Happy Sunday! I hope you had a wonderful week. I’m currently in Charleston for a photoshoot for my next cookbook—such a gorgeous city—and the photos are coming along beautifully. I’m looking forward to getting back home to my family and my usual kitchen routine.

This is week five of sharing my weekly dinner plan since launching The Skinnytaste Meal Planner. I usually do my grocery shopping on Sundays, but feel free to shop when it suits your schedule. The plan below is meant to be flexible: pick a few meals or make them all. Leftovers are a big part of our routine and help save time during busy weekdays.

Skinnytaste Dinner Plan — Week 5

We are a family of four, so leftovers often become lunches the next day. My weekday breakfasts are simple and quick: smoothies, avocado toast with a sunny-side egg, or hard-boiled eggs and fruit. Weekends are when I get creative with breakfast because the family makes requests. During the day I test new recipes for the blog, and those often become my lunch. Leftovers never go to waste—I either freeze them for later in the month or pack them for work lunches.

Please leave a comment to let me know if this plan works for you or how I might improve it. If you’ve purchased the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, I’d love to hear what you think—please consider leaving a review or share what you’re cooking using the hashtag #skinnytastemealplanner.

Weekly Dinner Schedule

Monday: Away
Tuesday: Away
Wednesday: Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli
Thursday: Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms and Creamy Cauliflower Mash
Friday: Cheeseburger Casserole
Saturday: Crock Pot Picadillo
Sunday: Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas with Quick Mexican Brown Rice

Happy cooking!

Weekly Grocery List (Week 5)

Produce

16 oz fresh broccoli florets
2 heads garlic
6–7 medium onions
8 oz sliced mushrooms
Fresh parsley (optional)
1 medium head cauliflower
28 oz diced canned tomatoes
Red bell pepper (about 1 cup diced)
Cilantro
1 small tomato
2 medium plum tomatoes
2 1/2 cups butternut squash (diced)
2 jalapeños
Scallions
Limes

Grocery & Pantry

12 oz uncooked orecchiette pasta (or brown rice/quinoa pasta for GF)
2 cups (about 6 oz) uncooked rotini pasta (use brown rice for GF)
Olive oil
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 cups beef broth
All-purpose flour (about 2 tablespoons)
Tomato paste (about 6 tablespoons)
Red wine vinegar (1 teaspoon)
Worcestershire sauce (2 teaspoons)
Dijon mustard (2 tablespoons)
Dill pickles (1/4 cup, chopped)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup alcaparrado or green olives
Red enchilada sauce (1 cup), canned or homemade
10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
Reduced-sodium canned black beans (about 1 1/2 cups)

Herbs & Spices

Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Mustard powder
Ground cumin
Garlic powder
Bay leaves
Chili powder
Low-carb, whole wheat flour tortillas (8 medium; I used La Tortilla Factory)
Smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper

Meats

14 oz Italian chicken sausage
4 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 lb 93% lean ground turkey

Frozen

4 cups frozen or cooked brown rice

Dairy

1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/3 cup 1% buttermilk
1 tablespoon light butter
2 cups reduced-fat grated cheddar cheese
1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend
Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

Ingredients for Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

(If you prefer homemade sauce instead of canned)

2 cloves garlic
1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (use to taste)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Notes and tips: plan for leftovers to stretch meals into lunches, freeze portions for later in the month, and choose whole-grain or gluten-free swaps where noted. Keep fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley on hand for garnish, and adjust spice levels to suit your family’s taste. If you’re short on time, the crock pot picadillo and enchiladas both reheat well and make great leftovers.