Weekly Meal Planning Inspiration from Diane in Denmark

Two women smiling for a selfie, one wearing a striped shirt and sunglasses, the other in a navy blue top with sunglasses, taken in a lively outdoor setting. — Me and my Bestie at the 3 Days of Design Festival, Copenhagen

Don’t know what’s for dinner and looking for some inspiration? Hello from wonderful Copenhagen where I take you through my menu plan for the week! June is a month full of celebrations, festivals and parties…so I keep things extra simple and have lots of “ready-made” options from the supermarket on hand because our plans often change. Being prepared stops us from resorting to expensive takeaways! So here’s this Week’s Meal Plan at Casa Copenhagen! (Our kids are grown, so my menu is just for hubby and me. I often cook a portion for 4 people, we eat half immediately and then freeze the other half for another time.)

Slices of Danish roast pork (_flæskesteg_) with crispy crackling, served on a blue plate alongside pickled red cabbage. — Roast pork day one

A blue bowl filled with a colorful salad featuring noodles, diced pork, grated carrots, sugar snap peas, edamame beans, and fresh herbs, garnished with sliced red chili and chopped peanuts. — Roast pork day one

flæskesteg Danish roast pork made in the air fryer (the pork crackling comes out perfect every time), served with new potatoes, pickled red cabbage and homemade creamy gravy
leftover flæskesteg (roast pork) cubed, fried and served with noodles, sugar snap peas, edamame beans, grated carrots, fresh red chilli, coriander (cilantro), spicy Asian dressing and chopped peanuts

A glass baking dish with layers of pasta, tomato sauce, and creamy sauce topped with shredded cheese, placed on a wooden countertop. — Easy Lasagne-style Chicken Bake before it went into the oven

Tried out a recipe for Easy Lasagne-Style Chicken Bake, which has all the lasagne flavours but no pasta. Very simple to put together (you layer up the raw chicken and veggies with cheese sauce and tomato passata). It turned out quite well though I’ll use less tomato passata (or spaghetti sauce) next time because it was quite watery (you can find the recipe here)

A vibrant salad featuring smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, avocado, and boiled eggs, served on a plate with cutlery. — Smoked salmon salad

A simple smoked salmon salad eaten out on our deck, just right for a boiling hot June evening! New potatoes, tomatoes, avocado, boiled eggs, sugar snap peas, smoked salmon and sweet mustard dill sauce

A blue bowl filled with creamy gnocchi topped with spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and shredded cheese, placed on a wooden table next to a blue glass. — All-in-one-pan gnocchi

“all-in-one pan gnocchi” gnocchi with mushrooms, garlic, cream, spinach and parmesan cheese (see this recipe for inspiration). I only discovered a couple of years ago that you don’t need to boil gnocchi before using it…lifechanging!

A close-up of a sandwich with layers of vegetables, placed on a white napkin, accompanied by a glass of rose wine in the background. — Complimentary sandwich and a glass of rosé – skål!

A speaker presenting at an event in a courtyard surrounded by an audience seated on benches. Banners with text stating '10 DAYS OF SUMMER 18-20.6.2025' are displayed in the background. — Complimentary sandwich and a glass of rosé – skål!

as was the case before both of our kids moved out into their own flats, one day of the week for us is usually leftovers, a frittata/quiche made with any veggies which need using up, risotto (SEE MY INSTANT POT RISOTTO RECIPE HERE) or Danish smørrebrød (rye bread open sandwiches with various toppings). This week I was out a couple of nights at a leaving party for a friend plus exploring the 3 Days of Design Festival here in Copenhagen with my Bestie, Erika (lots of free food and drink!) so smørrebrød is great for last-minute meals.

A bowl of Danish fruit salad featuring raspberries, strawberries, green grapes, banana slices, and chocolate pieces, drizzled with a creamy sauce. — Danish fruit salad (*Abemad* = monkey food) with chocolate!

Pouring cream over a bowl of mixed fruit including bananas, raspberries, blueberries, and mango. — Danish fruit salad (*Abemad* = monkey food) with chocolate!

and guess what’s back on the menu…Abemad = Monkey food! Danish fruit salad in a creamy vanilla sauce with chopped chocolate. Yum! Tastes great with any combination of fruits but my personal favourite is banana, blueberries and raspberries! See how we make it below…

And a little reminder why meal planning is so important… Whether you’re following the Flylady system or just trying to simplify your week, having a weekly dinner plan saves time, reduces stress, and helps you make healthier choices. Remember when planning menus to K.I.S.S. – Keep it simple, Sweetie! Check what you have in your fridge, freezer and pantry before you shop. Need more quick and easy recipe ideas? See my simple recipes and crafts YouTube video playlist!