Make next week easier with a healthy, protein packed weekly meal plan full of simple family-friendly recipes, realistic shortcuts, and a grocery list that’s already done for you.
This week is all about easy fall food without spending all night in the kitchen, because if your life is like mine right now, we are in full busy mode and barely hanging on.
We’ve got a slow cooker dinner to start the week, a couple of really fast weeknight meals, chili because it finally feels appropriate again, and one of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts.
Here’s a peek at our Healthy Meal Plan, plus the shortcuts, swaps, and little things I’m doing to make the week easier. And don’t forget, we have a high protein and low carb meal plan as well thay share many of the same recipes.
What We’re Eating This Week
1. Shrimp Stir Fry
I love nothing more than a 15-minute dinner on a busy weeknight, and stir fry is one of my favorite ways to make that happen. This one has lots of shrimp and veggies with a simple homemade stir-fry sauce, and this week we’re serving it with quinoa.
Busy Mom Hack: This is absolutely a pre-cut vegetable night for me. Grab a bag of fresh stir-fry vegetables and microwave rice or quinoa, and most of dinner is basically handled. Honestly, you could even use a store-bought lower-sugar teriyaki sauce if you want things really fast. Just remember to defrost your shrimp.
Save Money: Shrimp prices can be all over the place, so don’t feel married to it. Chicken thighs, thinly sliced pork, or even ground turkey would work with the same vegetables and sauce.
GET THE RECIPE →
2. Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
Twenty minutes, 45 grams of protein, 314 calories, and a dinner my kids will actually get excited about – that’s a winner, winner chicken dinner for me.
We’re serving the quesadillas with a black bean and corn salad this week, but honestly, cut-up fruit or raw veggies would be completely fine on one of those nights when making another side just isn’t happening. Looking to save time? Swap in rotisserie chicken and cook them all at the same time on a sheet pan.
Picky Eater Tip: Before you add the buffalo sauce, pull out some of the chicken for anyone who doesn’t like spice. Their quesadilla can just be chicken and cheese, which means I’m not making two completely different dinners.
Leftover Love: Extra buffalo chicken is great in a wrap, on a salad, stuffed into a baked potato, or turned into lunch quesadillas the next day.
GET THE RECIPE →
3. Easy Beef Chili
When it finally starts to cool down, chili is always at the top of my list. And I’ll be honest, my favorite chili recipe takes about 4 hours and simmers all day, BUT on a busy weeknight, this is almost as good. Especially once you load it up with all the toppings.
Mine gets avocado, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and lime. The kids are on team cheese and Fritos. And let’s be honest, mine is getting some Fritos too. I usually grab the baked ones when I can find them or swap in some baked Tostitos.
Meal Prep Win: If I know Thursday is going to be chaotic, I’ll make the chili on the weekend and toss it in the freezer once it cools. Pop it in the fridge Thursday morning, then reheat.
Leftover Love: Don’t just eat the exact same chili bowl again. Use leftover chili for loaded baked potatoes, chili dogs (turkey hot dogs are surprisingly low calories), mini bell pepper nachos, or chili-mac. And if there’s still more, freeze it.
GET THE RECIPE →
4. High Protein Egg Bites
I am not a cottage cheese in everything person, but I do love it in egg bites. These are easy to make ahead, high in protein, and extremely useful to have in the refrigerator when breakfast gets rushed.
This week I’m making a batch for breakfasts, but they’ll probably end up filling some lunchbox gaps too. And they work with any combo of veggies and protein you like. My kids love theirs with tater tots thrown in.
Busy Morning Hack: Put two inside an English muffin or wrap with a slice of cheese and some sliced tomato and suddenly they’re a breakfast sandwich you can eat on the go.
GET THE RECIPE →
Want the Shopping List Too?
This might honestly be my favorite part of the meal plans. Once I decide what we’re eating, I really don’t want to open a bunch of recipes, adjust everything for my family, and then build a grocery list ingredient by ingredient.
The meal planner does that part automatically based on the recipes and serving sizes you choose.
✓ Swap a meal and your grocery list changes with it.
✓ Adjust the servings for your family.
✓ Check off anything you already have at home.
✓ Add your own groceries to the same list.
SEE THE FULL PLAN + GROCERY LIST →
How I’m Making This Week Easier
I’m not spending my whole Sunday meal prepping, but I am looking at the week ahead and doing the handful of things that will actually make a difference. For me, that means getting breakfast mostly handled, using leftovers on purpose, and taking every reasonable shortcut the grocery store wants to give me.
Sunday Dinner
We start the week with Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala. I can throw it in the slow cooker and get on with Sunday, but the bigger win is that we’re making enough to use again for Monday and Wednesday lunches. I don’t want to cook seven dinners and seven brand-new lunches every week, so we like to use leftovers strategically.
Breakfast
I’ll make the baked oatmeal and egg bites ahead. Between those, Greek yogurt, fruit, and English muffins cover several breakfasts without having to think hard at 7 a.m.
Shortcuts
Pre-cut stir-fry vegetables, rotisserie chicken for the quesadillas, microwave quinoa or rice, and bagged greens. If paying an extra dollar or two keeps us from ordering takeout on a crazy night, I’m good.
Save money
This is a good week to be flexible with proteins. If shrimp is expensive, swap in chicken. Use whatever fish is on sale instead of salmon, and ground turkey works well in the chili if it’s cheaper than beef. I’d also lean on frozen vegetables anywhere they make sense instead of buying a bunch of fresh produce that may not get used.
Want More Protein or Fewer Carbs?
The Healthy Plan is where most members start, but you can switch things up depending on what you need that week. One membership gives you access to all of our plans.
High Protein
40g+ Protein
Meals with at least 40 grams of protein and under 500 calories per meal.
Low Carb
Fewer Carbs
Our approach to low carb is different than most; we cut out major carbs like pasta, bread, rice, beans, or oatmeal but still include things like fruit, higher-carb veggies like squash, and lower carb legumes like lupini and soy beans.
No matter which plan you choose, you can still swap individual meals and adjust servings to make it work for your family.
Make next week easier
Meals planned. Grocery list done. One less thing to think about.
Your meals are planned, and your grocery list is built for you. Swap anything you don’t want, adjust the servings for your family, and you’re ready to shop. You can even add your own recipes.
✓ Weekly healthy meal plans
✓ Automatic grocery list
✓ Swap any meal you don’t want
✓ Adjust servings for your family
GET MY WEEKLY MEAL PLAN →