32 Weeks of Menu Plans! That’s 224 Different Dinner Ideas For 2021!
Happy New Year!! Today we’re talking dinner meal plans. 32 weeks of them to be exact!
This is one of my most favorite posts to share every year. Each year it’s similar but I add in/swap at least 40 to 50 of healthier meals that I really loved over the previous year and then remove the ones I wasn’t as drawn to making. I reference this post approximately ten million times over the the course of the year, especially when I’m really struggling for dinner ideas! Coming up with dinner meal plans is tricky, even for me.
I’ve mentioned often that in our perfect weeks, planning and shopping for three full meals works best for us. This way, we don’t get sick of our “plan,” we always end up with leftovers (but not too many leftovers), it allows for a night or two of eating out on the fly, whether it’s both of us or one of us for work, and usually will allow one night of breakfast for dinner, which we adore. This has changed a bit with the pandemic – we’ve cooked at home SO MUCH MORe. Some weeks I do five or six meals. Some weeks I only do two and we have leftovers and take out! You have to find what works for you.
I always want to make sure our meals are super balanced, always including a vegetable, consistent and most of all – planned ahead of time. This is KEY and even I fall out of practice sometimes. But when our dinners our planned, we just generally eat BETTER.
I’d love to hear some of your favorite meals below, along with your meal planning tips and how you plan your weeks! xo
32 Weeks of Dinner Meal Plans
- guacamole turkey burgers
- sheet pan gnocchi and vegetables
- chicken noodle egg drop soup
- cashew shrimp and mango stir fry
- korean chicken with coconut rice
- brussels and kale spaghetti
- halloumi hummus bowls
- potato chip frittata
- grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches
- honeycrisp quinoa kale salad
- creamy vodka sauce pasta
- warm winter farro salad
- chipotle tomato soup
- one pot salsa chicken quinoa
- homemade cauliflower gnocchi
- chickpea bacon ranch salad
- sticky sheet pan chicken with pineapple salsa
- shrimp salad rolls
- baked black bean taquitos
- grilled thai pork tenderloin
- cheesy chicken baked avocados
- the best lemon roasted chicken
- fish taco bowls
- sheet pan sausage and peppers
- bruschetta chicken skillet
- honey garlic sheet pan salmon and brussels
- chicken tortellini soup
- cheeseburger chopped salad
- lime sheet pan chicken fajitas
- broccoli cheddar spaghetti squash
- maple turkey chili
- coconut curry pork meatballs
- baked pesto pasta
- triple berry chickpea crunch salad
- hot ginger salmon salad
- buffalo cauliflower lettuce wraps
- minestrone soup with kale pesto
- tuscan tuna melts
- mediterranean quinoa kale salad with chicken
- spaghetti squash parmesan
- hot honey salmon
- our favorite ground beef tacos
- baked parmesan chicken with lemon arugula
- slow roasted tomato farro salad
- maple bbq salmon with brown butter couscous
- buffalo cauliflower soup
- flank steak with chimichurri quinoa
- black bean tostadas
- baked chicken parmesan meatballs
- honey mustard chicken chopped salad
- BBQ salmon crispy chickpea salad
- easy double bean burgers
- pizza supreme on cauliflower crust
- white bean + chicken enchilada stuffed peppers
- balsamic brussels sprouts grilled cheese
- crockpot smoky brisket tacos
- french onion meatballs
- crispy baked quesadillas
- chipotle sweet potato quinoa hash
- blackened shrimp kale caesar salad
- tomato tortellini soup
- turkey taco stuffed peppers
- blackened salmon with grilled naan
- brussels sprouts breakfast hash
- green goddess salmon sliders
- thai chicken quinoa bowls
- roasted corn caesar salads with yogurt dressing
- mediterranean turkey burgers
- simple summer chickpea salad
- mini chicken meatball soup
- summer squash pasta with goat cheese
- southwest salmon salad
- filet and potato skewers with rosemary chimichurri
- chicken taco soup
- spring nicoise salad
- roasted broccoli toast
- sheet pan nacho chicken
- garlic butter scallops with watermelon salsa
- vegetarian lentil bolognese
- lemon flatbread pizza with hot honey
- baja grain bowls
