How To Make A Weekly Food Plan

Eating healthily, keeping within budget, and enjoying your food are difficult aims for people living in the fast lane. Many of us want to achieve these three goals in our meals, but life gets in the way.

In the end, we can’t be bothered to spend 2 hours cooking up a delicious dinner, and we would rather just pick up something quick instead. 

Although this mentality is understandable, if you do this too often you’ll end up costing yourself more money in the long run 

It pays to plan your meals in advance, and if you set one day aside a week, you can meal prep your way to easy healthy living.

Before we dive into our meal-prepping plans, we want to give a warm welcome to the readers of simply-taylor.com. We have recently acquired the website, and can’t wait to show you all the detailed recipes we’ve created.

Pick A Meal Prep Day

The first step on our journey is to pick a meal prep day. For most people, this will be a weekend, as you’re more likely to have a couple of hours spare to dedicate to this lifestyle change.

If you’re using a subscription box, you may want to pick the delivery day as your starting point, to ensure your ingredients are fresh on creation.

On this meal prep day, you can plan out the recipes ahead of time and cook your whole week’s menu in advance. Once everything is cooked, you can put the meals in a Tupperware box and either freeze them or refrigerate them in preparation for the week.

Doing this can take a couple of hours to complete, but once the meals are made you don’t have to worry about cooking again until 7 days roll on by. This will give you more time to relax and hang out with your family, while still eating healthy.

Advice To Consider

When it comes to meal prepping, it can be easy to create a big pot of food and spread it across the whole week. This method is both the quickest and the cheapest. However, what you get back in time and money, you lose interest. Eating the same thing day in and day out will bore you and your family.

Instead, you should mix up your meals to allow variety and interest to arrive at your dinner table. Disinterested eaters are more likely to snack or reject your food in favor of a takeaway. And falling for this failure means spending more money than you originally planned.

The best way to plan meals is to create a predictable amount of variety. This allows you to think of new recipes to create for your family, without feeling lost in the vast variety to choose from. One way to do this is to pick up a recipe book and start creating meals based on what comes next on the page. 

The predictability comes from knowing the next meal idea is just a turned page away, however as each meal in your cookbook will be different, the taste of each meal will still be exciting.

However, if you prefer to cook without a book and instead use your own culinary knowledge, then use our meal guide below as your predictable structure.

The Monday Menu

Mondays are the days of transition. We move from responsibility-free activities back to the grind of work. To some people, this change in pace means producing more energy than normal, as we kick start our way back into the working week.

This means we are going to need a high-protein breakfast to keep us going! 

Monday Breakfast Ideas

Most of us don’t want to eat meat during our breakfast, as we’ve just woken up and don’t have the energy to digest anything heavy. So instead of eating protein-rich meats, you should consider dairy products, nuts, fruits, and cereals.

Eggs are a typical breakfast choice, and you can cook them in a multitude of ways to keep your Mondays filled with variety. From scrambled to fired, poached to boiled, present yourself and your family with an eggy breakfast to give them the power to get through the day.

Monday Lunch Ideas

With so much energy put into breakfast, you won’t need as much power in your lunches. A simple sandwich or wrap can keep you content until your dinner, so utilize this time to create something simple.

Still, these easy lunch box fillers don’t need to be boring. One week you can have tex-mex flavors, another you can have lemon chicken. Changing the flavors of your sandwiches is what will keep them feeling fresh.

We suggest stuffing your sandwiches with any leftovers from the previous week. This will help reduce food waste, save money, and keep any previously loved flavors going for another week.

Not only does this tactic make for a deliciously diverse lunch schedule, but it's also a great way to incorporate leftover mashed potato recipes into new dishes.

Monday Dinner Ideas

After a Monday at work, a Dutch oven recipe can add some magic to your evening, cooking up a comforting meal that slowly simmers to perfection. Whether it's a heartwarming stew or a hearty casserole, the allure of a one-pot meal will make your Monday less daunting. Anything from mac and cheese can be a safe option if you're not up for cooking.

As for soul food recipes, these can bring an authentic touch of comfort to your table. Indulge in classics like corn bread, black-eyed peas or collard greens, food straight from the heart meant to wrap you in warmth and nostalgia. These dishes not only satisfy your hunger but also uplift your spirit, making the perfect end to a Monday.

