2025 Meal Planners!

[Citygirlrurallife]

Here it is - all welcome, long termers and newbies, I imagine this week is leftovers leftovers leftovers and kicking off from Thursday onwards.

ive gone back to Oddbox and our deliveries now come on Friday nights so I’m going to try to force my brain to meal plan Thursday-Thursday and have delivery on Thursdays to make it happen. Won’t happen this week but hopefully from next

Monday:
Lasagna and a mixed salad - baked cheesecake (left-overs from Mother's Day yesterday)

Tuesday:
Chicken, potato, (lightly) curried and turmeric brothy stew with rice and steamed asparagus

Wednesday:
Middle Eastern white bean and tomato stew with rice and roasted lamb

Thursday:
Middle Eastern beef, chickpea and tomato stew with bread and vegetables on the side

Friday:
Homemade pizza

Saturday:
Smorgasbrod with various toppings like fish, meatballs, potatoes and eggs

Sunday:
Pasta with pesto, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta and chicken on the side for those who want it (not me)

My meal planning is still a work in progress but I have made this after watching Eat Well for Less in NZ on Prime Video:

Slow cooked butter chicken

Also tandoori chicken kebabs from Pinch of Nom

And less excitingly, egg with home made chips a couple of times!

I’m away with friends this weekend so it’s a bit on the lazy side to start with!

tomorrow: pasta with homemade pesto and a salad
saturday: pizza
Sunday: motorway services finest…
Monday: soup and sourdough
Tuesday; veggie sausages with roasted med veg
Wednesday: friend cooking
Thursday; fajita grilled cheese

Super unexciting!

I'm loving how the menus are slowly shifting to a more summer vibe!

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie if you're still looking for a light summer gnocchi option we've done this a few times and it's lovely. I have added bits of meat/chicken for DS but it doesn't need it at all from a flavour perspective - more just to fill him up more. I thought that a bit of buratta on top could be lovely too.

When I planned the menu last week, I completely forgot we were actually away for a long weekend. haha. So with a very small top up and one or two minor additions, we had last weeks menu lasting all the way to this week!

Tonight me and DD are out at a friend so I'll probably get the boys a ready meal for watching football!
Tomorrow: Fish - probably salmon. I bought some miso pesto by Ottolenghi at waitrose and frankly, I don't love it. But I think I can use it on the salmon and it will be nice and that will use it up!
Sunday - we're at a BBQ but I'm taking cake, booze and a salad (aubergine, tomato and mozarella).
Monday: I'm going to try a quiche with salad - bacon, feta and broccoli. Ordered shortcrust pastry but a bit nervous - I admit, whenever I've made quiches in the past I've use a tart case pre baked but I can't seem to find one.
Tuesday: I think the veggie gnocchi above, with burrata!

I just remembered that we all sort of worked together a few months back to come up with a good butternut and blue cheese recipe for pasta. Is that sort of what you were thinking for your Gnocchi too? I will have to go search the thread - I think DS would LOVE that and not mind lack of meat/chicken either. Not this week, but maybe soon.@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

So far I have:

Today: burnt aubergine chilli with guacamole and sour cream
Saturday: Mediterranean fish and fennel stew with sourdough bread
Sunday: lamb slow-cooked and shredded, with flatbreads and Greek salad
Monday: marry me chickpeas (someone on here mentioned this recently - thanks for the inspiration!)
Tuesday: pasta with smoked salmon, caper and crème fraiche plus salad
Wednesday: saag paneer plus sides

I can’t think further ahead atm!

Tonight - sweetcorn fritters and Mexican style salad
Tomorrow - eating out
M - ‘green goddess’ lasagne
T - cauliflower tinga tacos
W - naan pizzas
Th - pea and pesto orzotto
F - aubergine bun cha

Thanks @SpaceOP Looks lovely.

Ready rolled pastry works great for a quiche. I hear a baking tray and put the quiche dish onto that. Stab the pastry all over with a fork before filling. No soggy bottom!

It’s just dp and I next week.

So far I’ve got roasted cauliflower and paneer curry

Jacket potatoes with quiche and salad

Need to sort the rest out tomorrow. We went out for Thai for lunch today, so it’s cheese and crackers tonight.

Opted for:

butternut squash and paneer curry with rice
quiche, jacket spuds and salad
Greek salad with gigantes beans and tzatziki
veggie bacon, egg and mushroom cobs with homemade baked beans
pizzas with artichokes and black olives, rocket salad

I haven't made quiche in ages. I might put ones the next list.
This week:
Sunday: Lamb Kleftiko
Monday: Bibimbap
Tuesday: pizza olive and pepperoni, with a big salad)
Wednesday: recanted potatoes
Thursday: out for dinner, but teens will forage in the freezer
Friday: sheet pan mapo tofu
Saturday: fish burgers, potato wedges and salad
Sunday: lasagne.

I should probably start planning lunches on here, too, as I've lost my lunch mojo. Currently I have no idea what I'll be eating for my lunches next week.

@UnimaginableWindBird do you like mackerel? I make mackerel pate and have that for lunch sometimes. I freeze it in little portions and just pop it out to defrost in the morning.

