7-Day January Meal Plan: Simple Recipes for the New Year

Here’s the meal plan for January 1–7. I kept the week simple, cozy, and easy to follow. Scroll to the end for the grocery list suggestions.

Collage of images from this meal plan with text overlay. — *7 great menu ideas for the first week of January!*

📅 Food Holidays

There are a few fun food holidays this week—silly, but a nice excuse to make memories and try something special.

January 1 is National Black Eyed Pea Day. The menu includes a comforting black‑eyed pea soup, or you could make a Texas Caviar-style salad.
January 3 is National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day—try white chocolate cherries or chocolate covered cherry cookies as a treat.
January 4 is National Spaghetti Day. There are many spaghetti and pasta variations to choose from if you want to celebrate.

💭 Tips for success

Here are a few tips to make the week easier:

Save leftover cornbread to spoon Fiesta chicken over—delicious and helps reduce waste.
The quick baguette recipe yields three loaves. Use one for French bread pizza: split longways, add sauce and toppings, and bake until the cheese melts for an easy lunch or dinner.
Cook extra chicken when you make chicken spaghetti so you can reuse it for the chicken and stuffing casserole and cut bake time in half.
Struggling with meal planning? Consider using a simple, repeatable plan each week—batch cooking and repurposing leftovers make feeding a family much easier.

🍹This week’s cocktail

Clementine Kentucky Mule

This bright, citrus-forward Kentucky Mule is an easy, refreshing cocktail to lift a gray January day.

January 1

Black Eyed Pea Soup

Simple and comforting, this smoky, slightly spicy black‑eyed pea soup is a great way to start the year.

Cornbread

Serve with a slice of warm buttermilk cornbread for a budget-friendly, comforting, and lucky New Year meal.

Closeup of the snowball cookies with one open to show the interior texture.

Gingerbread Snowballs

Enjoy a few holiday cookies while they last—these gingerbread snowballs are small, festive bites.

January 2

Wooden spatula removing fried potatoes out of iron skillet.

Fried Potatoes & Sausage

A simple, cozy skillet meal—slice smoked sausage and add it during the last few minutes of cooking the potatoes. Save extra sausage for later in the week.

Cheese Biscuits

If you have time, add a batch of warm cheese biscuits—light, flaky, and irresistible. Short on time? Sprinkle grated cheese over refrigerated biscuit dough and bake.

Apple Rings

Cinnamon-spiced apple rings add a touch of sweetness. Make extras to pair with cheese biscuits and deli ham for quick sliders later in the week.

January 3

Closeup of the top of the casserole showing all of the cheesy goodness.

John Wayne Casserole

Comfort food night—this cheesy John Wayne casserole is hearty and satisfying.

Green Beans and Potatoes

Serve with green beans and potatoes. Make a batch of rolls—some dinner-roll sized and some sandwich-sized—to freeze for use later in the week.

Chocolate Upside Down Cake

An old-fashioned, easy dessert—this chocolate upside-down cake bakes a rich topping right on the cake for simple, comforting dessert time.

January 4

Chicken Spaghetti

Happy National Spaghetti Day—this chicken spaghetti is quick and easy. Use a store‑bought rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time, and serve with broccoli. Cook extra chicken for tomorrow’s casserole.

Slices of French bread on a linen cloth.

Baguette

A quick baguette can be ready in about 30 minutes. While it bakes, mix softened butter with garlic powder and salt for a simple garlic butter to serve alongside.

Vanilla Brownies

Vanilla brownies are a versatile treat—slice into squares for a simple dessert any time of year.

January 5

Overhead view of casserole showing the texture of the topping.

Chicken Casserole

Keep tonight easy with a chicken and stovetop stuffing casserole. If you use pre-cooked chicken, the bake time is only about 15 minutes—perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Maple Roasted Carrots

Maple roasted carrots are an easy, slightly sweet side that pairs beautifully with the casserole.

Closeup of a slice of lemon pie with a bite taken out of it for social media shares.

No Bake Lemon Pie

A no‑bake lemon icebox pie comes together in minutes—just chill it until set for a bright, easy dessert.

January 6

Fiesta Chicken

Fiesta chicken is a family-friendly, flavorful main—serve over rice and add a salad if you like. Save some for nachos the next day.

Feature image for this post - a close up of the finished recipe.

Garlic Butter Breadsticks

Easy garlic butter breadsticks are a great accompaniment—make extra to serve with tomorrow’s meal.

Peach Dump Cake

A peach dump cake is a foolproof, fast dessert—use peach pie filling or swap in cherry or apple. Serve with ice cream if desired.

January 7 – Thursday

Sausage Alfredo

Smoked sausage with pasta and Alfredo sauce makes a comforting skillet dinner. Serve with leftover garlic bread from the previous day.

Overhead view of a bowl of green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and red onions created for the feature image of this post.

Green Bean Salad

This tangy, crisp green bean salad is best when marinated overnight—great for make‑ahead planning.

Caramel Sauce

For dessert, warm leftover brownies slightly, top with vanilla ice cream and a simple caramel sauce. Finish with a pinch of coarse salt if you like.

Real Life Meal Planning
Meal Plan 53
Meal Plan 52: December 17 – 23
Meal Plan 51: December 10 – 16

Thanks for being part of the community! Check out seasonal favorites and nostalgic recipes in my shop and calendar when you need inspiration.

Originally published December 27, 2020. This meal plan has been updated for 2022.