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

I seem to have been absent for a while. Sounds like everyone also has a lot going on! That time of year I guess!

I'm now doing meal planning for the week of Christmas as well as need to be planning with guests etc in town. Will be updating my christmas delivery order this week! Feels a bit terrifying (currently held with 2 bottles of champagne, a leg of lamb and a selection of me ticking all the boxes of things we buy frequently from carrots to oat milk! )

This week:
Tonight: Gnochi with homemade pesto, greens, burrata
Rest of week, order to be decided:
Chicken Schnitzel with veg and wedges
Jamie's pancetta/cabbage pasta
Take out as we have DD's panto
Pork Belly and Gyoza ramen of some sort (using up bits in the freezer)
Crumbed fish fillets - (also making freezer space). Probably with mash and veg.

This week has been more scattered than expected for a few reasons.

Thursday- spag Bol
Friday - Chicken curry
Saturday - feta chick, roast potatoes, Mediterranean veggies
Sunday - scallops on sliced white pudding, followed by pasta with bacon and 5 cheese sauce
Monday - steak, roast potatoes, honey/balsamic/orange glazed roast carrots/parsnips/onion
Tuesday - Beef stew and mash
Wednesday - beef bourginonne and steamed baby potatoes (and peas?)
Thursday - chicken and mushroom vol au vent or Welsh rarebit and crusty bread
Friday - Ikea meatballs and oven chips

The following week will be using up what’s in the fridge (a courgette, a pepper, an avocado, a carrot and parsnip, lettuce, bacon pieces, grated cheese, crème fraiche, eggs) before I go home for Christmas. And running down the freezer some more (so possibly focussing on things like a pumpkin risotto, salmon, another steak, with some potato croquettes, another chicken thighs meal, a sausage sandwich for breakfast…, rather than my batch cooked meals).

Which will leave me set up ok for coming back in January to unopened cheeses and some long life confit duck, frozen things, and needing a big fresh restock of all the fruit and veg, milk, bacon, eggs, and some meat. But also space to bring some good meat back with me from home.

this week
today- leftover jacket potatoes with cheese and beans
tomorrow- out for a big Christmas lunch so won’t need anything ( cheese and crackers if hungry)
Thursday - spaghetti bolognaise
Friday - battered cod,chips,peas
Saturday- pork loin with apple gravy ,dauphinois potatoes and broccoli
Sunday - homemade soup and focaccia with cheese board
Monday- Asian chicken stir fry

Yesterday was quiche and salad

Today was black bean and sweetcorn tacos with mashed avocado and salad

Tomorrow I’m out for pizza

Thursday is something involving tofu and whatever veg is still floating around- maybe a stir fry or maybe banh mi, if our crappy local shop has got any fresh baguettes

Friday- Spicy coconut chicken and rice broth, packed with lots of veg.
Saturday - Lemon chicken linguine
Sunday- Beef and barley stew with buttered baguette slices 🥖
Monday- Bhaji burgers, raita, kachumber and masala fries
Tuesday - Breakfast boats (basically quiche in those Old el Paso stand and stuff things) topped with Pico de Gallo and guacamole.
Wednesday - Lamb chops, Mediterranean veg, cous cous and tzatziki.
Thursday - Fakeaway night (birthday request). Salt and Pepper chicken and chips/spice bag with Chinese curry sauce.
Have to feed 8 so a bit worried about getting it all cooked and crisp and not going soggy between batches but we'll see... I do have 2 airfryers and one of those has 2 drawers so hopefully will be ok. I'll probably do some wokfried greens or crispy kale on the side for a bit of colour and buy some spring rolls and prawn crackers. Toying with doing a plain chow mein too but I am an over feeder so not sure if it'll be overkill.

Last one for the year before I check out to the land of potato and cheese only

Tomorrow: nacho loaded fries
Saturday: lemon ricotta pasta
Sunday: white bean stew
Monday: soup and sourdough
Tuesday: red beans and rice
Wednesday: teriyaki tofu and veg stirfry
Thursday: meatball sub and fries

It's all about using up odds and sods from the freezer this week.

Tomorrow: Pot roast chicken, mash and cabbage
Sunday: Sausage casserole, also with mash and cabbage
Monday: Salmon traybake with tomatoes and fennel
Tuesday: Christmas dinner with hobby group
Wednesday: Veggie sausage, rice and cabbage one-pot (planned for last week but forgot about work christmas night out so it has been deferred)
Thursday: Red lentil and spinach dahl with flatbreads.
Friday: Quick chilli, made from frozen cooked brisket.

