Planning your family’s meals for the week can save time, reduce stress, and cut down on food waste. By thinking ahead and utilizing leftovers creatively, you can make the most of your ingredients while keeping mealtime exciting. Here are three diverse examples of weekly meal planning with leftover ideas to inspire you!
This meal plan is perfect for a family that loves cozy, hearty meals. The goal is to create dishes that are filling while also leaving room for some creative leftovers.
Start with a Sunday roast chicken dinner. Season and roast a whole chicken with your choice of herbs and spices. Serve it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.
On Monday, use the leftover chicken to make a creamy chicken and mushroom risotto. Add some of the leftover broccoli to the risotto for extra nutrition and flavor.
On Tuesday, transform the remaining risotto into risotto cakes! Simply shape the leftover risotto into patties, coat in breadcrumbs, and pan-fry until golden brown. Serve with a side salad or your favorite dipping sauce.
For Wednesday, take any leftover roasted veggies (if you made extra) and toss them into a frittata for a hearty breakfast or lunch.
If your family enjoys a variety of flavors, this meal plan centered around taco night can be a fun and interactive experience.
On Taco Night, prepare seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken, and serve it with taco shells, fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa. Make enough to have leftovers!
On the following day, turn your taco ingredients into a taco salad. Simply chop up the leftover taco toppings and serve them over a bed of greens, adding any leftover meat and some crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
For Wednesday, use the remaining meat and toppings to create quesadillas. Just place meat and cheese between two tortillas, grill until crispy, and cut into wedges. Serve with salsa or guacamole.
On Thursday, try a breakfast burrito using any leftover meat and veggies wrapped in a tortilla with scrambled eggs.
This meal plan caters to pasta lovers and showcases how versatile pasta can be throughout the week.
On your first night, prepare a big pot of spaghetti with a homemade marinara sauce. Serve with garlic bread and a side salad. Make sure to reserve some of the sauce for later!
The next day, take your leftover spaghetti and transform it into a cold pasta salad. Mix the spaghetti with the leftover marinara, fresh veggies, olives, and a sprinkle of feta cheese. It makes a refreshing lunch option!
On Wednesday, use any remaining pasta and sauce to create a baked pasta dish. Combine the spaghetti with more marinara, cheese, and any leftover veggies, then bake until bubbly.
By Thursday, you can use the leftover baked pasta for a delicious breakfast casserole. Just mix the pasta with eggs and bake until set for a unique start to your day.
By incorporating creative leftover ideas into your weekly meal planning, you can minimize waste while keeping mealtime fun and varied. Happy cooking!