7 meals in 7 days “what’s for dinner?”
So, you’re standing in front of the fridge… nothing but question marks on each shelf. Is there time to defrost? Who ate the yogurt (and put the empty container back)? Is that bag of spinach is still good? Meal planning in the form of 20 containers packed with the exact same meal doesn’t scream excitement. But, a well stocked pantry and a “formula” for weekly meals is a lot more versatile.
Start in the Pantry Keep tabs on staple ingredients you use most often. If supply is low, put it on your shopping list.
Keep It Fresh Begin the week’s meals with fragile ingredients (spinach, basil) that are best within a few days. Heartier ingredients (potatoes, cabbage) are just as delicious at the end of the week.
Look at Your Schedule Do you have time to make sarma on the same day as your work project deadline, doctor appointment and karate class? Plan according to the time involved to make dinner happen.
The Secret… Variety! Alternate between your favorite proteins to anchor the meal and balance with vegetables and carbs.
Simplify with Shortcuts
Cut up fruit/veggies in easy to grab containers on the fridge SHELF (not drawer). You’ll be more likely to choose a healthy snack when it’s ready and in plain sight.
Work ONCE; eat TWICE. If you already have the equipment and ingredients out for chicken cutlets, why not double up? Freeze the extra breaded cutlets (uncooked) on a parchment lined sheet pan overnight. Store frozen cutlets in a freezer bag for a quick meal option. No need to defrost, straight from freezer to pan! This works great for meatballs and burek too.
You don’t have to make homemade pasta from scratch to enjoy a homecooked meal. Keep a few quick convenient items on hand that make sense for busy days.
Give leftovers a second chance! Add extras into soup, in a sandwich, on top of salad, or zhuzh it up with a sauce.
I hope these tips help you answer one of life’s biggest questions, “what’s for dinner?” To make it even easier, here’s a week of ideas! I wrote this with Ramazan in mind, whether you observe or not, I hope it inspires you to try some of these Balkan dishes! I’ll try to share a few of these throughout the week, follow my stories on Instagram to tag along.
