I know there are countless resources online on the subject of meal planning but since this is a Tick off the List Home Service, here’s some inspiration from yours truly to a stress free dinner at the top of the week. Oh Mondays always seem to come so fast that one forgets to plan dinner which was always the case in our household but then a few years ago, we decided to bring back the traditional Sunday Dinner ~ well sort of. In a nutshell, we put on a roast & some veggie sides or make a big pot of soup & biscuits, even a curry that makes plenty for delicious leftovers. We shop the grocery flyers and stock the freezer so we can pull out something we’re craving. Ina Garten’s Lemon Roast Chicken is a recent recipe I’ve tried and all I can say is YUM! This Meatloaf recipe from The Wholesome Dish was well received, Swiss Steak and/or Chicken Stew are also some of our Go To’s. Monday Dinner is solved!
If you’re looking for a one bowl easy peezy Dessert, check out this super moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting recipe Cucina by Elena. I’ll be making this one again!
My husband, Mark, makes his own beef burgers so when we see Beef Blade or Chuck on sale, he’ll grind the meat then make & freeze patties for burgers so that’s a weekly hit. The other day he made some pizza dough so any extra dough will be wrapped for the freezer and a future quick meal. Gone are the days of a good deal on Chicken Breast so we’ve shifted to Chicken Thigh meat which tends to go on sale more frequently. Stock up your freezer and you have a versatile protein you can marinate for the BBQ or the Oven. VH Cooking Sauces & Marinades are fantastic and full of flavour options with rice & salad and you’ve got dins in an hour. We also buy frozen chicken strips which are nicely portioned to make Chicken Caesar Wraps in a pinch.
While summer is off to a slow start, there is an abundance of fresh veggies, bread, pastries, and much more meal planning inspiration at Sechelt Farmers’ and Artisans Market and/or check out farms in your local area that would welcome your support. As Mumsy used to say, it always tastes better when someone else makes it!
Keeping track of what’s in your freezer & pantry, maintaining an organized kitchen along with setting a weekly meal plan will help you save money at the grocery store ~ maybe I can help get you started.
~ Niki | niki@tickoffthelist.ca