Category: Healthy Meals

Posted in Grilling

Mouthwatering Grilled Whole-Wheat Pizzas

Posted on by Denise Lewis
Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough

Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Pizza

and Grilled Individual Pizzas

Summer is for grilling. Bratwurst, burgers, chicken, and pizza. Yes, pizza is a great food for grilling. Most of us do not have a pizza oven in our backyard to create delicious wood-fired pizza, but we do have a grill, and that grill can create crispy, smokey individual pizzas sure to tempt even the pickiest of eaters.

My family loves pizza so I keep a stash of my Delicious Homemade Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough in the freezer. This is the base for the Pesto Sun-Dried Tomato Pizzas and the Individual Grilled Pizzas.

Step 1- The Dough

The first step is to make or thaw the Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough. Next, create 8 balls of dough. Roll out each ball into a circle or oval and then spray each side with cooking spray or brush with Olive or Avacado Oil. Place each round on a tray. I place parchment paper or plastic wrap between each layer.

Dough Prep

Step 2- Toppings

Once the dough is on the grill the cooking process is very fast. You need to have all of the toppings chopped and ready to go before you place the dough on the grill. My family likes a combo of veggies, meat, and cheeses. Each person gets to add what they want to their individual pizza.

Pizza Toppings

Step 3- Grilling

Take a moment and pre-heat the grill. About 5-10 minutes is enough to get the inside hot and ready for your crusts. While the grill is preheating, take all of the crusts and toppings outside. Place 4 crusts on the grill and let cook for 1-2 minutes. The dough will puff up slightly and stiffen. When ready, flip the crust. To make the Grilled Pesto Pizza, place 1-2 Tablespoons of Pesto on the crust and then top with sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes, and small chunks of goat cheese. Close the lid and let the toppings heat. Goat cheese will not melt like mozzarella, so you will know when it is done when the cheese is gooey. Top with fresh basil leaves.

For the individual pizzas, cook one side of the dough, and then once flipped, spread 1-2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on each pizza and add toppings. Put the lid down and let cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. It is fun to let each person build their own pizza.

Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough
Mouthwatering Grilled Pesto Pizza

Grilled pizza is a fun activity for friends and family. Make your favorite type tonight.

Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough

Grilled Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat-Cheese Whole-Wheat Pizza

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Mouthwatering Grilled Pesto Pizza with creamy goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes on a healthy Whole-What Crust. Great dinner for family or for impressing friends.

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough (link below)
  • 1 Jar of Pesto
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Raw Cherry Tomatoes
  • 4 oz. Goat-Cheese broken into small chunks
  • Basil Leaves for Garnish

Instructions

  1. Make or thaw one recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

Pre-Grill Prep

  1. Break the dough into 8 equal parts.
  2. Roll each dough ball into a round/oval disk and spray each side with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
  3. Stack the pizza crusts on a tray. I place parchment paper in between each layer so they don't stick together.
  4. Prep the toppings by dicing and chopping the sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. Put into bowls for easy transport to the grill.
  5. Create a tray with all of your toppings: Pesto, goat cheese, basil leaves, toppings, etc.

Grilling

  1. Pre-Heat the grill and close the lid. Let the grill heat for about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Place 4 crusts on the grill.
  3. Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until dough puffs up and stiffens.
  4. Flip the crust top with 1-2 tbsp of Pesto, sprinkle with the tomatoes, and then drop small pieces of goat cheese on top.
  5. Close the lid and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until the cheese is gooey (goat cheese does not melt like mozzarella).
  6. Remove from grill and top with basil leaves before serving.
  7. Repeat with remaining crusts.

Notes

* Place the first round of completed pizzas on the top of the grill if the crust is getting crispy but the cheese still isn't melted.

** Add bacon or chicken to increase the protein for the carnivores in your family.

**If thawing dough, place in the fridge for a few hours or defrost in the microwave on a low setting for 1-2 minutes.

© Denise Lewis
Cuisine: American / Category: Healthy Meals
Grilled Pizza

Grilled Whole-Wheat Pizza

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Individual Grilled Pizzas for the entire family to enjoy. Made with whole-wheat pizza dough, topped with mouthwatering veggies and meats, these grilled pizzas are sure to be a hit at your next party.

