What’s for dinner? Well, you know the answer. Check the front of my refrigerator and you’ll see what we’re having for the upcoming week. Then, once a month I share it here. Is it getting old reading about what we’re eating? It must. I’m tired of writing about it. After 12-months of sharing our weekly meal plans and then shortening it to sharing it monthly for 12-months, it’s time to take a break from sharing. This will be the last meal plan post for a bit. That doesn’t mean I won’t be meal planning….
I’ll still be meal planning every single week! It’s the biggest saver – money, resources, and time – in our food budget. And, since we eat 363/365 dinners at home, we’re planning a lot of meals. If we have a plan, we eat healthier at home. My meal plan also helps me keep track of what night my kids are cooking a dinner – and cleaning up! Looking for more ideas? Check out these Easy, Healthy Meal Plans.
Monthly Meal Plan
Meal planning saves money, minimizes food waste, and ensures healthy, home cooked meals for the upcoming week. Meal planning is my frame work or agenda of what home cooked meals we’re going to have for the upcoming week. It only takes about 10 minutes to meal plan and involves a quick view of the week ahead and checking to see what staples I already have at home in the refrigerator, in the pantry, and the freezer. Once the meal plan is made, then I make a grocery list of what items are needed.
Weekly meal plan from Monday, March 3, 2014 to Sunday, March 9, 2014
Monday: Ratatouille (leftovers) and green salad with homemade dressing
Tuesday: Pan seared thin pork chops, farro and green salad
Wednesday: Spaghetti with sauteed tomatoes, zucchini and basil (my son made dinner this night)
Thursday: Pan seared salmon burgers and green salad
Friday: Bean and cheese burritos with fresh salsa
Saturday: Seafood with potatoes and asparagus Sushi night out for the parents!
Sunday: Fettuccine with garlic and Parmesan puree served with green salad (my daughter made dinner this night)
Weekly meal plan from Monday, March 10, 2014 to Sunday, March 16, 2014
Monday: Pasta with garlic puree (leftovers) and green salad asparagus
Tuesday: Pan seared salmon served with oven roasted potatoes and asparagus
Wednesday: Scrambled eggs, leftover potatoes and vegetables
Thursday: Pinto beans, brown rice and fresh salsa
Friday: Mexican “lasagna” (no meat) from the freezer
Saturday: Slow cooker pork roast and roasted root vegetables
Sunday: Soft tacos filled with leftover pork roast, sauteed peppers and onions and fresh salsa
Weekly meal plan from Monday, March 17, 2014 to Sunday, March 23, 2014
Monday: Sauteed cabbage and carrots Brown rice, cole slaw and leftover pork roast
Tuesday: Shrimp scampi and green salad baby kale
Wednesday: Pan seared fish with cous cous and roasted cauliflower Shrimp scampi leftovers with kale and carrot salad
Thursday: Pan seared fish with cous cous and roasted cauliflower
Friday: Vegetarian chili with cornbread
Saturday: “Meat” loaf and arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette
Sunday: Pork chops, kamut and green salad
Weekly meal plan from Monday, March 24, 2014 to Sunday, March 30, 2014
Monday: Pan grilled, herb chicken sandwiches (traveling on spring break)
Tuesday: Green salad, sunflower seeds, salami, crackers and cheese (traveling on spring break)
Wednesday: Vegetarian chili from the freezer
Thursday: Egg in the basket with bacon bits and fruit smoothies
Friday: Fish, grain, vegetable Leftover vegetarian chili
Saturday: Spaghetti with meatballs and green salad (my daughter made dinner this night)
Sunday: Fish, grain, vegetable (my son made dinner this night)
Weekly meal plan from Monday, March 31, 2014 to Sunday, April 6, 2014
Monday: Pizza with mushrooms, onions, artichokes and spinach (and of course cheese)
Tuesday: Asian riblets, brown rice Asian noodles and cabbage salad
Wednesday: Burritos with beans with freezer Mexican pork and cheese
Thursday: Egg in the basket Burritos with brown rice, beans and Mexican pork
Friday: Fish, grain, bread Sauteed mussels, cabbage, onions served over pasta with salad
Saturday: Roasted chicken, kamut and salad Leftover sauteed mussels and pasta
Sunday: Roasted chicken, kamut and salad
Weekly meal plan from Monday, April 7, 2014 to Sunday, April 14, 2014
Monday: Leftover roasted chicken, kamut and sale vegetable (cauliflower – I think!)
Tuesday: Pasta with mushrooms, ground pork and broth with green salad
Wednesday: Pinto beans, brown rice and fresh salsa Leftover pasta and pork
Thursday: Eggs? Leftovers? Egg, cheese and Canadian bacon sandwiches
Friday: Pan seared salmon, kamut and green salad
Saturday: Grilled flank steak, cole slaw and biscuits (my son made dinner this night)
Sunday: Tacos with leftover flank steak, beans, cole slaw, avocado and fresh salsa (my daughter made dinner this night)
Here’s a video of how I meal plan. Don’t forget ~ you can subscribe to my YouTube channel.
What’s for dinner at your house this week?
Go Gingham related links:
Pumpkin and squash soup – it’s easy and delicious!
Lentils and pork – lentils are similar to beans but there’s no soaking
After school snacks that involve beans – and no small packages
How our freezer gets used – what I keep in our freezer and how I utilize the space
More meal plan ideas are here
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.
Go Gingham 
I do understand about taking a break from posting your meal plan. It must be daunting to write down every dinner, plus any change. As long as I can access past meal plans, that’s fine.
Re: this past week’s organization project. I think I am ahead on this one. I had a lifestyle change several years go, and let go of all but four handbags. I have 1 leather, 2 fabric, and 1 large microfiber. The microfiber I use while traveling. I need room for items that are temperature sensitive and should not go in the car trunk.
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Karen, you are so good about getting rid of stuff and fewer items. I’m so impressed.
The meal plans may be back next year – after I’m done with the home organization weekly project! Thanks, Karen 🙂
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On your meal plan I noticed you went out for sushi. I make my own version of a California roll(I used smoked salmon instead of raw). The trick is to roll them tightly using a damp kitchen towel(since I don’t own the fancy bamboo mat). They turned out great!
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Kelly, great idea! Sushi is the only dinner we go out for – and it’s awesome! I’d love to make it more often at home and I have the bamboo rolls so there’s no excuse. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
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