dinner

6/24/2026 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.Leave a comment

Now that school is back in session, I’m going to be posting my weekly meal plans again. Breakfast and lunch at our house are usually the same each day- that’s how the kids tend to like it.

I do my grocery shopping usually early on Saturday morning, after I inventory the fridge, freezer, and pantry (the forms I used are in this post- they are FREE). This week I didn’t buy a lot. I want to work through what’s in the freezer. I did, however, visit Trader Joe’s and buy 10 bags of their frozen pizza dough- it’s always a good idea to have safe foods on hand, and pizza is one 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 have frozen entrees- there was a sale a few weeks ago, and I bought enough for the first 2 weeks of school. The big kid has basically the same lunch every day: Sandwich, drink, Quest Protein Chips, and a couple 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: The heat is so bad this week, so I’m trying to make as many cool choices or stuff that doesn’t require a lot of heat or stovetop time (and nothing in the oven!!).

  • Monday: Italian Night
  • Tuesday: Gyro, Rice, Balela Salad, Naan

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

  • Thursday: Quesadillas, beans and rice

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza
  • Sunday:  French Onion Beans with sourdough toast and fruit

French Onion Beans- Easy High Fiber Meal!

Abby H.

I’ve seen this recipe all over social media. I watched a few videos and rummaged through my pantry. Here is my version. It’s simple and so tasty!

French onion beans

Ingredients

  • Two onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil or oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder or 2 tablespoons garlic from a jar
  • 1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2  teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
    Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans, cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup grated Italian cheese blend

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, add butter and oil.
  2. Once the butter and oil are melted and combined, add onions and sauté on low for about 10 minutes until onions become translucent.
  3. Add garlic/garlic powder, tomatoes, paprika, thyme, and stir to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on low, stirring occasionally for 25 to 35 minutes. Onions will become thick and jammy, and will continue to become translucent and lightly brown around the edges.
  5. Over medium heat, add beans, half-and-half, and cheese.
  6. Uncover and allow to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it is melting and bubbly.
  7. Serve with crusty Italian bread, sourdough, or crackers of your choice.

These beans stay good in the fridge 3-4 days, however, they will not last that long. They are soo rich and smooth. And very filling,

You can make this recipe vegan by using dairy-free butter substitute, coconut milk, and dairy-free cheese.

6/28/2026 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis weekend, I am on the ball and getting the meal plan posted on Sunday!

My goal of not doing a big grocery shop was foiled last week. I ended up going grocery shopping at Walmart when I needed to order a few things for the house- like washcloths. I have no idea where they all went. It was only $40, still well below my usual weekly grocery bill.

In the summer, we get into a groove when it comes to dinners. Easy, quick foods that are tried and true.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee. I cashed in all of my points at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get a free dozen bagels. They are sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer. They are definately going to be a hit this week for breakfast.

Lunch: I’m doing lunch meal prep for the week today- Beans and Rice bowls for myself. And a batch of Mac n’ cheese for the youngest. The big kid usually doesn’t eat a big lunch. He’ll snack or have a bag of Quest Protein chips and a sandwich.  We’ll be escaping the house on some adventures. The kids will be taking advantage of the free summer lunches (find out more here) while we are out and about.

Dinner: Because of the heat, I didn’t end up making meatloaf, so we may grill burgers instead, or make Salisbury steaks. I’m not sure which.

  • Sunday:  Gyro, Rice, Salad, Naan
  • Monday: Italian Night
  • Tuesday: Something with Ground Beef, salad, and mashed potatoes

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

  • Thursday: Chicken Quesadillas, fruit, chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

6/22/2026 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI took the weekend off from blogging to hang out with the kids and work on another project.

This week is less busy than last week, so I plan on hitting up the gym for yoga as often as I can.

I did a small grocery trip yesterday morning, mostly to get popsicles and a few things that were needed for a specific meal yesterday (Father’s Day breakfast for my ex and the kids). I’m going to try to go another week without a restock shop. We will have plenty of snacks, and I’ve got ingredients to make cookies and everything on the menu for this week.

