Simple Meal Planning: Summer Edition

Come see how I easily plan for dinner each night by this simple method that I adapt according to each season.

Simple meal planning is what it’s all about, am I right people? I love to cook, bake, and create some scrumptious things in my kitchen, but most of the time I just want to get some real food on the table that’s simple, quick, and delicious. Oh, and with hardly any forethought.

Is that asking too much? No. I’ve found that it isn’t, and I’m happy to share with you how I do it!

Simple Meal Planning around themes

This was the game changer for me! Instead of always wondering what I would make for dinner, or sitting down each week with pen to paper to creatively write down a typical list of dinners (because really, I love to plan and know what’s happening), my time was freed and I gained it back to do something else.

I thought about all the different kinds of meals my family enjoys. Italian, Mexican, grill, brinner (breakfast for dinner), etc.

I thought about ways to make dinners fun and exciting. Something for the family to look forward to. Like setting up expectation that creates longing and excitement. Thus simple meal planning with themes was born:

• Mondays—soups (salads for summer) or slow/pressure cooker meals
• Tuscan Tuesday (Italian) or Taco Tuesday (Mexican)
• Wacky Wednesdays—brinner (breakfast for dinner) or ice cream filled crepes, etc.; something really wacky.
• Thursdays—skillet meal or sheet pan
• Fridays—always and forever will pizza/movie night!
• Saturdays—grill night
• Sundays—traditional roast dinner of some kind, or something simple like popcorn and smoothie bowls if I just feel like taking a Sabbath.

This is how I want our family to view dinner time in our home. I want this time known for gathering round the table, sharing in wholesome food that nourishes our bodies and having meaningful conversation and time spent with each other.

Video for Simple Meal Planning Summer Edition

Meal Ideas for Simple Meal Planning: Summer Edition

This should come easy since you know what your family already likes to eat!

I find it best to make a list of everyone’s all-time faves and work with it.

Sometimes I’ll come across a recipe that I feel like trying. I’ve noticed that how much time I spend in the kitchen devoting to meals depends on the season of life we’re in. Also the season, or time, of the year.

But for now, this season I find myself in, I’m really liking this simple plan of knowing what theme is assigned each day and throwing together a meal that’s quick and simple, yet totally nourishing and satiating.

Sometimes I’ll even think ahead and pull out a few days or even a week’s worth of meat out of the freezer. That always makes me feel like a rock star.

Mondays

Since it’s summer, we tend to eat lighter, cooler-type meals. Mondays become salad day or some variation. Or I might employ the InstaPot. Salads are a biggie. I could make boiled eggs in my InstaPot, slice onto a bed of greens and veggies, and BAM! Dinner served.

Some simple salad or InstaPot ideas are:

• Sloppy Joes
• Wedge salad with boiled eggs and some kind of lunch meat
• Thai salad wraps or an asian themed salad wrap (I use those thin rice wraps found in the oriental section of the grocery store). These are fun and the kids always enjoy them. I julienne or shred all the veggies (think cabbage, carrot, cucumber, onion, whatever’s in the garden), and toss with a thai or asian dressing I make from staples in my pantry (think sesame oil, chili sauce, peanut oil, bragg’s liquid aminos, herbs and seasonings, etc.)
• Pulled meat of some kind— roast or chicken, bbq sauce or smoke flavor; serve with quinoa, rice, pasta, veggies, corn, potato planks, etc.

Tuscan or Taco Tuesdays

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I try to swap each week between Tuscan and Taco Tuesday. Some of our faves are:

• Italian pasta salad with a salami, summer sausage, or pepperoni, chunks of mozzarella, shredded carrot, whatever garden veggies, tossed with Italian vinaigrette
• Spaghetti, of course
• Zucchini boats— a great way to use up that manna from the summer garden LOL (especially the ones that were allowed to get too big). Slice zukes in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Place a simple meat marinara sauce inside the boat. Top with mozzarella and parm/reggiano and bake at 400º F until brown and bubbly
• Pasta primavera with shrimp or salmon cream sauce, and all the beautiful garden veggies
• Tacos, of course. I don’t have hard shells stocked in my pantry. I usually just make my Sourdough Wraps. If we feel like crunchy, we’ll put the meat on a bed of tortilla chips. Nachos anyone?
• Burrito bowls with InstaPot refried beans and rice. Think layers and all the possible toppings.
• Nachos— this can be on a bed of chips dressed with all the things, topped with cheese and broiled til toasty. Or all the toppings on a bed of quinoa.

