2026 meal planners

[Lastqueenofscotland2]

Looking forward to seeing some old and new planners.
After two beens of cheese and cake I’m looking forward to some normal food!

Friday: lemon asparagus risotto
Saturday: mushroom & goat cheese tart
Sunday: Tofu Rogan Josh
Monday: Pesto beans on sourdough
Tuesday: peanut noodles
Wednesday: harissa tofu
Thursday: pasta e fagioli

Today was a beef stir fry
M: pork belly and bean stew, garlic bread
T: out
W: beef kofte, halloumi, salad, flatbreads
T: chicken curry and flatbreads

Friday was a battered fish and oven fries freezer combo .

Saturday was pasta with bacon, cherry toms, spinach and a crème fraiche sauce with pepperonis topping.
Yesterday was steak with baby potatoes and roasted lemon/parmesan courgette.
Tonight is butter chicken and rice.
Tomorrow will be chicken fajitas with HM guacamole.
Wednesday salmon, brocolli and steamed lotatoes
Thursday pasta with country sausage meatballs and roasted med veg in tomato sauce
Friday possibly chicken Kiev (if I’ve bought some chips) or spag Bol

On a self catering trip much of next week so all pretty simple stuff!

Friday: lentil sloppy joes
Saturday: mushroom risotto
Sunday: creamy mushroom pasta
Monday: tofu fajitas
Tuesday: chickpea curry
Wednesday: Greek salad
Thursday: Thai noodle soup

realised afterwards that I have a bunch of planned, and some u expected, evening events (but the big gala was oversubscribed so that’s lnocked off at least)

So Mon was bbq so butter chick (already defrosted) was Tuesday
yesterday the chick fajitas (also defrosted) had turned so for safety I had bacon and mushroom pasta in white wine and crème fraiche sauce
tonight is slow cooked spag Bol
tomorrow is Greek mezze (out)
Saturday I will plan again

Slightly early meal planning this week:

Tomorrow: Out for a curry
Sat: Spaghetti carbonara
Sun: Italish(ish) chicken casserole
Mon: Chorizo broccoli casserole
Tues: Breaded chicken, new potatoes, veg
Wed: Chorizo, spinach, olives, tomatoes rice one-pot
Thurs: Braised butter beans with confit tomatoes
Fri: Spag bol
Sat: Portuguese beer braised chicken and potatoes
Sun: Thinking about harissa lamb koftas but looking back at this plan, it's quite meat heavy so might consider a veggie option instead.

After this I'm away on a work trip for 4 nights, which is the longest I've been away for a long time. Lots of stuff in freezer for DH to deal with.

Fell off the thread again last month as DH decided he was low carbing so we both did our own thing for a while.

Really must get through some of the meat and fish in the freezer so here’s this week’s belated plan:

Monday: Beef fajitas
Tuesday: Leftover beef fajitas
Wednesday: Thai fish curry
Thursday: Garlic chicken
Friday: Pigs in blankets (Christmas leftovers!), sweet potato mash
Saturday: Pork stir fry
Sunday: Turkey chilli

We mostly eat meat free for breakfast/lunch so there is a balance!

Sat: Dp to sort out
Sun: roast chicken, dauphinoise spuds, asparagus
Mon: bacon and asparagus risotto
Tue: out
Wed: moussaka
Thurs: pie/fish, chips, mushy peas
Fri: pork belly stir fry

This week is mostly using things up.

Sat - chilli
Sun - chicken and chorizo skewers (not sure what with yet)
Mon - Moroccan lamb meatballs with flatbread and salad
Tues - prawn and leek pasta.
Wed - out
Thurs - halloumi (not sure what with yet…again)
Friday - salmon with asparagus

Halloumi curry is very good, if you're short of ideas!

Halloumi curry sounds excellent! Have you a good recipe please?

I did this via chatgpt, tweaked from a recipe that's on this thread by @HalloumiFries as I'm not keen on tomato ones, if you scroll back hers is on here somewhere!

🧀 Creamy No-Tomato Halloumi Butter Curry
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 3–4)
Halloumi
250g halloumi, cubed
1 tbsp oil
Sauce
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, very finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½–1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp mild chilli powder (optional)
2 tbsp ground almonds (or cashew paste)
150 ml double cream
100 ml plain full-fat yogurt (room temp)
½ tsp sugar or honey
Salt to taste
Warm water as needed
To finish
Fresh coriander
Squeeze of lemon (optional)
👩‍🍳 Method
Fry the halloumi
Pan-fry in oil until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Cook the base
Melt butter with oil. Cook onion on medium-low for 8–10 minutes until very soft (no browning).
Add aromatics & spices
Add garlic and ginger (1 minute).
Stir in spices and cook 30 seconds.
Create the creamy base
Stir in ground almonds and cook 1 minute.
Lower heat. Add yogurt slowly, stirring continuously so it doesn’t split.
Add cream and a splash of warm water to loosen.
Simmer gently
Cook 5–7 minutes on low until thick and silky. Add sugar and salt to taste.
Finish
Return halloumi and simmer gently 3–4 minutes (don’t overcook).
Add lemon if you want slight brightness.