- saucy skillet chicken enchiladas
- crispy chickpea chopped salad
- sun dried tomato skillet lasagna
- butternut squash chili
- creamy cauliflower soup
- roasted chipotle chicken taco stacks
- crab cake sliders with pineapple kiwi salsa
- lemon chicken risotto
- pulled pork stuffed peppers
- thai curry pomegranate chicken
- 20 minute cajun salmon with salted lime butter
- springtime cobb salad
- spicy lime chicken enchiladas
- butternut squash lettuce wraps
- white chicken quinoa chili
- jerk shrimp tacos
- black bean stuffed sweet potatoes with arugula + poached eggs
- smoky sweet potato burgers
- cauliflower crust pizza
- sesame crusted shrimp with mango quinoa
- baked falafel with spicy feta dip
- lightened up beef enchiladas
- zoodles with cherry tomato sauce
- slow roasted sweet potatoes with spicy garlic chickpeas
- grilled vegetable orzo
- sheet pan pesto salmon & potatoes
- chipotle BBQ chicken with creamed corn
- caramelized onion tomato pasta
- bruschetta quinoa zucchini boats
- fuji apple chicken salad
- turkey taco nacho skillet
- garlic brown sugar flank steak with chimichurri
- 30 minute thai chili salmon skewers
- goat cheese whole roasted chicken
- bang bang shrimp with napa cabbage slaw
- 30 minute buffalo chicken soup
- sheet pan sweet potato breakfast hash
- baked hot honey pretzel chicken fingers
- roasted jalapeño cheddar turkey burgers
- sweet potato quinoa cakes
- tequila shrimp taco salad
- one pan sesame chicken
- thai butternut squash soup
- skillet chicken with peppers + peanuts
- chickpea wedge salads with avocado ranch
- slow cooker barbacoa tacos
- chicken avocado salad with peanut dressing
- harvest butternut squash pasta sauce
- grain bowls with maple chipotle sweet potatoes
- brussels sprouts tacos with caramelized shallot salsa
- chipotle lime chicken skewers with avocado ranch
- butternut squash skillet lasagna
- zucchini lasagna bolognese
- sheet pan smoked sausage with butternut & brussels
- risotto stuffed peppers
- pesto mini meatball soup
- 20 minute basil chickpea curry
- easy parmesan pasta frittata
- peanut noodles with roasted broccoli
- salmon rice bowls
- sausage and kale skillet lasagna
- chipotle chicken cobb salad
- buffalo cauliflower flatbread
- chicken salad stuffed avocados
- cilantro lime flank steak
- bacon broccoli pasta
- mushroom melts with mustard aioli
- winter citrus butter salmon
- slow cooker buffalo chicken chili
- beer glazed citrus chicken
- spinach artichoke linguine
- warm brussels caesar salad
- pulled pork tacos with chili slaw
- smoky white bean chicken chili
- chili garlic beef stir fry with coconut rice
- crunchy chicken spring rolls with blood orange sauce
- cashew chicken chopped salad
- shrimp zoodle bowls
- shrimp burgers with chipotle cream
- stuffed peppers with tomato basil cream sauce
- butternut squash kale salad
- chicken marsala with almond green beans
- lime loaded shrimp sheet pan fajitas
- sticky apricot chicken and broccoli
- coffee crusted strip steak with corn salsa
- sun dried tomato corn chowder
- sheet pan shrimp nachos
- grilled avocado kale salad
- spinach red pepper bacon wrapped eggs
- crockpot mini turkey meatballs
- asiago portobello burgers
- adobo shrimp fajitas
- 20 minute turkey taco nachos
- thai chicken enchiladas
- BBQ salmon burgers
- chili cheese polenta bowls
- oven crisped cheddar chicken fingers
- lemon chicken soup
- 30 minute greek chicken lettuce wraps
- broiled fontina toasts with poached eggs
- thai crunch chicken salad
- crunchy taco kale salad
- smoky gruyere butternut squash soup with chickpeas
- 30 minute portobello fried brown rice
- chipotle lime shrimp tacos
- honey chipotle chicken bowls
- 30 minute shallot, spinach and goat cheese pasta
- thai beef bowls
- salmon with thai curry peanut sauce
- rosemary chicken, bacon and avocado salad
- quinoa burrito bowls
- BBQ shrimp and lime avocado toast
- late summer corn tortilla soup
- burrata pesto whole wheat pasta
- september kale salad
- open face steak sandwich with avocado horseradish
- 30 minute asian chicken soup
- butternut squash galette
- chipotle lime whole roast chicken
- pan crisp salmon with light dijon cream
