Sunday: Family

Prepare your own FLANK STEAK for family day. Serve the thinly sliced beef with SPICY CHEESE RICE BAKE. Steam FRESH BROCCOLI SPEARS and offer SOURDOUGH BREAD on the side. For dessert, fat-free STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM is good.

Plan

Save enough beef and the casserole for Monday; save enough ice cream for Thursday.

Shopping List

flank steak, long-grain rice, fat-free chicken broth, cooking spray, canned Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, reduced-fat sour cream, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeno peppers, fresh cilantro, fresh broccoli, sourdough bread, fat-free strawberry ice cream.

Monday: Heat and Eat

These BEEF ROLLS-UPS are easy. Cut the leftover beef in strips, heat and place on a warmed fat-free flour tortilla. Top with deli COLESLAW and roll. Serve the roll-ups with the leftover SPICY CHEESE RICE BAKE. PINEAPPLE CHUNKS are good for dessert.

Shopping List

fat-free flour tortillas, deli coleslaw, pineapple chunks.

Tuesday: Meatless

Friends and registered dietitians Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames' new book, "Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure," has some great vegetarian recipes. Try their FENNEL-STUFFED POTATOES for dinner tonight. GREEN BEANS add more color to the plate. Alongside, SPINACH SALAD WITH EGG WEDGES and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS round out the meal. How about instant CHOCOLATE PUDDING made with 1 percent milk with a dollop of light whipped cream for dessert?

Shopping List

baking potatoes, olive oil, fennel, onion, garlic, zucchini, pine nuts, basil, coarse salt, low-sodium vegetable broth, black pepper, shredded low-fat Swiss cheese, green beans, fresh spinach, eggs, whole-grain rolls, instant chocolate pudding, 1 percent milk, light whipped cream.

Wednesday: Budget

LINGUINE WITH TOMATOES AND ARTICHOKES is a money stretcher. Serve it with a MIXED GREEN SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. PLUMS are dessert.

Shopping List

linguine, olive oil, garlic, canned Italian-style tomatoes, jarred marinated quartered artichokes, crumbled reduced-fat herb feta cheese, salad greens, garlic bread, plums.

Thursday: Kids

The kids are usually in the mood for any PASTA AND SAUCE. Choose any fun pasta this time (such as wagon wheels) and top with any tomato-based sauce. Let them munch on CARROT STICKS on the side. Leftover ICE CREAM makes a good dessert.

Shopping List

any fun pasta, any tomato-based sauce, carrot sticks.

Friday: Express

Take it easy tonight and enjoy deli EGG SALAD on a bed of MIXED GREENS. Sprinkle with fresh chopped dill. Have TOMATO BASIL SOUP and BREAD STICKS on the side. For dessert, PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES add a sweet touch.

Shopping List

deli egg salad, mixed greens, fresh dill, tomato basil soup, bread sticks, peanut butter cookies.

Saturday: Easy Entertaining

Treat your guests to TUNA WITH PESTO. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add 2 medium sliced green onions; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in 1/2 cup pesto and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Top with 1 pound (3/4-inch thick) fresh tuna cut into 4 pieces. Heat skillet until hot; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until desired doneness.

Serve with ANGEL HAIR PASTA tossed with olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Add a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and CRUSTY ROLLS.

For dessert, BAKED PEARS will wow any guest. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drain 1 (28-ounce) can pear halves on paper towels. Place pears, cut sides down, in a pie plate coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1/4 cup caramel topping over pears. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until warm. Spoon topping over pears in dish and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add a little fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM to take it up a notch.

Shopping List

olive oil, green onions, pesto, lemon, fresh tuna, angel hair pasta, parmesan cheese, Boston lettuce, crusty rolls, canned pears, cooking spray, caramel topping, cinnamon, fat-free vanilla ice cream.

Sunday: Family

For family day, serve CITRUS GINGER-GLAZED TURKEY TENDERLOINS. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in large nonstick skillet. Add 1 1/4 pounds turkey breast tenderloins and cook 5 minutes on medium or until brown on one side. Turn and stir in 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce is thickened and juice of turkey is no longer pink; stir occasionally. Cut turkey into thin slices and serve with sauce.

