Typically I’m a creature of habit, but when it comes to meals during the week I try to change it up and I’ve found that in order to eat well during the week, I have to have it planned out. Our life is busy, I’m sure yours is too. If I didn’t plan out the meals for the week, I’m pretty sure our schedule would cause us to have chips and ice cream for dinner as the regular.
I don’t have hours to prep and make meals and we live on a tight budget, so all of the meals listed below are quick and inexpensive. The benefit for us is our grass-fed beef farm which makes beef easy to use, however, I believe everyone will find this list affordable, quick and delicious.
When planning my shopping list for the week I always start with what meals I want and build my list from those meals. Pinterest is my best friend for finding the meals you can follow my food boards, I think I’m constantly adding new things – thanks to other’s creativity https://www.pinterest.com/tstew377/
This next week we will be having:
- Monday: Quinoa Sausage and Roasted Veggies
- Tuesday: Burgers – something quick because we have youth church night so we need to eat and run. But burgers don’t have to be boring – follow my Pinterest board, I am always trying to find new ways to make great burgers (like peanut butter and jelly burger.. yeah, I’m not kidding)
- Wednesday: Taco Soup – we are blended family and Wednesdays are the first night we are all together and we all love tacos – so I make something taco related – this week it’s soup sometimes it’s pizza or taco bakes…
- Thursday: Ravioli and broccoli bake. I’m going to win this – Frozen ravioli, broccoli, shredded cheese, sausage, and some parm cheese. Thursdays are also busy with basketball practice and a million other things this meal is great for a make-ahead option.
- Friday: Baked butternut squash Hash
- Saturday: Steak or pizza – haven’t quite decided yet. Being that we raise grass-fed beef steak is an easy option for us – if you’re local and looking for grass-fed – please contact us. www.stewartgrassfedbeef.com or find us on Facebook.
- Sunday: another undecided meal – My daughter has a basketball tournament and cooking after that is on the bottom of my list so this might be an eat out night.
- For lunch, my husband takes leftovers or I like to make pumpkin chili this time of year. I have been working on getting more greens and whole foods in my diet so I’ve been having smoothies for lunch.
Now for the quick and easy shopping list
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Avocado
- Sweet Potatoes
- Apples
- Butternut Squash
- Green Peppers
- Salami (this with cream cheese and green peppers is my favorite snack right now)
- Bacon
- Eggs
- Cream Cheese
- Yogurt & looking for a good dairy free yogurt
- Frozen veggie mix
- Frozen broccoli
- Frozen Kale
- Frozen Cauliflower Rice
- Green Beans
- Cranberries – frozen
- Frozen spinach
- Ravioli
- Pizza/cheese fries for the kids
- Coconut Milk
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Tomato Soup
- Chicken Broth
- Black Olives
- Corn
- Black Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Diced Chilis
- Bread (Ezekial)
- 100% Peanut butter – usually crazy Richard
This gets us through the week with lunches and dinners, plus snacks along the way. Most of the choices are organic or the healthiest and most affordable options I can find. My shopping list is set up for where I shop so it only takes me about 30 minutes to shop and get back to my car – time is very valuable, the more efficient I can be the better 🙂
