So often, I hear Mamas say they struggle with meal planning and cooking for the family. Cooking for the family is no easy task! I spend an embarrassing amount of time watching food shows, looking at on-line recipes, flipping through cookbooks, and making grocery lists. You want dinner to be healthy, to taste good, for everyone to eat it (happily). Preparation should be quick, easy, and inexpensive. You consider pesticides, additives, degree of processing, sustainability, and the never-ending list continues.
Every two or three days, I make a dinner plan for the upcoming days. I look up recipes according to the ingredients I have on hand and what my personal cravings are at the moment. I consider hubby and kid’s favorites, how often I have made the dishes in the recent past, and what produce is in season. If I am stumped, I refer to my running list of “Cooking For the Family Ideas” in my iPhone notes. These notes list meals I have made in the past that were worth keeping. When cooking for the family, if a recipe “makes the cut,” it will earn a place in my recipe notes.
Neither my mother nor sister follow recipes. I need the foundation of a recipe, although I often stray. There are over 150 recipes in my recipe box, many of which I’ve made countless times. I always refer to my recipes, as I have little faith in my memory. Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen, only to have an unfortunate outcome?
Here you have it, Mamas! Week one meal plan:
Seven Day “Cooking For the Family” Meal Plan:
Monday Baked Potato Bar
Baked potatoes with loads of optional toppings couldn’t be more versatile for adventurous and picky eaters! The potato skins of the russet potatoes in this recipe provide a good source of potassium and magnesium. Try this recipe from Food Network for the crispiest skin.
Baked Potato Toppings
- roasted or sautéed mixed vegetables: broccoli florets, butternut squash, zucchini, eggplant, mixed mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic
- bacon bits or plant-based crumbled “bacon”
- fresh cubed avocado
- caramelized onions
- candied jalapenos
- low-fat cheeses: mozzarella, queso, fiesta blend, goat’s cheese, pepper jack
- low-fat sour cream
- chives, micro greens, arugula
This is a great time to clean out the fridge. Use bits of leftover vegetables and cheeses that are still in date but, lingering in the fridge.
Tuesday Minestrone click for recipe
If the chopping overwhelms you, buy pre-chopped vegetables.
Soups are a great way to get vegetables into family meals. Eating a variety of vegetables provides an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that boost the immune system and prevent future health problems. *Hint: if you think there’s too much garlic, add more! Trust me!
Wednesday Personal Pizzas
Buy pre-rolled pizza dough from Publix (you’re welcome, Publix). I make 2-3 pizzas for my family of 5. If you have a family of 4, you can do half and half to each individuals’s liking. I like a roasted veg pizza topped with glob’s of goat’s cheese at the end, or sliced zucchini topped with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and fresh oregano. Another favorite, sliced butternut squash, roasted and topped with a drizzle of browned butter and sage. Sometimes I sauté a mix of gourmet mushrooms and top with dollops of ricotta and thyme at the end. I always make a margarita pizza with thinly sliced tomatoes, low-moisture mozzarella, loads of pepper and fresh basil. Buy a good quality olive oil (click link) to drizzle over the top of your pizzas before serving. Uncooked olive oil retains its anti-inflammatory health benefits.
Maybe some grilled peaches sprinkled with cinnamon, cardamom, a touch of black pepper, and drizzled with honey for dessert?
“Eaten together, these data strongly suggest that black pepper and cardamom have the potential to markedly enhance the anticancer activity of natural killer cells.” Natural killer cells are part of our immune system’s rapid-response team against cancer cells, taking them out through the activation of cancer cell suicide via “death receptors.” nutritionfacts.org
Thursday Leftovers because you need a break
If there are no leftovers, your dinners have been a massive success and it’s a good night for kid’s choice: popcorn (a whole grain) with cheesy nutritional yeast, sandwiches, or frozen fruit and low-fat yogurt smoothies…
“nutritional yeast, called “beta-glucans…[which] are considered immunomodulatory compounds suggested to enhance the defense against infections” and, potentially, cancer.“ nutritionfacts.org
Friday Rotisserie Chicken & Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic, and Creamy Cucumber Salad
You can roast your own chicken, exceeding your taste bud’s expectations, however buying one is most often too easy to pass. Sam’s club sells my favorite rotisserie, as they inject the bird with seasoning, providing flavor throughout.
Prep mashed potatoes a day ahead, if desired and reheat them the next day in a double boiler. To save time, purchase store-bought mashed potatoes. Check the ingredient list before purchasing; the fewer ingredients, the better! If you don’t recognize ingredients on the list, it may be best to put them back on the shelf.
A cheap mandolin (click link) is your best friend when it comes to slicing cucumbers and onions, potatoes, or any food you want consistent or very thin in size. Use a food processor (click link) or a Salad Shooter (click link) as alternatives. These are helpful tools to have in the kitchen that make speedy work of chopping, grating, and slicing.
Saturday Coconut Curry Lentil Soup click for recipe
Lentils scavenge free radicals that cause cancer. They promote heart health, preventing heart disease better than any other bean/legume. The fiber and plant starch in lentils slow gastric emptying which help keep you fuller longer. Lentils also help crowd out the bad bacteria in your gut.
Sunday Pasta Shells with Fresh Corn & Basil click for recipe
Corn remains in season in Florida this month, due to the near-tropical climate. If you don’t live in Florida, you can still buy fresh corn year-round! Sweet corn can be purchased frozen for this recipe and will be delicious! I promise!
If this meal plan feels overwhelming, choose your favorites and make extra; you can have 1 cooked meal with leftovers the following day and only cook 3 or 4 nights a week.
Let me know how your family likes these recipes and what you would change, add. or eliminate. I love your feedback!!
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups cucumbers (peeling optional), thinly sliced
- 1 cup red onions, sliced paper thin
- 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh dill
- 1 tsp coconut or granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, vinegar, dill, sugar, salt, and garlic powder.
- Add cucumbers and onions and toss to coat. Chill before serving.
Thank you for all these great ideas!! I love the nutritional tips that are mixed in. Chopping does overwhelm me sometimes so it’s nice that you thought of ways to make it easier. Can’t wait to try!!