Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family meal, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost- cutting strategy, a meatless or "less meat" dish for people who may not be strict vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat, an express meal that requires little or no preparation, and an entertaining menu that's quick.

Sunday/Family

Serve the family your own sliced roast beef, or pick up the same from the meat department of your supermarket. Add Long-Grain and Wild Rice With Pine Nuts and Feta Cheese Salad on the side (see recipe). Accompany the feast with steamed summer squash and sourdough bread. Angel food cake and lime sherbet make a springlike dessert.

Plan ahead: Save half the rice and enough cake for Monday. Toast 2 extra tablespoons of pine nuts for Saturday.

Monday/Meatless

Tonight's no-meat menu is easy. Make Savory Rice Burritos for a quick meal. In a large bowl, combine Sunday's leftover rice, 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (rinsed and drained) and 1/4 cup chopped parsley; mix well. Heat 4 large flour tortillas, spoon rice mixture down center, roll and serve. Add a mixed green salad.

Top Sunday's leftover cake with fresh berries for a light finish.

Tip: Layer tortillas in damp white paper towels, roll and heat in the microwave 30 to 40 seconds on high (100 percent power) or until hot.

Tuesday/Budget

No one will call you extravagant when you serve Confetti Hash Brown Casserole (see recipe). Serve with a green salad and corn muffins from a mix. Finish your economical meal with fresh fruit.

Plan ahead: Save half the casserole and make enough muffins for Wednesday.

Wednesday/Heat and Eat

Enjoy an extra 30 minutes of free time tonight because dinner is almost ready. Heat Tuesday's casserole and prepare a fresh spinach salad on the side. Warm the leftover muffins in the microwave, 5 seconds on high (100 percent power) for each muffin (yes, seconds -- you don't want hockey pucks!).

For dessert, try the new apricot-peach fig bars. We liked them better than their cousins, the plain fig.

Plan ahead: Save any leftover fresh spinach for Thursday.

Tip: Wrap muffins in white paper towels before microwaving.

Thursday/Express

With a few simple, store-bought ingredients, you can have Baked Ravioli for dinner tonight (see recipe). Serve with frozen Italian green beans and Italian bread. Make instant pistachio pudding with skim milk to continue the Italian theme.

Friday/Kids

Let the kids help prepare Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups (see recipe). Serve with carrot and celery sticks and a pear salad.

For dessert, everyone would like a cookie.

Saturday/Entertaining

Transport your guests to faraway places. For the main course, serve Chicken Breasts Mediterranean Style (see recipe). Continue your food adventure with couscous, a staple of North African cuisine. Come on home for fresh asparagus spears and dinner rolls. Stay awhile with fruit tarts for dessert.

Tip: Make couscous with fat-free chicken broth to deepen the flavor.

Shopping List

What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)

Sunday

sliced roast beef, or ingredients for cooking your own

packaged long-grain and wild-rice mix

crumbled feta cheese

green and yellow bell peppers

onion

pine nuts

diced pimentos

extra-virgin olive oil

tarragon wine vinegar

black pepper

lettuce

summer squash

sourdough bread

angel food cake

lime sherbet

Monday

canned white beans

parsley

large flour tortillas

salad greens

fresh berries

Tuesday

cooking spray

canned baked-potato soup

reduced-fat sour cream

garlic powder

salt

frozen mixed vegetables

frozen hash-brown potatoes

shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

Parmesan cheese

salad greens

corn muffin mix

fresh fruit

Wednesday

fresh spinach

apricot-peach fig bars

Thursday

cooking spray

lean ground beef or ground turkey

pasta sauce

frozen cheese ravioli

reduced-fat, shredded mozzarella cheese

frozen Italian green beans

Italian bread

instant pistachio pudding

skim milk

Friday

refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

ground turkey

canned tomatoes

tomato paste

sugar

shredded, reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

carrot and celery sticks

ingredients for pear salad

cookies

Saturday

boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

flour

cooking spray

vegetable oil

chicken broth

onion

green bell pepper

raisins

pine nuts

lemon

salt

black pepper

feta cheese

parsley

couscous

fresh asparagus

dinner rolls

fruit tarts

Long-Grain and Wild Rice With Pine Nuts and Feta Cheese Salad (Sunday)

