Meal Plans

MEAL IDEAS

November 14, 2022

Your energy and your Good Batch Mama supply are depleted, and you need dinner ideas. It is lunchtime and you have 5 hours to figure out the age - old question, what are we having for dinner tonight? This blog post is your saving grace. We compiled a list of entrees, sides, and ideas for the dreaded dinnertime question. Whether you use to search your pantry for a lucky combination of ingredients, or to diligently plan out each meal this week, this list is full of ideas that will do any day of the week! Print this sheet, throw it in your junk drawer or pantry, and then reference it when you are being chased by the mob of hungry people who live in your house. Pick an entrée, pick some sides, and forget if your family ends up eating spaghetti and mashed potatoes for dinner tonight, that’s where the dice landed. Okay, but actually, we know the feeling. We hope you can use this sheet to help you provide for the beautiful faces who will always remember that they never once went hungry, all thanks to you.

ENTREES

  • Chicken and Rice
  • Build your own pizza night
  • Salmon in the air fryer
  • Rotisserie Chicken (from the grocery store warmer rack, like a boss)
  • Spaghetti with ground beef/sausage and sauteed veggies
  • Pulled Pork tacos/nachos
  • Build your own loaded grilled cheese–salami, pepperoni, ham, tomatoes, etc.
  • Taco Baked Potatoes
  • Mongolian Beef
  • Shrimp Sauteed with butter + garlic + salt + pepper
  • Meatballs and French bread made into a sub/boat
  • Breakfast for dinner
  • Baked Potato Soup (Find the recipe here) 
  • Loaded quesadillas using leftover meat from the night before
  • Fettuccini Alfredo with different add ins (chicken, broccoli, shrimp, etc)
  • Soup beans (made in the instapot!) and Cornbread Sheet pan chicken and potatoes
  • Chicken marsala (here is our recipe) 
  • 5 can soup (so easy, so yummy! We add ground sausage to get it past the boys.Find a version here)
  • Fried rice with any protein
  • BBQ ribs, bonus points if you cook from raw, but most groceries have pre-cooked racks available)
  • Sliced Italian sausage and potatoes
  • Grilled steak
  • Build your own Greek chicken gyros (pita, grilled chicken, tzatziki sauce, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers)

SIDES

  • Honey Roasted sweet potatoes  
  • Satueed mushrooms + worchestshire sauce  
  • Chopped and roasted red potatoes  
  • Mashed potatoes + toppings  
  • White steamed rice  
  • Rice with peas/carrots and soy sauce  
  • Full size carrots wrapped in bacon and baked with maple syrup and black pepper  
  • Mexican street corn (corn with mayo, sour cream, lime, chili powder, salt, and cilantro!)  
  • Sauteed zucchini and squash  
  • Baked Golden potatoes with lots of butter  
  • Fresh green beans and butter + salt + pepper (optional: add sliced almonds after buttering) 
  • Corn on the cob  
  • Mac and cheese (add American cheese and milk to regular boxed mac and impress the fam!)  
  • Caprese salad (recipe here)  
  • Cheesy scalloped potatoes  
  • Chips and salsa or queso  
  • Black beans  
  • Fresh fruit salad 
  • Cucumbers or carrots and ranch (if the wing restaurants do it, you can do it too) 
  • Broccoli or cauliflower sauteed with butter and soy sauce  
  • Tater tots (bonus points if you prepare toppings for them!)  

SIDES

  • Honey Roasted sweet potatoes  
  • Satueed mushrooms + worchestshire sauce  
  • Chopped and roasted red potatoes  
  • Mashed potatoes + toppings  
  • White steamed rice  
  • Rice with peas/carrots and soy sauce  
  • Full size carrots wrapped in bacon and baked with maple syrup and black pepper  
  • Mexican street corn (corn with mayo, sour cream, lime, chili powder, salt, and cilantro!)  
  • Sauteed zucchini and squash  
  • Baked Golden potatoes with lots of butter  
  • Fresh green beans and butter + salt + pepper (optional: add sliced almonds after buttering) 
  • Corn on the cob  
  • Mac and cheese (add American cheese and milk to regular boxed mac and impress the fam!)  
  • Caprese salad (recipe here)  
  • Cheesy scalloped potatoes  
  • Chips and salsa or queso  
  • Black beans  
  • Fresh fruit salad 
  • Cucumbers or carrots and ranch (if the wing restaurants do it, you can do it too) 
  • Broccoli or cauliflower sauteed with butter and soy sauce  
  • Tater tots (bonus points if you prepare toppings for them!)  

LITTLE SURPRISES

  • Softened butter whipped with honey for rolls  
  • Grab some fortune cookies from the Asian section at the grocery store and surprise everyone with a themed meal  
  • Play “new food Monday” (or whatever day you go to the store) and always bring home a new item for everyone to try! 
  • Cut your kids first initial out of their quesadilla (still puts the “scraps” on their plate, or eat them yourself)  
  • Make a box of brownies from the store. Sprinkle them with powdered sugar or sprinkles and put them on the table during dinner. It’s the simplest dessert, but always makes everyone smile!  
  • Melt chocolate in a bowl and transfer it to a ziploc bag. Cut the corner and spell your families names out on their dessert plates. Pretend that you didn’t just create a whole other round of dishes and soak in the MVP award for the night.  
  • Buy seasonal paper plates and set the table for dinner like it’s a big deal. If themed food is available, include that as well!  
  • If your crew is used to drinking water or the same old things, indulge them with a “special” drink. Root beer and sparkling grape juice are favorites in our house. Use tea cups or stemware to enhance the experience. 

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