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Using Meal Plan 86 helps simplify your week, reduce stress, and ensure you always have delicious, ready-to-cook meals waiting for you.

Leftovers helps to stretch our food budget each week. Make sure to scroll to the bottom to see how we used this week’s leftovers to create another meal.

Using Weekly Meal Plans helps us save time and money each week. If you need more ideas, check out Meal Plan 85, Meal Plan 84 and Meal Plan 83.

A collage of six meals—Christmas Roast, Fried Chicken, Smothered Pork Chops, Grilled Tilapia, and Haystack Cookies—with text: "Meal Plan 86 + Shopping List! Eating on a Dime.
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What's in this post: Meal Plan 86

Print Shopping List

Before heading to the store, print the shopping list. All the ingredients are categorized so you can easily shop your pantry first. Most of the time, you already have the ingredients.

Print Shopping List

Monday – Christmas Roast

Christmas Roast is the ultimate holiday dinner—juicy, tender beef roasted to perfection! Serve it with cozy sides like Rosemary Roasted Potatoes for a festive meal your family will rave about.

A roasted prime rib with a crispy herb crust is sliced on a platter, perfect for a festive Christmas feast. Garnished with fresh rosemary, it's served alongside a bowl of roasted potatoes and a decorative sprig of holly. Silverware sits elegantly beside the plate on a marble surface.
Christmas Roast
This roast cooks fork-tender with a delicious glaze and is loaded with delicious juices. With fresh herbs and simple ingredients, you can make a rub for the roast and add flavor to the gravy.
Christmas Roast

Tuesday – Fried Chicken

This Fried Chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of that cozy, comfort-food flavor everyone raves about. Serve it with creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes for a warm, homey meal.

A tray of crispy Fried Chicken pieces garnished with parsley, surrounded by bowls of green beans, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob on a white surface.
Fried Chicken
All you need is buttermilk and simple spices to create a simple fried chicken recipe that your entire family will love.
Fried Chicken

Wednesday – Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops is an easy one-pot meal your family will love. The pork cooks tender and juicy with so much flavor. Serve with Crock Pot Mac and Cheese for the ultimate comfort dinner.

A white plate with Smothered Pork Chops in creamy gravy, served alongside mashed potatoes topped with gravy. Fresh rosemary garnish is on the plate. Utensils, extra mashed potatoes, and salt and pepper shakers are nearby.
Smothered Pork Chops
Smothered Pork Chops are seared in a large skillet then cooked in a creamy sauce. The ingredients are simple and make a tasty weeknight meal.
Smothered Pork Chops

Thursday – Grilled Tilapia

Grilled Tilapia is a delicious seafood recipe that’s light, healthy, and so easy that everyone asks for seconds. Pair it with fresh summer veggies or simple sides like Jasmine Rice for a complete meal.

A plate with a seasoned grilled tilapia fillet on a bed of white rice, garnished with slices of lemon and parsley. The plate rests on a wooden surface.
Grilled Tilapia
This Grilled Tilapia tastes amazing and is so easy to make! You can have dinner ready in just 10 minutes for a healthy meal idea.
Grilled Tilapia

Friday – Brown Sugar Chicken

Brown Sugar Chicken is a weekly favorite at my house. The chicken turns out tender and juicy with a savory-sweet flavor that makes it the perfect weeknight dinner.

Two glazed, grilled Brown Sugar Skillet Chicken breasts garnished with chopped parsley are shown on a dark plate. The chicken appears juicy and slightly charred, with a glossy golden-brown finish.
Brown Sugar Chicken
Prepare delicious Brown Sugar Chicken in just 20 minutes with only 3 simple ingredients for a quick weeknight meal.
Brown Sugar Chicken

Breakfast – Sausage Gravy

Sausage Gravy is rich, flavorful, and the perfect comfort breakfast. And it tastes amazing spooned over warm, Homemade Biscuits.

A plate with two biscuits covered in creamy sausage gravy sits on a marble surface beside a fork, gray checkered napkin, and a small container of salt and pepper.
Sausage Gravy
Sausage crumbles are cooked and then removed. A roux is formed with butter, flour, and milk. The sausage is added back in to create a thick gravy.
Sausage Gravy

Dessert – Haystack Cookies

Haystack Cookies are that sweet-and-salty treat everyone grabs first. They come together so easily and always disappear fast!

Close-up of a classic Haystack Cookie—an easy cookie recipe made from chow mein noodles coated in a light brown, peanut butter-like mixture. Other no bake cookies are arranged in the background on a light gray surface.
Haystack Cookies
This no-bake cookie recipe is made with peanut butter, butterscotch, and crispy noodles for a quick dessert or holiday favorite!
Haystack Cookies
Print Shopping List

If you are looking for away to get dinner started in less than 2 minutes, check out Lazy Day Cooking Club. These freezer meals make dinnertime a breeze!

Easy Side Dish Recipes

Ways to Use Leftovers

  • Christmas Roast – My favorite way to use our leftovers is to make Roast Pot Pie. It is the ultimate comfort food and the perfect way to create another delicious meal.
  • Fried Chicken – Remove the chicken from the bone then dice into small pieces. Then add it to this Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe for a delicious meal idea.
  • Smothered Pork Chops – Dice up the leftover pork chops and use it to make Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe.
  • Grilled Tilapia – Use you leftover tilapia and make Fish Tacos Recipe for a quick lunch or dinner the next day.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie Barnard — a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families — without the stress.

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