Weekly Meal Plans

I am a busy mom who works full time, tries to keep up with my kids lives and serve a good supper every night. I am going to start posting my weekly menu as a way to try to help others who also struggle to figure out "what's for dinner" every day. I try to keep my meals nutritious but still want them to taste good and be kid approved. Some meals might seem super simple or use convenience foods but I find that some nights that is almost a necessity! Hope this helps someone out there!
- Angie

WEEKLY MENU THREE

Monday - Chicken Bacon Ranch (crockpot)

Tuesday - Maidrites & French Fries

Wednesday - Pork Chops & Baked Beans

Thursday - Breakfast

Friday - Minute Steak & Mashed Potatoes/Gravy

Weekend - LEFTOVERS!! 

Chicken Bacon Ranch

(Crockpot)

3 T real bacon bits

1 T minced garlic

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

1 can of cream of chicken condensed soup

1/2 C Skim milk

1 C Light Sour Cream

4 boneless skinless chicken breast (I used 8 chicken tenders)

Cook low 3-4 hours in slow cooker, serve over no-yolk egg noodles if desired but be sure to add these calories in.

(I bet it would be good over a baked potato too)

Maidrites & French Fries

2 lb 93% ground turkey or hamburger

1 Can Manwich OR 1 Can Chicken Gumbo Condensed soup

Brown meat and add either Manwich or soup and heat it up.  Serve with baked french fries.

Pork Chops & Beans

Pork Chops

BBQ Sauce

Large can of Baked Beans

2 T Brown Sugar

1/4 Ketchup

1 tsp dry mustard

2 slices turkey bacon

Chopped Onion

I am hoping to grill the pork chops & serve with BBQ sauce.  You can also pan fry them or bake them - there are many recipes on the internet.

For the beans:  MIx beans & remaining ingredients in a 2 qt casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees covered for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 30 minutes.

Breakfast

I am making the egg casserole from Week 1 Menu plan.  I am trying out a new pancake recipe I found.

Apple Pancakes

2 cups flour

1 T Brown Sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs (or 1/2 egg beaters)

2 cups milk

2 Tbsp oil

1 Med Apple peeled & chopped up

Combine all ingredients & drop by 1/4 cup onto hot griddle - makes 18 pancakes.

Crockpot Minute Steak & Mashed Potatoes

5 Minute Steaks

1-2 T Olive Oil 

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can french onion soup

1/2 can water

Potatoes & Milk OR Ore Ida frozen mashed potatoes

Heat olive oil up in frying pan.  Lightly coat the minute steaks with flour & brown both side in the frying pan.  Put both soups & water in the bottom of the crockpot and mix together.  Put minute steaks on top.  Cook on High 4-6 or High 8-10 hours.  Soups will make a gravy to put on the potatoes.

For potatoes - you can cube potatoes & put them in the crockpot or you can make homemade mashed potatoes.  Or you can buy the frozen ones - they are delicious & so much EASIER!!

WEEKLY MENU TWO

Monday - Reubens & Chips

Tuesday - Stir Fry, Egg Rolls & Rice

Wednesday - Chicken Strips & Roasted Green Beans

Thursday - Baked Spaghetti

Friday - Nacho Beef Bake

Weekend - LEFTOVERS!!

Reubens

Corned Beef

Sauerkraut

Light Thousand Island Dressing

Pumpernickle Rye Bread

Heat a pan to medium heat on the stovetop.  Spray bread with non-stick spray or spread with light margarine (that would be extra calories).  Layer on the corned beef, sauerkraut & 1000 Island and top with the other piece of bread.  Flip over & cook the other side.  Can substitute turkey or ham lunch meat if desired.

Per Serving:

310 cal -

40 carbs -

7 fat -

1 protein

Stir Fry - Rice

I usually buy the BIG bag in the frozen section at Walmart.  It is Birdeye brand Oriental Stir Fry.  It comes with the sauce packets to mix with the veggies.  For the rice I buy the Uncle Bens pouches that only take 90 seconds in the microwave.  It is quick & easy.


If you have extra time you can make these egg rolls from scratch.  My kids did not like them so I will probably not make them again.

