January Meal Plan Week 1
This January meal plan week 1 fulfills the goal of meal planning which is to ease the stress of the what to make for dinner dilemma. Meal planning eases stress and also saves on the grocery budget.
Anytime you go into the grocery store without a plan, it will cost more money. We all tend to pick up things we don’t need. The price of groceries right now demands that we plan our meals better to keep the grocery budget as low as possible.
I begin our January meal ideas with a fairly simple meal plan. We are all just coming out of the busy holiday season. If you are anything like us, you ate too much. We want easier meals and some comfort food to enjoy during the cold weather.
This meal plan will serve 4. Some recipes, like Vegetable soup and Lasagna will serve more than four depending on your portion sizes. It’s a meal plan for one week of dinner ideas. Scroll down for the recipe links and also Breakfast ideas.
Weeknight Dinner Ideas
1. Glazed Baked Spam recipe
Spam is sliced and placed into a baking dish. Covered with a simple brown sugar and mustard sauce then baked.
Side Dishes
Serve your baked Spam with rice or mashed potatoes and your choice of a green vegetable such as peas or green beans.
Grocery List
- Canned Spam
- Brown sugar, light or dark
- Mustard
2. Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe
This homemade vegetable recipe uses only six ingredients so it is budget-friendly. The secret to the delicious flavor is in the broth. You can even freeze this soup.
Side Dishes
I recommend making a batch of Homemade cornbread to go with Vegetable Soup. Another option you might enjoy is a Grilled cheese sandwich on the side.
Grocery List
In addition to salt, pepper, and water you will need these grocery items. There are other optional ingredients in the recipe, here.
- 4 cups Chicken broth, see How to Preserve Chicken Broth
- 24 oz. Frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots and green beans mixture)
- 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes, like these
- 1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey (optional)
3. Ingredient Crockpot Maple Glazed Apple Pork Chops
Crockpot recipes are always a great way to get dinner on the table when your life gets busy. This one is very simple with only three ingredients and is ready to eat in about 4 hours.
Side Dishes
Homemade Mashed potatoes and green beans. Keep it simple. I have been known to cook these mashed potatoes when time gets away from me in the kitchen.
Grocery List
- 4 thick-cut pork chops
- 2 sweet apples, like Gala
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, like this
4. Crockpot Beef Tips & Gravy
This meal can be made with only two ingredients plus salt and pepper. Read the reader’s comments on this super popular recipe for variations of flavors that folks enjoy adding.
Side Dishes
I serve these beef tips and gravy over a bed of rice with rolls.
Grocery List
- 2 lbs. beef tips
- 2 cans of beef gravy, I use this one
- 1 packet of dry beefy onion soup mix (optional), I use this one
5. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs for dinner is a quick and easy meal with easy cleanup. We cook our hot dogs on a griddle on the stovetop. It makes them taste as if they came from a good hot dog restaurant.
Side Dishes
Make this simple Homemade Cole Slaw to go with your hot dogs. Also, heat up a can of hot dog chili, like this. Potato chips instead of fries make this meal even easier.
Grocery List
- Package of your favorite hot dogs
- Package of hot dog buns
6. Meatless Taco Salad with Homemade Taco Salad Bowls
Dinner is ready in about 20 minutes when you make Meatless Taco Salads for dinner plus you get some delicious flavors and vegetables.
NOTE: Save some lettuce and tomatoes from this meal for a small salad with another meal.
Side Dish
Homemade Guacamole with chips goes great with Taco Salad.
Grocery List
- About 1 cup of Iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup Sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 Can of Black Beans
- 1 Can Whole Kernal Sweet Corn, like this
- 8 oz. Sour Cream
- 2 Roma Tomatoes
- Tortilla shells to make the bowls, here is how
Guacamole Grocery List
- About 4-5 medium-ripe avocados
- 1 pkg. of Trinity from the produce department (tomatoes, onions, and peppers chopped)
Taco Salad Bowl Grocery List
- Wheat Tortilla shells (7″ size)
7. Easy Classic Lasagna
Lasagna is even better the next day. I like to make this meal on Saturday so we can have premeditated leftovers on Sunday to take a break from the kitchen.
Side Dish
Use the rest of the Iceberg lettuce and Roma Tomatoes, from Taco salad night, to make a simple side salad. Rolls and a salad will make a complete meal. We often eat lasagna with nothing but rolls.
Grocery List
- 1 box lasagna noodles
- 1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 lb. ground sausage
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce, I use this brand
- Ricotta cheese, 32 oz.
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz. grated parmesan cheese
Use this simple meal plan to make dinner easier at your house. Scroll down for all of the recipes plus breakfast ideas too.
- Glazed Baked Spam Recipe
- Homemade Vegetable Soup
- Crockpot Maple Glazed Apple Pork Chops
- Crockpot Beef Tips and Gravy
- Hot Dogs
- Meatless Taco Salad in Homemade Tortilla Bowls
- Easy Baked Lasagna
Amazon Grocery Shopping links for your convenience (not required for this meal plan)
- Canned Spam
- Italian cut green beans (14.5 oz. can)
- Idahoan Flavored Mashed Potatoes
- Light brown sugar
- Yellow mustard
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Maple Syrup
- Canned Beef Gravy
- Dry Beefy Onion Soup Mix
- Canned Chili with No beans (Hot dog chili)
- Canned black beans
- Canned whole kernal sweet corn
- Wheat Tortilla Shells
- Spaghetti sauce
- Lasagna noodles
Breakfast Recipes
Slow Cooker Southwestern Breakfast Casserole Recipe is a good meal to make not only for breakfast but also when you want breakfast for supper.
Use your leftover bananas and apples to make these Apple Banana Oat Muffins Easy Recipe. Good for an out-the-door breakfast or snack.
Baked Egg & Veggie Muffin Omelets are another easy breakfast finger food. Use any leftover veggies you prefer and bake this breakfast treat in the oven while you get ready to go.
Dutch Baby Pancake Easy Recipe. An easy recipe for an old classic breakfast or brunch treat, a big fluffy flavor filled Dutch Baby baked pancake you can top with fresh fruit and syrup. Share, it’s too big for one person.