- homemade spaghettios
- BBQ quinoa salad
- marinated chickpea panzanella
- thai coconut curry shrimp noodle bowls
- grilled chicken artichoke skewers
- farfalle with marinated feta and arugula
- chipotle kale and mushroom tacos
- pulled chicken guacamole sliders
- zoodles with chicken feta meatballs
- toasted sesame quinoa with chicken
- spicy parmesan shrimp skillet
- chicken pot pie soup
- crispy kale grilled cheese
- marinated flank steak with caprese salsa
- pineapple cashew fried rice
- asian turkey burgers with spicy lime mayo
- banh mi tacos
- roasted chicken or turkey ramen
- toasted sesame ginger salmon
- sweet potato cream pasta with crispy kale
- salmon citrus avocado salad
- braised short rib beef stew
- BBQ chicken chopped salad
Enjoy!
15 Comments on “32 Weeks of Menu Plans! That’s 224 Different Dinner Ideas For 2021!”
I too plan our meals for the week. That’s one of the things I take care of on Sundays because I go grocery shopping on Monday mornings. I generally don’t do a new recipe for dinner every night – it gets too time consuming. And while I LOVE to try new ones, I space them out over the week. Because there’s just the 2 of us. we can plan on leftovers with maybe some new items added in to even out the work. One of the things that I like about your recipes is that so much of the time, I can get things ready ahead of time. I’m very aware that your blog is the reason that my life is made easier when it comes to meal planning – a huge thank you!
Thank you for all the recipes but it would have been great if you had labeled the pictures. I would like to try a couple of the yummy looking pictures but have no idea which they are.
Ditto — I am trying to track down the first picture’s recipe (because I think I may have all the ingredients to create it for dinner tonight), and I have searched for chicken as well as broccoli on this entry, and it doesn’t seem to have a title/link that matches what’s pictured.
Otherwise, super excited to have a hit list of faves to add to my meal planning for 2021 — thank you!!
All that to say, of course, I just searched your website, and it easily populated as the first entry as as Sticky Apricot Chicken and Broccoli. Excited to give it a try!
I am trying to simplify my meal planning this year by doing a different theme for nights of the week:
Sunday- family meals/comfort food (or grilling in the spring and summer!)
Monday- meatless
Tuesday- tacos/Mexican
Wednesday- soup, salad, and/or sandwiches
Thursday- breakfast for dinner
Fridays and Saturdays we usually eat with friends and family or go out/order. Frozen pizza is always my backup!
I’m
Hoping this will help me to spend less time on planning but still allow me to try new recipes and keep a variety of meals each week. Love all of your recipes!
Ooooh, I love this idea Melissa! I do ‘mac and cheese’ night for the kids on Thursdays, but need to take it a step further:) Thanks for the idea!
Great list!
Is there an easy way to print it? I’d love a printed copy I could tuck into one of your cookbooks or slide into my planner for easy reference
Is there anyway to print this easily?
I’m an avid meal planner and you’ve just made my 2021 by day 2! Between this and your lunch ideas post…lordy, I’m set! Can’t wait to put this into action…I’m already itching :D. Thank you!
Have you thought about doing this based on the season? I think that would be the only upgrade that would really help me use this!
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I adore this post – I cooked off it for the first three months last year! So when I started organizing myself for 2021 I went looking for this!! Thank you for taking the time to put it together :)
I want to make so many of these and would make a lot more if a certain someone in the house wasn’t so picky. Anyway I have bookmarked a bunch. Thank-you for this awesome list of awesome recipes.
I can taste these pictures, but can’t find the recipes associated with each. Anyway to find out which recipe goes with each photo? Thanks!
You didn’t name the pictures of your dishes. So I see something it looks good but I don’t know what it is so how am I supposed to know where to find the recipe.