Following a weekly meal plan is the best way to cook healthier for your family, and save time and money! Each week I share six simple, healthy, and family-friendly recipes to help you simplify feeding your family.
It’s been months since I’ve been on here and honestly, I have no good reason why I’ve been absent. For the most part, I think it stems from my frustration with social media and trying to navigate how I have a presence on the blog without having to have as much of a presence on social. Don’t get me wrong, I love sharing pictures on Insta and seeing everyone’s posts and honestly I appreciate a good find every now and then but the constant consumerism and need to push your audience to purchase something every minute just sucked the joy out of it for me.
I wasn’t super thrilled with the direction DWTD was heading a year or two ago but I wasn’t sure how to be at peace with letting go of the need to grow my following, and make money, i.e. be a successful blogger. But success is measured in many ways and stepping away helped me realize any joy I felt from blogging didn’t come from a paycheck or watching my Insta numbers tick up rather it stemmed from hearing from you saying DWTD helped you in some small way.
All of this is to say I’m back but in a toned-down way. I probably won’t be sharing a grocery list each week because honestly, it takes way too much of my time. From here on out it will be six recipes, the why of why I’m sharing with little tips and tricks sandwiched in. There won’t be as many photos either because Lord in heaven trying to get a post-able photo takes so much time it’s embarrassing.
I’m not sure if anyone is still subscribed but if you are reading this, thanks for hanging in there. I hope DWTD can still be a good resource for you and would love your feedback. Y’all are the best. – Kelly
Meal Plan 9/3 – 9/8
Sunday, September 3rd | Chicken Bog | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Lowcountry chicken bog is one of those Southern rice and meat dishes very similar to perloo. It’s mild and pretty basic so it’s a great family-friendly option. The directions instruct you to roast the chicken first so if you do have picky eaters, they can eat plain, roasted chicken. Patrick actually suggested we make bog this weekend to kick off College football and the somewhat cooler weather. It’s a great lazy weekend dish!
Monday, September 4th | Labor Day Pizza Bar | There’s no need for me to provide a recipe for cooking hamburgers and hotdogs so I’ll throw out an idea if you are looking to go in a different direction. Toss your pizza dough on the grill for that traditional Labor Day grilling feeling!
Tuesday, September 5th | Italian Chicken Sausage Quinoa Casserole | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | This is a dump-and-bake, one-pan recipe that’s totally customizable. The prep time is fifteen minutes. Chicken sausage bakes with uncooked quinoa, kale, and sundried tomatoes. If kale isn’t your bag, sub spinach or leave it out altogether. Make sure to finally chop the sundried tomatoes!
Wednesday, September 6th | Ginger Lime Pork with Coconut Rice | Total Time: 30 minutes | This doesn’t read family-friendly but oh how it is. Ground pork is cooked with lime juice, brown sugar, and a hint of spice (which you can omit) creating a salty-sweet concoction everyone will love. And the coconut rice is heavenly. Serve with some simple veggies and call it.
Thursday, September 7th | Thai Gai Yang Chicken | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Don’t sleep on this recipe and don’t freak by the time – twelve minutes of prep and 8 minutes to cook but you do need to marinade this one. Most of the flavors are similar to the ginger lime pork with just a few changes but man the flavor is BANANAS!!!! Picky eater tip – Just grill plain chicken for the kiddos and serve with a side of rice and some veggies.
Friday, September 8th | One Pot Pork Ragu with Orzo | Total Time: 30 minutes | These days my family spends our Friday evenings at the football field so I might end up making this dish on Saturday but regardless, it’s a great one to have on hand. It actually calls for a bit of spice but you can omit it without affecting the overall flavor!
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