Sample Weekly Dinner Plans With Grocery Lists
Three complete weeks of dinners, each with the merged grocery list it produces, sorted by aisle. Copy one as-is or use it as a starting point.
Each list below was generated from the recipe library that comes with the meal plan template with grocery list. Quantities are totals for the whole week and assume each recipe as written (about 4 to 6 servings). Before you shop, cross off what you already have. Staples like salt and pepper are not listed.
Busy weeknights (mostly 30 minutes or less)
Quick dinners for the nights when everyone gets home late. Teriyaki chicken and fried rice share white rice, and the tacos and quesadillas share cheddar and salsa, so there are fewer distinct items to buy.
| Day | Dinner |
|---|---|
| Monday | Black Bean Tacos |
| Tuesday | Teriyaki Chicken and Veg |
| Wednesday | Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes |
| Thursday | Vegetable Fried Rice |
| Friday | Chicken Quesadillas |
| Saturday | Shrimp Garlic Linguine |
| Sunday | Leftovers / Clean-Out-the-Fridge Night |
- ☐ romaine lettuce - 1 head
- ☐ lime - 2 each
- ☐ snap peas - 8 oz
- ☐ carrots - 2 each
- ☐ cherry tomatoes - 1 pint
- ☐ baby spinach - 5 oz
- ☐ green onions - 1 bunch
- ☐ bell pepper - 1 each
- ☐ yellow onion - 1 each
- ☐ garlic - 5 clove
- ☐ lemon - 1 each
- ☐ parsley - 1 bunch
- ☐ chicken breasts - 1.5 lb
- ☐ cooked chicken - 2 cup
- ☐ shrimp - 1 lb
- ☐ cheddar cheese - 12 oz
- ☐ parmesan - 2 oz
- ☐ eggs - 4 each
- ☐ sour cream - 8 oz
- ☐ butter - 3 tbsp
- ☐ corn tortillas - 12 each
- ☐ flour tortillas - 8 each
- ☐ white rice - 4 cup
- ☐ penne - 1 lb
- ☐ linguine - 1 lb
- ☐ black beans - 30 oz
- ☐ salsa - 2 jar
- ☐ teriyaki sauce - 0.5 cup
- ☐ basil pesto - 1 jar
- ☐ soy sauce - 3 tbsp
- ☐ ground cumin - 2 tsp
- ☐ red pepper flakes - 0.5 tsp
- ☐ vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
- ☐ frozen mixed vegetables - 16 oz
Cook once, eat twice
Two big-batch meals are doubled (batches = 2) so the second half covers a later night or lunches. Only five shopping-relevant recipes are cooked.
| Day | Dinner |
|---|---|
| Monday | Slow Cooker Chili (x2) |
| Tuesday | Greek-Style Chicken Bowls |
| Wednesday | Leftovers / Clean-Out-the-Fridge Night |
| Thursday | Baked Ziti |
| Friday | Homemade Pizza Night |
| Saturday | Tomato Lentil Soup (x2) |
| Sunday | Leftovers / Clean-Out-the-Fridge Night |
- ☐ yellow onion - 4 each
- ☐ bell pepper - 3 each
- ☐ cucumber - 1 each
- ☐ cherry tomatoes - 1 pint
- ☐ lemon - 1 each
- ☐ mushrooms - 8 oz
- ☐ carrots - 4 each
- ☐ celery - 4 stalk
- ☐ ground beef - 3 lb
- ☐ chicken breasts - 1.5 lb
- ☐ pepperoni - 4 oz
- ☐ cheddar cheese - 8 oz
- ☐ sour cream - 16 oz
- ☐ feta - 4 oz
- ☐ plain yogurt - 1 cup
- ☐ ricotta - 15 oz
- ☐ mozzarella - 16 oz
- ☐ parmesan - 1 oz
- ☐ pizza dough - 1 lb
- ☐ crusty bread - 2 loaf
- ☐ white rice - 1.5 cup
- ☐ ziti - 1 lb
- ☐ red lentils - 3 cup
- ☐ kidney beans - 60 oz
- ☐ diced tomatoes - 112 oz
- ☐ vegetable broth - 12 cup
- ☐ marinara sauce - 24 oz
- ☐ pizza sauce - 1 jar
- ☐ chili powder - 6 tbsp
- ☐ dried oregano - 1 tsp
- ☐ ground cumin - 2 tsp
- ☐ olive oil - 4 tbsp
Meat-free week
Seven vegetarian dinners from the starter library, with shared ingredients (cheddar, onions, tomatoes) so the list stays short.
| Day | Dinner |
|---|---|
| Monday | Tomato Lentil Soup |
| Tuesday | Black Bean Tacos |
| Wednesday | Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes |
| Thursday | Breakfast-for-Dinner Frittata |
| Friday | Stuffed Baked Potatoes |
| Saturday | Minestrone with Grilled Cheese |
| Sunday | Vegetable Fried Rice |
- ☐ yellow onion - 3 each
- ☐ carrots - 4 each
- ☐ celery - 4 stalk
- ☐ romaine lettuce - 1 head
- ☐ lime - 2 each
- ☐ cherry tomatoes - 1 pint
- ☐ baby spinach - 10 oz
- ☐ russet potatoes - 4 each
- ☐ broccoli - 1 head
- ☐ green onions - 2 bunch
- ☐ zucchini - 1 each
- ☐ cheddar cheese - 22 oz
- ☐ parmesan - 2 oz
- ☐ eggs - 12 each
- ☐ milk - 0.5 cup
- ☐ sour cream - 8 oz
- ☐ butter - 2 tbsp
- ☐ crusty bread - 2 loaf
- ☐ corn tortillas - 12 each
- ☐ sandwich bread - 1 loaf
- ☐ red lentils - 1.5 cup
- ☐ penne - 1 lb
- ☐ small pasta - 1 cup
- ☐ white rice - 2 cup
- ☐ diced tomatoes - 42 oz
- ☐ vegetable broth - 12 cup
- ☐ black beans - 30 oz
- ☐ cannellini beans - 15 oz
- ☐ salsa - 1 jar
- ☐ basil pesto - 1 jar
- ☐ soy sauce - 3 tbsp
- ☐ ground cumin - 3 tsp
- ☐ olive oil - 2 tbsp
- ☐ vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
- ☐ frozen mixed vegetables - 16 oz
Making your own week
- Pick 4 to 5 dinners and leave one or two nights for leftovers.
- Choose recipes that share fresh ingredients (a bunch of green onions, a head of broccoli) so nothing goes to waste.
- Put the meals with the most perishable ingredients (fish, salad greens) early in the week.
- Double a soup or chili and plan the second half for a busy night.
You can try any combination with the free planner on the home page, or learn the manual method in how to make a grocery list from a meal plan.