The Tuesday Menu

Tuesdays are arguably the worst day of the week. Monday is the start of something new, Wednesday is “hump day” where you only have half of the working week left, on Thursdays you can see the weekend horizon and Fridays are the last working day of the week. Saturdays and Sundays don't need any explanation.

Tuesdays however, have nothing. This means we need to make it special with food. Tuesdays should contain all of your favorites no matter what they are. Incorporate some easy dessert recipes specifically for chocolate lovers into your meal plan. 

Whether it's a quick mug brownie prepared in mere minutes in the microwave, or a no-bake chocolate cheesecake that you can whip up ahead of time, these desserts can be the ultimate Tuesday treat.

Keep this in mind as we walk through the menu choices.

Tuesday Breakfast Ideas

Tuesday breakfasts need to be quick and fun. Cater to different taste buds on a Tuesday morning, consider adding some of America's most loved cereals to the breakfast table. 

You could go classic with Cheerios, indulge a sweet tooth with Cinnamon Toast Crunch, or go fruity with Froot Loops. Cereals such as these not only deliver on taste and convenience, they also bring a familiar, comforting start to the day. Tuesdays need this little hype to prevent it from becoming a drag.

However, if you do want a healthy option, put some waffles in the toaster and prepare fruits on the table. The color and delight of a fruity breakfast should bring a sense of fun to your morning, even on a dreary day.

Tuesday Lunch Ideas

During lunch, you need to create something that keeps this same level of fun without taking too much time to create. An easy and delicious lunch is the aim.

To do this, you could create chilies, chicken fajitas, loaded nachos, or sloppy joes. For lunch boxes that cannot use microwaves, create fruit salads, cold pasta recipes, or anything that adds flavor and fun with very little effort.

Tuesday Dinner Ideas

For your last meal of the day, you want to eat something that feels cheeky. Perhaps you could cook a Chinese recipe that tastes just like takeout or an easy Asian meal that is healthier and cheaper than their restaurant comparison.

Remember that cooking these in advance can help you avoid considering the takeaway service, as all you need to do is head to the freezer and pull out one you’ve made earlier. Along with saving money, you will know exactly how much sugar and salt you’ve added to the meal, so you can figure out how to balance the rest of your diet for the day.

This way you can have your takeout without spending tons of money on it.

The Wednesday Menu

So far we have been comforting the Monday blues, and popping fun into a boring Tuesday. But, as Wednesday comes into the mix, we need to start thinking healthily about our meal choices.

Because we are in the middle of the work week, we will have the stamina and determination to continue plowing through our weekly food plan. This makes it the perfect time to start eating foods that we might otherwise shun away.

Remember, none of our meals are going to be bland, but if there were ever a day dedicated to salads, today is that day.

Wednesday Breakfast Ideas

To make a healthy breakfast you need to include fruits, but fruits alone won’t power you through until lunchtime. This is why you should consider overnight creations. Overnight oats, crockpot breakfast crisps, and slow-cooked banana-blueberry muffins are all options that you can create ready-to-eat.

Wednesday Lunch Ideas

Utilize canned corn recipes that transform this simple ingredient into a vibrant addition to your lunch box - it could be a corn and black bean salad, a corn chowder, or even corn fritters. This not only adds color to your meal but also packs it with flavors and nutrients.

Likewise, don't underestimate the power of rice side dish recipes. A spicy Spanish-style rice, tangy lime and cilantro rice, or even a sweet coconut rice can be a great way to infuse colors, textures, and exotic flavors into your meal.

These versatile recipes, using readily available ingredients, will ensure your Wednesday lunches are wholesome, enticing, and far from boring.

You can even make your sandwiches healthier by replacing the bread with lettuce leaves instead. This meal type is considered an Asian chicken lettuce wrap, and you can find more unique ideas like this in the link above.

Wednesday Dinner Ideas

Consider exploring air-fryer dinner recipes when you want to keep things simple yet delicious. This appliance allows you to roast your meat and veggies to perfection in a shorter time and with less oil, offering a hassle-free, healthy dinner option. Think about air-fried chicken with a tangy spice rub or crunchy Brussels sprouts that pair perfectly with your chosen protein.

Asian soup recipes can also be a comforting and healthy option, with broths brimming with flavor and nutrition. Be it a miso soup, a spicy Thai coconut soup, or a hearty Vietnamese Pho, these soups can certainly bring an aromatic and interesting twist to your traditional Wednesday soup suggestion. 

