A good Pakistani home kitchen runs on rhythm. Dal on weekdays, karahi on the weekend, something slow-cooked on Sunday that feeds you twice. When that rhythm breaks — when you're staring at the fridge at 6pm with no plan — dinner gets expensive, stressful, or both.
This seven-day meal plan is built for Pakistani families living in the UK or US. It assumes you cook authentic food at home, you have a stocked spice shelf, and you'd rather spend 90 minutes planning on Sunday than make five separate trips to the shop mid-week.
Before You Start
Sunday is prep day. The plan works best when you spend 60–90 minutes Sunday afternoon getting ahead: cooking the dal base, making roti dough, browning a large batch of onions, and marinating the weekend meat.
Lunches are leftovers. This is how Pakistani families actually eat. Dinner portions are slightly large so Tuesday night's dinner is Wednesday's daba.
Roti or rice? The plan defaults to roti most evenings and rice on rice-specific nights (biryani, white rice with dal). Swap freely based on your household's preference.
The 7-Day Plan
Monday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Paratha (frozen or fresh) + chai + yoghurt |
| Lunch | Packed leftovers or egg sandwich |
| Dinner | Aloo gosht (potato and lamb/beef curry) + roti + kachumber |
Notes: Aloo gosht is one of the great Pakistani weeknight dishes — the potato absorbs the gravy, it reheats brilliantly, and everyone eats it. Make enough for six portions.
Tuesday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Eggs (anda bhurji or fried) + toast |
| Lunch | Leftover aloo gosht + roti |
| Dinner | Daal chana (chana dal) + tarka + steamed rice |
Notes: Chana dal takes about an hour if starting from scratch, 20 minutes if using a pressure cooker. Make a large pot — it's one of the best leftovers in Pakistani cooking.
Wednesday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Leftover paratha or toast + chai |
| Lunch | Leftover dal + rice |
| Dinner | Chicken karahi + naan or roti |
Notes: Karahi is fast — 35 minutes from raw chicken to table. The secret is high heat and not overcrowding the pan. Use bone-in pieces for the most flavour.
Thursday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Porridge or cereal — easy morning |
| Lunch | Leftover karahi in a wrap or with roti |
| Dinner | Keema matar (minced meat with peas) + roti + raita |
Notes: Keema matar is 25 minutes and universally loved by kids and adults. The peas balance the richness of the mince. Make extra — it freezes perfectly.
Friday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Any — light morning |
| Lunch | Leftover keema or a quick egg dish |
| Dinner | Daal mash (black lentil) + fried aubergine (tarka baingan) + roti |
Notes: Friday is often a lighter, simpler dinner before the weekend. Daal mash (urad dal) takes longer but is deeply satisfying. Fry the aubergine separately — it's quicker than it sounds.
Saturday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Halwa puri + chana (weekend breakfast tradition) |
| Lunch | Light — yoghurt, fruit, or leftovers |
| Dinner | Beef nihari + naan |
Notes: Nihari is the slow-cook project of the week. Start it mid-morning (or the night before) — it needs 4–6 hours on low heat. Weekend nihari with hot naan is worth every minute.
Sunday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Leftover nihari + naan (the correct use of leftover nihari) |
| Lunch | Light — soup or salad |
| Dinner | Chicken biryani (or lamb) |
Notes: Biryani anchors Sunday dinner. Make a large pot — the leftovers are the best thing in the fridge on Monday morning, and it reheats well for two days.
Full Grocery List
Cross off what you already have.
Proteins
- Lamb or beef pieces (bone-in) — 700g for aloo gosht
- Chicken pieces (bone-in) — 1 kg for karahi
- Minced lamb or beef — 500g for keema
- Beef shank or shin — 1 kg for nihari
- Chicken or lamb — 800g for biryani
- Eggs — 8–10
Vegetables & Produce
- Potatoes — 6 medium
- Onions — 8 large
- Tomatoes — 8 medium (or 2 tins chopped tomatoes)
- Garlic — 2 bulbs (or a large jar of paste)
- Ginger — large piece (or jar of paste)
- Green chillies — 8–10
- Aubergine — 2 medium
- Frozen peas — 300g
- Coriander — 2 bunches
- Lemons — 3
- Cucumber, tomato (kachumber)
Dry & Pantry
- Basmati rice — 2 kg
- Whole wheat flour (atta) — 1.5 kg
- Chana dal (split chickpeas) — 500g
- Urad dal (black lentils) — 250g
- Biryani masala — 1 packet (or whole spices)
Dairy
- Natural yoghurt — 500g
- Butter or ghee — 150g
Spices (top up if running low)
- Cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nihari masala (or make your own)
Sunday Prep (90 Minutes)
- Brown a large batch of onions — 4 large onions, slow-fried until golden. This is the base for karahi, keema, and nihari. Store in the fridge for 4 days.
- Start the nihari — get it on the hob by early afternoon if eating Saturday night, or cook Saturday morning for evening.
- Make roti dough — knead a big batch, rest it in the fridge. Roti from cold dough is just as good and saves time every evening.
- Marinate the biryani meat — yoghurt, spices, a bit of oil. In the fridge for up to 5 days is fine.
Let FridgeFirst Build Your Plan
This plan works for a typical Pakistani family week, but your version is different — maybe you don't eat beef, or there's a diabetic family member, or you want a vegetarian night mid-week.
FridgeFirst builds a personalised weekly plan from what's actually in your fridge and pantry, handles your family's dietary needs, and generates the grocery list for what's missing. It understands Pakistani cooking — not just "curry."
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I meal plan Pakistani food for a family on a budget?
Dal-based weeks are cheapest. Chana dal, masoor dal, and mash are all inexpensive protein sources. A week with two dal nights, one chicken karahi, one egg dish, and one keema costs well under £40/$45 for four people. See our budget Indian meal plan guide for more.
Can I do this meal plan without a pressure cooker?
Yes, but nihari and some dals take significantly longer without one. A slow cooker works well for nihari (overnight on low). For dal, add 30–45 minutes to the cook time on the hob.
What's the best way to use up leftover nihari?
Leftover nihari makes an exceptional breakfast the next morning with fresh naan or bread. It also works as a base for a quick keema-style dish — add mince, cook it in, and serve over rice.
How do I adapt this plan for a vegetarian family member?
Replace meat dishes with paneer or extra lentil-based meals. Paneer karahi works as a 1:1 swap for chicken karahi. Keema can be replaced with a chickpea keema (chana keema). Biryani can be made with vegetables or paneer instead of meat.