That uses a whole chicken, pork and leek sausages, salmon fillets, veggie sausages, flatbreads, and leftover brisket from the freezer.

Sunday: cottage pie
Monday: Ginger and spring onion salmon
Tuesday: out for work Christmas meal
Wednesday: tofu and broccoli pasta
Thursday: meatballs in tomato sauce
Friday: pizza
Saturday: halloumi bake

Sunday - mushroom omelette with chips and salad
Then, in no particular order:
gyoza with asparagus and baby corn stir fry
cauliflower cheese and jacket spuds
butterbean and cider pie with vege
tortellini bake

Every day this coming week, someone in my family seems to have some kind of Christmas meal/drinks/party, so lots of very quick meals or meals that can be frozen/reheated or adapted for an unexpected number of people! Also trying to counteract the overindulgence, so nothing too heavy or rich!

Tonight - prawn pilaf
Tomorrow - chickpea crumble
M - tuna poke bowls
T - spanakopita pancakes
W - smoked haddock and sweetcorn chowder
Th - quesadillas
F - courgette cacio e pepe

Just done this week's plans, I'm always so impressed with everyones meals on here but ours always seem a bit boring!

Friday - Kung po chicken (we have pineapple to use up so will add that) and rice with sugarsnap peas and baby corn.
Saturday - Friends round for cocktails. Mexican tacos (chicken and beef, refried beans, hard and soft), nachos, all the fixings (crema, guac, jalapenos and pico) and cowboy caviar (I deliberately make loads for this so we have leftovers). Friend is bringing a key lime pie.
Sunday- Cottage pie (with beef shin rather than mince as it's what we have in the freezer) with cabbage and broccoli.
Monday- Cabbage roll soup with garlic baguette.
Tuesday - Doner, salads, garlic and chilli sauces and flatbreads
Wednesday - Crispy aromatic duck and pancakes, soup dumplings, spring rolls and crispy kale.
Thursday - Inlaws

Very indulgent week, but hopefully like many others we will do a health kick in January!

I don't think your week sounds boring at all, lots of effort going into that list!

Last one from me for the year I think. After thie next few days it will be very much as the wind blows.
F - marry me mushrooms with pasta
S - harissa chickpeas and couscous
S - Christmas lunch #1:with DD as she's with her dad this year. Veggie version for us, basically no meat, extra stuffing and bread sauce. Cheeseboard!
M - off for cocktails, leftover cheese for dinner
T - Turkish lentil soup

As ever, will be trying to get my planning mojo and some inspiration back in January.

I agree, that's a great menu and much more exciting than my average week.

Just a few plans to log today and then it's a daze of cheese and stuff until the end of the year.

Tomorrow: Going to a 4pm showing of It's a Wonderful Life, served with mulled wine and a "mini afternoon tea selection of festive savouries and cakes" so will see if we are hungry after that and get some picky bits on the way home if needed.
Saturday: Mushroom stroganoff
Monday: Kale, bacon and walnut tagliatelle
Tuesday: Out for DH's birthday (Indian)
Christmas Eve: cheese and charcuterie boards in front of a Christmas film.

Sunday: duck breast with mulled wine plum sauce, roast potatoes and greens
Monday: pomegranate salmon with broccoli and green beans
Tuesday: omelettes with a big salad and garlic bread
Wednesday: lentil soup
Thursday: Christmas dinner
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: leftovers/chicken pie

Tonight - drinks/nibbles with friends
Tomorrow - roast cauliflower tagine
M - eating out
T - spiced carrot and parsnip pilaf

Christmas Eve:
Lunch - Cranberry and chestnut falafel with jewelled couscous
Dinner - seafood lasagne

Christmas Day -
Breakfast - panettone French toast with berries
Lunch - at parents’ house
Dinner - cheeseboard/chocolates!

Boxing Day -
Breakfast - chocolate and cherry croissant
Lunch - mushroom bourguignon with rosti topping, pear and ginger crumble
Dinner - smoked salmon and cream cheese frittata

Last week ended up being 3 different nights of beef stews, and this week was a bit mush mash thrown together.
Thursday, I had chicken and mushrooms with rice.
yesterday I did my last steak from home with roasties and lemon and Parmesan roasted courgette, and bearnaise sauce.

Tonight I think will be chicken fajitas as I need to use the chicken and a pepper and an avocado.
tomorrow is salmon with wilted spinach and steamed potatoes.

