Thanksgiving week. The big show! Whether you’re cooking the feast or just bringing a dish, this week’s meal plan is built around the reality that Thursday is going to throw your whole routine into chaos. These recipes acknowledge that you might be cooking for a crowd, dealing with family dynamics, traveling, or all of the above. The meals before and after Thanksgiving are deliberately low-maintenance because I know you’ve got enough on your plate.
Instead of pretending we’re all going to meal prep on Sunday when most of us are frantically cleaning or traveling, these recipes are designed for grab-and-go situations and minimal cleanup. We’re focusing on make-ahead options that actually work in real life, plus some genius ways to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers that don’t involve eating the same plate of food for five days straight.
The key to surviving Thanksgiving week isn’t perfection. It’s having a flexible plan that accommodates chaos. These meals can be made in advance, assembled quickly, or even skipped entirely if you’re swimming in leftovers. No guilt, no stress, just realistic options for a week that rarely goes according to plan. Think of this as your permission slip to be practical instead of perfect! Let’s dive in.
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan SUNDAY November 23rd
B: Banana Omelette (1 point)
L: Crispy Shredded Chinese Chicken (0 points)
D: Green Bean Casserole (2 points) + Rotisserie Chicken
Dessert: Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes (2 points)
Total WW Points: 5
Notes: Freeze these mini pumpkin cheesecakes, and they’d make a great Thanksgiving day dessert!
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan MONDAY November 24th
B: Sweet Potato Sausage Breakfast Casserole (2 points)
L: Chicken Dumpling Soup (4 points)
D: Chicken and Apple Stuffing Casserole (7 points)
Dessert: Slow Cooker Coffee Cake (4 points)
Total WW Points: 17
Notes: This chicken dumpling soup is not chicken and dumplings, it’s Chinese dumplings and it’s delicious! I love the light broth that pairs perfectly with it.
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan TUESDAY November 25th
B: Creamy Porridge (1 point)
L: Mediterranean Crescent Ring (5 points)
D: Turkey Pot Pie (4 points)
Dessert: Black Bean Brownies (2 points)
Total WW Points: 12
Notes: If you don’t want turkey just yet, you can use chicken instead of turkey for this pot pie.
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan WEDNESDAY November 26th
B: Turkish Eggs (1 point)
L: Chicken Curry (0 points)
D: Healthy General Tso’s Chicken (1 point)
Dessert: Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (9 points)
Total WW Points: 11
Notes: If you haven’t had Turkish eggs, you need to try them! They’re delicious and very high in protein.
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan THURSDAY November 27th
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the day. And if you don’t celebrate, it’s a great day to use up any leftovers you have.
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan FRIDAY November 28th
B: Pumpkin Pancakes (2 points)
L: Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels (2 points)
D: Cornbread Stuffing (3 points) + Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
Dessert: Thanksgiving Cake (5 points)
Total WW Points: 12
Notes: You can enjoy Thanksgiving for a whole other day, but in different ways with these renditions of Thanksgiving meals. I also think lunch the day after Thanksgiving should be light and these turkey cranberry pinwheels are amazing!
Free Weight Watchers Meal Plan SATURDAY November 29th
B: Healthy Hash Brown Casserole (5 points)
L: Light Asian Chicken Soup (4 points)
D: Leftover Turkey Casserole (6 points)
Dessert: Pumpkin Pecan Pinwheels (2 points)
Total WW Points: 17
Notes: Leftover turkey casserole is perfect if you’ve got a lot of meat leftover!
Check your pantry and fridge for any of these listed items before heading to the grocery store.
Grocery List
Proteins & Dairy
- Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- Cooked turkey (cubed and diced)
- Deli turkey slices (lean)
- Light smoked turkey sausages
- Fat-free ground turkey
- Center cut bacon
- Eggs
- Egg whites (liquid)
- Skim milk
- Almond milk
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- Light cream cheese
- Fat-free cool whip
- Light brie cheese
- Reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
- Reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Reduced-fat shredded cheese blend
- Swiss chard
- Light butter
Produce
- Granny Smith apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Lemons
- Onions
- Shallots
- Green onions (scallions)
- Celery
- Carrots
- Green bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Fresh green beans
- Garlic
- Ginger root
- Fresh spinach
- Bok choy
- Fresh thyme
- Sage, fresh
- Fresh parsley
- Basil, fresh
- Fresh oregano
- Grape tomatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Fresh cranberries
Pantry Staples
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Yellow cornmeal
- Buckwheat groats
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Table salt
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ginger, ground
- Sage, ground
- Crushed rosemary
- Cardamom
- Turmeric
- Curry powder
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Sweet paprika
- Smoked paprika
- Red pepper flakes
- Dried parsley
- Italian seasoning (Bell’s turkey seasoning)
- Oregano
- Vanilla extract
- Olive oil
- Vegetable oil
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Hoisin sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Tomato paste
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sweetener (1:1 sugar replacement) or Stevia or Splenda
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Coconut sugar (optional)
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Cocoa powder
Canned & Packaged Goods
- Low-fat cream of mushroom soup
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Turkey broth
- Vegetable stock
- Cream-style corn
- Black beans
- Artichoke hearts
- Sliced water chestnuts
- Kalamata olives
- Canned turkey gravy
- Chicken gravy
- Pre-made graham crust
- Graham crumbs
- Whole wheat breadcrumbs
- Ramen noodles
- Chicken stuffing mix
- Whole wheat French bread
- Low-calorie multigrain bread
Frozen & Refrigerated
- Frozen hash browns
- French-style green beans
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Frozen dumplings
- Reduced-fat crescent rolls
- Biscuits (7.5 oz packet)
Baking & Desserts
- Pure pumpkin puree
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Raisins
- No-sugar-added dried cranberries
- Chopped walnuts
- Chopped pecans
- Pine nuts
- Chocolate chips
- Whipped cream
- Pumpkin seeds
- Cooking spray
20 Zero Point Snacks (Anytime of Day)
Visit the WW app or website to access the recipe builder and track your daily food intake and points.
Tips for Easy and Efficient Prep:
- Assign one “normal” meal each day this week to anchor your eating routine. Even if Thanksgiving dinner is a point splurge and Friday is leftover city, having one regular, planned meal helps prevent the “everything is chaos so nothing matters” mentality that can derail your week. That’s why we planned out the whole week for you!
- Repackage Thanksgiving leftovers immediately into single portions before they go in the fridge. Don’t store them in giant containers where you’re faced with the whole turkey and pile of stuffing every time you open the fridge. Individual portions make it easier to grab lunch for work or have a quick dinner without overdoing it. Plus, you can freeze portions you know you won’t eat within three days.
- Schedule a “leftover transformation” day for Saturday or Sunday. Plan one recipe that specifically uses Thanksgiving leftovers in a completely different way (see the recipes above!) Having this plan in place before Thursday means you’re looking forward to using leftovers instead of dreading another plate of the same meal. It also prevents food waste and saves you from cooking from scratch when you’re tired.
Download this PDF to dive into a week of mouthwatering recipes that prove healthy eating can be both delicious and festive.
