A Simple and Healthy Meal Plan for Busy Moms

We value time for family dinners, together. To ensure we eat healthy and sit down as a family, I create a weekly meal plan. A meal plan saves time and money 

Every Sunday, I build a meal plan and prep ingredients from my arsenal of simple healthy recipes. The recipes are organized and searchable in Evernote. I like the ones that turn into several meals and create leftovers for lunch. Here’s how.

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Grab my FREE Meal Planning Template +5 Weeknight Meals HERE.

Mom! What’s for dinner?

Now, you have an answer.

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Use Existing Inventory

First, check the fridge and freezer for proteins on hand. Veggies? Are there any likely to spoil soon? I clean and cut fruits and vegetables. Make muffins from overripe bananas. Defrost meat. And I also keep a stash of frozen veggies for a quick side dish.

 

With a little prep work, veggies are ready for snacking, steaming, or sautéing. Spinach and romaine on hand for smoothies and salads. Snacks pre-portioned into containers for lunches. 

Not only does this advanced prep help get lunch and dinner on the table easily, but it also keeps my fridge neat and clean. And a bonus – less wasted food!

Monday and Tuesday

I often start the week with a whole roast chicken. The good news, there are several options for this. You can pick up a rotisserie chicken (or two) at the store or my favorite recipe is here. It reminds me of dinner at grandma’s house. 

This whole chicken leads to additional meals such as this family favorite, Enchilada Casserole. You can bake this casserole ahead of time. Why not make two meals, and clean the kitchen once? On Tuesday, it just needs to be re-heated. Batch cooking saves time and effort.

While I’m at it, I use the Crockpot and chicken carcass to make homemade chicken stock. Yes, I’m starting to sound a little bit like Martha Stewart which is hysterical because…

I-CANNOT-COOK

But…Google is my friend and we make great meals together. This proves, that if I can do it, anyone can. Throw in 1 chopped/peeled onion, 1 rib of celery, 1 unpeeled carrot, 1 bay leaf, salt/pepper, and thyme. If you’re missing any of these items,  make it anyhow. They are not critical according to the chef. Fill the Crockpot with water, leave a 1/2 inch at the top, and set it to low overnight. Cool and portion in the morning. I freeze mine in 2 or 4 cup servings. Canning grade mason jars work great. If you don’t have a Crockpot, borrow one. I prefer the 3-quart size. It handles all my recipes and is easy to store.

Wednesday

Mid-week is a busy time for us. Family dinners don’t have to be fancy. Not every meal must be served on a big plate. 

I’m a realist about family dinners. The goal is to sit down, eat a meal together, and connect through conversation. 

My go-to mid-week meal is soup and grilled sandwiches. The base for many soups is chicken stock which I made the night before. See how this meal plan comes together?

I love smoky corn chowder and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Best of all, this meal doesn’t require advanced planning. Lunch meat and cheese are already on hand for lunches. And a few basic ingredients to whip up corn chowder.  It’s also perfectly acceptable to grab a can of soup at the store, but making this literally soup is faster than running to the store. Borrow ingredients from my neighbor if you must.

Create your own Meal Plan with my FREE Template HERE.

Thursday

OK, so I’m in the homestretch of the week. And if I’ve done the quantities right, we have leftovers. And everybody’s enjoying soup or enchilada casserole for lunch.

Another staple in our freezer is ground beef. You can portion a club pack into 1 pound servings which coincide with most recipes. The options are endless for simple meals. Here’s just a few:

• Nachos, Tacos, or this delicious taco-skillet dish (Horray for one pan!)
• Noodle Goop (Another one-pot meal)
• Meatloaf and Mac N Cheese 

I keep a close eye on the fridge and pantry before I decide how to use the ground beef.

What items do I have on hand?

Can I make substitutions and avoid the store?

Using up existing inventory in your fridge, freezer and pantry is the quickest way to organize and declutter the kitchen.  Food is a common clutter culprit. When the pantry is full, we resolve to not grocery shop for 2 weeks. My current record is 35 days. 

Friday

It’s finally the weekend! Time for Pizza Friday. I make these delicious and easy recipes for sauce and dough in the morning. You can create two pizzas with whatever we have on hand. (Mozzarella, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, pepperoni, sausage, ham, olives, mushrooms, etc.) The dough makes at 2-3 crusts so you can serve a cheese-only version for picky eaters.

What are your favorite simple recipes?

How do you meal plan? I’d love to hear from you!

Would you like to follow my Meal Plan template? Download it below👇