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough (link below)
  • 1 Jar of Pizza Sauce
  • 8 oz. of Mozerella Cheese or cheese blend
  • Toppings

Instructions

  1. Make or thaw one recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

Pre-Grill Prep

  1. Break the dough into 8 equal parts.
  2. Roll each dough ball into a round/oval disk and spray each side with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
  3. Stack the pizza crusts on a tray. I place parchment paper in between each layer so they don't stick together.
  4. Prep the toppings and put them into bowls for easy transport to the grill.
  5. Create a tray with all of your toppings.

Grilling

  1. Pre-Heat the grill and close the lid. Let the grill heat for about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Place 4 crusts on the grill.
  3. Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until dough puffs up and stiffens.
  4. Flip the crust and top with 1-2 tbsp of sauce, desired toppings, and then 2 Tbsp of cheese.
  5. Close the lid and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  6. Remove from grill and top with any desired greens (Basil, Arugula, Spinach) before serving.
  7. Repeat with remaining crusts.

Notes

* Place the first round of completed pizzas on the top of the grill if the crust is getting crispy but the cheese still isn't melted.

** Add bacon or chicken to increase the protein for the carnivores in your family.

**If thawing dough, place in the fridge for a few hours or defrost in the microwave on a low setting for 1-2 minutes.

© Denise Lewis
Cuisine: American / Category: Healthy Meals
Posted in Healthy Meals, Recipes

Delicious Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Posted on by Denise Lewis

Pizza is the perfect food. You can bake it, grill it, create savory pizzas or sweet pizzas. The options are endless, and so are the calories unless you find ways to make it healthy. To satisfy my family’s pizza cravings, I make a whole wheat pizza dough that I can bake and grill. And, it can be made in as little as 15 minutes!

pepperoni pizza with basil leaves
Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

This whole-wheat pizza dough recipe can be used immediately or frozen for later use. I often double the recipe so I have some for later when I need a quick meal.

Two of our favorite grilled pizza recipes are Grilled Individual Pizzas and Grilled Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese Pizza.

  • Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough
    Mouthwatering Grilled Pesto Pizza
  • Grilled Pizza

Here’s a link to my Pizza Pinterest Page for additional recipes and ideas. Follow me on Pinterest for recipes, healthy living, organization, and education ideas.

To begin, gather your supplies. You will need Whole-Wheat Flour, All-Purpose Flour, Olive Oil, Active Dry Yeast, Kosher Salt, Water, and Molasses or Honey.

Pizza Dough Supplies
Grab and Go Lunch Options
Posted in Healthy Meals, Meal Planning

How to Prep an Entire Week of School Lunches

Posted on by Denise Lewis

Packing healthy lunches that your kids actually want to eat is challenging. Finding time to make lunches each night is also challenging. Want to make it easier?  Spend a few hours on Saturday or Sunday prepping lunch items for easy grab-and-go options. 


In my previous blog, Healthy Grab-and-Go Breakfast Options, I shared tips for making mornings less stressful and for creating healthy, easy breakfast options. This blog focuses on lunch. Each night my kids and I pack our lunches for school to help us get out of the house on time. See my post 3 Tips for Making Mornings Stree Free to help create a routine that tames the morning chaos. 

3 Elements for a Good Lunch

Protein

The first element to consider when packing lunches is protein. I keep a wide variety of protein options stocked in my fridge and freezer. These items include: lunch meat, hard-boiled eggs, Greek Yogurt, and nut-butters. These items are the foundation of the lunch. My daughter likes Peanut Butter and Jelly, so I make and freeze a week’s worth of sandwiches that she can grab and toss in her lunchbox. Freezing them in individual bags keeps them fresh and saves time while packing. Here are the instructions from my How to Make and Freeze Homemade Nut Butter Sandwiches.

My son prefers wraps. I’ll often have him make 2-3 and then we put them in individual lunch containers labeled with his name.

Fruits and Vegetables

Not going to lie…it is a challenge to get my kids to each enough fruits and vegetables, and it isn’t because they don’t like them–they do, but they don’t like the time it takes to wash, cut, and pack them. So, each week when I get home from the grocery, I immediately peel, chop and bag individual servings of our fruits and vegetables. Everyone eats them because they are easy. Once they are bagged, I place them in a bin in the fridge, and the kids just grab-and-go.

