Following a weekly meal plan is the best way to cook healthier for your family, save time and money! Each week I share six simple, healthy & family friendly recipes to help you simplify feeding your families!
When Patrick and I purchased our home over fifteen years ago we had no idea we would befriend neighbors who would become our second family nor did we expect to adopt their Memorial Day tradition of going camping. Prior to meeting the neighborhood crew I had never even stepped foot into a tent let alone slept in one on a remote island with the only amenity being soft sand. I honestly have no idea how they convinced me to commit to going that first year but I’m so glad they did because it’s my favorite weekend of the entire year! I get to spend two whole days with some of the most wonderful people on the planet beaching, eating, playing kickball and singing around a campfire. The kids eat 8000 bags of potato chips, drink their weight in Gatorade, roast marshmallows and hunt for ghost crabs until well past sunset. There are no tv’s, tablets or distractions – just twenty friends sitting on a beach without a care in the world. It’s Memorial Day Magic.
I have a feeling I’m going to get a ton of questions asking what we pack, what we eat, where we shower etc. so I’ll do a camp post next week and share all of my “must haves” for camping with kids. Until then, I hope all of you have a wonderful Memorial Day with your families and a great week of meal planning!
Meal Plan Week of 5/30 – 6/4
Sunday, May 30th | Pizza Bar | Total Time: 45 minutes | Believe it or not, the camping crew will gather Sunday evening to break bread together for the fifteenth time. I snagged a few boxes of DePalo’s frozen pizza dough crusts ($3.99 for two) and will pull them out to thaw as soon as we get home Sunday. Everyone can contribute a topping or two which makes for an easy and inexpensive crowd pleaser!
Monday, May 31st | Grilled Shrimp, Chicken Breast and Tomato Pie | We eat a lot of hamburgers, hotdogs and BBQ while camping so I’m going in a different direction for Memorial Day. There is nothing better than a southern tomato pie paired with something fresh off the grill. I marinate my shrimp and chicken breasts in Italian Seasoning then toss them straight onto the grill. MEAL PREP: Cook additional shrimp & chicken for weekday salads!
Tuesday, June 1st | Lemon Parmesan Crusted Salmon | Total Time: 21 minutes | Even your non-salmon lovers might give this one a try. I love the idea of serving with a side of simple pasta for the kids!
Wednesday, June 2nd | Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas with Goat Cheese and Pesto | Total Time: 30 minutes | I know your kids probably will not eat a veggie & goat cheese quesadilla so this is me reminding you to make sure you have some kid friendly cheese and a rotisserie chicken on hand to build them a kid approved one. I LOVE this recipe so much. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand and you can absolutely roast or sauté the veggies instead of grilling.
Thursday, June 3rd | Italian Chicken Sausage Quinoa Casserole | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Almost all of the time devoted to this recipe takes place in the oven which I love for a weeknight recipe. KID TIP: Deconstruct it. Serve some plain chicken sausage, with a side of the quinoa mix and some raw veggies.
Friday, June 4th | Greek Chicken Chopped Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette | Total Time: 45 minutes | Ending the week on a healthy note with this yummy salad. Meal Prep: marinate additional chicken, cook then freeze to use for weekday lunches/dinners.
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