Wacky Wednesdays

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Finally! This is my kids’ FAVORITE day! It means:

• Pancakes
• Waffles
• Egg casserole with biscuits
• Eggs and bacon
• Ham and egg on sourdough english muffins
• Crepes with whatever berry or fruit in season topped with whipped cream of course!
• Ice cream sundaes (OK, this is RARE, but let me tell ya, when it happens, the kids sing the Hallelujah Chorus!)
• Dutch babies
• Smoothie bowls
• Smoothies and granola

Thursdays Skillet or Sheet Pan Meals

These are like the one-pot meal ideas. I like to use my cast iron 12 or 14″ cast iron skillet or a rimmed, sheet pan and roast the dinner in the oven. Basically, choose a meat (ground or sliced), add veggies, seasonings, and a grain if desired i.e. rice, pasta, quinoa, lentils, etc.

Here’s some meals we enjoy:

• Cheeseburger skillet— I saute ground beef with onion. Add some tomato paste, mustard, Bragg’s aminos, chili powder, salt and pepper, pickles, a little water or broth, top with a sourdough starter crust and shredded cheese (under the crust or on top, your choice). Bake at 400º F for 20 min. Alternately I also make a cheeseburger chili mac by just adding an elbow pasta instead of the top crust.
• Egg roll skillet— basically I take ground beef and build around that in an egg roll theme: shredded cabbage and carrots, broccoli, onions, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, Bragg’s liquid aminos (healthier version of soy sauce), coriander, and any other oriental spice I may have on hand.
• Lasagna skillet— same idea as above, just using Italian seasonings and veggies, sauce, maybe a pasta or not, adding the Italian cheeses if desired like ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, etc. and finishing in oven at 400º F until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Fridays Pizza Night!

This is by far THE FAVORITE night of the week. I think I already said that about Wednesday. Okay, guess there’s two faves.

Some days I feel like making a traditional type of dough (sourdough of course), but most days I simply make sure that I have plenty of sourdough starter that’s a little on the thicker side and simply make THE FASTEST pizza crust EVER. Still delicious too!

I preheat my cast irons—skillets, stones, whatever you have—at 400º F.

On the preheated cast iron that’s well seasoned and with a little grease/oil, spread the starter all over the pan as thick as desired. Sprinkle generously with mineral salt. Bake for about 10-12 min.

Flip the crust over. Drizzle with olive oil and basil or Italian seasoning if desired.

Dress crust with pizza toppings. Bake at 400º F for another 10-15 min. until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Saturdays Grill Night

We love to sit on the deck and grill up some grub! Hot dogs, hamburgers, tri tip, flank steaks, any kind steak, chicken, etc. Nuff said.

Sunday Rest Day

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This is super flexible. Sometimes I’ll use this opportunity to clean out the fridge and make up something from random leftovers.

If I feel like whipping something up, that’s what I’ll do.

But often, I take this opportunity for some down time and declare smoothies and popcorn for all!

Quick. Easy. Mom’s done it again. 🦸‍♀️

Grab your free printable Simple Meal Planning Summer Edition!

If you liked these ideas and want a copy for quick and easy reference, then you can download one today.

As a homeschooling mom, you know I’m laminating all. the time.

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Meal Planning Made Simple

Thank you for joining me today and allowing me to share how we do meal planning around our farmhouse in the summertime. I hope you found it helpful and gave you some fresh ideas!

Are you a planner or winger? Do you have a system that works for you and your family? Share in the comments below to help others learn something new!