A 7-Day Meal Plan with 5-Minute Meals

Emily Racette ParulskiUpdated: Mar. 29, 2023

Dinners leading up to Thanksgiving day should be nice and easy, so we know you'll love these quick-to-prepare meals—some can be prepped in just 5 minutes!

1 / 7

Hearty Skillet Supper Exps13606 Egb143305b10 03 5bc Rms 1

Sunday: Hearty Skillet Supper

When the weather starts turning cooler, I start to hear requests for this dish. The light soy, onion and garlic flavors blend nicely with fresh carrots and potatoes in this budget-minded recipe. —Pat Jensen, Cottonwood, Minnesota

Go to Recipe

2 / 7

Herbed Slow Cooker Chicken Exps Sscbz18 24144 E08 24 1b 10

Monday: Herbed Slow-Cooker Chicken

I use my slow cooker to prepare these well-seasoned chicken breasts that cook up moist and tender. My daughter, who has two young sons to keep up with, shared this great recipe with me several years ago. I now rely on cooking chicken in a Crockpot many days a week.—Sundra Hauck, Bogalusa, Louisiana

Go to Recipe

3 / 7

Taste of Home

Tuesday: Cheesy Tater Tots & Canadian Bacon

This slow-cooker meal was created to pay homage to my favorite style of pizza—Hawaiian with bacon and pineapple. The Tater Tots in this recipe make it family-friendly. —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri

Go to Recipe

4 / 7

Spinach And Sausage Lentil Soup Exps Sdas17 202701 B04 11 8b 2

Wednesday: Spinach and Sausage Lentil Soup

During the cooler months of the year, this soup makes regular appearances on our dinner table. It is approved by all, including my picky 6-year-old. —Kalyn Gensic, Ardmore, Oklahoma

Go to Recipe

5 / 7

Taste of Home

Thursday: No-Fuss Chicken

This recipe could hardly be simpler to prepare. The chicken gets a wonderful tangy taste, and no one will know you used convenient ingredients like a bottle of salad dressing and onion soup mix…unless you tell them. —Marilyn Dick, Centralia, Missouri

Go to Recipe

6 / 7

Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup Exps Cwfm17 15953 D10 12 8b 1

Friday: Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

My husband and I love buffalo chicken wings, so we created a soup with the same zippy flavor,. It’s very popular with guests. Start with a small amount of hot sauce, then add more if needed to suit your family’s tastes. —Pat Farmer, Falconer, New York

Go to Recipe

7 / 7

Taste of Home

Saturday: Skillet Bow Tie Lasagna

This quick recipe tastes just like lasagna, but you make it on the stove. It’s very tasty and is always a hit with my family. —Arleta Schurle, Clay Center, Kansas

Go to Recipe

Find more 7-day meal plans.

Originally Published: November 09, 2021

Emily Racette Parulski

Emily has spent the last decade writing and editing food and lifestyle content. As a senior editor at Taste of Home, she leads the newsletter team sharing delicious recipes and helpful cooking tips to more than 2 million loyal email subscribers. Since joining TMB seven years ago as an associate editor, she has worked on special interest publications, launched TMB’s first cross-branded newsletter, supported the launch of the brand's affiliate strategy, orchestrated holiday countdowns, participated in taste tests and was selected for a task force to enhance the Taste of Home community. Emily was first mentioned by name in Taste of Home magazine in 1994, when her mother won a contest. When she’s not editing, Emily can be found in her kitchen baking something sweet, taking a wine class with her husband, or making lasagnas for neighbors through Lasagna Love.