I left out the almonds, and put some spinach in last minute.

Thanks - will give that a go!

Sunday: out at the pub for a roast, might do toasties for tea
Monday: fish pie
Tuesday: whole trout, potatoes and asparagus
Wednesday: I’m out, DH sorting
Thursday: butter beans and confit tomatoes
Friday: taking DS to the theatre so we’ll grab something on the way

S - Chinese style mushroom curry and rice
S - sea bass with baby pots, asparagus and samphire
M - ramen
T - Buddha bowls
W - puttanesca
Th - miso aubergine and rice

Tonight is apparently pork chops in a creamy mustard sauce, herby crushed potatoes and tenderstem broccoli. Good shout, Dp.

We fell off the meal planning wagon over the last few weeks for various reasons but I’m determined to get on top of things again. DD is doing exams at the moment so I’m aiming for reasonably healthy but also comfort food.

This evening: Thai salmon salad
Sun: Broccoli chilli walnut quiche (the green roasting tin one)
Mon: Goats cheese & mushroom pasta
Tues: Prawn & veg jalfrezi
Wed: Roasted veg, butter bean & halloumi tray bake
Thursday: Tuna nicoise
Fri: Spicy peanut tofu noodles

It may yet change again, but the plan is:
Friday - dinner out with friends
today: confit duck, roasted baby pots, roasted French beans and garlic
Sun: country sausage meatballs with pasta and tomato/veg sauce (before going out into a concert)
Mon: chicken wings with blue cheese dip, oven chips
Tuesday: slow cooked spag Bol
Wed: chicken vadagam and rice
Thurs: may be put with visiting colleague…or chicken korma and oven chips
Fri: chicken fajitas, HM guacamole

Most of that is based on things I have in the freezer from batch cooks and some conveniences. But I have a bunch of evening events so maybe I’ll scrounge enough nibbles that dinner isn’t needed. (Most likely, I’ll be reheating!).

I cannot wait for a few weeks of proper cooking by again.

I'm still struggling with what to eat. But did a bit of digging around in my recipes online and this is the plan for this week:

Tomato pasta
Chicken schnitzel, greek lemon potatoes, rocket salad
Lamb chops, new potatoes, salad
Chicken and cannelini bean soup and garlic bread
Green gnocchi with burrata

Another busy an unexciting week coming up!

Friday: vv late event so probably mushrooms on toast
Saturday: pasta with lentil meatballs
Sunday: Thai peanut tofu stirfry
Monday: Chilli
Tuesday: Sloppy joes (again)
Wednesday: tomato soup and sourdough
Thursday: bangers and mash

Again very late, but trying to stick to the plan and so far so good:

Monday: Lamb kebab wraps
Tuesday: Chicken curry and rice
Wednesday: Salmon, broccoli and new potatoes
Thursday: Chilli and baked potatoes
Friday: Sea bream, with ginger and chilli, rice
Saturday: Out
Sunday: Something with chicken thighs

I ended up eating out with colleague on Thursday, and plain roasted chicken thighs and oven chips last night.
I have chicken wings in hot sauce and oven chips for tonight or tomorrow, with HM fish pie the plan for the other evening (and 1 extra portion for freezing).

Monday I am out with a group of colleagues.
Tuesday will be chicken fajitas.
Wednesday butter chicken curry
Thursday probably a steak
Friday whatever DH has in the fridge when I land
Saturday and Sunday I ought to try and do decent meals for him and possibly DD getting home, but may end up being fast easy conveniences….
Monday I am back here (early morning flight) so I will probably have spag Bol or a chicken and mushrooms in wine sauce (both in the freezer) with pasta. 🍝

bit boring here this week

tonight: run the fridge down! Will concoct something with veggie sausages, broccoli, carrots and kale. Probably roast it all with Italian seasoning and dump on pasta?!

tomorrow: leftovers night, curry for DS and I, spaghetti bolognese out of the freezer for DH and DD

wednesday: I think DH and I are going out so probably fish fingers and a chips for the kids

thursday: DH in charge

I did one of my "grab what's on offer for a series of BBQ style meals" over the weekend so now meal planning from tomorrow (tonight is the last of it with chimichirri steaks in pitas with tomato salad and pickled onions)

Rest of week:
Tomorrow: Korean-style mince-loaded wedges
Wed: Cod with new potatoes and beans (with tomato and cavalo nero)
Th: I'm out. Kids and DH can have sausages and veg
Fri: Chicken burrito bowl

I'm not sure on weekend plans so will do that later this week. weather dependent too.

sunday: taking DH out for lunch and doing a cheese board for tea
monday: purple Shakshuka and bulgur wheat
tuesday: gazpacho (chunky one with white beans) with garlic bread
Wednesday: spaghetti bolognese
Thursday: pasta pesto
Friday: DH out, kids want fish fingers, I might just have hummus and crisps!