A No-Decision Weekly Meal Plan for a Cozy, Low-Effort Winter Week

Some weeks call for ambitious cooking plans.
This was not one of those weeks.

This week felt very wintery — comfort food, leftovers pulling their weight, and a mix of “I’m happy to cook” and “we’re absolutely eating out and that’s fine.” Nothing fancy. Nothing new for the sake of being new. Just solid, familiar dinners that didn’t require a lot of extra thought at the end of the day.

I enjoy cooking and I genuinely like planning dinners, but even when it’s something I like, it still takes mental energy. Writing these weekly plans helps me offload that thinking once — and if it helps someone else avoid staring into the fridge at 5:30 wondering what to make, even better.

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.

Monday

Chili Cheese Fries or Chili Dogs (with leftover chili)

Leftover chili does the heavy lifting here. Turning it into chili cheese fries or chili dogs makes it feel like a fun dinner without actually cooking anything new.
Planning note: Great use-up-what’s-there meal.

Tuesday

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Turkey Pot Pie

Recipe: https://easyfamilyrecipes.com/cheddar-bay-biscuit-chicken-pot-pie/

This is one of my favorite ways to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It’s cozy, filling, and feels like real comfort food without being complicated.

Planning note: This one involves a fair amount of chopping. On nights like this, I usually pull out my veggie chopper to speed things up and keep prep from feeling like a whole project.

Wednesday

No-Boil Broccoli Pasta Bake with Fish Sticks

Recipe: https://www.dinnerin321.com/no-boil-broccoli-pasta-bake/#recipe
This is a true midweek meal. Familiar, easy, and everyone knows what to expect. Pairing it with fish sticks keeps dinner simple without feeling repetitive.

Thursday

Costco Night
We planned a run and ate there. It counts.
Sometimes the plan is simply not cooking — and that’s still a plan.

Friday

Tamales with Mexican Rice
These are store-bought tamales paired with a simple side. Easy, filling, and a nice way to end the week without cooking from scratch.

Saturday

Leftovers
Nothing fancy here. We usually have enough odds and ends by Saturday to piece together a low-effort dinner.

Sunday

Breakfast Burritos
Potatoes, bacon, eggs, cheese, salsa — everyone builds their own and wraps it in a tortilla. No recipe, no pressure, just a solid Sunday dinner.

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.

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