Meal Planning :: My Approach to Healthy School Night Dinners

I’m one of those moms who really enjoys cooking for her family…well, most of the time, at least.

When my boys were younger and home all day, I’d start cooking early, taking my time to enjoy the process, and would even include them in the prep work. Think classical music, a crisp clean apron, and a nice glass of cab.

Once real school started, though, the fresh basil-infused spaghetti sauce hit the fan. I found myself stressing about what to cook, how to find time to cook it, and how to make them eat it fast enough to move along to bath time. It was like a crazed assembly line of overcooked chicken tenders and mushy broccoli—enough to give us all stomach aches.

Now, in the beginning of my second academic calendar with these littles I love so dearly, I’ve gotten into a groove, and dinnertime is enjoyable again, even with our increasingly hectic daily schedules. Although I admire and applaud those who can actually plan out their daily meals, I take more of an organized chaos approach to my meal planning.

If you want some help making dinnertime run more smoothly but can’t commit to a weekly menu and shopping list, this post is for you. 

Grocery Shopping List

I normally do a big shopping trip for the week on Monday. I find I have a lot less waste this way since we eat out some over the weekend.

PROTEIN

I include one big meat (a whole chicken, a brisket, something that will generate leftovers), one seafood, and one plant-based protein like tofu or beans.

VEGGIES

Six to eight different kinds of veggies: dark leafy ones (spinach, kale, chard), cruciferous ones (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels), and starchy ones (sweet potatoes, corn).

STAPLES

I have a few staples that I use in nearly every meal I cook, so I always like to have these items on hand:

• Garlic (already peeled from Trader Joe’s, BIG time saver)
• Kosher salt for all my meats
• Pink salt for everything else
• Olive oil for low heat and salads
• Coconut oil for high heat (I buy it by the gallon when on sale to save big)
• Ground black pepper (because I don’t have time to grind)

With my staples and fresh ingredients on hand, I’m ready to serve up healthy and delicious meals to my crew. I’ve landed on quite a few dishes I love to make as much as my family loves to eat them.

To avoid dinner boredom, I have about a two-week rotation. To do the same, you will need 6–8 go-to main courses in your repertoire.

5 Nights of Healthy School Night Dinners

MONDAY

I go for quick and simple because it’s Manic Monday. Seafood is a good pick because it cooks (and spoils) quickly. Plus, I feel Monday calls for a super clean boost after a weekend that MAY have included ingesting my body weight in queso. If I’m firing up the oven for the seafood (like baked salmon), I use the oven for all of it! Roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts drizzled with honey or cauliflower sprinkled with Parm are crowd pleasers. One cooking method to rule them all means fewer dishes and easier clean up.

TUESDAY

Mama pulls out her big guns. I roast a whole chicken (much easier than it sounds, I swear), pork ribs, roast, brisket, or some other big meaty goodness. These dishes take more time to cook, so you have to get them in the oven early. This works well for us on Tuesdays because we have an after-school activity and dinner can already be cooking in the oven before I do the drop off. Prep time is minimal, and if you cook enough, you’ll have leftovers that will come in handy later in the week. One leafy green and a starchy veg go well with these heavy-hitting proteins.

WEDNESDAY

We have an after-school commitment on Wednesdays as well, so I usually make a slow cooker meal. I can put on a pot of beans over lunch and serve up simple beans and rice. Amp up the nutrients by adding lots of veggies and homemade stock (stockpiled in your freezer) to the pot. This is a great opportunity to slip some kale or chard into your unsuspecting child’s mouth. Finely chop and they’ll never know! Of course, any of the multitude of slow cooker recipes or Instant Pot recipes would work well for a mid-week dinner too.

THURSDAY

This is the night when your work from Tuesday will pay off a second time. You can serve your main course again but with freshly steamed veggies like broccoli and corn on the cob. If you don’t have enough meat to go around as a main, you can repurpose that protein into a new dish. Stir fry it with veggies to serve over rice. Chop it and mix with pasta and veggies. Dice it and make tacos or tostadas.

FRIDAY

As a general rule, I do not cook dinner on Friday night. We have a family tradition of going out on Fridays, and I encourage you to do the same! If you don’t want to drag the kids out, order in. After all, you’ve earned it!

You’ve got this, Master-of-Mom-Made-Meals! Tackle your school night dinners like the boss you are and feel great feeding your family (and yourself) wholesome home cooked meals…well, most of the time, at least.

Bon appétit!