Weight Watchers Weekly Dinner Meal Ideas (Sep 30

Fridays, I send out an email outlining my dinner plans for the upcoming week that are designed to work with Weight Watchers. I also publish them on my blog. This practice helps me stay on track with my meal choices and motivates me to make healthier food decisions.

My Approach to Meal Planning

Every time I get out of the meal planning habit I end up eating too much take-out, restaurant food, unhealthy snacks. It is amazing how crappy I feel and how quickly the pounds begin to creep back.

When I have a rough idea of what I’m planning to cook for dinner in the coming week I’m much less likely to succumb to the temptation of fast food or takeout.

That being said, my approach is a casual one. Meal planning can overwhelm me if I try to do too much. So I make it SUPER EASY. I keep a post-it note on the counter with a list of a few dinners I’m planning to make. That’s it.

We are a middle-aged couple so I am mostly cooking for just the two of us. We have a fairly active social life, which means our plans are always subject to change. (Read more about my thoughts on realistic meal planning for busy, unpredictable lives.)

Most recipes make more than we can eat, so we tend to have a ready supply of leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. I enjoy finding creative ways to use and re-purpose leftovers.

I’m always asking myself, “How can I make this as easy as possible? For me meal planning works only when I keep it as simple as possible. When I have a ready supply of easy to prepare, good for me food in the fridge and pantry I’m set up for success.

What Do I Eat for Breakfast on Weight Watchers?

Most days my breakfast is something quick like an english muffin with almond butter, avocado toast, cottage cheese with fruit, eggs, yogurt with fruit, oatmeal or a smoothie, depending on my mood and the season.

What Do I Eat for Lunch on Weight Watchers?

Lunch is usually leftovers or some combination of soup / sandwich / salad. This formula is a proven winner for me. I never fall into the temptation of takeout when I have a jar of soup, bowl of hard boiled eggs, container or leftovers and/or salad fixings staring back at me when I open the fridge!

This Week’s WW Dinner Suggestions with Points

This week features a combination of easy slow cooker, oven and stovetop dinners. Most will provide leftovers for additional quick and easy meals! I can’t tell you how much I love cooking once and eating twice

Slow Cooker 3 Bean Turkey Chili
Here’s a super simple, very basic recipe for slow cooker chili made with turkey sausage and 3 different kinds of beans I think you are going to love. Take just 15 minutes of prep time in the morning and several hours later you are rewarded with the fragrance—not to mention flavor—of home-cooked crockpot chili. Talk about minimal effort for maximum reward!

Pickle Juice Crispy Chicken Tenders
Pickle juice makes the perfect low fat marinade for chicken. Grill it, bake it or try this batter coated oven/air fryer version of a fast food favorite. I’m planning to serve these with Kale Salad with Apples & Dates, one of my favorite salads for fall.

Sausage Cherry Tomato and Spinach Pasta
This sausage cherry tomato pasta is an easy, healthy delicious dish the whole family is sure to love. Ours does!

Kale Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup
This cozy kale, white bean and butternut squash soup provides the ultimate in soul-satisfying, tastebud pleasing, nourishing goodness. For a fitting accompaniment, try toasted baguette or crostini spread with goat cheese.

Healthy Harvest Apple Cake

It’s also that time of year when I crave apple cake, a longtime autumn family tradition. Haven’t quite decided whether I’ll make this healthy harvest apple cake or Italian apple cake yet!

Need More Vegetarian Choices? Click Here!

I hope this helps you with your own meal planning this week

A note about WW Points
If you’re following Weight Watchers, all the recipes here on Simple Nourished Living have been updated for the new WW program, with points displayed in the recipe card. The Check the WW Points link in the recipe card takes you to the Weight Watchers App where you can edit it using the WW recipe builder or add it to your day.
(Must be logged into WW account on a mobile device, such as smartphone or tablet).

Tired of trying to decide what to cook?

If you are struggling with meal planning here are a couple meal planning resources to help:

My Month of Meal Month of Meal Plans eBook

My WW friend Alisha’s 12-Week eCookbook and Meal Planner and Table for Two Meal Planner and eCookbook

Customer Testimonials

I can’t tell you how thrilled we were with your menu posted this week! We are on vacation and in a condo for five weeks. Keeping meals simple. I made both the chicken broccoli pie and the broccoli cheese soup for the first time this week. Both were a big hit. Then last night we had your Caribbean Jerk Chicken which is a definite favorite. Made your lasagna soup last week!!! Yum!

I am so thankful I found your website and continue to try new things. I started WW March 2020 (online only) and have lost almost 30 pounds and am at my goal! Slow and steady wins the race!!! (Just like the tortoise and the hare).

Thank you for all your encouraging emails and wonderful recipes. We’ve been married almost 47 years. When I first found ‘my friend Martha’ as all my friends know you by, my husband said ‘you’ve always been a good cook but we never tried so many different things!’ He loves your recipes also!!!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!!! ~ Joyce

I bought the Table for Two eCookbook and I love it! It saved me from giving up on my weight loss journey. The meals are delicious and so easy to cook. Having a weekly grocery list, recipes and instructions with pictures readily accessible has taken so much stress off of me in meal planning. I was tired of cooking recipes that had multiple servings and eating the left overs several times during the week. My husband loves the Table for Two recipes and he doesn’t even need to lose weight! I have recommended your site to several friends on the same journey and they love your recipes too. Thank you for all your hard work in making meal planning so easy! ~ Barbara

Hi Martha – I cannot begin to thank you enough for my month of meals. We (my husband and I) have only had the first week, but WOW, what great meals! I can’t wait for the second week. You have a customer for life! ~ Sharon S.

I bought the 12 Week eCookbook and Meal Planner by Alisha Hughes from Meal Planning Mommies. It is great 12 weeks with a shopping list which is wonderful. I just make a copy of the list and go shopping for the week. ~ Roberta R.