Egg Rolls

I usually buy vegetable egg rolls in the frozen section but I am going the extra mile this week and trying to make them from scratch.  Here is the recipe I am using:

1 Package of Coleslaw Mix

Green Onions, sliced

Sliced Mushrooms, chopped & diced

Zucchini, diced

1 Can Bean Sprouts, drained

Soy Sauce

Oyster Sauce

Fresh minced garlic

Fresh grated ginger

Egg Roll Wrappers

Egg, beaten

PAM Spray

For the filling:

Add all the veggies to the pot on a medium heat and mix for a few minutes until the veggies are warmed up. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger in bowl and dump over the veggies and mix well. Set veggies aside to cool for a few minutes.

Once the veggies are cooled, fill your egg roll wrappers with filling and assemble (there are tons of instructions online on how to assemble an egg roll. It is even on the back of the egg roll wrapper). Be sure to use a little egg to seal the wrapper.

Spray a cookie sheet with PAM and line the egg rolls on cookie sheet. Spray the top of the egg rolls with PAM (just a little, you don't want to coat too much).

Bake on 350 for a good 25 minutes. 

You might want to broil for a few minutes too to get them crispy on top!

Each egg roll is only 73 calories and they are a pretty good size!

Crispy Chicken Strips

Makes: 4 servings

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves 

1 egg, slightly beaten 

1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar

1 teaspoon prepared mustard 

1 C Crushed Cornflakes (I used cornflake crumbs by Kellogg)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut chicken into 3-by-3/4-inch strips. In a shallow dish, combine egg, honey, and mustard. In another dish, stir together cornflake crumbs and pepper.

2. Dip chicken strips into the egg mixture; roll in crumb mixture to coat. Arrange chicken strips on an ungreased baking sheet.

3. Bake about 12 minutes, or until outsides are golden and chicken is no longer pink.

Large Egg, 1 Egg	70
Albertson's - Yellow Mustard, 1 tsp	5
Honey, 1 tbsp	64
Tyson - 100% All Natural Chicken Breast Tenderlions, 12 oz	300
Kelloggs - Corn Flake Crumbs, 1 cup	300
Add Ingredient

Total:	739	93	7	84	3	2
Per Serving:	185

Roasted Green Beans

 

wash the beans and cut off the ends and sprayed the pan with olive oil spray... put the green beans on and sprayed them with the spray and sprinkled with garlic seasoning. Baked at 450 for about 20 min.  Turn halfway and cook longer if you want them roasted more.

Baked Spaghetti

My Mom's Recipe :)

1 lb turkey sausage

3/4 cup onion, chopped

3/4 cup green pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 oz can mushrooms OR fresh mushrooms sliced

10 oz whole wheat spaghetti - broken & cooked

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1 jar light spaghetti sauce

In a large skillet sautee onion & peppers in olive oil (and mushrooms if you use fresh).  Add meat, garlic, salt and chili powder.  Simmer together with sauce.  Mixed cooked/drained spaghetti with sauce mixture.  Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.  Pour mixture in the pan and cover with the cheeses.

Bake 30 mins at 350 degrees.

Per Serving:

210 cal -

26 carb -

6 fat -

12 protein

Serve with salad & garlic bread 

Nacho Beef Bake

1 lb 93% ground turkey or hamburger

1/2 cup water

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

2 tubes reduced fat crescent rolls

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups crushed baked doritos

3 cups shredded lettuce

3 medium tomatoes, diced

Brown meat, add water, taco seasoning and black beans.  Cook until heated through.

Unroll crescent rolls and press into the bottom and up sides of a 13x9 pan coated with cooking spray, seal seams and perforations.  Spoon meat mixture over crust, spread sour cream over meat & sprinkle with cheese & chips.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 18-22 mins or until cheese is melted.  Top with lettuce & tomatoes & serve.

Per Serving:

330 cal -

27 carb -

12 fat -

16 protein

WEEKLY MENU ONE

Monday - Chef Salads, Fruit Fluff

Tuesday - Egg Casserole, Baked Pancakes, Fruit Salad

Wednesday - Meatloaf, Baked Potato, Mixed Vegetables

Thursday - BBQ Pork Sandwiches & Chips

Friday - Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread

Weekend - LEFTOVERS!!