Sun: Chicken Pie (shop-bought), new potatoes, veg
Mon: Silky courgette & salmon salad
Tues: Sticky lemonade chicken thighs with rainbow slaw
Weds: Something with the mountain of pork I have in the freezer
Thurs: Chingri Malai Kari (prawn curry) with rice
Fri: Swedish meatballs, chips and peas

I don’t think lunches need to be planned too much. In our case there are 2 lunches of soup and toasted sandwiches, a couple of salads, rice or pasta. Whatever protein is left over or eggs. Or something random from the reduced section. You’re off the hook for that.

IMO dinner should be a bit more intentional and planned, maybe to make up for rushed or imbalanced food choices during the day. Hopefully you’re a bit more relaxed and can enjoy the process. I sometimes joke that cooking a meal is like writing a short story, setting the ingredients off on their journey towards a happy ending!

Anyway, my plan for the coming week’s dinners (supported by today’s big shop) is as follows:

M Chicken Curry and fresh fruit salad
T Spinach, egg and ricotta pie
W Pasta Carbonara and fennel salad.
Th Salmon, roasted peppers and green beans
F Homemade hamburgers and grated carrot salad (I’m out)
S Beef and broccoli Chinese style. Maybe Chinese dumplings, too.
Sun lunch: Roast chicken and veg, some cake made with almond flour.

I take lunch to work and tend to have the same thing for about 3 or 4 days in a row, so I don’t have to think.

Last week was emantelle and Dijon rolls with salad; a handful of dates; strawberries and natural yoghurt.

This week it’s oatcakes with castello pineapple and almond cheese, apple, tiny cereal bar, grapes.

I'm late in updating this week. Usually sort out plan and big shop on a Friday.

Last night we had risotto primavera which had originally been planned for the previous week but I couldn't find asparagus or broad beans.

Tonight will be picky bits/leftovers from Saturday's eurovision buffet

Tomorrow i have a work dinner and there is leftover risotto for those needing it at home.

Wednesday will be tamarind aubergine curry.

Thursday - some sort of tex-mex style concoction using up a red and green pepper, a little bit chorizo, tomatoes, chillies and probably some roast chicken from freezer. Maybe some kidney beans. Maybe cooked with rice in a jambalya-style.

Friday- out for dinner with BiL and SiL.

Meant to say, I tend to make enough of most types of dinner, to also ensure a portion for lunch the next day. If not possible, there's always cheese, cold meats and salad in fridge to make sandwiches. Or I sometimes make a batch of quinoa and roast veg salad which works for a few days. Generally lunches require less thought and planning than dinner.

Today though, I'm wfh and have decided to treat myself with boiler eggs and griddled leftover asparagus to use as soldiers.

m- smoked mackerel and new potato salad
T- lemon and herb chicken escalopes with homemade coleslaw and salad
W-jacket potatoes and fillings
T-Thai chicken stir fry
away all weekend

I just can't get sorted enough for packed lunches when I go into the office but will be going in more often soon so I probably need to start thinking about it. Sigh.

My best lunch of the last week was a butterbean hummus with some feta cheese and a little tomato/onion salad with some leftover flatbread. We had dinner of a sort of peanut style crunchy salad a while ago that didn't really work as dinner but I am thinking I should do that for lunches.

Mostly came on to say that we did our gnocchi/pea/spinach/ pesto thing over the weekend and it was delicious - the addition of Mozzarella definitely worked to make it a lot more filling. I can't resist a photo (although I think I steamed the greens for a bit long first as there was some ridiculous argument I had to get involved in RIGHT at the crucial timing moments!).

Lots of inspiration from everyone; thanks.

I don’t plan lunches. I WFH a lot and normally have either leftovers or something on toast (eggs or cheese or lemon tinned sardines) plus a piece of fruit. Or in winter sometimes soup and toast.

When I do go into work I usually treat myself to a fancy M&S salad which I pick up at the station on my way in.

Looks good @SpaceOP Would be even better with broad beans and artichokes instead of peas imo, although nobody else in this house would then eat it!

I'm still occasionally checking in but can't get onto MN on my phone anymore thanks to adblockers which I don't want to disable, probably a good thing. Love this thread always though

This week finally doing a bit of planning:
Taco Salads
Sea Bass soup and sourdough
Chinese Aubergine, sweetheart cabbage and Tofu
Spag Bol
Traybake of whatever is left in the fridge with lemon tahini sauce

I did add asparagus. I'm not convinced about the artichokes but could be convinced by the broad beans. Although, similarly, then it's unlikely DS would eat it.

Admittedly, it was, without a doubt, the homemade pesto that made it!

Trying to drag the motivation out of retirement a little bit!

tomorrow: lemon ricotta pasta
Saturday: Loaded fries
Sunday: Dahl and naan
Monday: white bean stew
Tuesday: Pad thai
Wednesday: Buritto bowls
Thursday: Teriyaki tofu stirfry

Early meal-planning for me this week and a change to the original plan for tonight. I'm making a braised courgette and butterbean recipe seen on instagram. Planning to top it with a poached egg.

Still out for dinner as planned tomorrow then the week ahead will be:

Saturday: Roast chicken legs with braised peas, leeks and bacon
Sunday: Pierlini with salad
Monday: Going to a gig - will pick up food on the way
Tuesday: Feta and broad bean fritatta with salad
Wednesday: Shakshuka
Thursday: Out at a work thing
Friday: Baked chicken, feta, broccoli and quinoa.