The kids will be taking advantage of the free summer lunches (find out more here) as often as we can this week.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee. I cashed in all of my points at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get a free dozen bagels. They are sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer. They are definately going to be a hit this week for breakfast.

Lunch: Between free summer lunches and the tons of snacks I’ve got in the cupboard, the kids will survive.  I have two plastic totes full of individually portioned self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. There are also preportioned fruits and veggies in the fridge.

Dinner: This week is another use-it-up week. We’ve got a lot of stuff in the freezer, including ground beef, nuggets, and frozen fruit.

  • Sunday:  Butter Chicken, Rice, and naan
  • Monday: Italian Night
  • Tuesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, & veg

  • Wednesday: Smoothies and Charcuterie plates

  • Thursday: Nuggets, fruit, and chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Amazon and Little Caesar’s Make Prime Day taste good!

Abby H.

Are you an Amazon Prime Member?  If so, check out this deal!

Score a $5.00 Large Little Caesars Pizza daily with a code here every day through 6/26/2026.

Through 6/26/26 or while supplies last. Limited to Amazon Prime members located in 50 US/DC. Amazon Code required. Enter Code at checkout at a participating Little Caesars® store on an app or online order (excluding third-party sites) to get a Classic Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza for $5.00 (add’l taxes and fees may apply). For complete Terms, go to https://information.littlecaesars.com/en-us/promo-2026-primeday

Meal Planning in the Summer…

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI forgot to hit Publish on this post on Sunday night and just discovered it in my drafts. Oops.

This is my first full week of both kids being on summer break.

This week is the week of appointments for the whole family. Between the front bathroom shower being resurfaced, doctor’s appointments for me, small kid, and big kid, and the dishwasher repair guy coming- it’s a full week of running all over.

The big kid and I plan to hit the YMCA as much as possible between all of our appointments. The Small Kid will probably come with us and ride a stationary bike the whole time.

The kids will be taking advantage of the free summer lunches (find out more here) as often as we can this week.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee. I cashed in all of my points at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get a free dozen bagels. They are sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer. They are definately going to be a hit this week for breakfast.

Lunch: Between free summer lunches and the tons of snacks I’ve got in the cupboard, the kids will survive.  I have two plastic totes full of individually portioned self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. There are also preportioned fruits and veggies in the fridge.

Dinner: This week is a “use it up” week. I have a bunch of stuff leftover in the fridge from last week that didn’t get used, so this week we are leaning on what’s on hand.

  • Sunday:  Italian Night: Flatbread, Chicken Parm casserole (veggies included)
  • Monday: Breakfast for Dinner
  • Tuesday: Crockpot Meal (something with chicken)

  • Wednesday: Charcuterie Night

  • Thursday: Smoothies and Entrees

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

5/10/2026 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

May is a busy month for us, so it’s important to me that I plan out our meals on Sunday nights for the week.

To keep my grocery budget down, I shop at Aldi (using Instacart, I wrote about how to do it here), our local Grocery Outlet, and use cashback rebates that offer a lot of 100% back (I wrote a post about some of my favorite apps here).

I skipped a grocery trip this week- We have plenty of food, and we had a  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box subscription drop off last Monday and have plenty of fruit and veg to get us through this week. I did a quick grocery inventory on Saturday morning to make sure we’d be ok.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee and a slice of toast with goat cheese and spicy honey.

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, my lunch is a fridge clean-out. I saw a friend from out of town this weekend, and I have a lot of leftovers from cooking, plus some soup my mom gave me.

Dinner: This week, dinners are pretty simple. We have busy days, so I want to spend as much time as possible with the kids. If one of the kids ends up not liking something, they can have a sandwich, a fruit, and a homemade smoothie.

This week’s available fresh fruits are: Gala Apples, cherries, and strawberries.

  • Sunday: Leftovers (We had a lot this week)
  • Monday: Cheesy Brats, chips, fruit, and smoothies

  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (bacon and eggs)

  • Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (I’m teaching that night)

  • Thursday: Quesadillas, beans/rice, fruit

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza and whatever leftover fruit is hanging around.