Chef  Salads

I usually buy bags of lettuce mixes or you can buy heads of the type of salad you like.
Then you just buy toppings to put on your salad.  
Some ideas: black/green olives, tomatoes, cheese, meats, bacon, croutons, cottage cheese...whatever your family likes.  Pick your favorite dressing and you are done!

Fruit Fluff

1 - 3oz raspberry jello
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 container cool whip, thawed
Boil 3/4 cup water and add jello to it , stir until dissolved.  Add berries & stir until it starts to get thick. Stir 1/2 cup jello mixture into the cool whip and stir until mixed together.  Spoon cool whip mixture into 4 individual cups/bowls - I stretched it to 5 servings.  Cover with the remaining jello mixture.  Refrigerate 15 mins or until set.

Egg Casserole

1 frozen small bag of o'brien hash browns with green peppers & onions

1 package turkey bacon

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

12 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak hash browns in water until they are softened, drain. Pat them into a 9x13 pan that is sprayed with non-stick spray.  Layer meat & cheese on top of that.  Mix eggs & milk together and pour over top.  Bake for 45-60 mins or until done.

Baked Pancakes

1/4 cup egg beaters (or 1 egg)

1 T butter, melted

1 1/2 C flour

4 T sugar

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 3/4 C buttermilk (you can make your own by adding 1 T vinegar to skim milk)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 8 inch pie plate with non-stick spray (I use a circle stoneware pan so cooking time might be different).  Combine ingredients in the order they are listed until they are mixed together.  Pour into the pan and bake until set and lightly browned on top.  Depending on the pan size you use it takes 30-45 mins.  

*The original recipe says to cook 25 mins at 400 degrees but I altered this to be at the same temp as the egg dish. 

Fruit Salad

1 can pineapple

1 can mandarin oranges

You can add other fruit you like or fruit that is in season 
(grapes are good but too expensive this time of year!)

1 single serve container of yogurt 
(whatever flavor you like - I like the weight watchers ameretto cheesecake flavor)

Mix all together - enjoy!

Meatloaf

1/2 cup egg beaters (or 2 eggs)

2/3 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup bread crumbs (I like Italian)

1 cup finely shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 t salt

1/3 t garlic powder 

1/4 t pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef (I use 93% or 1/2 beef, 1/2 turkey)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

In a large bowl combine first 9 ingredients - mix beef in with it until mixed up well.  Shape into a loaf in a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake uncovered for 50 mins.  

For the glaze mix the ketchup & brown sugar in a saucepan - bring to a boil.  Reduce heat & simmer for 5 mins or until heated through.  Pour over the meatloaf 10-15 mins longer or until the meatloaf is well cooked. Let stand a few minutes before slicing.

Serve with baked potato or mashed potatoes and frozen mixed vegetables of your choice.

BBQ Pork Sandwiches (Crockpot)

Whole pork roast - whatever size meets your family's needs

1 cup water OR 1 can of root beer 

BBQ Sauce of your choice

1 package of hamburger buns

Put your roast in the crockpot and pour water OR pop over roast.  Cook 8-10 hours on Low or 4-6 hours on High.  Take roast out (or drain the liquid from the crockpot & leave it in there) & shred with a fork.  Add BBQ sauce and mix or you can serve without BBQ or with a different sauce if you like.  Serve with chips.

Lasagna & Garlic Bread

1 package oven ready lasagna noodles

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

mushrooms (optional)

1 lb turkey sausage

1 container ricotta cheese

1 T Italian Seasoning

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 cup egg beaters 

1 french bread loaf

margarine

garlic salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook turkey sausage and drain.  Mixed together ricotta cheese, egg beaters & Italian seasoning.  Line bottom of 9x13 pan with lasagna noodles. Layer on the meat, tomatoes, ricotta mixture, spaghetti sauce & mozzarella cheese.  Repeat until all ingredients are gone.  Cover with foil & bake for 45-60 mins or until bubbly & hot.  

Take lasagna out and let it rest while you make garlic bread.  Turn your oven to Broil (High).  Slice french bread and butter both sides with margarine and salt with garlic salt.  Put in the oven and watch closely so it doesn't burn.  Brown on both sides.
Serve with salad & garlic bread.