This week’s Monday Menus is all about creating a meal plan that gets the classics on the table in a snap! A peppered pork tenderloin with skillet apples and brussel sprouts and one pot beef stroganoff and pea salad head up the dinner menus, while a make ahead breakfast casserole, ham & dill pinwheels and a hot chocolate snack mix fill in the gaps with breakfast, dessert & snack!
What Is Meal Planning?
Meal planning is one of those simple concepts that pays you back 3 times what you put into it! At it’s core, meal planning is nothing more than thinking about what you’re going to eat ahead of time and making the preparations necessary for it to happen so that no decisions have to be made at meal time when you’re possibly tired and hungry.
Another way of putting it is meal planning is deciding what you’re going to cook for 2-3 days, a week, or even a whole month in advance and buying the groceries so that they are on hand and ready to go when you are.
How is Meal Planning Helpful?
- Meal Planning eliminates a lot of stress! Just imagine if you never had to do the whole “staring into the refrigerator, pantry or freezer while trying to decide what to make when you’re hungry, everyone’s hungry and there’s nothing that really goes together to make an appetizing meal.” Yeah, that stress. It makes cooking and feeding your family a chore instead of a joy. And a little meal planning can make it disappear forever.
- Meal Planning can save you money! It keeps you from giving in and ordering unnecessary take out, wasting leftovers and ingredients you forget to use or from making unorganized, last minute trips to the grocery store where we buy things we don’t need.
- Meal Planning saves time! When meal time comes around, you’re ready! The ingredients are there. You know what you’re making. Everything’s a go!
Monday Menu is a great meal planning tool by offering the recipes for 2 complete family meals that often make enough for leftovers, a dessert for the week, make ahead breakfast and snacks! Let Monday Menus help you make your week great by taking a little of the load off.
Menu 1- Pork & Apples
Warm, crisp tender and buttery sweet, these easy Fried Cinnamon Apples fill your home with welcoming aromas of baking pie and make a perfect side dish for dinners and holidays, as well as a mouthwatering addition to breakfasts, brunches and desserts!
Rich & delicious brussel sprouts with bacon, simmered in white wine, butter, garlic, salt & pepper and topped with shredded Parmesan make some kind of side dish! Cooked just right in a cast iron skillet, these sprouts have it all- carmelized edges, golden outsides and sweet centers. Say hello to your new favorite veggie!
Menu 2- Classic Stroganoff & Peas
Enjoy all the comforting classic flavors of rich beef stroganoff in an easy one pot recipe! Perfect for busy weeknights, but special enough for guests, luscious sour cream sauce, savory ground beef & mushrooms and silky egg noodles make every night a warm comfort food night!
Bright & crisp, Classic 7 Layer Pea Salad wows with pops of green peas, salty bacon, cubed cheddar, lettuce, tomato and green onions all topped with a creamy dressing! Perfect for cookouts, potlucks, holidays and even family meals, this easy salad is as pretty as it is tasty!
Dessert This Week!
This little snack mix is the perfect dessert for a little after dinner sweetness while you watch your favorite show or just visit! It is simply THE BEST, super chocolatey hot chocolate snack mix- the perfect crunchy snack for all your hot chocolate fans! Soft marshmallows, chocolate chips, hot chocolate mix and Chex cereal bring a whole new level of cozy enjoyment to a cheerful cup of hot chocolate!
Here’s What We’re Snacking On
Come game day, I can eat my weight in these Ham & Dill Pickle Rollups! As a matter of fact, I love these any day. They make great after school snacks, are awesome appetizers at picnics, game nights, and cookouts. And if you’re low carbing it… well… you’re about to get your pickle on because these aren’t just your ordinary rollups, these are made pinwheel style with a little red pepper kick. And you can’t eat just one.
Making Breakfast Easy
This easy breakfast French toast bake is loaded with plump, sweet red strawberries and buttery pecans. It’s a gorgeously inviting brunch casserole, wonderful for holidays and perfect for those weekends when all the family is at home. Make it ahead of time or the day of! Just top it off with a drizzle of warm maple syrup and you’ve got guaranteed French toast heaven.
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