5/4/26 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

May is a busy month for us, so it’s important to me that I plan out our meals on Sunday nights for the week.

To keep my grocery budget down, I shop at Aldi (using Instacart, I wrote about how to do it here), our local Grocery Outlet, and use cashback rebates that offer a lot of 100% back (I wrote a post about some of my favorite apps here).

I skipped a grocery trip this week- We have plenty of food, and we had a  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box subscription drop off last Monday and have plenty of fruit and veg to get us through this week. I did a quick grocery inventory on Saturday morning to make sure we’d be ok.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee and a slice of toast with goat cheese and spicy honey.

Lunch: M-F I pack myself 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, my lunch is fridge and freezer clean out leftovers.

Dinner: This week, dinners are pretty simple. We have busy days, so I want to spend as much time as possible with the kids. If one of the kids ends up not liking something, they can have a sandwich or a fruit and a homemade smoothie.

This week’s available fresh fruits are: Apples (3 kinds), oranges, and bananas.

  • Sunday:  Italian Night.
  • Monday: Chicken and Veggies

  • Tuesday: Tortellini Soup, Salad, and Bread

  • Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (I’m teaching that night)

  • Thursday: Vegetarian chili, bread, and salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza and whatever leftover fruit is hanging around.

Meal Kit Round Up and Deals!

Abby H.

I love trying out meal kits; they are a great way to try new recipes with new ingredients that I may not already have on hand. Here are a few of the meal kits that I’ve tried, links to reviews, and any deals or coupon codes I could find.

One of my favorites is still Dream Dinners. Our local location is closed, but there is one in Northern San Diego County that offers pick-ups in La Mesa. I can order online and pick up at a location convenient to me.

 

Overall, my favorite mail-order/delivery meal kit company is Dinnerly.

They have a nice mix of kid-friendly dishes and stuff that is decidedly more “grown-up food”. I wrote a review here. In addition to having a nice mix of dishes to choose from, the other thing I like is that Dinnerly is the first subscription meal kit service to offer $4.49 per serving. My big qualm with meal kits is that the meals can sometimes be upwards of $8-$10/per serving. At that point, you might as well go out for dinner!

 

Gobble has a really great deal. Choose your meals and receive a Gobble box for $36 for 6 meals. I recently ordered this, so we’ll see how it turns out! Here is why I decided to try it:

    • Choose your meals from our diverse weekly menu. Gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, & vegetarian options are available.
    • Their team of chefs does all the tedious prep work for you — no more chopping, measuring, or a sink full of dishes
  • Your freshly made 15-minute dinner kits will arrive in a refrigerated box to your doorstep. No commitment. Adjustable to your schedule.

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about any meal kits that you or your family have tried and liked. 

Recipe: Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Abby H.

This is a very simple recipe, and it has a lot of variations for budget, and if you are trying to use up what you have in your pantry and fridge.

I got a package of rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone from Costco not long ago. I defrosted it, and now I’m ready to start using it.  If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, you can substitute 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken or 2 small cans/1 large can of canned chicken, drained, rinsed, and shredded.

Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked/shredded chicken
  • 1 19-ounce can green enchilada sauce
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded sheese, divided (I used 1/2 Cheddar and 1/2 Asadero)
  • 10-ish corn tortillas, cut or ripped into bite-sized pieces (You may need more or less depending on how big your pieces end up)
  • Topings/Garnishes: Salsa, Sour Cream, shredded lettuce, diced onions, or picled onions (Your choice)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the enchilada sauce and sour cream. Taste and add any additional seasoning as desired (onion or garlic powder, white pepper).
  3. In a 13×9 pan, coat the bottom with 2-3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce.
  4. Layer tortilla pieces, chicken, cheese, tortilla, and sauce until your pan is full.
  5. Top with any remaining cheese.
  6. Tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake covered for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Remove foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese on top is browned and bubbly.
  8. Serve with toppings/garnishes as desired.

 

This meal serves 6-8, depending on the sides you choose to serve.

Leftovers can be frozen.