Healthy, simple meal planning ideas: build your weekly “core” menu
Jun 21, 2025
Meal planning doesn’t have to be a big deal. No spreadsheets. No “chicken breast five nights in a row” situation. Just a few solid, go-to meals and a plan that actually fits your life - even the “I’m too tired to boil water” kind of days.
Welcome to your new favorite strategy: the core meal plan.
What are core meals and why they matter
Core meals are your ride-or-die dinners. The ones you know how to make without Googling. The ones your household will eat without protest. The ones that keep you out of the takeout trap on a Wednesday night.
They’re not fancy. But they work. And once you’ve got 5–10 of them in rotation, your weekly planning gets faster, your grocery list gets easier, and your food waste drops without even trying. With OH, a potato!, it’s easy to try out different meals and find the staple ones that work for you and your family.
If you’re just getting started, our Ultimate beginner’s guide to weekly meal planning breaks it all down: no overwhelm, no spreadsheets, just the essentials.
Meal prep essentials from the pros
Let’s be honest: nobody wants to spend all Sunday prepping 17 containers of the same salad. But a little prep goes a long way. Here’s what works:
Soups & Stews (a.k.a. freezer gold)
Soups are the unsung heroes of meal prep. Think lentil soup, veggie chili, coconut curry. They freeze like a dream and reheat even better.
Casseroles & Freezer meals
Make once, eat three times. Baked ziti, enchiladas, lasagna, taquitos - they’re all make-ahead champions. You can even prep them in smaller portions for single-serve lunches.
Prepped components
No time to make full meals in advance? No problem. Prepping ingredients - like grains, roasted veggies, and proteins - lets you throw together meals on the fly. Sauces like pesto, hummus, or tahini dressing also help things feel less “Tuesday night sad bowl.”
Need recipes for any of these? Just use OH, a potato!’s browse for me feature to find recipes from a range of cooks, so you don’t have to go hunting across 15 tabs.
NHS-approved dinner ideas for real life
Not into fancy trends? Cool. The UK’s National Health Service has a lineup of balanced, budget-friendly dinners made for busy families.
Simple comforts
Roast chicken and veg
Cottage pie
Macaroni cheese (with optional broccoli sneak attack)
Quick, healthy options
Chicken jalfrezi
Sweet and sour stir fry
Shakshuka (aka “eggs in spicy tomato stuff”)
All of these recipes come with nutritional info and smart swaps, like lower-salt sauces or ways to cut back on red meat without losing flavor.
A full year of dinner plans? Yes, please.
Over at How Sweet Eats, you’ll find 32 weeks of dinner meal plans - 224 meals total. If you want inspiration without overthinking, it’s a goldmine.
We’re talking:
Turkey burgers
Shrimp stir-fry
Sheet pan gnocchi
Korean BBQ chicken
Halloumi hummus bowls
Planning out every dinner for the week may sound intense, but OH, a potato! lets you drag-and-drop meal ideas into your week and adjust based on what’s actually in your fridge. So yes, you can be that person who plans ahead... with almost no effort.
BBC Good Food’s structured plans (no subscription required)
The BBC’s got multiple 7-day meal plans based on what you’re looking for:
Budget-friendly family dinners
Balanced meals with lean protein, carbs, and veg—on a budget.
Whole-food scratch cooking
Minimal processing. Maximum taste. Think curries, traybakes, and vegetarian one-pots.
High-protein budget plan
Affordable and protein-packed meals with options for meat eaters, veggies, and vegans alike.
You can import all of the BBC recipes into the OH, a potato! app and adjust the meal plans to your liking.
How to build your weekly plan (without losing your mind)
Here’s your new simple formula:
Pick 3–4 core meals
Add 1–2 prep-ahead meals (soups, casseroles, components)
Throw in 1 comfort meal and 1 wild card
Leave room for leftovers or takeout—this is real life, not a bootcamp
Organise the recipes in a weekly plan using OH, a potato! And if you’re into trying out new recipes, add 1–2 new ones each week. Potato gives you recipe ideas based on what you already have, or you can save recipes you find while scrolling social media and drop them right into your plan to actually cook them.
And once your meals are sorted, don’t forget the grocery list. Here’s how to create a grocery list that actually reduces food waste; because buying what you’ll actually use is half the battle.
TL;DR tips for easier meal planning
Start with meals you know and love
Batch cook smart, not hard
Freeze like a pro
Prep ingredients, not just meals
Use a framework that fits your week
Let an app (hi, that’s us) help you out
Ready to make dinner easier, waste less food, and save money doing it?
Download OH, a potato!, scan your fridge, and let the meals plan themselves.