Peel and cut your bulk fruits and vegetables into individual portions.

A well-stocked fruit bowl on the counter holds clementines, bananas, apples, and kiwi to also add to the lunch bag.

Snacks

The last element for a healthy lunch is some sort of snack or treat. In my pantry, I have a large basket that contains an assortment of (mostly) healthy snacks. The items vary but usually contain an assortment of granola bars, protein bars, applesauce, pretzels, Goldfish, and fruit snacks.

Packing the Lunch

Over the years we have developed a system that kids know they must include 1 item from each category. They choose a protein option, a fruit or vegetable option, and a snack option and round out the lunch with a juice box or water bottle. 

Packing lunches the night before helps make the mornings easier and prepping the lunch items over the weekend makes the evenings easier.

Posted in Healthy Meals, Meal Planning

How to Make and Freeze Homemade Nut Butter Sandwiches

Posted on by Denise Lewis

It should be obvious right, so why am I writing a blog that shows you how to make and freeze  PB&J. Why? Because who wants to pay $5 for a box of 4 frozen sandwiches when you can make them yourself for so much cheaper.

My entire family loves Peanut Butter and Jelly. I willingly admit that I  have grabbed a sandwich or two for my lunch when I get tired of eating salads and grown-up lunches. What’s not to like? Nothing right, and if you make your own, you can use whatever type of nut butter you want, whatever type of bread you want, and whatever type of jelly you want. Think of the combinations–Sunbutter and grape jelly on gluten-free bread, or Hazelnut Spread with bananas on whole wheat–the combinations are endless.

These make and freeze sandwiches are a staple and one of the protein options for our weekly school lunches. Read my How to Prep a Week’s Worth of School Lunches or 3 Tips for Making Mornings Stress Free to help create a routine that tames the morning chaos.

Step 1

Nut Butter Supplies

Gather your supplies.

Step 2

Determine how many sandwiches you want and then lay out the bread. Next, apply the Nut Butter and Jelly and make the sandwiches.

Making Nut Butter Sandwiches

Step 3

You have some choice here depending on what tools you have available. I have a square press that seals my sandwiches. You could also just freeze them whole or cut off the crusts (we all know little kids don’t eat the crusts).

Press and Seal the Nut Butter Sandwiches

Step 4

Either place in individual bags and then place in a larger bag (I use the empty bread bag). Or, if you prefer you can wrap in wax paper and place in the larger bag. 

Place the sandwiches in the freezer and take out individual sandwiches as needed. Keep in mind these do need to thaw, which is why they are perfect for school lunches, but if you are planning to use them while at home, plan ahead and put them out in the morning. 

Have fun and be sure to let me know what your favorite combination is. Mine is dark chocolate peanut butter with sliced strawberries on whole wheat sourdough. Yum!

Posted in Family Schedules, Healthy Meals, School and Daily Schedules

3 Tips for Making Mornings Stress-Free

Posted on by Denise Lewis
Getting kids ready for school
Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com

Who hates the rush out of the house in the mornings? The inevitable cries of “Mom? Where’s my…lunch, bag, boots, gloves, trumpet, basketball shoes, etc.” And then there is the “Honey, who’s taking the kids to school this morning?” Does this sound familiar? Interested in easing the frustration so your day doesn’t start with stress and fatigue before you even get out of the door? Read on for some tried and true tips for making mornings [mostly] stress-free.

What are my top 3 tips for taming the chaos?

1. Organization Station with Weekly Schedules

2. Grab-and-Go Breakfasts

3. Pack lunches and school bags the night before

Tip 1- Create a Family Organization Station

A simple calendar that lists activities, games, pick-up and drop-off schedules for the week helps keep everyone on track. I update it every Sunday with a daily list of who is going where and which driver is responsible for daily pick-ups and drop-offs. If you are interested in how to set it up take a look at my Back to School Preparation post from August.

Family Organization Station, stree free mornings
Create a family organization station for calendar and chores.

