When the first month of the year hits, we are slammed with all the goals. I am definitely not a hater on it, either. I love a good reset, and January feels like a super long month when you aren’t working towards something. One thing that I have always kind of had the hang of is meal planning!
I have been making a weekly meal plan for years. I may not always stick to it, and have to veer off schedule from time to time, but having a few dinners set and ready to go in the fridge drastically reduces our take out budget. And let’s face it, even some “less healthy” meals made at home are worlds better than quick and dirty from some restaurant.
Are you following me over on Pinterest? I am always searching for inspiration from recipes to outfit ideas and home decor!
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Top Four Meal Plan Tips
- Shop your fridge first. It is not secret that I LOATHE going to the grocery store. It doesn’t matter what store I shop at, there is just something I hate about the supermarket. So, I go through my fridge and freezer to see what I may have forgotten or skipped cooking the week before and try to make a mental note of the ingredients I already have on hand.
- Keep your schedule in mind. If you have a super busy day, a late meeting or soccer on a Tuesday night, you most likely are not going to be up for cooking a roast chicken with all the fixings. Plan your quick and easy or crockpot meals on these days!
- Choose one new recipe. Make something interesting that you have been eyeing for a while over on Pinterest or your favorite food blogger’s site. It is great to have your go to recipes, but if you are excited to cook a new recipe, you will be that much more inclined to actually cook dinner!
- Make enough for leftovers. This will save you a lot of cooking in the long run. From easy, re heatable lunches to having a scrounge night at the end of the week. Less cooking = less dishes = more Netflix.
Weekly Meal Plan
I like to keep things a little bit flexible. I may have an extra meal on the list or plan for a treat or special breakfast recipe that I want to try out. I am keeping things super easy this week, simply because I have been feeling a bit lazy!
Lasagna Soup
This recipe from A Farmgirl Dabbles is a must make. It is so flavorful, warms the belly on the coldest of days and is always a crowd pleaser. I make this all the time when we have friends over for games during the winter months.
Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken
I literally have every single thing to make this easy chicken recipe from Life Made Sweeter. I LOVE my Instant Pot and couldn’t do weekday dinners without it.
Korean Beef Bowls
Jessica over at How Sweet Eats has been one of my favorite food bloggers for years and years. When her book, The Pretty Dish, came out last year, I was more excited than a normal person should be. This recipe first showed up in The Pretty Dish, and it has been in rotation in our house ever since. I love using Cauliflower “Fried Rice” from Trader Joe’s instead of traditional rice to get some extra veggies in.
Quick Chicken Quesadillas
I am just going to use the chicken from the night before to build a quick, weeknight Mexican meal. A quick batch of Cuban black beans in the Instant Pot, sliced avocado, diced tomatoes and a huge bunch of cilantro will make a super tasty and fast (ok, lazy) meal.
Plush Coconut Cake
Deb, the genius creator of Smitten Kitchen and fellow East Village mama, made this on her Instagram Stories this morning. As soon as she started sharing, I knew I needed to make it! Thankfully, we are having friends on Saturday night, so I’ve got a good excuse!
And that is it! All of the recipes can be made in well under 30 minutes, except for the lasagna soup and the coconut cake. Minimal ingredients, mostly one pot/pan meals and yummy, fresh food that even Marcus will eat are usually all I need to stay on track and get dinner made. Keep things simple! You don’t have to overthink dinner time to make it a tasty, family affair.
What are you making for dinner this week?
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