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: less than

15 minutes

Cooking time: time to cook

rice and toast pine nuts

Chilling time: 4 hours to overnight

1 (7-ounce) package long-grain and wild-rice mix, cooked

1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup each: chopped green and yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (see note)

1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tarragon wine vinegar

1 tablespoon water

/ teaspoon black pepper

lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, cheese, bell peppers, onion, pine nuts and pimento. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, water and pepper. Add to rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours to overnight. To serve: Cover a large serving platter with lettuce; spoon salad over lettuce.

Note: To toast pine nuts, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. Stir once or twice.

Per serving: 220 calories, 7 grams protein, 12 grams fat (48 percent calories from fat), 3.4 grams saturated fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, 13 milligrams cholesterol, 528 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Confetti Hash Brown Casserole (Tuesday)

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 55 to 60 minutes

cooking spray

2 (15-ounce) cans ready-to-serve baked-potato soup

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon each: garlic powder and salt

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 (2-pound) package frozen hash-brown potatoes

1 (8-ounce) package shredded, reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream, garlic powder and salt; mix well. Add mixed vegetables, potatoes and Cheddar cheese; mix well. Spoon into baking dish. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, 55 to 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Per serving: 319 calories, 15 grams protein, 12 grams fat (34 percent calories from fat), 6.6 grams saturated fat, 38 grams carbohydrate, 29 milligrams cholesterol, 703 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

Baked Ravioli (Thursday)

Makes 6 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 45 minutes

cooking spray

1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey

2 cups pasta sauce, divided

1 (24-ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium, nonstick skillet, cook beef or turkey until no longer pink or about 3 or 4 minutes; drain well. Spoon 1 cup pasta sauce on bottom of baking dish. Follow with 1/2 package ravioli, the cooked ground meat, 1 cup pasta sauce and the remaining 1/2 package ravioli. Bake 30 to 35 minutes; top with remaining cheese and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 5 minutes.

Note: If you have leftover fresh spinach from Wednesday's meal, add after the first cup of mozzarella cheese.

Per serving: 370 calories, 27 grams protein, 14 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 7.5 grams saturated fat, 34 grams carbohydrate, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 797 mgs sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups (Friday)

Makes 10 biscuit cups

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 30 minutes

1 (12-ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 biscuits)

1/4 pound ground turkey

1 (14 1/2 -ounce) can chopped stewed tomatoes and juice

1 (6-ounce) can Italian-style tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Separate biscuits, and press or roll until 1/4 inch thick. Press each biscuit into bottom and sides of a regular-size muffin cup (2 1/2 inches in diameter). Prick dough with fork. Bake 5 minutes (biscuits will puff). Gently press biscuit cups with fork to flatten; set aside. In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook turkey until it is no longer pink or about 3 minutes; drain. Stir in tomatoes and juice, tomato paste and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Spoon mixture into biscuit cups. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle each biscuit cup with cheese.

Per serving: 161 calories, 9 grams protein, 4 grams fat (22 percent calories from fat), 1.5 grams saturated fat, 22 grams carbohydrate, 14 milligrams cholesterol, 603 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Chicken Breasts Mediterranean Style (Saturday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: about

15 minutes

Cooking time: less than

20 minutes

4 (4- or 5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup flour

cooking spray

2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup raisins

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon each: salt and black pepper

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Coat chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess flour. In a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add broth; cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove chicken and remaining broth from skillet; set aside. Heat other 1 teaspoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and raisins; cover and cook 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened.

Return chicken and broth to skillet; add pine nuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Spoon chicken and sauce onto serving plates. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 257 calories, 30 grams protein, 8 grams fat (27 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 356 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com.