Dinner plans + a combined shopping list

Free Weekly Meal Planner with Grocery List

Start with a complete dinner schedule instead of an empty calendar. Choose a published week, set the people at each dinner, and check one combined ingredient list before you shop.

Start with a complete schedule

Choose your dinner week

Choose a five- or seven-day plan, then adjust the people at each dinner below.

5 dinner days · Family

Five-Day Family Comfort Food Dinner Plan

Five substantial dinner menus for six people, with a mix of stove, oven, slow-cooker and sandwich preparations.

Read the introduction to this dinner plan

Dinner quantities and the combined grocery list are set for 6 people.

Review calendar dates, portions and pantry items before confirming.

Estimating…
Estimating…

5 dinners · 6 people per dinner

Your dinner schedule

Move days to suit your week. Each recipe below is portioned for the same household size.

  1. Day01

    Creamy chicken and rice

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet — serving inspiration

    Main dinner

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

    • Scaled for 6
    • Prep 5 min
    • Cook 45 min
    • Total 50 min
    Ingredients for 6 people
    • 1 1/2 each Onion · Yellow onion, diced.
    • 3 tablespoons Butter
    • 1 lb Chicken breast · Approximately one boneless, skinless chicken breast; cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
    • 1 1/2 cups [uncooked] Rice · Long grain white rice, uncooked.
    • 3/4 tsp Dried thyme
    • 3/8 tsp Dried sage
    • 3/8 tsp Salt
    • To taste Freshly cracked pepper
    • 4 1/2 cups Chicken broth
    • 12 oz [frozen] Peas and carrots · Frozen; do not thaw.
    • 1/2 cup Heavy cream
    • 6 oz Cheddar · Shredded.
    Full recipe & method
  3. Day03

    Pesto macaroni and spinach

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach — serving inspiration

    Main dinner

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

    • Scaled for 6
    • Prep 15 min
    • Cook 15 min
    • Total 30 min
    Ingredients for 6 people
    • 2 cups Uncooked macaroni
    • 2 tablespoons Butter
    • 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
    • 2 cups Whole milk
    • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
    • 4 tablespoons Basil pesto
    • 1/2 tsp Salt
    • To taste Freshly cracked pepper
    • 8 oz Frozen spinach · Original: 1/2 lb for six servings. Scaled exactly to four servings: 8 oz × 4/6 = 5 1/3 oz.
    Full recipe & method
  4. Day04

    Hot meatball subs

    Meatball mozzarella subs — serving inspiration

    Main dinner

    Meatball mozzarella subs

    • Scaled for 6
    Ingredients for 6 people
    • 1 1/2 lb Frozen meatballs
    • 1 1/2 cups Marinara sauce
    • 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella
    • 6 each Sub rolls
    • 3/4 head Lettuce
    • 3 each Tomato
    • 3/8 cup Mayonnaise
    Full recipe & method
  5. Day05

    Stuffed shells and garlic chard

    Cheese and spinach stuffed shells — serving inspiration

    Main dinner

    Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

    • Scaled for 6
    Ingredients for 6 people
    • 18 oz Jumbo pasta shells
    • 22 1/2 oz Ricotta
    • 6 cups Spinach
    • 2 1/4 cups Mozzarella
    • 36 oz Marinara sauce
    • 3/8 cup Parmesan
    Full recipe & method
    Garlic Butter Swiss Chard — serving inspiration

    Side dish

    Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

    • Scaled for 6
    • Prep 5 min
    • Cook 10 min
    • Total 15 min
    Ingredients for 6 people
    • 1 1/2 bunches Swiss chard
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons Olive oil
    • 3 cloves Garlic · Minced.
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons Butter
    • To taste Salt
    • To taste Black pepper
    Full recipe & method

One list for the schedule

Combined grocery list

Ingredient requirements for all 5 dinners, adjusted to 6 people per dinner.

Compatible measurements are combined. Different measurement types and amounts that need interpretation stay separate.

Check your pantry before shopping. These are ingredient amounts used by the plan; package sizes and what you already own can change what you need to buy.

