Recently I wrote about our relatively new family dinner routine. We eat dinner together sometime between 5-6pm almost every night of the week. Along with family dinners, I’ve also started meal planning in earnest. I’ve had grand intentions of meal planning for years, but I was never really able to get into it and stick with it. A few months ago one of the moms in one of my close-knit mom groups asked our group “what’s on your meal plan for this week?” Several of the moms are big meal planners so they were quick to chime in with their menus. Many of us took inspiration from them, created our menus for the week and added them to the list.
A new routine was born. Each week one of us will ask what’s on the menu and over the course of a few days we’ll all add our menus. We have some vegetarians, two chefs, many working moms, a few SAHMs and lots of moms with excellent taste buds – the meals are varied and delicious! I’ve definitely branched out since starting my new menu planning routine.
I’ve found looking at other families’ menus so helpful in the meal planning process that I thought I’d share a list of some of the meals we ate last month. We had a few of these more than once – I’m kind of obsessed with grilled cheese and tomato soup right now, so it’s on a weekly rotation.
Grilled salmon w/ sweet potato chips
Chicken Shawarma wraps
Crab cakes on Ceasar salad
Spaghetti w/ meatballs – I make huge batches of sauce to freeze
Flank steak w/ potatoes
Peanut sesame noodles w/ chicken
Shrimp & grits
Quinoa lime burritos w/ avocado yogurt dipping sauce
Shrimp tacos w/ mango slaw
Sri Lankan lentils & egg rolls
Spinach calzones
Sheppard’s pie
Tuna melts w/ sprouts from our CSA
Split pea soup – from the freezer
Grilled cheese sandwiches & tomato soup
Butternut squash burritos
Pho take-out (Valentine’s Day!)
Garlic & sausage tortellini
Tacos & taco salad
Roasted squash soup
Breakfast for dinner – waffles!
Butternut squash mac & cheese
Hot dogs & baked beans
Green chicken enchiladas
Quinoa “risotto” with sausage & mushrooms
Mr. Stroller and I had a salad with most of these meals and Little M had a couple of veggies on the side. My favorite salad right now is a simple green salad with a few craisins, almond slivers and a dressing made with maple syrup and a splash of cider vinegar. So yummy!
Have you found a meal planning system that works? What’s on your menu this week?
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
I’ve been meaning to make a master list of some of our favorite foods that would be good meals for the boys, too. Thanks for sharing your meals!
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Thank you for sharing, this is so inspiring!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
We have a master list too – I meal plan only dinners because I feel like breakfast and lunch is pretty straightforward!
grapefruit / 4671 posts
Delicious sounding month!
pear / 1696 posts
I’m excited to try your quinoa risotto and peanut sesame noodles! I also keep a master list of meals. Every Saturday I plan a weeks worth of meals and usually do the grocery shopping on Sunday and/or Monday.
Here are some of our current favorites. I also make a salad or veggie on the side for most of these meals.
(I apologize- couldn’t figure out how to embed the links in the comment section)
Pork Ragu-
http://www.dinneralovestory.com/instant-dinner-party/
Beef Keema-
http://www.food.com/recipe/beef-keema-76665
Butternut Squash Enchilada Skillet –
http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2013/01/butternut-squash-and-black-bean-enchilada-skillet/
Spaghetti Squash Bolognese –
http://balancedbites.com/2013/03/easy-recipe-spaghetti-squash-bolognese-practical-paleo-ideas-for-replacing-pasta.html
Chicken Pot pie-
http://www.dinneralovestory.com/monogrammed-pot-pies/
Falafels (from an instant mix I get at the co-op) over salad w/ tahini dressing
Grilled chicken over kale ceaser salad
I have this slow cooker green curry chicken cooking right now, we’ll see if its good enough to add to the master list!
http://www.rubiesandradishes.com/2013/12/03/easy-slow-cooker-curry-2-ways/
pear / 1696 posts
If anyone has REALLY GOOD slow cooker recipes, please share! Most of them don’t turn out so well for me.
blogger / cherry / 192 posts
this is great! and now i’m craving shrimp and grits…
blogger / pear / 1563 posts
This is such a good idea to compile all the usual family dinner! You’ve inspired me!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
@Seattlemom: that green curry recipe looks good! I may have to try that next week.
blogger / pomegranate / 3300 posts
I usually plan a month at a time but this month I got behind and now we are winging it.
pear / 1696 posts
@mrs.stroller: the chicken did turn out well! (I ended up cooking it on high for 3 hours). we’re going to have it over brown rice and roasted sweet potatoes & carrots.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
oh so many of these look amazing! Pinning a bunch and adding to my list.
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
@Mrs. Train: once again, I bow down to you! I go to the grocery store every other week so I should start planning more than a week out
blogger / pomegranate / 3491 posts
Thanks for all the links – love trying new recipes! It is always so helpful to see what other people are eating when you are feeling in a rut!
blogger / kiwi / 675 posts
@Seattlemom: my favorite slow cooker recipe is Italian Crockpot Chicken:
http://blog.amymayd.com/2013/06/14/crockpot-meals-and-some-i-am-freezing-this-weekend/ have you tried it?
thanks for these meals Mrs. Stroller! I do try to meal plan each week saves so much money
pear / 1696 posts
@Mrs.Palette: thanks! I’m going to try it
blogger / nectarine / 2600 posts
Got to check out some of these recipes!
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
Great list! I have such a hard time meal planning and actually sticking to the plan.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
Thank you SO MUCH for this!! After our move I need to get started on a new rotation of meals to kickstart me on cooking again..!!
blogger / clementine / 998 posts
Hearting. Excited to try out some of these