meal plan

Score a Free Dinner From Dream Dinners!

Abby H.

As you are all aware,  Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!

If you haven’t tried Dream Dinners yet, now is the perfect time! They have lowered their minimum orders to three meals, and new customers can score a free dinner. When you order 3 or more dinners, they get a free medium Cashew Chicken and Noodles with code SHARE at checkout.

There are over 70 Dream Dinners locations throughout the US, but if you don’t live close to one, fret not! There is a deal for you as well! New Guests can get free shipping on their first box of 4 medium dinners as a special offer just for you. Use this code at checkout: FREESHIP.

 

It’s Souptember- Soup Recipe Round up!

Abby H.

It’s September! Cooler weather is ahead- and while it’s still hot here, I’m ready for soup. To celebrate Souptember, here are just a few of my favorite soup recipes:

Family Recipe: Albondigas (Meatball Soup)
 Veggie Cheese Tortellini Soup
Crockpot Chili Recipe 
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Colonial Chowder
Veggie Soup 
Chicken Fajitas Soup 
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Potato Cheese Soup
Hearty Veggie Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Veggie Tuscan Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Zuppa Tuscana Soup CopyCat Recipe
Chicken Corn Chowder
Roasted Onion and Caramelized Onion Bisque
Butternut Squash Bisque
Beef Stew
Harvest Veggie Ravioli Soup

 

9/4/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis long holiday weekend has been chill. We swam, deep cleaned bedrooms, and did our weekly reset. We reset today, and the extra day off was really needed. Back to school hit us hard.

I made big batches of vegetarian chili and chicken noodle soup yesterday for this week and beyond. I put a quart of each in the freezer for later.

The freezer and fridge are organized and the meals are planned for the upcoming week and beyond.

Our Yasukochi Family Farms  CSA box is delivered on Mondays. It arrived about 2:30 today, and I was ready to dive in and get prepping!

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you who are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and a Cliff Bar, fruit, and bagels for the littlest kiddo. The big kid has protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch every day (The same thing every day), and the little one buys her lunch about half the time.

Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. With the rising costs of meat, we get most of our protein from using meat as an addition to our meals, not the main component. I realize this may not work for all families, but it helps us immensely.

  • Sunday: Chicken noodle soup, green salad, cheese toast
  • Monday: Chef Salad or protein shakes (big kid isn’t a big salad fan), and fruit

  • Tuesday:  blistered tomatoes w/ pasta, garlic bread (recipe forthcoming)

  • Wednesday: Vegetarian Chili, cornbread, fruit salad

  • Thursday: Protein shakes and fruit trays

  • Friday: Takeout night
  • Saturday:  Leftover night

5/7/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis weekend was so busy. Birthday Party, clothing swap, meal prep, making cookies, laundry, house cleaning, and yes… meal planning.

The freezer and fridge is organized and the meals are planned for the upcoming week and beyond.

Our Yasukochi Family Farms  CSA box is usually delivered on Mondays, but we’re taking a break for the next month to eat up what we’ve got. I’ve been stashing the extra fruits and veggies in the freezer over the past 2 months. When I do veggie prep each week, I make up bags of vegetables to use at a later time.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch every day, and the little one buys her lunch about half the time.

Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. Now that I’m back in the gym and the kids are both in Martial Arts, we need to fuel our bodies properly.

  • Sunday: Chicken Strips, Mac and cheese, orange and apple slices
  • Monday: Breakfast sandwiches (eggs, cheese, onions and peppers, and sausage on ciabatta rolls), fruit salad

  • Tuesday:  Cauliflower & broccoli cheese soup and rolls

  • Wednesday: Split Pea and Ham Soup, fruit salad, cheese toast

  • Thursday: Protein shakes, fruit, cheese, and crackers

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftover night

4/30/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThe first week of a new month and we are hitting the ground running.

I’m organizing the freezer today, and we’ve got tons of produce from last week’s jumbo CSA box we got last week.

Our Yasukochi Family Farms  CSA box is usually delivered on Mondays, but we’re taking a break for the next month to eat up what we’ve got. I’ve been stashing the extra fruits and veggies in the freezer over the past 2 months. When I do veggie prep each week, I make up bags of vegetables to use at a later time.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch every day, and the little one buys her lunch about half the time.

Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. Now that I’m back in the gym and the kids are both in Martial Arts, we need to fuel our bodies properly.

  • Sunday: Meaty Pasta Bake, Garlic Bread
  • Monday: Chipotle Honey Chicken thighs (Recipe will be posted this week), Jasmine Rice, Spinach Salad

  • Tuesday:  Fritatta, Fruit Salad, toast

  • Wednesday: Veggie Tuscon Soup, Cheese Toast

  • Thursday:Nuggets, mac n’ cheese, fruit, cheese, and crackers

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftover night

4/17/2023 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis past week was PACKED. I finally sat down to write up my meal plan yesterday, and forgot to hit submit until right now!