Bread & bakery

  • 6 each Sandwich buns

    Slow cooker pulled pork

  • 6 each Sub rolls

    Meatball mozzarella subs

Dairy & eggs

  • 6.5 tbsp Butter

    3 uses · Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet · Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach · Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

  • 6 oz Cheddar

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 0.5 cups Grated Parmesan

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

  • 0.5 cups Heavy cream

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 3.75 cups Mozzarella

    2 uses · Meatball mozzarella subs · Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

  • 0.375 cups Parmesan

    Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

  • 22.5 oz Ricotta

    Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

  • 2 cups Whole milk

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

Frozen

  • 1.5 lb Frozen meatballs

    Meatball mozzarella subs

  • 8 oz Frozen spinach

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

Meat & seafood

  • 1 lb Chicken breast

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 3 lb Pork shoulder

    Slow cooker pulled pork

Pantry & other

  • 2 tbsp All-purpose flour

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

  • 4 tbsp Basil pesto

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

  • 1.5 cups BBQ sauce

    Slow cooker pulled pork

  • To taste Black pepper

    Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

  • 4.5 cups Chicken broth

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 2.25 lb Deli coleslaw

    Deli coleslaw

  • 0.375 tsp Dried sage

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 0.75 tsp Dried thyme

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • To taste + To taste Freshly cracked pepper

    2 uses · Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet · Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

  • 1.5 tsp Garlic powder

    Slow cooker pulled pork

  • 18 oz Jumbo pasta shells

    Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

  • 1.5 cups + 36 oz Marinara sauce

    2 uses · Meatball mozzarella subs · Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

  • 0.375 cups Mayonnaise

    Meatball mozzarella subs

  • 1.5 tsp Olive oil

    Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

  • 3 tsp Paprika

    Slow cooker pulled pork

  • 1.5 cups [uncooked] Rice

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 0.875 tsp + To taste Salt

    3 uses · Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet · Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach · Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

  • 2 cups Uncooked macaroni

    Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

Produce

  • 3 cloves Garlic

    Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

  • 0.75 heads Lettuce

    Meatball mozzarella subs

  • 3 each Onion

    2 uses · Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet · Slow cooker pulled pork

  • 12 oz [frozen] Peas and carrots

    Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

  • 6 cups Spinach

    Cheese and spinach stuffed shells

  • 1.5 bunch Swiss chard

    Garlic Butter Swiss Chard

  • 3 each Tomato

    Meatball mozzarella subs

Review calendar dates, portions and pantry items before confirming.

Plan-specific notes

Before you shop and cook

These notes belong to the selected schedule. Follow each linked recipe for its complete preparation method.

Prepare for this week

  • Choose a day for pulled pork that accommodates the recipe’s 8–10 hours on low or 5–6 hours on high. This is a same-day cooking schedule, not a make-ahead instruction.
  • The chicken-and-rice method specifies a deep, oven-safe 3-quart skillet for its original four servings. For six, check that your equipment can hold the scaled recipe; do not overfill it.
  • Squeeze water from the thawed spinach for pesto macaroni and from the wilted spinach for stuffed shells. Their preparation methods differ.

Ingredients to use again

  • Marinara and mozzarella are shared by meatball subs and stuffed shells. Parmesan is used in both pasta dinners.
  • Onion is used for the chicken-rice skillet and pulled pork. Keep frozen spinach for macaroni separate from the spinach specified for the shells.

Review changes before shopping

  • The creamy chicken-rice source permits half-and-half or canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream; cheddar remains, so that change alone does not make the recipe dairy-free.
  • The pesto-macaroni source permits other pesto flavors, including kale or sun-dried tomato pesto. Check the product ingredients for your dietary needs.

Storage for this schedule

  • Buy or safely thaw the pork and chicken for their planned cooking days; keep prepared coleslaw chilled until serving.
  • Chill cooked leftovers promptly in shallow containers; use within 3–4 days. Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F.

Guidance references: USDA FSIS: Refrigeration and Food Safety · USDA FSIS: Chicken from Farm to Table · USDA FSIS: Leftovers and Food Safety · Budget Bytes: Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet · Budget Bytes: Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

Turn the schedule into a shopping trip

  1. Match the week to your calendar.Pick the number of dinner days you need, then check the linked recipes and their recorded preparation times. Breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks are outside these schedules. Use the family meal planning guide to map out the rest of your week.
  2. Set portions and check what you own.Choose the people eating each dinner. The grocery list scales the recorded recipe amounts and combines compatible measurements. Different food forms or measurements can remain separate. Review the ingredient reuse planning guide before treating similar names as interchangeable.
  3. Plan your grocery budget. Start with the grocery budget planning guide, or use the budget meal plan worksheet for four to enter your own prices.