Happy New Year!
Feeling a little overindulged from the celebrations? Not ready to swap party food for a kale-only diet? Me neither. Whether you’re easing back into routine or just want fresh meal ideas, this collection is here to help.
I love putting these menu roundups together—partly selfishly—because simple meal planning makes weeknights so much easier, especially now that we’ve added a third eater at our table. I’ve compiled many of these lists over the years, and you’ll find past collections that inspired this one, so there are plenty of options to mix and match.
This update contains 22 weeks of dinner ideas—154 dishes in total—mostly lighter recipes with a few comforts sprinkled in. The best part: almost all recipes are flexible. Swap zoodles for pasta, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, cut the cheese in half, double the vegetables, or adjust the protein to suit your family. Consider this a guide you can adapt to your tastes and schedule.
Over the next month I’ll share easy weekend meal-prep tips—just one hour on the weekend so you don’t lose your days off—and show how I set up a few components to simplify weeknight cooking. If you try any of these, please tag your photos on Instagram with #howsweeteats. I’d love to see what you make.
Week 1
1. easy weeknight chicken tacos
2. pineapple chorizo rice bowls
3. marinated zucchini ribbon salad
4. roast garlic bucatini with burst tomatoes
5. veggie fajita stuffed sweet potatoes
6. slow cooker short rib sauce
7. chickpea pasta soup
Week 2
1. drunken thai zucchini noodles with honey chicken
2. skillet chilaquiles
3. my favorite greek salad
4. grilled flank steak fajitas (3 ways!)
5. chicken chili with pumpkin biscuits
6. crunchy cashew kale salad
7. slow cooker sweet and spicy pork shoulder
Week 3
1. smoky grilled chicken flatbreads with creamy feta
2. arugula kale reggiano salad
3. green chili sloppy joes with greek yogurt slaw
4. garlic kale cashew fried rice
5. one pot mushroom swiss chard pasta
6. grilled buffalo chicken caesar salad
7. chorizo and egg breakfast tacos
Week 4
1. BBQ chicken pineapple lettuce wraps
2. blackened broccoli pasta with goat cheese and charred lemon
3. fiery baked eggs in spicy arrabbiata
4. winter chopped salad with roasted sweet potato
5. gruyere, fig jam and arugula breakfast sandwiches
6. cider braised chicken with butternut
7. breakfast fried rice
Week 5
1. soba noodle salad with caramelized chicken and chili oil
2. smoky gruyere butternut squash soup with chickpeas
3. 30 minute portobello fried brown rice
4. chipotle lime shrimp tacos
5. honey chipotle chicken bowls
6. 30 minute shallot, spinach and goat cheese pasta
7. shaved asparagus + whipped ricotta whole wheat pizza
Week 6
1. thai steak salad
2. mushroom chicken noodle soup
3. chili garlic chicken skewers with greek yogurt dip
4. toasted coconut tilapia with pomegranate salsa
5. brussels sprouts tacos with caramelized shallot salsa
6. chipotle lime chicken skewers with avocado ranch
7. butternut squash skillet lasagna
Week 7
1. smoky white bean chicken chili
2. chili garlic beef stir fry with coconut rice
3. red wine roasted mushroom toasts
4. cashew chicken chopped salad
5. cheesy double bean quesadillas with avocado ranch
6. shrimp burgers with chipotle cream
7. stuffed peppers with tomato basil cream sauce
Week 8
1. smoky sweet potato + black bean tacos
2. roasted chicken ramen
3. toasted sesame ginger salmon
4. sweet potato cream pasta with crispy kale
5. roasted grape + goat cheese stuffed sweet potatoes
6. braised short rib beef stew
7. BBQ chicken chopped salad
Week 9
1. garlic brown sugar flank steak with chimichurri
2. black bean and cornbread panzanella
3. goat cheese whole roasted chicken
4. bang bang shrimp with napa cabbage slaw