Lastly, if you're aiming for a low-carb day, try meals like zucchini noodles tossed in a flavorful pesto sauce, grilled salmon with a side of leafy greens, or a cauliflower-rice stir-fry. These delicious low-carb dinners not only ensure nutrition but also satisfy your taste buds without compromising on health.

The Thursday Menu

On Thursdays, the weekend is just peaking over the horizon, and the end of the working week is in sight. With all this anticipation in the air, you should use that energy to create something unusual. Recipes you’ve never tried before, concoctions that normally take hours to complete, or something to wow away your friends and family.

You could even create something simple, but make it look difficult with the right type of presentation. 

Thursday Breakfast Ideas

To start off the day of excitement, you could forgo a traditional breakfast and create a breakfast drink instead. Smoothies, chia lattes, oat blends and more could all be used as your breakfast choice, adding in the fruits and fibers you need through a blended delight.

Each Thursday you could mix together a new type of smoothie adding variety and change every week.

Thursday Lunch Ideas

In fact, you can look to party food ideas for inspiration. Think bite-sized sliders, fancy stuffed olives, and mini empanadas - small dishes that are big on flavors, turning your Thursday lunch into a mini gastronomic adventure.

As for delightful cold appetizers, consider options like a vibrant Greek salad skewer, zesty shrimp cocktail, or cucumber rolls filled with creamy cheese and fresh herbs. 

Not only will these bring some refreshing variety to your lunch, but they'll also offer a fun, light, and unexpectedly elegant midday meal. This strategy of incorporating small and cold appetizers can transform your regular Thursday lunch into your own private, midday party.

Thursday Dinner Idea

Explore some decadent scallop recipes to elevate your Thursday dinner. Be it pan-seared scallops with a lemon-butter sauce or scallops gratin with a parmesan crust - these delightful seafood dishes can bring a touch of gourmet cooking into your home, making your weekday meal feel like a special occasion.

Likewise, plantain recipes can introduce a unique twist to the usual dinner spread. Fried plantains served as a side dish, or plantain chips sprinkled with sea salt as a snack, or sweet baked plantains as a dessert - their versatility and exotic flavor will surprise your taste buds. 

These ingredients not only bring variety but also add an adventurous edge to your Thursday dinners as you approach the end of the week.

To really mix things up, you could make meals based on a letter in the alphabet. Throughout the month you could make Thursday your random letter day, only making foods beginning with “R” for example.

Playing these little games with yourself can help create inspiration and new challenges to keep you entertained.

The Friday Menu

On Fridays, you are ready to relax after a hard week’s work. You don’t want to push yourself, and instead, you’ll want to sit back and eat food that helps you unwind from the stresses of the workplace.

We are back on the comfort food train again, but this time it’s going to be even easier to create.

Friday Breakfast Ideas

Let's start off the day with an All-American breakfast. From the Millennial avocado on toast to the New York bacon, egg, and cheese bagel, you should create a breakfast that both fills your belly and fills your heart.

If that means eating a cinnamon roll with odd desserts because you’re a sweetie rather than a savory diner, then so be it! It’s Friday for crying out loud. Go farel! 

Friday Lunch Ideas

For your lunchtime meals, you should have something fun and simple to make - like tacos, quesadillas, or burritos.

Each of these food types can be loaded with flavor and fun, while not taking too long to create. They even make great packed lunches because you can carry them with ease in your lunch boxes.

Click on the links above to see how you can fill each of these food types to create something new each time.

Friday Dinner Ideas

For your Friday night meal, you should enjoy the easy and delicious creations you can attempt with chicken. Chicken is such a versatile ingredient that you can make a billion different recipes and still include this protein delight. Because chicken can absorb flavors with ease, it tastes as if you’re eating something new every time you pick up a different recipe.

This means you can use a reliable ingredient and still feel experimental, which is perfect for the comforts of a Friday evening.

From casseroles to rotisserie, slow-cooked to Asian-inspired you can eat chicken every day and never have the same meal twice. Chicken Casserole recipes like chicken pot pie or chicken enchilada casserole are comforting, family-friendly options. 

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken recipes allow you to stretch your dollar and get multiple meals out of one roasted bird. Feel the comfort of something you know, with the ease of an ingredient that needs little work to make it delicious. Asian Chicken recipes like teriyaki chicken, sesame chicken, or chicken lettuce wraps are full of flavor without much effort.

Feel the comfort of something you know, with the ease of an ingredient that needs little work to make it delicious. 

