional)
• 1 avocado chopped
• 4 cups shredded lettuce
• 2 packets taco seasoning
• 2 cups cheddar shredded
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 bag Doritos
• 1 c sour cream
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 1/2 c salsa
• 1 lime juiced

how to make it:

1. Cook ground beef with 1 packet of taco seasoning 
2. Mix corn, peppers, tomatoes, black beans, avocado, lettuce and 1/2 packet of taco seasoning in a bowl
3. Make dressing by combining sour cream, mayonnaise, salsa, remaining packet of taco seasoning
   and lime juice
4. Mix 1/2 the dressing into the bowl with all the chopped ingredients
5. Add in the cheese, cooked taco meat, then crushed up Doritos
6. Drizzle with more dressing and serve
7. If making ahead mix everything but the Doritos then toss in when ready to serve

Meal #2: One-Pan Italian Sausage and Orzo Pasta

Original Recipe and Image by: SvetB

Shopping List:

• 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Olive oil

how to make it:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced Italian sausage; cook until browned (about 5-7 minutes).
2. Stir in chopped onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic; sauté until softened (3-4 minutes).
3. Add orzo pasta, diced tomatoes with juices, and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until orzo is tender and most liquid is absorbed (10-12 minutes). Stir occasionally.
5. Fold in fresh spinach and herbs; cook until spinach wilts (about 2 minutes). Serve warm.

Meal #3: Crockpot Mississippi Chicken

Original Recipe and Image by Cooking in the Midwest

Shopping List:

• 2 lb chicken breast 
• 1 Au Jus Gravy Packet 
• 1 Ranch Seasoning Packet
• 1 Small Onion (chopped)
• Pepperoncinis 
• 3 Tbsp Butter (thinly sliced)

OPTIONAL GRAVY

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• salt
• pepper

How to Make it:

1. Add about 2 lbs of chicken breast to a crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Season the chicken 1 Au Jus Gravy Packet and 1 Ranch Seasoning Packet. 
2. Add a chopped onion and some pepperoncinis and just a little bit of the juice from the jar of pepperoncinis.
3. Add thinly sliced butter to the tops of the chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. I like to stir/flip the chicken breasts over about half way through cooking. 
4. Shred the chicken (you can use two forks, a hand mixer or a kitchenmaid stand mixer) and serve over mashed potatoes or rice. 

Meal #4: Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac n’ Cheese

Original Recipe and Image by Stealth_Health_Life

Shopping List:

• 32oz chicken breast
• 1 packet ranch seasoning 
• 1.5 Tbsp hot honey
• Garlic powder to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Red chili flakes to taste 
• 1 sweet onions
• 6 jalapeños or fresno chilis
• 8 cloves minced garlic
• 16oz chicken bone broth
• 672g pasta
• 10 slices centercut bacon

BLENDED SAUCE

• 800g 2% cottage cheese
• 160g parmigiano reggiano
• 420g fat free milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

How to Make it:

1. Cook down the onion until nice and brown, add in the peppers, garlic and then 16oz of chicken bone broth over high heat and bring to a boil until it has completely reduced.
2. In the crockpot add in your diced chicken, ranch seasoning packet, hot honey, garlic powder, black pepper, red chili flakes and then dump in your cooked down bone broth mixture. Stir everything until well combined.
3. Cook on High: 2-3 hours OR Low: 3-4 hours
4. To make the cheese sauce combine cottage cheese, parmigiana reggiano, fat free milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in your blender and blend. Make sure to blend the cottage cheese for 2-3 minutes to ensure it’s completely smooth all the way through – heating up slightly in the microwave can help with the process.
5. Cook your pasta for about half the amount of time it says on the box.
6. When the crockpot mixture is almost done add in your cheese sauce, chopped up chives and your half cooked pasta. Leave it for about 10-15min, the pasta will finishing cooking and the sauce will thicken up.
7. Bake your bacon at 400 degrees for 16 minutes or until desired crispiness.
8. Crumble bacon over top and enjoy.

Meal #5: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Original Recipe and Image by Lorrie Yarro

Shopping List:

• 1 1/2 lb chicken breast (about 3-4 pieces), approx. 1 inch thick
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 c grated parmesan
• 1/3 c breadcrumbs, Italian or plain–can add 1 tsp Italian seasoning to plan breadcrumbs!
• 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
• 1/2 – 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 lb red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 – 2 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan
• 1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp parmesan (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment for easier cleaning or spray with cooking oil.
3. In a medium bowl, toss all ingredients for potatoes together (2lb red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces, 1 – 2 garlic clove, minced, 2 T olive oil, 2 T grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste) and stir well to evenly coat.
4. Spread the potatoes on 1/3 of the pan and place in oven for about 10-15 minutes. (if you like your potatoes nice and browned, go with the extra five minutes.)
5. While potatoes are cooking, toss all ingredients for chicken (1 1/2 lb chicken breast (about 3-4 pieces), approx. 1 inch thick, 2 T olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1/3 c grated parmesan, 1/3 c breadcrumbs, Italian or plain–can add 1 tsp Italian seasoning to plan breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp cracked pepper, 1/2 – 3/4 tsp sea salt) in the same bowl and coat all the chicken well.
6. Remove the pan with the potatoes and add the chicken. Place in oven while you toss everything together for the green beans (1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed, 1 T olive oil, 1 garlic clove, minced, 1 T parmesan (optional), salt and pepper to taste) and add them to the pan.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. For extra crispy potatoes, turn the oven to broil on high for 4-5 more minutes if desired.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Meal Planning is a Game Changer

Meal planning has truly been a game-changer for our family—it saves time, cuts down on stress, and helps me feel a little more on top of the chaos that is weeknight dinner with eight hungry people. I hope this plan gives you some ideas and inspiration for your own kitchen! I’ll be sharing more of our weekly menus just like this, so if you’re looking for doable dinners and family-friendly meals, be sure to follow along.

Let’s make dinner one less thing to worry about!