Dinner Plans

Yes, Hello Fresh is a revelation! I loved it, but found it was a tad too much work for nights when I was tired/unmotivated. Now I used Gobble – same as HF, but in half the time!

Love!!!

Hahahaha

Oh my gosh yes!

LOL YES

YMMV (we are a two person household):
On Saturday, I shop and cook. It has been really helpful for me to think of the CATEGORIES of food I need in a week:
1. What two large meals can I make for dinners and lunches through the week?
2. What are we eating for breakfast (we generally go between yogurt parfaits and baked frittatas alternate weeks)?
3. Do we have a frozen pizza for Saturday and salad stuff?
4. Do we have two different types of fruit?
5. Do we have a tasty snack and drink option for Sunday apero?
6. What drinks do we have?

COVID made me start routinizing our food week and then I can just plug various things into that matrix.

Andrea, that is GENIUS! I will be amending that template for a household of one and using it :)

Basically what Andrea said, except I would also suggest menu planning, keeping in mind you don’t need full elaborate meals every night, and leftovers count, and then cooking on Sunday as much as you can for the coming week. Also, a grocery app is very useful (I use AnyList and all family members have access), or at least a pad of paper to live in the kitchen so you can keep a running list as things get low or run out. Then pick one day to do your shopping. I like Thursday to have things on hand for the weekend, and I hate being in a crowded store on the weekends.

I try to have a variety of staples always on hand that can be combined for a meal- protein (chicken, frozen fish, ground beef), carbs (pasta, rice, beans), fats (cheese, olive oil), and veggies (brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini). Once you internalize the basic formula of protein + fat + fiber, it’s easier to build meals off that foundation!
Easy staple meals for us (we usually have at least one of these at least once a week):
Egg roll in a bowl with rice- I use @healthylittlepeach’s recipe from Instagram
White chicken chili- salsa, frozen corn, frozen chicken, canned beans, and broth in a crockpot, served with pimento cheese & tortilla chips
Spaghetti with chickpea noodles & broccoli salad
Pot roast with potatoes and carrots
Pork tenderloin with roasted veggies

Everyone has their system and this is mine: grab a sheet of paper, at the top list Monday through Sunday and jot down what’s going on for the week (we just have a baby so no elaborate after school activities). The idea is to get a sense of what days you won’t have time to cook, won’t want to cook, etc. Below that I write a list of 3-4 things to make for the week. Don’t get too ambitious. You’ll think if something mid-week you’re craving that you could add to the list, or discover leftovers you want to repurpose into another meal. Once you have your menu (ish), make a grocery list on a separate paper/in your notes app/however you prefer. Now back to the sheet with the weeks events and the menu – make a spot for groceries so you can jot it down when you think of/run out of something. I also like to put a short list of frogs to eat (tasks I’ve been avoiding) that I need to do during the week and if I’m really bold I’ll make a short list of things in the fridge/freezer/pantry to use up.

I would love a post about this. Just had my first kid and like seriously, what do oriole even eat??? Always shopping. Money always spent on food. But like… never anything to make or have??

I usually prep two soups each week (BudgetBytes has super affordable and delish recipes), a bean/rice meal with roasted veg, a large veg salad with white marinated beans, and then random others like bruschetta with “meatless” balls in sauce, tacos or burritos with loads of pico, sauteed onions and peppers, or baked potatoes with roasted broccoli and vegan “cheese” sauce, or an easy go-to of tomato, onion, and cuke salad along with Angela Liddon’s chickpea salad – easy to prep in advance.

I have index cards of about 40 vegan meals that I make, and cycle through them based on what I have on hand, but we have faves and some are made every other week. I have about eight soups that are rotated that are top-notch and that keeps it affordable, too. Our grandkids love soups, so that’s an easy choice when we have them, but I have a bag of Impossible nuggets in the freezer if a kid is not feeling it that day. Use up all the leftovers is our guiding principle. My husband is a gem – he loves leftovers for lunches and through our working careers we always brought our lunch in vs. buying it, saving us so much. (We each stashed a few shelf stable meals in our desks because there’s always mornings when you forget or don’t pack it up in time.)

We use anything as a side dish, too. Cut pineapple, apple slices with slivered almonds, carrot sticks and bell pepper hunks with hummus, pickles and olives, even a bowl of grapes. Fruit always seems to go.

Looking forward to reading others’ go-to meals for ideas! I enjoy trying to make tasty meals from what’s available, and love new options!

Random bowl…Brussel sprouts or cauliflower and Parmesan cheese here.

3 words:
Breakfast For Dinner

2 words:
Subscription Service
; D

Yes, Crys – Brinner for the win!

Oh my goodness YES – same!! I’m so over it.

This.