If figuring out what to cook every night feels like one decision too many, here is our weekly family dinner plan for a little inspiration.
I try to plan all seven dinners before I order groceries because it helps me spend more intentionally, use what we already have, and avoid starting every evening with, “What are we eating tonight?”
But the plan is never about making every meal from scratch or following the schedule perfectly. Some meals get repeated, some move to the next week, and sometimes we order food. The goal is simply to make the week feel easier.
Here is what our family of five is eating this week.
Monday: Shrimp Scampi
My husband cooks on Mondays, and this week he is making shrimp scampi. I really love when he makes it, so I am genuinely looking forward to Monday’s dinner.
Having him take over dinner one night each week is one of those small systems that makes a big difference for me. I do not have to plan, prep, and cook every single meal, and we still get to sit down together for something everyone enjoys.
If you would like to add shrimp scampi to your own meal plan, try Island Vibe Cooking’s shrimp scampi recipe.
Tuesday: Nigerian Stewed Beans
Tuesday’s dinner is Nigerian stewed beans, also known as ewa riro. This meal was actually on last week’s plan, and my husband was supposed to make it, but we never got around to it.
When we skip a planned meal, I usually move it to the following week instead of forgetting about it and buying ingredients for something completely different. We already have what we need at home, so rolling the meal forward helps us use the groceries we paid for and saves money on the next grocery order.
That is one of my favorite practical meal-planning habits: an uneaten meal is not a failed plan. It is one less dinner you have to figure out next week.
For a step-by-step version, watch Chef Lola’s Nigerian stewed beans recipe.
Wednesday: Grilled Fish and French Fries
On Wednesday, we are having fried fish with French fries. We just ate this last week, but it is a family favorite, so I am bringing it right back.
I do not believe every week’s menu needs to be completely new. Repeating meals your family actually likes makes planning easier, reduces the chances of food going to waste, and gives you a dependable option in the middle of a busy week.
This grilled tilapia fish video is a helpful place to start if you want to make your own.
Thursday: Leftovers or Takeout
Thursday is always our leftovers night. I use it as an opportunity to clean out the fridge and serve whatever needs to be eaten before the weekend.
If we have enough leftovers, that is dinner. If we do not, we order food. Based on the meals at the beginning of this week, I am already expecting that we may not have much left, so this Thursday will most likely be a takeout night.
I intentionally leave this flexibility in our weekly dinner plan. A realistic meal plan should support your family, not make you feel guilty when you need an easier night.
Friday: Nigerian Fried Rice
Friday’s dinner is Nigerian fried rice. It is colorful, flavorful, and a good way to head into the weekend with a meal that feels a little special without being unfamiliar to the family.
If you would like to make it too, follow Sisi Jemimah’s Nigerian fried rice recipe.
Saturday: Chicken Enchiladas
Saturday is our new-recipe night, and I am trying chicken enchiladas for the first time.
One of my goals is to try two new recipes each month. This will be the second one for September. The first was jambalaya, and honestly, it did not go over very well.
But I am not giving up on it yet. I may try it again next week and make a few adjustments because sometimes a new recipe deserves a second chance before we decide it is not for us.
For the chicken enchiladas, I found this chicken enchiladas recipe from Smokin’ and Grillin with AB. I am hoping this new recipe gets a better response from the family!
Sunday: Curry Oxtail
We are ending the week with curry oxtail. This is definitely the slow, comforting Sunday dinner on the plan—the kind of meal that takes a little more time but feels worth it when everyone sits down to eat.
Here is a curry oxtail recipe in case you’d like to make this at home!
Our Full Dinner Plan at a Glance
- Monday: Shrimp scampi
- Tuesday: Nigerian stewed beans
- Wednesday: Grilled fish and French fries
- Thursday: Leftovers or takeout
- Friday: Nigerian fried rice
- Saturday: Chicken enchiladas
- Sunday: Curry oxtail
This week’s family dinner plan has a little bit of everything: a meal cooked by my husband, ingredients carried over from last week, a repeated family favorite, one flexible night, and a brand-new recipe.
That is what realistic meal planning looks like in our home. It is not about cooking seven perfect dinners. It is about deciding ahead of time, using what we have, and giving myself fewer decisions to make once the week gets busy.
I hope something on our menu gives you an idea for your own family. Come back next week to see what we planned, what we actually ate, and whether those chicken enchiladas earned a place in our regular rotation.
What is one dinner you are looking forward to this week?