Monday DH has promised nice burgers.

I have no idea about Tuesday, normally Wednesday would be a buffet of nice cured meats and cheese and the like…if I get organised enough when I get home.
Thursday …depending on shops….i fully expect to be cooking proper roast turkey and then having leftovers 4 different ways for a few more days.

Last night we went out for a curry.
Tonight = pizzas and salad
tomorrow will be dhal, parathas, bhajis and raita

Monday = no idea. I might make broccoli and Stilton soup or maybe a puy lentil, walnut and feta salad

Tuesday = a vegan coming for dinner and has requested pasta puttanesca with extra olives

Wednesday = Ottolenghi black pepper tofu with basmati and smashed cucumber salad. I might do some sweetcorn fritters too, although there are only three of us this year so it’s probably overkill

Christmas Day = 5 of us - nut roast or salmon wellington (both bought) with DP making a vast dish of dauphinois. I’m on vege, which will be roasted parsnips, carrots with honey and cumin, sprouts and possibly another one tbc

Boxing Day will be cheese and chocolate

No idea beyond that. Maybe Thai curry and papaya salad for one of the meals.

Soup is not an evening meal!

Who declared you the meal police? Of course soup can be an evening meal. As could a bowl of cornflakes, if that’s what somebody decides they’d like to eat.

@beebee25 come on! Have you honestly read this thread and thought, "I should comment on appropriateness of food?". This thread is so brilliant because we all see what others do, get inspiration, reassurance, ideas. And of course soip is an evening meal if thats ehat you like.

I'm playing the next few days a bit by ear. Wr have family visiting and various flexible plans so my big Christmas delivery tomorrow is also bringing options for other meals, without being too rigid! So, roughky:

Out tomorrow night.
Christmas eve: Chinese
Christmas : at my sister. I am on Yorkshires, roasties, boozy cherry pavlova thing, and "basic veg" ie carrots/peas etc.

Then for the rest I have options for (depending on who we are feeding):

Chorizo and aubergine tomato pasta
Chicken fajitas and/or mince tacos (or some combination),
chicken curry (possibly beef as there may be Christmas leftovers),
Pork stir fry
Lamb shoulder with potatoes or pilaf (depending on how and when and who, again!)

Depending on how things develop, I should have all I need until the end of the week, with possible need to buy a few extra fresh veg!

Merry Christmas all!

@beebee25 I feel a bit bad for you as you've obviously been having pretty rubbish soups. Soup can absolutely be an evening meal, not to mention you have no idea what else people have eaten throughout the day. They could have eaten out and had a huge roast dinner for example so a simple bowl of soup is perfect!

We always plan one soup meal into our meal plans every week as it works with people eating at different times and is left in the slow cooker on the keep warm setting, always full of vegetables, protein and fiber and there's always the option to have bread/cheese on the side.

When our children were young, we quite often had a, ‘soup and pudding’ night. Lots of vegetables and lentils in the soup, plus a fruit crumble. Easy and pretty nutritious imo.

Meal planning is the only thing that keeps us organised during busy weeks. Leftovers feature heavily here as well.

Tonight - Loaded chilli con carne wedges with guacamole, sour cream and a token side salad. Chilli was from the freezer and I did plan to have it with rice but I have so many potatoes to use up.
Saturday - Soup and toasties. I'm batch cooking lots of different soups for the freezer so people can choose what they'd like before they're all frozen. Have some ham/salami and chorizo and lots of cheese for toasties/sprinkles and will make croutons.
Sunday- I'm home alone and planning Buffalo Chicken Caesar salad with crispy chicken skin sprinkles.
Monday - Dan Dan noodles
Tuesday - Bacon, cabbage and champ with parsley sauce.
NYE- We're going to a friend's who has a pizza oven and a smoker in the garden and they have said it'll be an Indian fusion night. I know one option will be a keema pizza because they asked for my recipe 😂. Very much looking forward to it and I'm taking lots of pakoras along to contribute. (Not homemade as it would take forever to make enough).
NYD- The same as we have every year. Steak and sausage pie with mash, carrots, peas and sprouts.

Tonight - eggs florentine flatbreads
Tomorrow - cauli cheese soup with ciabatta
M - curried fish traybake
T - eating out
It’s my turn to host NYE, and I’ve planned Caribbean black bean curry with coconut rice followed by roast pineapple, and Jamaican rum cake
NYD - caramelised onion gnocchi gratin, with roasted tenderstem. DB is bringing pudding
F - salmon orzotto