Most weeks get lost in the same question at seven in the evening: what do I cook? A simple plan removes that question and, along the way, reduces what gets thrown away.
Step 1: pick three base dishes
You don’t need a different menu for seven days. Choose three dishes you can make well and that can be repeated with small variations:
- A legume dish with vegetables.
- A chicken, egg or fish dish with a grain.
- A quick dish for days when time is short.
Step 2: build the list from the plan
Write down each dish and its ingredients. Then group the list by section (vegetables, protein, pantry) and compare it with what you already have at home. That way you only buy what you need.
Step 3: spread out the cooking
Cook in two sessions a week, one at the start and one midweek. The rest of the days you just reheat or put together a quick dish. That gives you food for the whole week without cooking every day.
A plan that fits on one sheet gets followed. One that takes four pages gets abandoned.
Remember the storage times for cooked food: three to four days in the fridge, according to the USDA. Freeze anything you won’t eat in time.
Step 4: set a budget
Divide what you want to spend by the week’s servings: people × meals × days. For two people with two meals a day over seven days, that’s 28 servings; with the budget calculator you can instantly see what you can spend per serving. To balance the week, the SENC table (2004) gives as a reference 2 to 4 servings of legumes, 3 to 4 of fish and 3 to 4 of lean meat and poultry (alternating with eggs) per week.
A sample week for two people
This is only a model to show how the three base dishes fit together; swap in whatever you cook. It is not a nutrition plan.
- Monday: lentils with vegetables (the legume dish). Cook a double batch.
- Tuesday: leftover lentils with a fried egg.
- Wednesday: pan-seared chicken with rice and a salad.
- Thursday: a quick pantry dinner, like a legume and tuna salad.
- Friday: pasta with homemade tomato sauce and sautéed vegetables.
- Saturday: second cooking session: a stew or a sheet-pan dish for two days.
- Sunday: leftovers, fruit and a quick look at the fridge to write next week’s plan.
How to adapt it to your situation
- If you cook for one: cook the same amounts and freeze portions. It is usually cheaper to cook extra than to buy small quantities.
- If there are kids or different tastes: keep the base and the sauce separate and let everyone dress their plate their own way.
- If you work shifts: concentrate the cooking on your day off and keep portions in containers labeled with the date.
- If the budget is tight: lean more on legumes, eggs and seasonal vegetables, and see the basic grocery list.
The most common mistakes
- Trying many new recipes at once. One new recipe a week is enough; the rest should be dishes you already know.
- Not counting meals out. If you will eat out two nights, shop for five, not seven.
- Shopping without looking in the fridge. Start with what you already have; then buy what is missing.
- A plan with no slack. Leave one free day to improvise and use up what is left.
What to do if you skip a day
It does not matter: move that dish to the next day. Cook first what spoils sooner, like fresh vegetables or fish, and leave for last what keeps longer, like dried legumes, rice or eggs. Remember the leftover limits: three to four days in the fridge; if you will not get to it in time, freeze it.
From the kitchen · 7 years on the jobWhat I see most is people who cook but don’t know how to keep going or how to come up with new ideas because there is no follow-up. A weekly plan is exactly that follow-up.
Sources and review
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FSIS): Leftovers and Food Safety
- Spanish Ministry of Health (SENC portion table, 2004): Portion weights by food group
Last reviewed: October 18, 2026. Weights and frequencies come from a 2004 reference table; they are indicative, not individual guidance. If you spot a mistake, write to us from the contact page.