Meal Plan: Fast Meals
Sometimes, you just need to get food on the table quickly. In the meal plan for this week, we are focusing on how to survive busy weeknights and still put healthy, complete meals on the table. We are all in this crazy life together, after all! I hope you find some inspiration here.
THIS WEEK’S MEAL PLAN FOR FAST MEALS INCLUDES:
- A variety of meals that you can make quickly, most of which you can have on the table in under 40 minutes after you get home from a busy day at work.
- A yummy dessert for each day, some of which can double as lunch kit treats for kids at school!
MAKE MEAL PLANNING A SUCCESS
Of course, there are a few things you need to remember to make this kind of thing work for you and your schedule. Sometimes I hear people say that meal planning doesn’t work for their lifestyle, and usually it’s because they don’t do at least one of the following:
- Make sure you have all the groceries! It is crucial to go through the plan the weekend before, to make sure you have all the ingredients and are ready to go when the work week starts and life gets crazy. I have tried to make sure ingredients are simple and on-hand in most pantries, but there’s always going to be a few things missing!
- Review and change the order you prepare the suggested recipes to suit your needs. For days you know you will be running errands or taking kids to activities, plan the meals with the lowest prep and shortest cook times. Save the slightly more involved recipes for evenings when you can breathe.
- Plan ahead. Look at the recipe for the next day the night before, and see if there’s anything you can do to get ready. Even chopping vegetables the day before will make you feel in control and give you that precious extra few minutes to get out the door on time.
- Take meal planning seriously! If you know what’s in your pantry and what your plans are for feeding your family at least a few days in a row, you will find that dinner will become far less stressful. I’m including the link for my FREE printable meal planning toolkit to help you really get organized and set up for success.
Now, let’s get planning! I’m so excited to present this week’s meal plan, full of fast recipes that will be sure to get you through the week well-fed and stress-free.
Monday:
This menu offering includes a yummy sheet pan dinner, a make-your-own salad platter, and a delicious cinnamon bread dessert.
Main Dish: 25-Minute Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Side Dish: Platter Salad
Dessert: Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
Tuesday:
Who says you can’t eat salad as a main course? This menu includes a beautiful blueberry balsamic grilled turkey salad, a cheesy pull apart garlic bread, and a s’more-themed dessert. Prep the turkey in advance on the weekend and it’s a super quick and easy meal!
Main Dish: Blueberry Balsamic Grilled Turkey Salad
Bread: Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread
Dessert: S’more Magic Cookie Bars
Wednesday:
Salmon is such a nice treat, and for an extra bonus it’s quick and easy too! Try this oven roasted salmon (with your choice of seasoning), bruschetta pasta salad (yes, bruschetta in salad form!), and easy flourless peanut butter cookies for a meal you won’t soon forget.
Main Dish: Oven Baked Salmon
Salad: Bruschetta Pasta Salad
Thursday:
Pork chops done right are such a quick, satisfying main dish. This menu includes creamy and tender parmesan garlic pork chops, elegant whipped mashed potatoes with black truffle cheese (or any cheese you have on hand), and classic chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.
Main dish: Creamy Parmesan Garlic Pork Chops
Side Dish: Whipped Mashed Potatoes with Black Truffle Cheese
Dessert: Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Friday:
Celebrate the end of the work week with a fun meal! This one dish nacho pasta bake, simple green salad, and decadent chocolate chip pudding cookie menu is sure to please.
Main Dish: Nacho Pasta Bake
Salad: Simple Green Salad with Homemade Mayo Dressing
Dessert: Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
And that’s it! I hope I’ve shown you that quick and easy meals can still be healthy, balanced, and fun in this Weekly Meal Plan: Fast Meals offering. After you try them all, let me know in the comments which day was your very favourite!
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Have a delicious day!
