March 18, 2015

Busy Week Menu Plan – 7 Time Saving Meals

If you menu plan you know that having a plan for dinner is a huge time and money saver. Over the next couple weeks I’m going to share my favorite busy week meal ideas, perfect for busy spring schedules (and spring cleaning!). I’m including a couple adjustments that I make to make the recipes work for us.

I menu plan for the week, I take a look at our schedule, our busier days and days that may allow for a little more time in the kitchen. We stick to a fairly healthy diet without a lot of boxed and prepackaged foods loaded with who-knows-what. All of these meals are kid friendly and fan favorites – enjoy!

SHREDDED BBQ CHICKEN BURGERS VIA WHAT’S GABY COOKING
This comes together easily as most of the work is done in the crockpot. Add some fresh fruit and vegies to round it out and keep it simple.

GRILLED CHICKEN PINEAPPLE QUESADILLAS VIA THE PIONEER WOMAN
We love quesadillas and this sweet and tangy variation is a fun twist. Picky little ones? Make plain cheese ones for the kids.

HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS VIA THE GIRL WHO ATE EVERYTHING
This one is pure comfort food with soft rolls, melted cheese and an easy mustard based sauce. We substitute turkey or chicken for the ham with great results. If I have extra time, I’ll make a batch of homemade rolls in a pie plate instead of store bought.

OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT MINESTRONE SOUP (SLOW COOKER) VIA COOKING CLASSY
This vegetarian soup is loaded with all kinds of veggies to make for a healthy yet flavorful soup. It’s perfect for busy days when you don’t have much time. Throw the ingredients in in the morning and let simmer away until dinner. Serve with some fresh bread for dunking.

ORZO SALAD WITH CHICKPEAS, CUCUMBERS, LEMON, DILL AND FETA VIA TWO PEAS AND THEIR POD
We love pasta salad and we love the fresh flavors of lemon and dill in this orzo salad. You can easily make it in the morning or during a quiet time of your day and let the flavors blend until dinner. Serve with some fresh seasonal fruit.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA TURKEY MEATLOAF VIA BAREFOOT CONTESSA
This recipe makes a HUGE meatloaf or two which may be perfect for company or leftovers the next day. I also half the recipe with great success if you want a one night kind of recipe. Lean and full of flavor, this goes great with mashed sweet potatoes and a simple vegetable.

GINGER CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS STIR FRY VIA MEL’S KITCHEN
Stir fry comes together quickly and is a favorite meal for us. Prep your vegetables earlier in the day to minimize your mealtime prep. Serve over some brown rice.

If you need a little help with your menu planning, I have an adorable menu planning notepad in my shop and menu planning kits as well. Click on the images below to see them in my shop.