This week, we have another round of weekly meal plan recommendations, including an easy whole roasted chicken and an entree-worthy mac & cheese dish. These five dinners will get you through this fall week ahead easily and deliciously.
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 even 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!
Top images: Whole Roasted Chicken with Orzo and Veggies at Salted Mint; Swiss Alpine Macaroni & Cheese at Once Upon a Food Blog
Related: 3 simple ways to cook Brussels Sprouts for the whole family to enjoy
I love how sophisticated these Mushroom Pork Chops at Eating European would look on my Instagram feed. They could be a date-night dinner for you parents after the kids go to bed…even if they eat theirs earlier sans mushroom with ketchup on the side.
A whole chicken is one of the easiest and most comforting meals you can cook for the family, but I love the twist this Whole Roasted Chicken with Orzo and Veggies recipe at Salted Mint offers. Roasting that chicken with orzo and broccolini adds flavor while still keeping this a one-pot dinner.
Related: 10 holiday dinner recipes you can make in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.
When cool weather starts to hit, there’s nothing quite as yummy as a hearty bowl of soup. This Instant Pot Lasagna Soup recipe at Platings and Pairings speeds up the process, and if you’re trying to cut back on the meat you can always substitute lentils or “beefless” ground from the frozen section instead.
Related: The one cookbook you need for easier family-friendly vegetarian meals.
So, my kids could basically eat mac & cheese all day every day. And this recipe for Swiss Alpine Macaroni & Cheese at Once Upon a Food Blog takes their favorite side dish and makes it entree-worthy. Because who can say no to some bacon and caramelized onion in their mac?
When we’re running low on energy and ideas at dinnertime, I always fall back on black beans and rice. And this recipe for Black Bean and Quinoa Buddha Bowls at Food By Jonister is just as easy, without feeling quite so boring, making it perfect for your Friday night meal plan. Of course, you could grab a rotisserie chicken on the way home and shred it to add to the bowls if your family wants some meat as protein. It’s hard to go wrong with this one!
Thanks for helping me pick out the food for the whole week, now I don’t have to worry about cooking. The menu is very diverse and looks very tasty.