Add RICE and GREEN BEANS along with DINNER ROLLS to your meal. Buy or make APPLE COBBLER for dessert.

Plan

Save enough apple cobbler for Monday.

Shopping List

turkey breast tenderloins, orange marmalade, ground ginger, Worcestershire sauce, rice, green beans, dinner rolls, apple cobbler.

Monday: Meatless

You'll never miss meat with POLENTA WITH RED PEPPERS on the menu. Serve the flavor-packed recipe with a SPINACH SALAD garnished with thinly sliced red onion and sliced hard-cooked eggs. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Warm the leftover COBBLER for dessert and top it with fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.

Plan

Save enough ice cream for Thursday.

Shopping List

red bell peppers, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, cooking spray, ready-to-slice polenta, fontina cheese, fresh basil, fresh spinach, red onion, eggs, whole-grain rolls, fat-free vanilla ice cream.

Tuesday: Express

Pick up some deli SOUP for an easy meal. Serve it with GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES. Add a packaged GREEN SALAD. For dessert, PEARS are perfect.

Shopping List

deli soup, bread and cheese for sandwiches, packaged green salad, pears.

Wednesday: Budget

Pile up the savings with this SEA SHELL CASSEROLE. Cook 12 ounces medium seashell pasta according to directions; drain and set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, cook 1 pound lean ground beef on medium with 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder for 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain well. Add 3 to 3 1/2 cups red pasta sauce and cook 4 minutes. Add cooked pasta and continue to cook 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serve with a MIXED GREEN SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. For dessert, try SLICED PEACHES.

Plan

Save enough casserole for Friday.

Shopping List

medium sea shell pasta, lean ground beef, garlic, onion powder, red pasta sauce, parmesan cheese, salad greens, Italian bread, peaches.

Thursday: Kids

Let the kids pick their favorite PIZZA tonight. Serve it with CELERY STICKS AND DIP. Top leftover ICE CREAM with CHOCOLATE SAUCE.

Plan

Save enough chocolate sauce for Friday.

Shopping List

pizza, celery sticks, dip, chocolate sauce.

Friday: Heat and Eat

Heat the leftover SEA SHELL CASSEROLE for a quick meal. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD on the side. Buy TAPIOCA PUDDING for dessert and drizzle it with leftover chocolate sauce.

Shopping List

romaine, garlic bread, tapioca pudding.

Saturday: Easy Entertaining

For your guests, prepare PORK CHOPS WITH DIJON SAUCE. Serve the chops with frozen O'BRIEN POTATOES, FRESH BROCCOLI SPEARS (drizzle fresh lemon juice over the broccoli), BIBB LETTUCE and BAGUETTES. For dessert, you will understand why Cathy Weichert of Mound, Minn., was a 2013 finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off with her ORANGE CARDAMOM BLUEBERRY CROSTATA.

Shopping List

bone-in center-cut pork chops, coarse salt, pepper, olive oil, fat-free chicken broth or dry white wine, honey, Dijon mustard, frozen O'Brien potatoes, fresh broccoli, lemons, bibb lettuce, baguettes, refrigerated pie crust, orange marmalade, flour, ground cardamom, blueberries, egg, coarse white sparkling sugar or regular sugar.

Sunday: Family

Prepare APPLE-GLAZED LAMB CHOPS for family day. Trim fat from 4 (6-ounce) lean lamb rib chops; set aside. Combine 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice, 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard in a large resealable plastic bag; add chops and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours. Turn bag occasionally. Heat broiler; remove chops from bag; reserve marinade. Place chops on broiler rack coated with cooking spray and then in broiler pan. Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat for 9 minutes per side or to desired doneness, basting frequently with marinade; discard marinade.