Tip 2- Create Grab-and-Go Breakfasts

My youngest has basketball practice at 6:30 AM each weekday. Getting a 13-year old boy up that early is a challenge. What helps is having pre-made ready to go, healthy, and protein-filled breakfast options for him to heat up. He loves the Egg Bites I make in the Instant Pot. Add a piece of fruit and he has a healthy breakfast in under 1 minute; one that he can make himself! My daughter isn’t a big eater in the morning, and I was concerned that her choices were a granola bar and coffee for breakfast (if she ate at all). She likes convenience and carbs, so the solution–protein-packed breakfast muffins. Her favorite muffins are Morning Glory Muffins full of shredded carrots, walnuts, pumpkin, cranberries, apples and I add protein powder for an additional 10 grams of protein. These are low in sugar, and she gets 2 servings of fruits and vegetables. Usually, she eats on in the car on the way to Jazz Band in the morning, or as an after-school snack before weightlifting.

Grab-and-Go- Breakfast Options stree free mornings
Grab-and-Go Breakfast Options

I admit that part of my Sunday is spent in the kitchen making these, but the time and headaches it saves during the week is well worth it!

Tip 3- Pack Everything the Night Before

Grab-and-Go Lunch Options stree free mornings

Calendars and breakfast are great, but let’s be honest and acknowledge that the greatest amount of morning stress comes from when kids forget or cannot find items they need. If you only make one change to your routine it should be this–pack lunches, backpacks, and school bags the night before. This allows you to find missing items, get all completed homework in folders, and have luches in the fridge ready to be grabbed on the way out the door. Put these items in the same place every night so all the kids have to do is grab them on the way out.

Not Just for Kids

These tips are not just for kids. These are strategies that I use each day to help me get out of the house on time. Each evening before I go to bed, I pre-program my coffee pot, pack my lunch, and make sure all of my papers are in my school bag. Chaos Tamed.

Posted in Family Schedules, Healthy Meals, Meal Planning, School and Daily Schedules

Healthy Grab and Go Breakfast Options

Posted on by Denise Lewis
Healthy grab and go breakfast options for the busy family.
Grab and Go Breakfast Options

Grab and Go Breakfast Meal Prep

Are mornings chaotic? Do you have multiple drop-offs before you head to work? Most of us do, so how do you tame the chaos and still offer healthy, protein-filled options for breakfast? Interested? Read on for tips, tricks, and simple meal prep.

So, whoever decided that basketball practice should start at 6:30AM each weekday obviously is not in charge of breakfast and school drop off. It is one thing to get myself out of bed at 5:30 and make breakfast, but it a very different experience to haul a 13-year-old boy out of bed that early. Let’s be honest and acknowledge that a fully cooked, sit down breakfast is probably not going to happen, so what are the options?

Meal prep breakfast for grab and go protein filled options.

This week’s options are eggs, breakfast cookies, pumpkin protein muffins with the addition of fruit.

Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are great options for a quick, protein-filled breakfast or snack. I make a dozen at the beginning of the week. I make the eggs in the Instant Pot which is the quickest and most convenient way I have ever used. I just add 1 cup of water, stack my eggs, and select the egg setting. When the eggs are finished, do a quick release and then place the eggs in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking.

I also use the instant pot to make Cheesy Egg Bites. You need silicone molds to create these delicious options. Store the eggs in an airtight container in the fringe and your family can microwave 1-2 each morning for a healthy, protein-packed grab-and-go breakfast.

Hard boiled eggs are a great options for protein packed grab and go breakfasts.

A single egg has 7 grams of protein.

Protein Packed Breakfast Cookies and Muffins

Eggs are nice, but my daughter prefers muffins or breakfast cookies. The healthy store-bought options are nice but full of sugar and really expensive. I can make healthy breakfast cookies and muffins for a fraction of the price and with the same or even more protein. This week I made Oatmeal Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies. I added ½ cup of Collagen Protein to increase the protein already found in the nut butter. The only sugar found in the cookie is in the chocolate chips. These small, portable cookies are a favorite snack in between school, games and practices in addition to great breakfast options. Don’t tell my kids, but I used pumpkin puree instead of bananas to bind the cookies, so not only are these full of protein but also contain a serving of vegetables.

Protein filled breakfast cookies.
Breakfast Cookies

The other half of the can of pumpkin I used in the muffins. Again, the combination of oatmeal, whole wheat flour, honey, pumpkin, almond milk, and spices makes a delicious, healthy muffin. Like with the Breakfast Cookies, I snuck ½ cup of protein into the recipe to boost the nutrition.

