This week's meal plan is full of quick dinners for the start of a new school year. Start the week off with dumpling casserole, then work your way through our kid-friendly, easy recipes to make family dinner extra special.
A 7-Day School Night Dinner Plan
Updated on Jul. 29, 2022
1/7
Sunday: Chicken & Dumpling Casserole
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This classic, savory casserole is one of my husband's favorites. He loves the fluffy dumplings with plenty of gravy. The basil adds just the right flavor and makes the whole house smell so good while this dish bakes. —Sue Mackey, Jackson, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 393 calories, 17g fat (7g saturated fat), 80mg cholesterol, 1313mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 27g protein.
2/7
Monday: School-Night Sausage Stroganoff
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found this recipe in an old church cookbook about 25 years ago and tweaked it to fit my family's tastes. It's a savory, creamy dish that's quick to fix on a busy school night. —Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/4 cups sausage mixture with 1-1/2 cups noodles: 675 calories, 39g fat (15g saturated fat), 123mg cholesterol, 1204mg sodium, 55g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 26g protein.
3/7
Tuesday: Meat Loaf Muffins
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Serve these tangy meat loaf muffins for dinner or slice them up for a take-along sandwich lunch. They're just as flavorful after freezing. —Cheryl Norwood, Canton, Georgia
Nutrition Facts:
2 mini meat loaves: 260 calories, 11g fat (4g saturated fat), 102mg cholesterol, 350mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 1g fiber), 24g protein.
4/7
Easy Chicken Piccata
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Easy chicken recipes are my go-to dinner choice. My chicken piccata pasta dish is ready to serve in a half hour. It takes just a few minutes in the oven to bake to tender perfection. —Hannah Williams, Malibu, California
Nutrition Facts:
5 ounces cooked chicken with about 2 tablespoons sauce: 382 calories, 23g fat (8g saturated fat), 117mg cholesterol, 725mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 36g protein.
5/7
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Blue cheese dressing and hot pepper sauce enhance these yummy tortilla wraps. Filled with chicken, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, these buffalo chicken wraps are colorful, fun to eat...and tote-able, too! —Athena Russell, Florence, South Carolina
Nutrition Facts:
1 wrap: 879 calories, 55g fat (18g saturated fat), 132mg cholesterol, 1589mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 39g protein.
6/7
Friday: Smothered Burritos
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My brother-in-law teased that I only knew five ground beef recipes. I proved him wrong with my inventive spicy burritos. —Kim Kenyon, Greenwood, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1 burrito: 624 calories, 33g fat (15g saturated fat), 115mg cholesterol, 1470mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 2g fiber), 36g protein.
7/7
Saturday: Chicken and Pineapple Stir-Fry
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We love how the snappy veggies and pineapple make this stir-fry taste fresh and bright. Add brown sugar and you get a sweet-and-sour dish that’s packed with flavor. —DeEtta Rasmussen, Fort Madison, Iowa
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/4 cups (calculated without rice): 427 calories, 20g fat (3g saturated fat), 49mg cholesterol, 941mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 3g fiber), 21g protein.
