Easy Fall Weeknight Dinners Meal Plan

As the first days of fall arrive, this week's easy dinner meal plan leans into cozy seasonal flavors with pumpkin chili, a quick turkey orzo skillet, curry, salmon and greens, and a Friday German-inspired sheet pan dinner to celebrate Oktoberfest, which begins this weekend.

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Horizontal collage featuring fall weeknight dinners like chili, zucchini orzo, curry, skillet salmon, brautwurst and an apple strudel dessert.

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Looking for more ideas? Browse our Fall Meal Plans or find all of our Weekly Meal Plans for easy dinner inspiration throughout the season.

This Week's Welcoming Fall Meal Plan

This Week's Shopping List

This list follows the recipes as written. Serving sizes vary, so adjust quantities as needed for your household-and enjoy any extras for lunches or leftovers.

Produce

☐ 1 large onion
☐ 1 small onion
☐ 3 carrots
☐ 2-3 celery ribs
☐ 1 bell pepper
☐ 1 additional red pepper, optional for the curry
☐ 1 jalapeño, optional
☐ 2 medium zucchini
☐ 1 bulb garlic
☐ 1 small piece fresh ginger
☐ 1 bunch bok choy
☐ Baby red potatoes, enough for 4 cups
☐ ½ head purple or red cabbage
☐ 4 large apples
☐ 1 lemon
☐ 1 lime
☐ 1 small bunch fresh basil
☐ 1 bunch fresh parsley
☐ Fresh cilantro, for serving

Meat & Seafood

☐ 2 pounds ground turkey
☐ 2-3 cups cooked chicken, such as rotisserie chicken
☐ 1 pound salmon fillet
☐ 2 pounds German bratwurst

Dairy, Eggs & Frozen

☐ 6 ounces whole-milk ricotta
☐ 4 ounces shredded mozzarella
☐ Butter
☐ 1 egg
☐ 2 sheets frozen puff pastry

Grains & Pantry

☐ 1 cup dry orzo
☐ Rice, for serving
☐ 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
☐ 3 (15-ounce) cans beans, such as black, kidney, or pinto
☐ 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
☐ 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
☐ Chicken broth, at least 2¾ cups
☐ Tomato paste
☐ ½ cup golden raisins
☐ ½ cup cashews, optional
☐ Brown sugar
☐ Powdered sugar
☐ All-purpose flour
☐ Low-sodium soy sauce
☐ Honey
☐ Dijon mustard
☐ Maple syrup
☐ Red wine vinegar
☐ Extra-virgin olive oil

Pantry Check

☐ Chili powder
☐ Ground cumin
☐ Dried oregano
☐ Smoked or sweet paprika
☐ Italian seasoning
☐ Onion powder
☐ Curry powder
☐ Ground turmeric
☐ Ground cinnamon
☐ Ground nutmeg
☐ Red pepper flakes
☐ Granulated sugar
☐ Salt
☐ Black pepper

Optional: Add your favorite pumpkin chili toppings, such as avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, green onions, or tortilla chips.

Meal Plan FAQs

Do I have to make the dinners in order?

Not at all. Move the meals around to fit your schedule, and save the quickest dinner for your busiest night.

What if I don't like one of the recipes?

Simply swap it for another family favorite, or choose a recipe from one of our other weekly meal plans. Think of the menu as a flexible starting point for the week.

How are these weekly meal plans designed?

Each week, I choose five approachable dinner ideas plus a simple treat, with an eye toward variety, seasonal ingredients, and realistic weeknight cooking. My certification from Stanford University in Cooking for Busy Healthy People also informs my approach to creating practical, balanced meals for busy weeks.

Where can I find more meal plans?

Browse our latest Weekly Meal Plans or explore the seasonal collections for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Keep Planning With 31Daily

If this week's meal plan made dinner a little easier, browse my latest weekly meal plans, explore more easy dinner recipes, or find seasonal inspiration in our Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter meal plans.

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