I don't know about you, but I'm a total Nosey Nellie when it comes to what people are having for dinner. I am the person out at a restaurant that needs to know what everyone else is having before I can commit to choosing my own meal. I get serious food FOMO, and one of my favorite things is checking out recipes and meal plans on Instagram and Pinterest. I can't be alone! If you are in need of some meal ideas, keep reading!
Each week, I will be sharing what our family is eating - in case you might need some ideas or inspiration. If I make any tweaks to the meal for the boys, I will include that too! I will always link the recipe or share the details if it is something I make on my own. Generally, I only plan four meals a week and then we eat leftovers, go out to eat, or grab take out - so you will only find four meal ideas here each week. If you have any amazing recipes to share, send them my way (erinm@macaronikid.com) and you may be featured in an upcoming installment of "This Week's Meal Plan".
BIG shoutout to Jamie, otherwise known as The Balanced Nutritionist on Instagram, for helping me find balance with food. Many of these recipes are inspired by her. If you are struggling finding balance with food, I can't recommend reaching out to Jamie enough. I am a proud member of her Balanced Breakthrough program and it has made such a difference with my eating habits - and my life! *not sponsored, I just really really love her!
This week's meal plan is all about easy - and sharing with you how I modify/change around ingredients to also get my 5 and 3 year old to eat the same (mostly) meal. Hope this is helpful!
Disclaimer: This is what works for our family. We are allll about balance. You may eat more veggies or less, more meat or less, and you may notice that sometimes we have something a little more indulgent. Your meals may look different, and that is both normal and okay!
Meal One: Sheet Pan Tortellini Bake
Okay - this meal is so delicious and RIDICULOUSLY easy. At first I was a little unsure about crunchy tortellini, but the texture is perfect and it totally delivers. I did a couple things different from the recipe: instead of frozen tortellini, I used fresh which probably made it slightly more crunchy. The recipe also calls for broccoli only, but I added whatever veggies we had on hand. My favorite combo is broccoli, zucchini, red pepper, and asparagus. The recipe also has a lot of oil and cheese in it. I was able to do half to 3/4 of each of those ingredients and it was still amazing.
If you try this one, let me know! It is going to be a part of our weekly rotation for sure!
For the boys, I usually deconstruct this meal. I separate out the tortellini and chicken sausage, and give them their veggies/fruits of choice on the side.
Meal Two: Petite Filet, Asparagus, and Mashed Potatoes
Sometimes simple meals are the best meals! When we can swing it, I love making beef tenderloin at home. It is so incredibly easy to make and comes out delicious every single time. My go to steak sides are always asparagus and mashed potatoes. It is the best combo - prove me wrong! I follow this method for cooking the steak but instead of a stainless steel pan, I use my cast iron.
For the boys, I usually make something else when we have this meal. They don't love steak, and I'm certainly not wasting filet on someone that doesn't enjoy it 😂 Henry will have the mashed potatoes and broccoli, but Thomas really doesn't love any of this!
Meal Three: Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
While I am a loyal Crock Pot user, I do love how fast the InstaPot does the same job! This soup is so easy, so quick, and satisfying. It is ready is less than 30 minutes, freezes great, and pleases everyone in my house. if you have allergies, it is also gluten free, dairy free, and nut free. It's a winner in my book!
For the boys, I serve this meal as is. They love the soup - especially the carrots!
Meal Four: Tacos!
Tacos always deliver! We do typical tacos and grab the premade crunchy shells. I usually use the 93/7 ground beef and the Siete brand taco seasoning (SO good!). I like taco salads, but I also love having a real taco too. As a compromise, I usually make a big salad and put two tacos on tops, knowing that many of the fillings in the taco will fall out and make it into the salad 😂 Best of both worlds!
For the boys, I let them build their own tacos and choose their toppings. They both love tacos, so this is in our regular rotation since it pleases everyone and it can be customized easily.
Looking for even more meal ideas? Search for "meal plan" on our site for even more options!
When visiting events and local businesses, be sure to tell them Macaroni KID sent you... and don't forget to tell all your friends!
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
