Hot summer nights call for easy dinners that keep cooking simple and cleanup even easier. This week’s meal plan is packed with grilled favorites that are perfect for busy nights, backyard dinners, and making the most of leftovers throughout the week.
From juicy grilled chicken and smoky pork chops to buttery salmon and flavorful steak, these family-tested dinners are budget-friendly and easy enough for busy weeknights. Add a simple breakfast and a crowd-pleasing dessert, and your meal plan for the week is done — all for less than $57 in groceries!
These Weekly Meal Plans make my week so much easier! If you like have to not think about what’s for dinner, then you may like One Pan Meal Plan, Cheap & Easy Meal Plan, and Light and Fresh Meal Plan.
Print Shopping List
Before heading to the store, make sure to print the easy shopping list. All the ingredients are categorized so you can easily shop the store or your pantry.
Monday – Grilled Pork Chops
Juicy, smoky, and packed with flavor from a simple marinade, Grilled Pork Chops make cookout season feel a whole lot easier.
Estimated Cost: $9.57, $1.60 per Servings
Tuesday – Grilled Chicken Breasts
Perfectly grilled and juicy every time, Grilled Chicken Breasts are a simple go-to that makes everyday meals feel easy and reliable without overthinking dinner.
Estimated Cost: $10.35, $1.73 per Serving
Wednesday – Grilled Teriyaki Steak
Grilled Teriyaki Steak brings that sweet-savory, caramelized finish you get from a hot grill, turning a simple cut of beef into something worth slowing down for.
Estimated Cost: $14.89, $2.48 per Servings
Thursday – Grilled Salmon in Foil
Wrapped in foil and cooked right on the grill, Grilled Salmon in Foil keeps cleanup easy while locking in all the buttery, fresh flavor.
Estimated Cost: $19.04, $4.76 per Serving
Friday – Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and packed with smoky flavor, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks are the kind of cookout favorite people reach for first.
Estimated Cost: $2.69, $0.67 per Servings
Breakfast – Sheet Pan Eggs
Need breakfast for a crowd without standing over the stove? Sheet Pan Eggs bake up thick, fluffy, and ready to slice for an easy morning win.
Estimated Cost: $5.60, $0.47 per Servings
Dessert – Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting brings rich chocolate flavor and fudgy frosting together in the kind of dessert people always go back for.
Estimated Cost: $7.54, $0.31 per Servings
I created the Lazy Day cooking club to get dinner quicker and to save money. This clubs teaches you how to spend 2 minutes throwing dinner in the crockpot in the morning and come home with dinner waiting on you.
How to Use Leftovers This Week
One of the best parts about a grilled meal plan is that the leftovers can make the rest of the week so much easier. Cook a little extra while the grill is already hot, then use the extra meat for quick lunches, easy dinners, and no-fuss meal prep.
- Grilled Pork Chops: Slice leftovers and add them to rice bowls, wraps, salads, or sandwiches.
- Grilled Chicken Breasts: Use extra chicken for chicken salad, quesadillas, tacos, pasta, wraps, or lunch bowls.
- Grilled Teriyaki Steak: Slice thin and use in fried rice, stir fry, steak tacos, salads, or lettuce wraps.
- Grilled Salmon in Foil: Flake leftover salmon over salads, rice bowls, pasta, or serve with eggs for a quick breakfast.
- Grilled Chicken Drumsticks: Pull the meat off the bone and use it for sandwiches, wraps, salads, or quick BBQ chicken bowls.
Tips for Making Summer Meal Planning Easier
- Grill extra meat during the week to use for lunches and leftovers
- Prep marinades and seasonings ahead of time to save time later
- Keep simple toppings and salad ingredients on hand for quick meals
- Use leftovers for wraps, bowls, sandwiches, and salads to stretch your grocery budget
- Choose recipes with simple pantry ingredients to keep grocery shopping affordable
FAQ
Choose simple recipes with easy ingredients, prep marinades ahead of time, and cook extra protein for leftovers. Using the grill during the week also helps cut down on cleanup and cooking time.
These grilled meals pair well with pasta salad, fruit salad, grilled vegetables, baked beans, potato salad, corn on the cob, chips, or simple green salads.
Chicken drumsticks, grilled chicken breasts, and pork chops are all affordable grilling options that feed a family without spending a lot at the grocery store.
This week’s meal plan is full of easy grilled dinners that help keep summer cooking simple, flavorful, and family-friendly. Whether you are feeding a crowd or just trying to get dinner on the table after a busy day, these recipes make it easier to enjoy delicious meals without spending all evening in the kitchen.
See How We Calculate Recipe Cost (cost per serving explained).
