Hello again! It’s been a long while since I’ve posted our meal plans here. My family-time absence aside, it’s something I’ve struggled with the last few months for one reason alone. During the summer months, our family runs to a different tune than the rest of the year. I found that when I make monthly meal plans for the summer, we never stick to them. I do a lot better throughout the summer when I plan our meals weekly based on what’s fresh and in season, as well as what’s going on with the weather. Sometimes it’s really hot, and other times, like this summer, it’s so cool and rainy it’s like an extended spring.
Last month was the first month in a while that I made a monthly meal plan. {You can check out how I plan our meals each month here}. It was so nice to not have to worry about coming up with meals while we were all sick and running around for soccer practices and games. If you’re struggling on what to eat this month, hopefully this will give you some inspiration on some meals to add to your October meal plan!
But before I get to what are eating this month, here’s what I take into consideration when I plan our meals.
I plan only our dinners. Unless it’s noted, sides consist of a fruit or veggie, possibly a grain, and is based on what I have in my fridge and pantry.
We have one big meal each week, and it’s usually a roast. Throughout the rest of the week I use the leftovers as ingredients for the week’s remaining meals. For instance, a roast beef then becomes ingredients for beef stroganoff, beef quesadillas, and so on.
Breakfasts are usually oatmeal, cereal, toast or bagel with peanut butter and fruit, cottage cheese and fruit, or yogurt with granola. It may seem limited and boring, but keeping breakfast choices as simple as possible makes it much easier on our hectic morning routine. Hubs is out the door at 6:30 and the boys are on the bus at 6:50. I am trying to get better at baking a quick bread or muffins for fast meals in the mornings as well.
Lunches are packed each day for Hubs and the kids, while I currently eat at home. Lunches are either sandwiches, salads, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, or leftovers as the main course. It’s served with a fruit/veg, yogurt or cheese, a drink and a “treat” {gummies, chips, etc}. Snacks, such as crackers and Nilla cookies, are also divided out at home and sent to school in snack containers.
I don’t stock pile shop, but we do plan our meals from what we have on hand. I also like to combine meals with similar ingredients to help stretch our budget and reduce food waste.
During the summer and fall, I preserve what I am able to grow and get cheap from local you-pick farms and farmer’s markets. It helps me keep what we eat fresh and local, but also limits our preservative and additive intake {I have a preservative allergy and my middle gets migraines with certain food additives}.
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Roast Beef
Beef Stroganoff
Meatloaf & Roasted Root Veggies x2
Chicken & Rice Soup
Chicken Enchiladas
Apple Butter Pancakes & Frittata
Carrot Squash Soup & Grilled Cheese
Salisbury Steak
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Chicken Chili
Tuna Burgers & Fries
Pizza x2
Pulled Pork
Cheddar Broccoli Soup x2
Pork Quesadillas & Rice
Pork Tacos
Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy & Veg
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Chicken Wild Rice Soup x2
Pierogies
Meatball Subs & Fries
French Toast & Eggs
Shepherd’s Pie
Potato Soup x2
Chicken Sammies & Tater Tots
Free For All
What’s on your meal plan for the month? Are you keeping it simple, or adding in some new meals? Is there a meal that’s a staple each and every month? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
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