Serve the chops with ROSEMARY AND GARLIC ROAST FINGERLING POTATOES. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, place 2 pounds unpeeled fingerling potatoes and 10 cloves peeled garlic. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil; toss to coat. Transfer potatoes and garlic to a medium baking dish; roast 15 minutes or until potatoes are crusty on the outside and fork tender. Remove from oven, sprinkle with 2 sprigs minced fresh rosemary leaves and return to oven for 7 to 10 more minutes. (Adapted from "My Family Table," John Besh; Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011.)

Add STEAMED GREEN BEANS and DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, top ANGEL FOOD CAKE with fat-free STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM.

Plan

Save enough cake for Monday and enough ice cream for Wednesday.

Shopping List

lean lamb rib chops, unsweetened apple juice, light brown sugar, dry mustard, cooking spray, fingerling potatoes, garlic, coarse salt, pepper, olive oil, fresh rosemary, green beans, dinner rolls, angel food cake, fat-free strawberry ice cream.

Monday: Budget

TURKEY SAUSAGE CHOWDER is a good way to save a few bucks. Bring 6 cups 1 percent milk to a simmer in a large pot. Add 1 (16-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, 3 medium cubed red potatoes and 1 small chopped onion. Return to a simmer; cover and cook 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove casings from 12 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage and form into 3/4-inch balls. Stir into pot. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until sausage and potatoes are cooked through. Serve the hearty chowder with a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Top the leftover CAKE with fresh PINEAPPLE.

Plan

Save enough chowder for Thursday.

Shopping List

1 percent milk, frozen mixed vegetables, red potatoes, onion, sweet Italian turkey sausage, romaine, whole-grain rolls, fresh pineapple.

Tuesday: Easy Entertaining/New Year's Eve

Invite friends to welcome the New Year and serve them MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS. Serve the chicken with COUSCOUS tossed with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, chopped plum tomatoes and fresh chopped mint. Add a SPINACH AND SLICED FRESH MUSHROOM SALAD and BAGUETTES. For dessert, make or buy a CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE. Enjoy a glass of champagne to welcome 2014!

Plan

Save enough cake for Thursday.

Shopping List

boneless, skinless chicken breasts, crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, kalamata olives, capers, paprika, olive oil, couscous, lemons, plum tomatoes, fresh mint, spinach, mushrooms, baguettes, chocolate layer cake, champagne.

Wednesday: Meatless/New Year's Day

To guarantee good luck in the New Year, make this AVOCADO AND BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTATA. Serve with MIXED GREENS and CORNBREAD (from a mix). For dessert, scoop the leftover ICE CREAM.

Shopping List

onion, canola oil, avocado, canned black-eyed peas, eggs, reduced-fat sour cream, coarse salt, pepper, cumin, 50 percent reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, plum tomatoes, salad greens, cornbread mix.

Thursday: Heat and Eat

Take it easy and warm the leftover CHOWDER for tonight. Add a LETTUCE AND TOMATO SALAD and CRACKERS on the side. Leftover CHOCOLATE CAKE is dessert.

Shopping List

lettuce, tomatoes, crackers.

Friday: Express

You deserve another night off, so pick up COLD CUTS from the deli for sandwiches. Add WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. While you're there, buy some CARROT SALAD and BAKED BEANS. To prepare the sandwiches, make sure you have LETTUCE, TOMATOES, low-fat MAYONNAISE, SPICY MUSTARD and PICKLES on hand. If you want dessert, make instant VANILLA PUDDING with 1 percent milk.

Shopping List

deli cold cuts, whole-grain bread, deli carrot salad, deli baked beans, lettuce, tomatoes, low-fat mayonnaise, spicy mustard, pickles, instant vanilla pudding, 1 percent milk.

Saturday: Easy Entertaining

Serve your guests SHRIMP SCAMPI tonight with ANGEL HAIR PASTA. Add fresh steamed SNOW PEAS and GARLIC BREAD to your menu. For dessert, CHERRY COBBLER with light whipped cream seals the deal.

Shopping List

unpeeled large shrimp, butter, red bell pepper, garlic, white wine or fat-free chicken broth, fresh parsley, lemon, coarse salt, black pepper, paprika, angel hair pasta, fresh snow peas, garlic bread, cherry cobbler, light whipped cream.