If you're looking for inspiration, explore a variety of chicken breast recipes and chicken tenderloin recipes to add exciting twists to your Friday dinner ideas.

The Saturday Menu

On Saturdays, you’ll have more time and energy to make something detailed. The moment to become experimental has arrived, and you can branch out into culinary experiences that the weekday hours wouldn't allow.

Saturday Breakfast Ideas

As your first step into something experimental, try making a Mexican breakfast dish on a Saturday morning. Creations such as Huevos Rancheros or Huevos Motulenos aren’t necessarily difficult, but because they might be new to your culinary experiences, you may need more time to figure out how they are constructed.

This extra bit of learning can be a lot of fun, so take your time as you develop a new skill.

Saturday Lunch Ideas

If your Saturdays are filled with activity and adventure, then you need a lunchtime menu that gives you the power to keep going. But you don’t want a meal which will take you ages to cook.

This is why you should attempt a one-pot pasta dish! You may think that a one-pot pasta dish is a strict concept to create every Saturday, but you would be wrong. Our 23 easy recipes in the link above are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of variety. And if you use a slow cooker, then any creation can be turned into a one-pot masterpiece. 

You can try out more delicious slow cooker pasta recipes for a change in the Saturday lunch that won't leave you with a upset stomach.

Saturday Dinner Ideas

And now onto the experimental recipes. We suggest picking an ingredient (you can use the alphabet rule again if that’s helpful) and starting looking at recipes that allow you to use it. 

Take cajun for an example. It is a delicious spice that is both hot like paprika and earthy like garlic. There are a multitude of ways to use this ingredient, from gumbo recipes to chicken pasta dishes.

Easy Cajun recipes like Cajun shrimp or Cajun chicken pasta are full of flavor without requiring a ton of time or effort. Foods that start with letter L like lemons, lentils, or lettuce can also inspire you to try new recipe ideas.

Use this extra time on the weekend to create something you don’t normally have the time to consider and expand your culinary skills at the same time.

The Sunday Menu

On a Sunday you are either ready to relax after an intense weekend or your energetic self is still enjoying your time off. For instance, if you have leftover brisket from a previous meal, don't worry about it going to waste. There are countless ways to repurpose this delicious protein into new dishes for Sunday.

All of the meals we share with you for Sunday will be ways in which you can turn leftovers into amazing new plates for you and your family to enjoy. 

To make sure you don’t collect any food waste, and create a complete meal plan from start to finish, you need to include a day of leftovers. This can help you reduce costs by using every penny of the food you buy, and it can help you learn new flavor combinations as you mix unexpected foods together to prevent waste.

Sunday Breakfast Ideas

If you’ve been making cakes during the week, you can easily be left with leftover yolks. Don’t throw these golden goodies in the bin, as you can turn them into a rich hollandaise sauce for an eggs benedict breakfast.

Look through the recipe list in the link above to find 33 ways in which you can use leftover yolks, from breakfasts to desserts!

Sunday Lunch Ideas

If you haven’t got any leftovers, but don’t want to spend ages cooking, you can instead use tinned food to create something delicious. You can turn canned hot dogs into a gourmet meal, as long as you know what spices and ingredients to mix with it. The same can be said for tuna, chicken, and salmon. Keep these long-life protein slices in your cupboard for the days when cooking feels like a faff. Then click on one of our recipes and create something delicious with little to no effort!

Sunday Dinner Ideas

Whatever ingredients you used throughout the week, can become the ingredients you need to use up on this final day of the week. For inspiration, we have recipes for leftover chicken, pork, ham, turkey, rice, steak and so much more.

Simply search through our dinner collection for a plethora of recipes for you to try out!

Summary

To create a weekly food plan, you should try to make all of your meals on one day of the week (normally on the weekend). Take a couple of hours to cook up everything you need to feed your family for the whole week, so when the days come and go, you can just pull out a Tupperware box with meals already prepped.

However, each day should be filled with something different. This way you don’t get bored of the food you’ve cooked and start buying takeouts just to eat something interesting.

We suggest organizing your week like so: 

• Mondays and high protein food, 
• Tuesdays filled with favorites, 
• On Wednesdays you should be thinking healthy, 
• Thursdays can be filled with new and exciting options, 
• Fridays are for comfort foods, 
• On Saturdays you could consider branching out, 
• and Sundays should aim to use up any leftovers.