Side Dishes
Dad’s Famous Mashed Potatoes
30 minutes
This weekly meal plan is all about easy dinners with plenty of variety. You’ve got bright and buttery chicken piccata, cheesy taco spaghetti, spicy chili crisp ramen, creamy broccoli cheddar soup, and a caramelized chuck roast to end the week on a cozy note.
This Weekly Meal Plan Has Your Back
These dinners are filling enough to stand on their own, but a simple side can round things out if you want a little extra. Add easy garlic bread with the soup or pasta, or serve the chicken piccata and chuck roast with roasted vegetables for an easy complete meal.
- Monday: Classic Chicken Piccata
- Tuesday: 30 Minute Taco Spaghetti
- Wednesday: Chili Crisp Beef Ramen Noodles
- Thursday: Better Than Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Friday: Caramelized Chuck Roast
How Many Does It Feed?
This weekly meal plan feeds 4–6 people and includes five easy weeknight dinners plus one handy shopping list. It’s a great fit for families with picky kids, hungry teens, or anyone who wants dinner planned for the week.
Classic Chicken Piccata
This chicken piccata is a light and delicious Italian dish that never disappoints. The juicy breaded chicken is smothered in a fresh lemon-caper sauce that explodes with flavor in every bite.
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Taco Spaghetti
My favorite cheesy mashup of taco night and pasta night! Taco spaghetti is a one-pot, family-friendly dinner packed with flavor and ready in 30 minutes.
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Chili Crisp Beef Ramen
Chili crisp beef ramen noodles combine ground beef, tender ramen, and a spicy, savory sauce in one pan for a quick and flavorful dinner.
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Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
My homemade Panera broccoli cheddar soup is ultra-creamy, cheesy, and cozy. It's just like the restaurant favorite, but even better!
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Caramelized Chuck Roast
Caramelized chuck roast is fall-apart tender, full of savory flavor, and finished under the broiler for sweet, sticky caramelized edges.
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Why Meal Planning Is My Superpower
No, it doesn’t make life perfect—but it does keep me from panic-ordering pizza at 6 p.m., and honestly, that’s a win.
- It saves money: I’m not just wandering the aisles grabbing random things that will eventually go bad.
- It saves my brain: I don’t even have to think about what to make for dinner, it’s already planned!
- It keeps us eating real food: When the plan’s in place, I’m way less likely to hit the drive-thru.
Each weekly plan comes with a free printable grocery list that’s already measured and organized for you. Just print it out, head to the store, and enjoy feeling way more on top of life than you did five minutes ago! If you want more options, you can browse all my other weekly meal plans here.
Easy Sides to Make This Week
Salads
Green Goddess Salad
20 minutes
Appetizers
Chicken Potstickers
20 minutes
Recipe Skill Levels
Lion House Rolls
2 hours 35 minutes
Leftovers Make Life Easier
I stick to planning dinners Monday through Friday. Weekends are for winging it, relaxing, or grabbing something fun. If you’ve got leftovers, pop them in an airtight container and save them for when the week gets busy.
