Map out dinner with these easy meal planning recipes. How? Start with a big batch of a basic ingredient. Think: roast chicken, pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes or meatballs. Serve a portion for dinner, then tuck the rest into a make-ahead recipe.
6 Brilliant Meal Plans That Let You Cook Once and Eat All Week
Updated Mar. 09, 2023
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Start With: Roast Chicken
Grab a rotisserie chicken from the store or roast your own with this top-rated recipe. Serve half for dinner tonight. Then, click to explore easy recipes that’ll use up all the leftovers.
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Easy Chicken Enchiladas
With a few staple ingredients, these easy chicken enchiladas are so quick to make, dinner will be on the table before you know it.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
Facebook fans of my blog, Chef in Training, inspired me to make this creamy pasta casserole out of ingredients I had on hand. Success! I took the dish for another flavorful spin and added a bit of smoky bacon and toasted bread crumbs. —Nikki Barton, Providence, Utah
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Chicken Broccoli Casserole
When you're looking for comfort and ease, this chicken broccoli casserole is the answer to your dinner dreams.
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Chicken-Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers
Here's a different take on traditional stuffed peppers. I substituted chicken for the beef and used Cubanelle peppers in place of the green peppers that are usually featured in such a dish. —Ron Burlingame, Canton, Ohio
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Chicken Potpie
Learning how to make chicken potpie from scratch is 100% worth it. This chicken potpie recipe features a flaky, buttery crust packed with chicken, vegetables and a creamy sauce.
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Start With: Cooked Shrimp
Cooked shrimp is healthy protein to pack for lunch and dish out for dinner. We’ll show you how to top it on a salad, toss it in a pasta or add it to a stew.
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Shrimp Tortellini
Shrimp tortellini is an easy and versatile pasta toss that comes that comes together in minutes. It's a satisfying meal the whole family will love, and one that you can easily customize with your favorite vegetables.
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Cioppino
If you're looking for a great seafood recipe for your slow cooker, this classic fish stew is just the ticket. It's brimming with clams, crab, fish and shrimp, and it is fancy enough to be an elegant meal. —Lisa Moriarty, Wilton, New Hampshire
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Forgotten Jambalaya
During chilly times of the year, I fix this jambalaya at least once a month. It’s so easy—just chop the vegetables, dump everything in the slow cooker and forget it! Even my sons, who are picky about spicy things, like this dish. —Cindi Coss, Coppell, Texas
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Shrimp & Nectarine Salad
For a cool salad on a hot summer day, I combine shrimp, corn, tomatoes and nectarines with a drizzle of tarragon dressing. We love it chilled, but it's delectable served right away, too. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
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Shrimp Orzo with Feta
Tender, hearty and flavorful, this recipe is one of my favorites! Garlic and a splash of lemon add to the fresh taste and heart-healthy benefits of shrimp. —Sarah Hummel, Moon Township, Pennsylvania
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Deluxe Mashed Potatoes
Easy, creamy and decadent, these baked mashed potatoes are just as easy to make as they are to devour.
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The Best Shepherd’s Pie
Our top-rated shepherd's pie recipe delivers a cozy, filling, homestyle dinner that never disappoints.
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Pierogi Quesadillas
When I had hungry children in the kitchen and nothing but leftovers, I invented these quesadillas. Now it's how we always use up our potatoes, meats and sometimes veggies. —Andrea Dibble, Solon, Iowa
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Bacon-Cheddar Potato Croquettes
Instead of throwing out leftover mashed potatoes, use them to make this potato croquette recipe. The little baked balls are yummy with ranch dressing, barbecue sauce or Dijon mayonnaise for dipping. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia
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Meat Shell Potato Pie
Guests always comment on the presentation and flavor of this delightfully different dish. —Julie Sterchi, Flora, Illinois
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Spinach Quiche with Potato Crust
While this recipe is delicious using ingredients exactly as listed, it’s also a smart way to make the most of any leftover potatoes and veggies. Use 2-1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes and whatever cooked vegetables you have on hand. You can also substitute 1/2 pound Italian sausage for the bacon if you want a heartier quiche. —Heather King, Frostburg, Maryland
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Ham Potato Puffs
This is a different way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It was an instant hit with our teenagers. —Brad Eichelberger, York, Pennsylvania
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Great-Grandma's Italian Meatballs
My great-grandmother started this easy meatball recipe with our family. We use ground beef and turkey for these meatballs, and the flavor’s so good, you won’t miss the extra calories. —Audrey Colantino, Winchester, Massachusetts
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Meatball Pizza
Meatballs, tomato sauce, cheese, pizza dough—a recipe for meatball pizza heaven.
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Contest-Winning Bavarian Meatball Hoagies
When my husband is not manning the grill, I count on my slow cooker. These meatballs are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser when I serve them as a party appetizer or spooned over crusty rolls and topped with cheese for irresistible sandwiches. —Peggy Rios, Mechanicsville, Virginia
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Dressed-Up Meatballs
Frozen meatballs and a jar of sweet-and-sour sauce make this microwave meal a last-minute lifesaver when racing against the clock. The flavorful sauce is dressed up with a hint of garlic and nicely coats the colorful mixture of meatballs, carrots, green pepper and onion. —Ivy Eresmas, Dade City, Florida
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Easy Stuffed Shells
I threw this recipe together one day when we had unexpected guests. It was an immediate hit and is now a family favorite. Get the kids involved when putting together this simple, savory dish. —Dolores Betchner, Cudahy, Wisconsin
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Crescent Turkey Casserole
How do you make a dinner of turkey and vegetables appealing to kids? You turn it into a pie, of course! My version tastes classic but doesn’t take any time at all. —Daniela Essman, Perham, Minnesota
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Turkey-Vegetable Soup
Something to be thankful for: turning leftover holiday turkey into this delicious turkey-vegetable soup. Chock-full of herbs, vegetables and orzo, it’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
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Turkey Bundles
This recipe is definitely a must-try, and all you do is bundle up creamy turkey filling in crescent dough. I usually double the recipe so I have extra for lunch the next day. —Lydia Garrod, Tacoma, Washington
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Turkey Biscuit Stew
This chunky stew makes a hearty supper, especially in the fall and winter. It'salso a great way to use extra turkey during the holidays. —Lori Schlecht, Wimbledon, North Dakota
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Mediterranean Turkey Potpies
Your clan will love these wonderful stick-to-the-ribs potpies with a Mediterranean twist. I always use the leftovers from our big holiday turkey to prepare this recipe. I think my family enjoys the potpies more than the original feast! —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
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Savory Pork Roast
I love this herbed roast so much that I make it as often as I can. It's wonderful for special occasions, particularly when served with sweet potatoes and corn muffins. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
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Carne Guisada
While living away from Texas for a while, my boyfriend and I grew homesick for the spicy flavors of home. We've made this recipe a few times now, and it goes really well with homemade flour tortillas. We love it over rice, too. —Kelly Evans, Denton, Texas
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Quick Tacos al Pastor
We loved the pork and pineapple tacos from a food truck in Hawaii. My husband, a high school football referee, gives my version a thumbs-up. —Lori McLain, Denton, Texas
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Pork Chile Verde
Pork slowly stews with jalapenos, onion, green enchilada sauce and spices in this flavor-packed Mexican dish. It's wonderful on its own or stuffed in a warm tortilla with sour cream, grated cheese or olives on the side. —Kimberly Burke, Chico, CaliforniaOriginally Published: January 25, 2019
