I always rave on about how good meal planning is in terms of saving time and money. However, they are also a great way to ensure you have a balanced diet. They really are so beneficial. I like to mix up the weekly meal plans with some from the community. Tracy kindly shared this meal plan on the blog and I thought it was great. Of course, I don’t have the exact recipes Tracy used, so I included some recipes from my blog and also other websites for your convenience.
MEAL PLANNING TIP
Each week I am going to share one meal planning/grocery budget tip to help you through this process.
Reduce your waste – Develop a pattern in your meal plan to help prevent less food waste, eating the fresh fruit, vegetables and meat at the beginning of the week and frozen items such as frozen fish, vegetables, left overs at the end the week. Make meals at the end of the week to use up any food you have left over in the fridge. These frittata bites are one of my favourite ways to use up extra vegetables.
Find more of my meal planning tips here:
MONDAY
Steak & Vegetables – Steak and veggies is an easy meal to make throughout the week. I like to put my steak on the BBQ. I like to eat salad with my steak, but I think veggies is a better option in the colder months.
RECIPE: Barbecued Steak and Vegetables
TUESDAY
Chicken & Vegetable Casserole – This is sure to warm you during the colder months. You can serve it with whatever your heart desires – rice, noodles, quinoa, bread, etc.
RECIPE: Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
WEDNESDAY
Sar Hor Fun – I had never heard of Sar Hor Fun but it is a Malaysian dish using rice noodles. I struggled to find many recipes on this one so instead, I have included one of my own noodle recipes.
RECIPE: Beef Chow Mein with Noodles
THURSDAY
Pasta Bolognese – Once again, another great during-the-week meal. I love making my sauce packed full of vegetables, the kids don’t even notice it. I’ve put below my bolognese sauce recipe.
RECIPE: Bolognese Sauce with Hidden Vegetables
FRIDAY
‘Fend for Yourself Friday’ – I love Tracy’s idea: ‘Fend for Yourself Friday’, hilarious. I have included a recipe for Mexican chicken enchiladas. An easy and delicious meal to end the week (and who doesn’t love Mexican?)
RECIPE: Mexican Chicken Enchiladas
SATURDAY
Quiche & Veg – I used this to make some quiches for the kids for school the next day (puff pastry into greased muffin tin, added some diced ham and shredded cheese, topped with custard and cooked in 180C oven for 20 min or until golden). It’s also good for dinners.
RECIPE: Salmon and Spinach Quiche
SUNDAY
Potato & Leek Soup with bread – A small cup of soup is enough for me, although a bowl and some crusty bread is a meal for the family. This Potato and Leek Soup is a delicious winter soup and easy weeknight meal.
RECIPE: Potato and Leek Soup
BAKING
Zucchini Chocolate Brownies – Tracy didn’t include a baking option in her meal plan so I thought I’d add one in for you. These are incredible moist and delicious and the kids can’t even notice the sneaky zucchini in there.
RECIPE: Zucchini Chocolate Brownies
5 comments
Meal Plan:
Mon: Gnocchi w passata, spinach & olives
Tues: Chicken, Hummus and Veg Bake
Wed: Cauliflower soup
Thurs: Fried Rice
Fri: Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips
Sat: One Pot Tuna, Quinoa & Vegies
Sun: Bolognese
Ooh yummo can you share your Chicken, Hummus and Veg Bake Susie, it sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing your weekly meal plan 🙂
Hi Katrina – what an exciting little surprise, to pop in and find you’d used ideas from my meal plan! I hope you enjoy it.
This week our family has shrunk dramatically, from 5 to 3, with my girls off housesitting for a precious friend. The true delight for me, is that I only need to cook 3 meals, and then we can cycle back to the beginning and enjoy the leftovers of each meal, from what I’d originally cooked. Joy!
Sunday: Chicken & Dumplings (recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-and-dumplings-72963)
Monday: Chinese Simmering Chicken, stir fried veggies, basmati rice (chicken recipe here: https://www.menus4moms.com/the-chicken-plan-part-3/)
Tuesday: Creamy mushroom & bacon pasta
Wednesday: leftover chicken & dumplings from Sunday
Thursday: leftover Chinese chicken/veg/rice from Monday
Friday: leftover creamy pasta from Tuesday
First time I’ve made it – and it WAS delicious!
Chicken Hummus & Vegetable Bake
6 skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup of hummus
1 cup tasty cheese grated
A punnet of cherry tomatoes
1 zucchini sliced into 1/2 cm rounds
1 red onion cut into wedges
Fresh basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Good quality salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven to 200°C and lightly oil a large baking dish.
Place the chicken thighs flat in the baking dish and spoon some hummus over each one using the back of the spoon to spread it evenly.
Add the cherry tomatoes, zucchini and onion to the dish.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the chicken thighs and garnish each thigh with a basil leaf.
Lightly drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil, then season the whole dish with salt and pepper.
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is golden and blistered.
Serve hot garnished with extra fresh basil leaves. And a green salad, plus maybe some sourdough
I also added other diced veg suitable for roasting – pumpkin, eggplant etc. – y’know – just cleaned out the veg drawer a bit!
Yummm! What a good way to use up vegetables left over from the week. Thanks for sharing Susie, it sounds delish 🙂