Pumpkin Protein Muffins with fruit.
Healthy Protein Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Meal prep takes a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday, but it saves time on a hectic weekday. These grab-and-go options save time and sanity.

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Posted in Healthy Meals, Meal Planning

Fresh and Festive Weekday Meals

Posted on by Denise Lewis

January brings a slew of dietary goals and most of us are re-committing to healthy eating and cooking. Sure baking cookies, pies, and cakes are a great way to celebrate the Holiday season, but the crisp days of January bring a yearning for food that is both comforting and healthy. Yet, this week we are celebrating my husband’s birthday and watching the Buckeyes play in the National Championship. O-H-I-O!. How do you create healthy, daily meals that are still celebratory?

food restaurant brunch dinner
Photo by Jackie Jabson on Pexels.com

Healthy Celebration Food

We have a birthday tradition that the person turning a year older gets to choose dinner on the night of his or her birthday. My husband has requested Loaded Chicken Quesadillas. My son wants pizza for the National Championship and my daughter asked for her favorite salad this week. What do they all have in common? Chicken! This week’s menu focuses on comfort food and flavor, and allows you to prep your protein once and use it for 3 different meals. Having the protein prepped speeds up the nightly cooking process and helps get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. On Sunday night or even Monday afternoon, toss some chicken in the crockpot or a pressure cooker and cook it until it is tender. I plan on using about 4-5 chicken breasts, but thighs or tenders would work as well. Once the chicken has cooked shred it and store it for later use. I don’t season at this point, so I can use it for multiple dishes and flavors. This week I will use the chicken in Individual Homemade Pizzas, Loaded Chicken Quesadillas, and a Mexican Flavored Cobb Salad.

Fun and Festive Weekly Meal Plan

Pizza and football are American traditions. My family loves pizza, but we all don’t like the same toppings. The solution? Individual homemade pizzas. I keep homemade pizza dough in the freezer in individual balls to use for this type of occasion. You can easily substitute your own favorite healthy pizza crust and even buy them in the store to save time. The next step is to prep your toppings. I place the toppings in individual bowls or on various cutting boards and then everyone creates their own pizza. Our favorite topping combinations include: Barbecue Chicken with Mozzarella and Cilantro–Pesto, Chicken, Bacon, and Tomato– Black Olives, Peppers, Onions, and Cheese– and –Just Cheese.

I love this because everyone gets what they want and everyone is happy. Once the pizzas are cooked (about 16-20 minutes at 425) I will cut them and then move them to platters to take downstairs for the game.

  • Dough
  • pepperoni pizza with basil leaves

Quesadillas and a Cobb Salad

Tuesday’s Loaded Chicken Quesadillas also allows for individual choice. At this point, I will reheat the chicken in a bit of Olive Oil and add about 3 Tablespoons or Taco Seasoning. Dinners for both Tuesday and Wednesday have a Southwestern, festive flavor, and this small step punches up the heat. As with Monday’s pizzas, the Quesadillas allow for individual choice. Chop up the toppings and place in bowls, and have a variety of different tortillas (family favorites include, whole wheat, spinach, and cauliflower tortillas). Topping choices include: chicken, bacon, black beans, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and cheese. I set these up on the griddle and cook each to order. Create a nice side salad or fruit salad to complement the Quesadillas and you have a quick healthy meal. You can also use left-over pizza toppings for Monday to save time. 

Wednesday’s meal uses the last of the chicken and will use the last of the toppings from earlier this week. I will heat some frozen grilled corn, boil a few eggs to chop for the top and each person will make a salad. You may ask why I have so many dishes that allow for individual choice, and the answer is that we do not always eat together during the week. My husband teaches two nights a week, my daughter has dance, my son has basketball practice and we all have gym workouts at various times during the week. These types of meals let everyone build a fresh dinner when they get home from their various activities.

Quinoa and Veggie Bowls

photo of sliced vegetables on ceramic plate
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

Thursday’s meal is a Quinoa and Veggie Power Bowl. I will roast whatever vegetables we have left from the week, make a batch of Quinoa and again, everyone will build a bowl, with their favorite ingredients. If there any chicken left from the week that can be added or this can be a vegetarian dish is preferred.

