Angie Marie I’m learning to cook more from scratch these days, which means that I need to meal plan for each week. I’ve decided to start meal planning for the next week on Fridays, and shopping for what I need over the weekend and throughout the week as we don’t live too far from the grocery store. The first thing that I do when I meal plan, is to shop my pantry, fridge and freezer to see what I have on hand. This saves me time and money at the grocery store. The second thing that I do is to try and buy seasonal and local produce and ingredients that are in season where I live.
Check out our meal plan below, which will hopefully inspire you and give you ideas. I plan on adding lots of recipes to the blog throughout the year as well. That way I can start linking what’s in our meal plans to my own recipes so that you can access them easily. Many websites charge a fee to download PDFs of meal plans, but I’m not looking to do that with the blog. I may compile a recipe book one day, but for now I just want to help homesteaders who could use some meal planning inspiration. Remember, if your family doesn’t like these ideas, substitute in a few meals that you know they will love instead. When possible, I will link to my favorite recipes online.
Shopping List
You’ll need to look through these recipes and adjust the portion sizes to fit your family’s needs. I tend to buy extra and cook in bulk, so that way I can freeze extras or use the leftovers for recipes later in the week. Be sure to check your pantry, fridge and freezer so you don’t buy duplicates. You can also switch out different meats for what you have on hand. For instance, replace the beef with chicken for tacos or quesadillas. Also, if you can make any of these items from scratch, I’d consider that homesteading bonus points!
Bananas
Cucumbers
Grapes
Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans
Carrot Sticks
Shredded Lettuce
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries & Strawberries
Black Beans
Oranges
Apples
Asparagus
Celery
Green Onion
Ceasar Salad
Lemon Juice
1 onion
1 lb. potatoes
frozen peas
Whole Grain Bread
Whole Wheat Crackers
Taco Shells
Wild Rice
Spaghetti Noodles
Granola
Biscuits
Burrito Shells
Cornbread
Sliced Deli Ham
Sliced Deli Turkey
3 Lbs. Ground Beef
Chicken Thighs
Bone-In Pork Chops
Turkey Sausage Links
2 Packages Chicken Breast
Sausage Patties
2 lbs. stewing beef
Sliced Deli Cheese
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream
Greek Yogurt
Eggs
Milk
Honey
Hummus
Salsa of choice
Peanut or Almond Butter
Maple Syrup
Mayo
Dijon Mustard
Ranch Dressing
Spaghetti Sauce
Oil for frying
BBQ Sauce
Tortilla Chips
Corn Starch
Panko Break Crumbs
Regular Bread Crumbs
Flour
Onion Powder
6 cups Beef Broth
Tomato Paste
Monday
Breakfast: Whole Grain Toast with Almond or Peanut Butter and Sliced Banana
Lunch: Homemade Lunchable with Ham, Crackers, Cheese with Cucumbers and Grapes
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
Tuesday
Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Fresh Berries and Honey
Lunch: Turkey and Cheese Wraps with Carrot Sticks and Hummus
Dinner: Beef Tacos with Avocado Salsa and Black Beans
Wednesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Whole Wheat Toast and Orange Slices
Lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches with Apple Slices
Dinner: Grilled Pork Chops with Roasted Asparagus and Wild Rice
Thursday
Breakfast: Blueberry Pancakes with Maple Syrup and Turkey Sausage
Lunch: Chicken Salad with Grapes and Whole Wheat Crackers
Dinner: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Caesar Salad
Friday
Breakfast: Yogurt Parfaits with Granola and Mixed Berries
Lunch: Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Carrot Sticks and Ranch Dressing
Dinner: Chicken Tenders with Sweet Potato Fries and Green Beans
Saturday
Breakfast: Biscuits and Gravy with Sausage Patties
Lunch: Beef Quesadillas with Salsa
Dinner: BBQ Chicken with Coleslaw and Corn on the Cob
Sunday
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos with Scrambled Eggs, Sausage and Cheese
Lunch: Leftover Chicken Salad with Grapes and Whole Wheat Crackers
Dinner: Beef Stew and Cornbread and Green Salad
We all know that life has its way of throwing our meal plans off. I try my best to stick with what I plan. Sometimes though you may need to save a meal for another day. If at all possible, I try to meal prep on Sundays or Mondays so I don’t have to do as much during our busy weeks. And remember, making double batches for the freezer will save time in the future when you don’t have time to meal prep, cook or plan. Especially those days when you feel sick or tired. I hope this meal plan helps you this week!
Stop over at the our Etsy Store for meal planning printables!