5. 30 minute buffalo chicken soup
6. no rise thin crust pizza
7. three bean chili pot pies
Week 10
1. toasted sesame quinoa with chicken
2. spicy parmesan shrimp skillet
3. chicken pot pie soup
4. crispy kale grilled cheese
5. marinated flank steak with caprese salsa
6. pineapple cashew fried rice
7. asian turkey burgers with spicy lime mayo
Week 11
1. smoky sweet potato burgers
2. cauliflower crust pizza
3. 30 minute white bean chicken soup
4. baked falafel with spicy feta dip
5. lightened up beef enchiladas
6. roasted almond crusted salmon
7. stuffed poblano peppers
Week 12 (repeat favorites)
1. soba noodle salad with caramelized chicken and chili oil
2. smoky gruyere butternut squash soup with chickpeas
3. 30 minute portobello fried brown rice
4. chipotle lime shrimp tacos
5. honey chipotle chicken bowls
6. 30 minute shallot, spinach and goat cheese pasta
7. shaved asparagus + whipped ricotta whole wheat pizza
Week 13
1. tilapia burgers with watermelon salsa
2. white bean tortellini soup
3. spicy lime chicken enchiladas
4. butternut squash lettuce wraps
5. white chicken quinoa chili
6. jerk shrimp tacos
7. black bean stuffed sweet potatoes with arugula + poached eggs
Week 14
1. roasted jalapeño cheddar turkey burgers
2. sweet potato quinoa cakes
3. coconut baked shrimp with pineapple peach salsa
4. greek grilled chicken salad
5. thai butternut squash soup
6. skillet chicken with peppers + peanuts
7. caramelized peach caprese salad
Week 15
1. pistachio pesto chicken
2. BBQ salmon crispy chickpea salad
3. easy double bean burgers
4. citrus crusted tilapia
5. white bean + chicken enchilada stuffed peppers
6. balsamic brussels sprouts grilled cheese
7. crockpot smoky brisket tacos
Week 16
1. thai steak salad
2. mushroom chicken noodle soup
3. gruyere, fig jam and arugula breakfast sandwiches
4. toasted coconut tilapia with pomegranate salsa
5. brussels sprouts tacos with caramelized shallot salsa
6. chipotle lime chicken skewers with avocado ranch
7. butternut squash skillet lasagna
Week 17
1. smoky white bean chicken chili
2. chili garlic beef stir fry with coconut rice
3. red wine roasted mushroom toasts
4. cashew chicken chopped salad
5. cheesy double bean quesadillas with avocado ranch
6. shrimp burgers with chipotle cream
7. stuffed peppers with tomato basil cream sauce
Week 18
1. garlic brown sugar flank steak with chimichurri
2. black bean and cornbread panzanella
3. goat cheese whole roasted chicken
4. bang bang shrimp with napa cabbage slaw
5. 30 minute buffalo chicken soup
6. roasted red pepper quinoa burgers
7. three bean chili pot pies
Week 19
1. mushroom melts with mustard aioli
2. honey ginger chicken tostadas
3. caramelized leek soup
4. beer glazed citrus chicken
5. spinach artichoke linguine
6. warm brussels caesar salad
7. pulled pork tacos with chili slaw
Week 20
1. toasted sesame quinoa with chicken
2. spicy parmesan shrimp skillet
3. chicken pot pie soup
4. crispy kale grilled cheese
5. marinated flank steak with caprese salsa
6. pineapple cashew fried rice
7. mini chicken meatball soup
Week 21
1. brussels sprouts breakfast hash
2. grilled blueberry BBQ salmon
3. thai chicken quinoa bowls
4. roasted corn caesar salads with yogurt dressing
5. buffalo style quinoa sliders
6. simple summer chickpea salad
7. mini chicken meatball soup
Week 22
1. ginger garlic steak tacos with pineapple pico
2. spicy greens and parmesan white bean stew
3. butternut squash galette
4. chipotle lime whole roast chicken
5. pan crisp salmon with light dijon cream
6. whole wheat roasted red pepper pizza
7. BBQ quinoa salad
Enjoy the selection—use it as a flexible plan, swap ingredients as needed, and have fun trying new flavors. Don’t forget to share what you make with #howsweeteats on Instagram!