Weekend Cooking

Weekends give me a little more time to cook and experiment, so I can make dishes that take a little more time. Saturday’s dinner is a Ramen Stir Fry with fresh vegetables and Sunday is a Vegetable Pot Pie with Homemade Whole Wheat Bread. Ramen you might think? How is that healthy? There are various types of Ramen available other than the dry, seasoned packs you might remember from your youth. My ramen noodles are Brown Rice and Millet and can be picked up at a natural grocery store. You could easily substitute Soba Noodles for added protein if you can’t find whole-grain ramen. On Sunday, I will toss a cornucopia of root vegetables into the crockpot with vegetable broth and seasoning and let them cook for 5-6 hours. I may try to convince my daughter to make the bread, but it will depend on how much homework she has. If not, I’ll get it started and our afternoon will be filled with the delicious smell of baking bread. Yum! 

Fun, festive meals with individual choices make for a happy and healthy family. Happy New Year.

Posted in Healthy Meals, Meal Planning

Simple and Plan Ahead Menu for Summer

Posted on by Denise Lewis

Back-to-school professional development starts next week, so my schedule just radically changed. Whew, I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I look at this as a trial run for the Fall. We still do not know what type of learning, distance or in-person, we will be doing, so trying to plan is futile. So, I am taking this week as a sort of trial run. How do I feel after Zoom sessions from 8-4 each day? Do I have time to toss something in the crockpot, or throw together a marinade? Contemplating these questions, this week’s menu reflects some simple meals and some plan ahead meals.

We begin on Monday with a California Salad with Italian Grilled Chicken Strips. At lunch, I’ll toss some chicken breast tenders into a bag with about one cup of a good quality Italian Salad Dressing and let them marinade until we get back from the gym at 7:30. The salad consists of mixed greens, avocado, dried apricots, almonds, and goat cheese. You can switch out the dried fruit and cheese for your favorites or whatever you have on hand. My husband will add Blue Cheese to his salad. This meal will quickly come together in the evening. If I remember, I will pick the greens, wash them, and set them out to dry before we leave.

meal plan, healthy eating, family organization

Tuesday is my daughter’s day to cook, and she has chosen Caper Butter Tilapia with roasted potatoes and green beans. Anything with butter is bound to be good. This recipe is a sheet pan meal that makes for a quick clean-up when finished. Wednesday is another late night, so a plan ahead dinner is key to easing my stress. Grilled Pork Chops with Spiced Orange Sauce and a medley of summer squash requires planning ahead but will make it worth it when I come home Wednesday night and can just pull the meal out of the fridge. The Pork Chops need to marinate for at least 6 hours and can marinate for up to 24, so I plan to make the marinade while my daughter cooks dinner on Tuesday, so they are ready to toss on the grill when we get home.

The tilapia I buy comes in a bag of six, so I always have two left. I plan to add the two from Tuesday with the pieces from the previous bag and make Fish Tacos for Thursday. Toppings will include whatever veggies are in the house. Everyone will build his or her own taco. Friday means a break from cooking for me, so happy cheat day.

I let my son pick his favorite dinners for the weekend, and he chose Baked Tacos and Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs. Spaghetti is easy to make, hearty and quick, so this is a good dinner after our Sunday hikes. We usually spend an hour or two hiking at a State Park, so this is a great recovery meal that is easy to make. As always, search Pinterest if you are interested in making any of these meals. My goal for next week is to tweak one of my favorite recipes and share it with everyone.

meal planning, menu

Posted in Family Schedules, Healthy Meals, Meal Planning, Organization

Why Meal Planning is Essential for Taming the Chaos

Posted on by Denise Lewis
Weekly and daily organization helps keep everyone on time and happy.
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

As much as I like to cook, coming home from work or the gym and getting peppered with “What’s for dinner, Mom?” isn’t what I want to hear when I walk through the door. After dropping my bag, I next go stand in front of the fridge and stare–hoping inspiration will strike. Or  I’ll look at a recipe, and find I’m missing an ingredient. How do I avoid this and decrease my stress at the end of the day? A weekly meal plan.

