10 Groceries That Turn Into 5 Easy Dinners
One short shopping list, five weeknight dinners and a plan for using every ingredient before it goes to waste.
A short list means a faster shop and fewer forgotten vegetables in the crisper drawer. These 10 groceries make five family dinners, with each ingredient used at least twice.
The shopping list
| # | Grocery | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs | Monday, Thursday |
| 2 | 1 pound ground beef | Tuesday |
| 3 | 1 dozen eggs | Wednesday, Friday |
| 4 | 1 package flour tortillas | Tuesday, Thursday |
| 5 | 1 pound pasta | Wednesday |
| 6 | 1 jar marinara | Wednesday |
| 7 | 3 bell peppers | Monday, Thursday, Friday |
| 8 | 1 bag baby spinach | Wednesday, Friday |
| 9 | 1 bag shredded cheese | Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday |
| 10 | 1 bag rice | Monday, Friday |
Assumed pantry staples: oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onions, soy sauce, honey and a few spices. Check your cupboards before you shop.
The week
- Monday: honey garlic chicken thighs with rice and sautéed peppers. Cook the whole 2 pounds of chicken and save half. Recipe: honey garlic chicken thighs.
- Tuesday: beef tacos with cheese and any toppings you have. See what to make with ground beef for the seasoning.
- Wednesday: spinach and cheese pasta bake. Toss the pasta with marinara and two handfuls of spinach, top with cheese and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.
- Thursday: chicken fajita quesadillas with Monday's leftover chicken, sliced peppers and cheese.
- Friday: egg fried rice with the last of the peppers and spinach. Cook extra rice on Monday so it is cold and ready.
Why it works
Cooking once for two meals (the chicken, the rice) saves time, and planning the leftover route means nothing gets forgotten. Refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours (1 hour if it is above 90°F), in shallow containers so it cools quickly. Eat leftovers within 3 to 4 days and reheat them to 165°F.
Want a printable version with your own dinners? Try the weekly meal planner.
