You're going to love our Menu Plan 42 ideas with easy weeknight dinner recipes, snacks, breakfast, and game day, too. From zucchini noodles and chicken meatballs to cobb salad, shepherd's pie, and tomato soup, we have something everyone will love!

Jump to:
- Weekly Menu Plan 42
- ⭐ Tips
- October 23 - Shepherd's Pie
- October 24 - Chicken and Rice
- October 25 - Tomato Basil Soup
- October 26 - Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- October 27 - Chicken Meatballs
- October 28 - Cobb Salad
- October 29 - Turkey Chili
- Breakfast
- Dessert
- Snacks
- Project of the Week
- Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet
- More Side Dish Ideas
- Week of Oct 23-29 Food Holidays
- More Weekly Meal Plans
- Find More Recipes
Weekly Menu Plan 42
Be sure to scroll down to download our helpful grocery list, menu planner, and pantry staples list printables.
Here is your free Weekly Menu Plan 42 for October 23-29 with ideas for snacks and desserts, too.
Before we get to the menu plan, let's take a look at some of the things we shared this week, just in case you missed it:
- Easy Meatball Sliders
- Pantry Staples List Printable - FREEBIE!
- Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken
- Homemade Italian Seasoning
- How to Cook Frozen Zucchini Noodles - NEW!
- Cinnamon Banana Bread Muffins
- Best Baked Oatmeal
⭐ Tips
The following may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
✔️ Clean your produce when you get home from the store. I like to prep ingredients like onions, broccoli, and carrots ahead of time so you just need to grab a container when it's time to cook.
This week, I suggest you prep ahead minced onions and chopped carrots. You can also make a batch of hard boiled eggs for both breakfast and the salad on Friday. The pesto for Wednesday's sandwich can also be made ahead of time.
✔️ Keep your prepped foods fresh by using quality airtight containers - these are my favorite. Plus these are great for leftovers, too.
✔️ Before you shop, check your grocery store's website. You may find coupons or specials to help save you money. Chicken thighs on sale? Substitute them for the chicken breasts in Monday's recipe. A little planning can go a long way toward saving you money, and that adds up at the end of the month!
Be sure to check out my Juggling Act Mama Storefront on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of great products to make your life easier! Thanks so much for being a part of Juggling Act Mama ❤
Got a tip for me?
Please comment below, I'd love to hear it!
October 23 - Shepherd's Pie

Fall is the perfect time to bring back shepherd's pie.
It's so cozy and comforting - and filling! This casserole is just perfect for Sunday supper.
Serve with these buttery dinner rolls or a size of cowboy green beans.
October 24 - Chicken and Rice

My grandmother used to make this amazing baked chicken and rice meal.
A few years ago, my sister simplified it into a quick instant pot chicken and rice recipe that's on the table fast.
Looking for something a little different? Try this slow cooker potato soup instead.
Find more instant pot recipes here.
October 25 - Tomato Basil Soup

Talk about comfort food! Give me a bowl of hot soup and a grilled cheese sandwich and I'm a happy girl!
In this case, try our tomato basil soup with a pesto panini for a hearty and homey meal the whole family will love.
And, if you love soup, try one of these other yummy recipes:
October 26 - Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

My family adores this super easy rotel chicken spaghetti. We like a mild version, but you can switch up the type of rotel diced tomatoes to change the flavor and amount of heat... hot habaneros anyone?
Serve with a green salad or even a fruit salad!
If you're a fan of this meal, try our creamy pasta bake, million dollar chicken casserole, chicken hashbrown casserole, or chicken and broccoli pasta.
October 27 - Chicken Meatballs

Our chicken meatballs are low carb and keto-friendly. These are a little bit spicy, but you can adjust the seasoning to suit your family's tastes.
Serve them along with our zucchini noodles or baked spaghetti squash for a hearty meal.
More low carb recipes:
October 28 - Cobb Salad

My husband is a huge fan of this cobb salad with chicken. It's loaded with tons of yummy stuff like avocado, bacon, and hard boiled eggs.
Try it with this creamy avocado ranch dressing, lemon vinagrette, or even our orange poppyseed dressing.
More recipes for salads with chicken:
October 29 - Turkey Chili

If you love chili then you have to try this turkey chili!
This easy and delicious recipe can be made with leftover turkey (or chicken!) or even ground turkey.
Try out our cheesy garlic herb bombs or Italian breadsticks.
Breakfast

You can make this baked oatmeal with any sort of fruit you like. My favorite way to make it is with raspberries and a handful of slivered almonds.
For a super easy breakfast, try make ahead overnight oats:
Kids go nuts for our churro waffles (which are great for dessert with a scoop of ice cream!) Our cinnamon banana bread muffins make a great breakfast or snack option, too.
More Breakfast Ideas
Dessert

If you're not up for red velvet, try these yummy brownie truffles or our famous pumpkin cake balls instead.
You'll also want to check out our new Halloween Cookie Bars recipe!

Snacks

Chicken tenders are classic snack food and always a big hit with kids, right?
This homemade recipe is is so good, and easy, too!
Serve with your favorite sauces like spicy ketchup, honey mustard sauce, sweet and spicy teriyaki sauce, or ranch dressing.
Here are a few more of our favorite snacks to make on game day (which are also great for move night, potlucks, and parties!
Project of the Week

Check out our tutorial to learn how to hang patio string lights. We have a couple of tricks for helping your string these up even if you don't have trees in your yard. (This is great for Christmas decor, too!)
Find more DIY project ideas here.
✨ Need a project idea to do with the kiddos? Try these different tie dye techniques on shirts, blankets, baby onesies, and more!
Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet
Click on the link below to download a PDF of the meal planning worksheet and also our grocery list. Meals this week with menu plan 42 are gonna be so easy!



More Side Dish Ideas

Week of Oct 23-29 Food Holidays
Mix up this week's Menu Plan 42 by adding in a few other recipes to celebrate these fun food holidays.
- National Boston Cream Pie Day - October 23
- National Canning Day - October 23
- Food Day - October 24
- Good and Plenty Day - October 24
- National Bologna Day - October 24
- National Greasy Foods Day - October 25
- Mince Meat Pie Day - October 26
- Pumpkin Day - October 26
- try our pumpkin cake balls or pumpkin butter
- National Potato Day - October 27
- I'm crazy about this baked potato casserole
- National Chocolate Day - October 28
- this chocolate carmel cake is totally amazing
- Wild Foods Day - October 28
- National Oatmeal Day - October 29
- if you're not into baked oatmeal, try this instant pot oatmeal instead
Download our Mini Digital Cookbook
If you're looking for more great weeknight recipes, check out our digital mini cookbook. You'll find loads of recipes that are family-friendly and budget-friendly, too.
These recipes are tried-and-true winners with simple ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.
More Weekly Meal Plans
Not sure our menu plan 42 is for you? Try one of our previous meal plans instead:
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