It’s fall, but we are back to weather in the mid to high 80’s this coming week. I did a lot of meal prep over the weekend: Roasting veggies, cutting up fruit and veggies for lunches, making a big salad, and meal prepping my weekday lunches (Baked Ziti for 3 days and Salisbury Steak for 2 days). I also made a big batch of Apple Crisp for the week as well.

I ordered groceries from Aldi via Instacart and picked them up Friday after work (You can learn more about how it really does save you time and money here).

Breakfast: The Big Kid has joined the Protein Coffee train with me. He has his with the equivalent of 2-3 shots of espresso in it, served hot. I take my Protein Coffee iced. 1 protein shake and 20 ounces of cold brew. The littler dude is on an Einstein Bros. Bagel kick. I buy them once every few weeks, pre-sliced, then I stash them in the freezer and pull them out and toast them as needed.

Lunch:  Monday through Friday, I pack my own and the kids’ lunches. I bring 5 lunches to work on Monday and stash them in the fridge. I pack the kids’ lunches each night before bed, except for the cold stuff and ice pack- those I put in when I get up in the morning. This week I meal prepped lunches over the weekend to last me all week. In addition to main dishes, I also have cut-up cantaloupe and iced tea. The big kid has basically the same lunch every day: Sandwich, drink, Quest Protein Chips, and a couple of cookies or whatever I made this week. The little dude has cheesy popcorn, mandarin oranges (2), a cheese stick, a yogurt drink, a cookie, and a fruit snack. Whatever keeps them fed!

Dinner: It’s a mixed bag of crockpot meals and quick-cook, easy dinners this week.

• Monday: Breakfast for Dinner (Breakfast Sandwiches, fruit salad, and hot cocoa)
• Tuesday: Crockpot meal-chicken chili (recipe forthcoming)

• Wednesday: Smoothies and Charcuterie plates (this has become a Wednesday special)

• Thursday: Chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, fruit salad

• Friday: Takeout night!
• Saturday: Leftover Palooza
• Sunday:  Quesadillas, beans and rice