Weekly Meal Plan: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast, One-Pot Shrimp Pasta, and Chickpea Rice Bowls

As a busy parent, is there anything better than coming home to a dinner that’s 90% ready? A luscious, set-it-and-forget-it pot roast in the slow cooker proves that point nicely on Monday. Bonus: it provides leftovers you’ll use Tuesday (in a build-your-own grain bowl) and Thursday (for mildly spicy beef tacos). In between you’ll prepare a one-pot pasta meal on Wednesday, and you’ll close out the week with ready-in-20 pepperoni pizza.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Pantry

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Vegetable oil

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Bay leaves

• Coriander seeds

• Ground cumin

• Red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 quart beef stock

• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas

• 1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes with green chiles

• Brown rice or long-grained white rice

• 12 ounces short pasta, such as penne or fusilli

• Salsa

• 1 small jar tomato sauce

Produce

• 1 bunch carrots

• 1 large sweet onion

• 1 large red onion

• 1 head garlic

• 1 bunch thyme

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 1 bunch basil

• 4 red jalapeño peppers

• 3 large lemons

• 1 English cucumber

• 6 ounces green beans, preferably haricots verts

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes

• 1 small head cabbage

• 1 package of your favorite salad greens

• 1 firm avocado

• 1 lime

Dairy

• 8 ounces crumbled feta

• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

• Unsalted butter

Butcher’s Counter

• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds)

• 2 ounces sliced pepperoni

Seafood

• 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on

Bakery

• Corn or flour tortillas

• 1 (12-14”) soft loaf French or Italian bread (freeze it when you get home—you won't use it until Friday)

Freezer Case

• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets

• 1 package frozen peas

Liquor

• Dry red wine

MONDAY: Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Charred Onion & Chickpea Salad

This new spin on an old classic cooks all day so when you come home, all you need to do is make the chickpea salad. Plus it leaves plenty of leftovers to use later in the week—first in grain bowls, then in tacos. No time in the morning to get the roast into the slow cooker? Do that part the night before, and refrigerate the whole shebang in the machine’s ceramic insert. Ease up on the jalapeño in the salad if your kids are heat-averse, and shred the leftover roast with two forks before you refrigerate it.

TUESDAY: Chickpea Rice Bowls

This easy, picky eater-friendly dinner transforms last night’s leftover garbanzos into a hearty vegetarian meal. You’ll barely be cooking: Simply make a batch of rice (brown or long-grained white, your choice) according to package directions, slice half the English cucumber you bought (refrigerate the rest for Thursday), and throw together a basic lemon vinaigrette. Zest 1 teaspoon of rind from the lemon before juicing it for the vinaigrette and freeze it to use tomorrow in the pasta primavera. Set out the rice, the remaining chickpea salad, half of the crumbled feta, and the cukes for make-your-own grain bowls. Drizzle with that lemony dressing. Refrigerate the leftover dressing in an airtight container for Friday night’s side salad.

WEDNESDAY: One-Pot Pasta Primavera with Shrimp

Tonight’s dinner is on the table in 22 minutes flat, with only one pot to clean when you’re done! It makes clever use of frozen vegetables, so your prep work is minimal.

THURSDAY: Taco Night

Make a self-serve taco spread featuring shredded leftover pot roast, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, store-bought salsa, lime wedges, and the last of the crumbled feta. Gently reheat the meat in a saucepan with the canned tomatoes with green chiles you bought. Warm the tortillas, chop the cabbage and avocado, and hand out plates, because dinner’s ready. Let everyone assemble the tacos to their liking.

FRIDAY: French Bread Pizza with Mozzarella and Pepperoni

What’s better after taco night than pizza night? Follow the recipe to make this French bread version. It'll make the kids just as happy as delivery, but it's much faster (and cheaper). Toss salad greens and the remaining cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and cabbage with the leftover lemon vinaigrette for a quick salad to round out the meal.