A No-Decision Dinner Plan for a Busy Winter Week

This week’s dinners are a mix of comfort, ease, and flexibility — which is exactly what our schedule needs right now. There’s a little hands-on cooking, a couple of dependable favorites, one night out, and leftovers doing their job. Nothing fancy, nothing experimental — just meals that fit around busy evenings, uneven schedules, and winter nights when dinner needs to feel reliable.

I genuinely enjoy cooking and putting menus together, but I also know how much mental energy dinner planning can take. So instead of keeping this week’s plan to myself, I’m sharing it here. Take what sounds good, plug it into the nights that work best for you, and let the rest go.

This Week’s Dinner Plan

This is our actual dinner plan for the week. Sometimes it’s not fancy, sometimes we eat out, and sometimes dinner gets made up on the fly — but for better or worse, this is what we’re really eating. You’re welcome to take any ideas that help minimize the dreaded “what’s for dinner?” question and leave the rest.

I’ve added short notes only where they help with planning your time, not cooking the recipe.

Monday

Chicken Spaghetti + Garlic Bread + Salad Kit

Creamy, cozy, and always a crowd-pleaser. This is classic comfort food and one of those meals that makes the house smell amazing while it bakes.

Planning note: This recipe makes a lot and is great for leftovers, but there’s a fair amount of chopping involved. Best for a night when you want dinner to stretch into another meal.

Chicken Spaghetti recipe by Ree Drummond

Tuesday

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches + Fries

Warm, hearty, and just messy enough to be fun. This feels like a solid, satisfying dinner without being complicated — everyone can build their sandwich exactly how they like it.

Crockpot French Dip Sandwhiches recipe from Easy Family Recipes

Wednesday

Sheet Pan Parmesan Garlic Chicken Thighs

A dependable midweek dinner that never lets you down. Everything cooks together, flavors stay familiar, and cleanup is minimal — exactly what a Wednesday needs.

Planning note: Big payoff for very little effort. About 30 minutes of hands-on time, and the rest is letting the oven do the work.

Sheet Pan Parmesan Garlic Chicken Thighs from Cookinginthemidwest on IG

Thursday

No-Boil Broccoli Pasta Bake + Chicken Nuggets

Comfort food with structure. Nuggets keep everyone happy, and the pasta bake adds something warm, filling, and flavorful without a lot of active cooking.

Planning note: Super easy because everything comes together in one mixing bowl and one baking dish. About 30 minutes of hands-on time, but plan ahead — since the pasta isn’t pre-boiled, it needs a longer stretch in the oven. Great for nights when you want ease and have time to let dinner bake.

Broccoli Pasta Bake (No Boil) By Dinner in 321

Friday

Eat Out (Basketball Night)

This one’s planned on purpose. We’ll be at a game, so dinner will happen wherever we can grab it. No scrambling, no guilt — it’s already decided.

Saturday

Leftovers

The quiet hero of the week. Clear out the fridge, reheat what sounds good, and enjoy a night off from cooking.

Sunday

Best Tomato Soup Ever + Grilled Cheese

This is my forever tomato soup. Cozy, nostalgic, and exactly how I like to end the week.

Planning note: Absolute home run. This is my go-to tomato soup recipe, and it would take a lot to dethrone it. Perfect with grilled cheese and zero pressure.

Best Tomato Soup Ever recipe by Ree Drummond

About These Weekly Menu Plans

I share these weekly menu plans because dinner decision fatigue is real. Menu planning takes time, and I completely understand why so many people hate doing it. I happen to love cooking and finding recipes — so instead of keeping my weekly plans to myself, I pass them along. If you’re looking for something new to try, you’re welcome to borrow my ideas.

Most weeks, that looks like curating from recipes I already love and cook from regularly. I really love recipes — old cookbooks, new cookbooks, and the ones saved all over the internet. Sometimes I’ll share an original recipe here, but most of the time I’m pulling together meals from recipe creators I trust, always linking back and giving credit where it’s due.