Spring break is over and we are all back to school and work. Out-of-town guests have gone home, and we are back to our regular routine!

I did a little meal prep yesterday, including testing out a new pizza dough recipe, but the real prep will be this afternoon!

Our Yasukochi Family Farms  CSA box is delivered on Mondays, and that is a huge help when it comes to meal planning.

We’ve got a few Dream Dinners for the week, and I’m really looking forward to Somona Steaks!

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch every day, and the little one buys her lunch about half the time. Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. Now that I’m back in the gym and the kids are both in Martial Arts, we need to fuel our bodies properly.

  • Sunday: Clean out the Fridge Night!
  • Monday: Dream Dinner, Rice, Roasted Veggies

  • Tuesday:  Fritatta, Fruit Salad, toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, mac n’ cheese, fruit, cheese and crackers

  • Thursday: Dream Dinner (Steaks), Green Salad, Roasted Veggies

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Homemade pizza, salad, veggie tray

Weekly Meal Plan: Spring Break Edition!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis past weekend was PACKED. I finally sat down to write up my meal plan yesterday. This week and next are spring break for the kiddos and me. We are also having out-of-town guests, so I needed to plan out snacks and meals.

Thankfully our Yasukochi Family Farms  CSA box is delivered on Mondays, and that is a huge help when it comes to meal planning.

I prepped a bunch of veggies last night and this morning, including chopping veggies to roast, making a kale salad, and making a fruit salad.

I’ll be making some soups for the freezer this week as well, and I’ve got a new recipe to share.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. With Spring Break and lots of adventures out of the house, I’ll be packing snacks to take with us on the road. We’re definitely going to the free museum Tuesday at Balboa Park.

Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. Now that I’m back in the gym and the kids are both in Martial Arts, we need to fuel our bodies properly.

  • Sunday: Soup and Salad
  • Monday: Mac and cheese, fruit, toast

  • Tuesday:  Salad with grilled chicken, roasted asparagus

  • Wednesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, Roasted Veggies

  • Thursday: Fritatta, Corn Muffins, Fruit Salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers

3/19/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to Meal planning on Sundays. We receive an email on Saturdays from   Yasukochi Family Farms letting us know roughly what will be in our CSA box that is delivered on Monday afternoon.

Sunday I tend to prep proteins, make a batch of soup (incorporating a majority of the leftover veggies from that week’s CSA box), take stock of the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and lay out our basic meal plan for the week.

Today I’ll be making a few big batches of soup- half to go in the freezer, and half to serve this week. I may also make a batch of spaghetti sauce too.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: Lots of veggies this week! We’re running low on meat, and with the price of it increasing, we’ll be enjoying plenty of vegetable-based meals this week.

  • Sunday: Chili on baked potatoes, roasted asparagus (kids will be having baked potatoes dressed to their preference)
  • Monday: Soup and salad (or protein shakes and salad)

  • Tuesday:  Vegetable Soup and Cheese Toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday: Ramona’s Mess (Recipe coming up this week), fruit salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers

3/5/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to Meal planning on Sundays. We receive and email on Saturdays from   Yasukochi Family Farms letting us know roughly what will be in our CSA box that is delivered on Monday afternoon.

Sunday I tend to prep proteins, make a batch of soup (incorporating a majority of the leftover veggies from that week’s CSA box), take stock of the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and lay out our basic meal plan for the week.

We have a lot of soup in the freezer. Like… 6 different types. We’re having a lot of soup this week. Thankfully, it’s soup weather, and everyone enjoys soup.

I’m planning on a few batches of roasted veggies to be served throughout the week as well.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: We’ve got Soup several times for dinner, which is great. All I have t0 do is take it out to defrost the morning of!  And I have one Dream Dinner remaining, so we’ll be having it this week as well.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers
  • Monday: Dream Dinner, roasted veggies

  • Tuesday:  Soup and Cheese Toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday: Soup, roasted veggies, toast

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Salad Bar Night

National Soup Day is February 4th!

Abby H.

February 4th is National Soup Day! This is probably one of my favorite days of the year.

Soup is an inexpensive, filling meal. It works with any dietary restrictions, and you can cook it on the stove or in a crockpot.

Here are just a few of my favorite soup recipes:

Veggie Soup 
Chicken Fajitas Soup 
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Potato Cheese Soup
Hearty Veggie Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Veggie Tuscan Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Zuppa Tuscana Soup CopyCat Recipe
Chicken Corn Chowder
Roasted Onion and Caramelized Onion Bisque
Butternut Squash Bisque
Beef Stew
Harvest Veggie Ravioli Soup