Why Meal Planning is Beneficial

Meal planning is beneficial for many reasons, and for me, it takes the guesswork out of what to make for dinner each night. We are less likely to eat out and more likely to eat healthy if everyone knows ahead of time what is on the menu. Additionally, my meal planning functions as a family calendar and schedule. It helps me choose Slow Cooker meals on nights when my kids have back-to-back activities. A simple meal in the crockpot allows a wholesome and healthy dinner to be ready when we are. Finally, I find meal planning helps me stay within my monthly food budget. When I plan my menu, I also plan my shopping list. I know what I need to purchase and only what I need to purchase. It keeps impulse buys out of my shopping cart, and it keeps us from eating out because we don’t know what to fix for dinner.

Where to Start

Step 1

  • Begin by recording the weekly schedules and activities for your family. I use a small magnetic whiteboard to record all activities and my menu. Why? It allows me to plan for nights I may be busy–a good night for leftovers, sandwiches, or a slow-cooker meal. 

Step 2

  • Check the fridge and freezer.
    • Take stock of what you have and what needs to be eaten in order to avoid waste. Do you have a package of ground turkey in the freezer or a package of asparagus that is getting soft? If so, make a note and plan around those ingredients. 

Step 3

  • Gather your recipes.
    • Browse your favorite cookbooks, magazines, and Pinterest sites. I have several Pinterest boards based on food groups and food types. During the Fall, I use my Slower Cooker Board more often than my Grilling Board, and in the Spring and Summer, we tend to eat more salads and lighter meals. 

Step 4

  • Build your menu

Step 5

  • Make your grocery list and do your shopping for the week.

Step 6

  • Post the menu where you and your family can see it.

Weekly Tips

Sample Menu for July

Knowing the menu each night takes the quess work out of cooking.
Posting the weekly menu and schedule reminds everyone of their responsibilities.

Tips for Monday are to make your quinoa ahead of time. You can also substitute your favorite rice or other grain. If you are in a hurry, there are many 90-second healthy rice options that cut your prep time down. Also, use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I added beets and carrots to our bowls because everyone likes them. Just toss your veggies in a bit of olive oil and roast for about 45 minutes or until tender. I usually set the oven at 425.

Tuesday’s tips include making your pizza dough ahead or keeping a good quality frozen dough in the freezer for Pizza Night. We usually do some sort of flat-bread or pizza once a week, and having the dough in the freezer is helpful. I will often make a double batch of my Whole Wheat Pizza Dough and freeze half for later use. 

Wednesday is pretty straight forward. Season and grill some chicken breasts or tenders and top with your favorite veggies and condiments. Set everything out on the counter and let your family build sandwiches. I added some leftover pesto from Tuesday’s pizza to my sandwich, topped it with sliced tomatoes from my patio garden pots, and finished with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Yum!

Thursday’s meal is my go-to when I forget to plan ahead or if I want a quick vegetarian option. Like Monday’s bowls, the frittata uses any vegetables that I have left at the end of the week. This week we are using up asparagus, zucchini, and tomatoes. I also added fresh basil, thyme, and oregano from my herbs growing in the sunroom. Dried Italian Seasoning also works, or whatever your favorite seasoning combination is. 

Cheat Day is practically a national holiday in our house. It is the one day a week where we eat out for dinner and we allow ourselves to splurge on a dessert or two. That isn’t to say we do not have snacks during the week, but the grown-ups at least try to eat healthy six days a week and then treat ourselves on the seventh. 

Saturday is a great day for a cookout and this week Turkey Burgers are on the menu. You can purchase them pre-made in the fresh or frozen aisle or make your own. I made mine with cheddar, bacon, and BBQ sauce. 

Leftover Day is also a good idea, and you can place it on any day you want. During the school year, Leftover Day seems to be Tuesday. I think it is because I have more time to cook during the weekend and tend to make larger meals with more leftovers. During the summer is rotates. This week it is Sunday because we have been hiking, and the last thing I want to do when I come home after a long, hot hike is to cook, so Leftover Day it is.

Here’s my menu for the week. I have recipes from various sites, cookbooks, and family favorites, so if you are interested in any of these, I suggest looking at Pinterest. You can see that I also have my family activities for the week noted. This helps me know who’s turn it is to cook and when and where we need to be.

Wrap Up

However you design your weekly meals, the planning is what is essential. Knowing what to fix takes the guesswork out of the process at the end of the day. Give it a try. What do you have to lose? Nothing really. And, what do you have to gain? A step in taming the chaos and perhaps even a well-deserved break with your favorite cup of coffee.