I’ve previously shared with you the benefits of menu planning, plus shared a sample menu plan and more recently, a full weekly dinner menu plan. Menu planning has definitely been beneficial in our household and allows me to stay on top of meals for dinner each day, even while working. I no longer have to wonder what is for dinner or scramble at the last-minute to put something together. It also avoids me asking the husband to bring home take-out meals for dinner because I’m not inspired by the choices in our fridge or pantry. All-around, menu planning is useful.
This past weekend, I sat down for about half an hour, planned out two weeks of meals for dinner and wrote up a two-week grocery list. I created a 14-day dinner menu plan, mostly based on foods already in the freezer, fridge, and pantry. At the same time, I made our grocery list, filling in anything I was missing to make our two-week menu plan complete. It felt extremely good to have a full dinner menu plan for the next two weeks and a grocery list that would get us through those two weeks.
Later that same day, I went to the grocery store and did our shopping for two weeks. Plus, my husband seasoned and vacuum sealed the meats I had just purchased and most of the produce. In one afternoon, we had completed a menu plan, grocery shopping, and prepped foods for the next two weeks! How’s that for working smart and making our lives easier?
Want to see what we’ll be eating these next two weeks? I really hope that in sharing this sample two-week menu plan, you’ll get meal ideas for dinner in your own home. You may notice that I try to take shortcuts when I can, split meals into two by having leftover nights, and that nothing on my dinner menu plan is extraordinarily hard to cook – in fact, I use easy recipes as much as I can. The idea is not to be a fancy restaurant, but to save time, money, and provide my family meals for dinner.
14 Days of Dinner Ideas: Sample Two-Week Dinner Menu Plan
Week 1
- Sunday: Home-made sub sandwiches with French bread and chips or popcorn on the side
- Monday: Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican beef stew) served over white rice
- Tuesday: Turkey sausage & vegetables served over pasta
- Wednesday: Leftovers
- Thursday: Hamburgers and home-made fried potatoes
- Friday: Breakfast for dinner
- Saturday: Picadillo served over white rice (Here’s a nice picadillo recipe, though I don’t add raisins to mine.)
Week 2
- Sunday: Turkey Spaghetti
- Monday: Chicken & Vegetable Soup
- Tuesday: Leftovers
- Wednesday: Boneless pork ribs, home-made mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables
- Thursday: Turkey sausage with peppers, served over white rice
- Friday: Chicken & Vegetable Noodles (I’m going to substitute the beef for chicken from the recipe.)
- Saturday: Leftovers
What’s your family having for dinner this week?
I need to do this! It’s always a struggle to find something to cook, and I always end up stopping at the supermarket after work. I prefer to cook at home also,but my problem is I hate leftovers!
Really? I love leftovers! They make for an easy meal the day after I cooked. LOL
Love your Ideas. I plan a week at a time. I think I am making some type of pork ribs next week thanks for the inspiration
This is the first time I’ve planned 2 weeks at a time, but I think I’m going to continue doing so!