It’s Friday, which means we’re here to help you start planning your meals for next week! From an easy Bolognese sauce to slow cooker BBQ to round out Labor Day, we’ve got five dinners that will get you through the week ahead. So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock up on ingredients before the weekend’s over to make your weeknights that much easier.
And if it’s easier for you to do all that planning from your inbox, be sure to sign up for our weekly meal plan emails. You’ll love them, promise!
At top: Spaghetti Bolognese at Sugar and Soul and Slow Cooker Caribbean Jerk Pork at Slow Cooker Gourmet
Related: 5 deliciously simple dinners made with a pint of cherry tomatoes
We always like an easy crowd-pleaser to kick off the week, and this Spaghetti Bolognese recipe from Sugar and Soul is just perfect — take a look! You can make the sauce meatless if you like, or even substitute lentils for the ground beef for a hearty vegetarian option for Meatless Monday.
Mmm, we all love this recipe for cheesy, gooey Caprese Chicken with Garlic Cherry Tomatoes at The Novice Chef so much that we included it in a recent article about dinners you can make with a pint of cherry tomatoes. So wonderful while tomatoes are still in season. (And if your kids don’t like their food touching, you can serve the ingredients separately on their plate instead of blending.)
Skip the drive-through BBQ (or is that just what we do in the south?) and instead, start this recipe for Slow Cooker Gourmet’s Slow Cooker Caribbean Jerk Pork in your crock pot early in the morning. By dinner time, it will be falling-apart tender. And that mango salsa really takes it up a notch.
Related: 4 clever dinner ideas that make life easier for families with picky eaters
If you’re craving a light, easy dinner while the end-of-summer weather is still hot, this Spicy Thai Rice Noodle Salad recipe from Cotter Crunch will satisfy. If you want some added protein, you could toss in a pulled rotisserie chicken, grill some shrimp, sauté up some tofu in soy sauce, or even just mix in some garbanzo beans. Click over to see Lindsay’s recommendation for two ways to make this delicious dish, both of which are super easy.
I love the ease of shish kebabs for dinner on the weekend. I suggest you skip boring salt-and-peppered meat and instead try this recipe for Mexican Chicken Kebabs from Kitchen Sanctuary. You’ll get a kick of unexpected flavor, making Friday night feel more festive. You can even serve with tortillas for a fresh take on tacos! This is one of those recipes that’s probably going to end up in heavy rotation.
