Monthly Meal Plan: Recipes to Make in October

If you need recipe inspiration for the month of October, look no farther than this Monthly Meal Plan, which includes 45+ recipes for the first -ber month of the year! Featuring sweet and savory pumpkin recipes, comforting dinners and Halloween party foods, this October recipe list has something for everyone.

2025 Update: This monthly meal plan was originally shared in October 2018. It has been updated to include more information about what’s in season, as well as a larger variety of recipes. I hope you love it and find it helpful!

Happy October, everyone!

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m really looking forward to cooler weather this month. Which should be showing up sometime in the near future. Maybe. Hopefully. (I hope it’s feeling like fall wherever you live.)

This month, we’re talking about Fall Dinners for the Whole Family, Sweet Pumpkin Dishes AND Savory Pumpkin Dishes, as well as Halloween Party Recipes.

What should I cook in the month of October?

As always, the answer to this question depends on you and what you will do during this month. It also depends on where you live.

join our party!

get our latest recipes delivered to your inbox every week — plus all my entertaining tips and tricks!

​
​

Subscribe

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

The weather should start cooling off for us here in Texas, so I am leaning in to comforting fall dinners for the whole family. I’ve also got a LOT of pumpkin recipes, both sweet and savory, listed below.

This month’s menu is a bigger kind of grab bag, striking the balance between the seasonal meals that hit just right, seasonal ingredients and also Halloween.

No matter where you live or what you’re looking for in food for the month of October, I’ve got lots of different options for you with these seasonal October recipes.

These seasonal meal planning ideas are just that: ideas. Feel free to transform them into the ideal-for-you (and your family) October meal plan.

What is in season in the month of October?

October is a month that offers a lot of variety, though it starts skewing toward those true fall and winter produce items.

As always, some of the produce you can find at your local markets and grocery store is determined by where you live.

At the farmer’s market, you’ll see more squash, like pumpkin, butternut squash and acorn squash. Root vegetables, like turnips, parsnips and sweet potatoes, are widely available.

Cruciferous vegetables, like cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower are abundant. Greens, like mustard greens, chard and collards are starting to be available, too.

Fruit-wise, apples, pears, pomegranates, figs and cranberries are coming into their own.

Since the produce available this month is more fall-ish, that’s what we are leaning into with the meal plan.

Y’all ready to dive into this goodness? Let’s do it!

…

What kinds of things do you have planned for the month of October?

Which recipes from this Monthly Meal Plan would you like to make?