From Calendar to Kitchen: Crafting My Weekly Meal Plan

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Planning Perfect: My Weekly Meal Map!

Hey lovelies! Back with another peek into my daily life. For those of you tuning in from Instagram, you know I occasionally give a glimpse of our weekly meal plans. And as promised, this week’s menu is making an appearance right here!

Let’s dive straight in! When I’m piecing together our menu, I keep things grounded. The first thing I do is look at our week’s calendar. Here’s what I’m pondering:

1. Will either of us be working late or out of town this week? Lucky for us, we’re both home every evening this week.

2. Any dinner dates penciled in with friends or family? My mom’s in town, so there’s definitely a three-person dinner on the horizon with her, Tyler, and me.

3. Got any after-work chores or projects? Nothing major planned this week – seriously picked our easiest week to share this. Haha

With the week’s landscape laid out, I grab my favorite pen and paper (I know, a bit traditional, but so satisfying) and lay out the weekdays. It’s shaping up like this:

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday: Dinner with Mom

Now the fun question, “What’s the meal vibe?” Am I craving a specific type of cuisine or is it more about the cooking method? Here’s how this week is shaping up:

Monday: Grilled/Baked

Tuesday: Mexican

Wednesday: New Recipe

Thursday: Dinner with Mom

Now, for the main event – choosing the dishes! I lean on my two trusty Pinterest boards, one for new recipes I want to try and another for the ones I’ve already fallen in love with. Given our easy-going week, this is what I came up with:

Monday: American – Smash burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Corn on the Cobb

With our Blackstone grill, we make some amazing smash burgers. Those double-decker patties? Just perfect. There’s this great recipe I found and, let me tell you, we’ve jazzed it up since. But let me share this one as a starter: Smash burger Recipe

Tuesday: Mexican – Taco Bowls

Taco bowls are always a hit around here. I found this amazing Chipotle Barbacoa recipe that I’m excited to try. Top it up with corn salsa, cheese, and occasionally, some guacamole! Here is the Barbacoa recipe.

Wednesday: New Recipe – Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta with Grilled Chicken, Garlic Bread, and Salad

Been in the mood for pasta, so this week’s the time to experiment with a new sauce. While Tyler manages the grilling, I’ll be mastering that sauce. Here is the Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta recipe.

Thursday: Dinner with Mom

With all that laid out, we have our week’s menu!

Last part – grocery shopping. We’ve completely embraced Shipt for our grocery runs. Honestly? Total game changer. There’s a small fee, sure. But when I think about the hustle of weekend grocery trips, forgotten items, and those never-ending checkout lines, it’s a no-brainer. Getting all our week’s meal ingredients delivered right to our doorstep? It’s more than just convenience. It’s gifting ourselves a bit of reclaimed time, and for us, that’s invaluable. Time is something you can’t get back, and I’m all about making the most of it.

By the way, for those of you curious about the tools and gadgets I use in the kitchen, especially for this week’s menu, I’ve listed all my recommended cooking items below. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting out in the kitchen, these items can truly make a difference in the cooking process. Check them out and happy cooking! 🍳🥘🍴.

My Favorite Pan: This pan is my absolute favorite for literally anything! The best part is, my bestie girls bough it for me for my birthday – they are the sweetest.

Blackstone Grill: Seriously, if you don’t have one of these things, get one. You can make smash burgers, hibachi, breakfast for many! It’s easy, it’s fun. Just get one.

Cooking Utensils: Okay, we got some just like the ones we have for our wedding 3 years ago and we just now had to replace them. They’re not only aesthetically pleasing, they’re durable and easy to clean as well.

Shipt: Yes, I’m back on my soapbox about Shipt. Whether you choose them or another delivery service, do yourself a favor and save yourself some time by not making that trip to the grocery store. You can even sign up for a pass.

Hope you enjoyed this little look into my meal planning world. Loved it? Drop a comment below and let’s chat!