Weekly menus

i plan out recipes for almost the month and go food shopping all at once, freeze whatever veggies and cheese i can so it doesn't go bad. i am a vegetarian but you could always make something with meat instead (i use regular recipes then substitute one of my protein options). most side dishes i eat are either a salad or some sort of vegetable mix, like spinach broccoli mushrooms peppers onion saute with garlic or something similar, unless the vegetable is cooked in with it then i just had the one dish.

stuffed peppers (i use either a taco like mix or sometimes bread stuffing mixed with mushrooms, onion)
stroganoff
baked ziti with spinach
stuffed shells/manicotti with spinach, mushroom
fettucine alfredo (i make the sauce using light different flavor laughing cow cheese, the tomato basil is really good)
taco salad
enchiladas
sweet potato burritos
pierogi with veggies
quinoa risotto
greek tortellini salad
black bean quesadillas
shirataki noodle stirfry
pasta with roasted red pepper sauce
pesto pizza
penne with pesto chicken
sweet and sour seitan (or chicken) with veggies and rice
hummus and quinoa wrap
bbq flavored seitan and avocado wrap
stuffed zucchini boats
spaghetti with mushrooms garlic and olive oil
portabello mushroom burgers
shepherds pie

Basically, if figure out what meat I am going to buy, then plan meals around that. When our family first started, we struggled to think of enough meals, but I keep track of my grocery lists and meal ideas using a spreadsheet, so I can refer back to it. Also, I look at a lot of online recipes. When I find something the whole family enjoys, it becomes part of the rotation.