You guys… this is it!  The final week in the 4 week meal rotation!  And, it is very possible that I’ve saved the best for last.  If you haven’t checked out the other weeks yet, find them here:  Week 2, Week 3, Week 4

Let’s dig in.

Links to printable menu and recipes below + descriptions and some photos after

WEEK 1 MENU

PRINTABLE WEEK 1 RECIPES

{Monday}

Kid’s Choice

We call this the ‘kid’s choice’ night, because Craig has fire department meetings every Monday evening and eats at the fire station.  The kids will usually ask for spaghetti or PB&J.  Typically I will eat a salad or leftovers from a previous meal.

{Tuesday}

Chicken & Steak Fajitas + pineapple, avocado slices, black beans

Continuing with the ‘Taco Tuesday’ theme, but wanting to add in a bit of variety, we have fajitas every other week.  The beauty of fajitas is that they can easily be eaten without tortillas for a healthier option.  Just mix the meat and veggies together and top with some beans and avocado slices and you’ve got yourself a tasty and filling meal.

{Wednesday}

Grain Free Italian Meatballs + mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus, cheese

Hands down this is the favorite recipe of all 4 weeks for both my husband and the kids.  I agree with them that it is delicious, but the Cashew Chicken (week 4) still gets my vote!  Craig and I both have a vested interest in this meal because we worked so hard to perfect the meatball consistency & ingredients.  Though based on a recipe I found on the internet, it has now become ‘ours’.  As a parent, I have to say I am pretty satisfied with the amount of veggies that we are able to ‘hide’ in the meatballs.  Even our kids who say they don’t like mushrooms eat these up and ask for more. Try this recipe.  Just do it.

{Thursday}

Baked Chicken (OR) Almond Crusted Fish + whole grain noodles, yellow squash

Both of these options are light yet filling.  When you get to a meal on the rotation that has two choices, simply choose which you are craving most at that moment in time.  I’ll admit that the chicken dish gets chosen over the fish most often, but both are so yummy.

{Friday}

Oven Baked Ham + roasted garlic green beans, apple slices

This meal is proof that you don’t need to work hard to prepare a healthy and filling meal.  Though generally apples are thought of as snacks, they pair perfectly with ham and serve as a super easy side!  Cooking up a large ham on Week 1 of the rotation means that the leftovers can be cubed and frozen for use in future recipes – saving even more time in the kitchen.  Score!

{Saturday}

Lunch: Big Salads (adults) / Chicken Nuggets (kids)

Our Saturdays are usually pretty busy, so we keep the afternoon meal simple and the same each week.  Our ‘big salads’ consist of romaine lettuce and maybe some spinach, topped with a variety of veggies + chunks of chicken or ham and maybe a bit of blue cheese crumbles.  We love the Newman’s Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing.

Dinner: Grilled hamburgers (no buns) + french fries, pickles, orange slices

This meal doesn’t need a lot of discussion.  We have been going ‘bunless’ around here for a few months now, and nobody even asks about them anymore.  You can make your own french fries from potatoes if you’re feeling ambitious. I’m usually not.

{Sunday}

Lunch:  Gas House Eggs + bacon, blueberries & bananas

I admit that I had never heard of these before I met Craig, but they have become a family favorite and needed to stay on the rotation.  We have one meal per week that is more carb-heavy, and this is one of them!

Dinner: Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers + cauliflower rice, strawberries

Once, when I purchased groceries for this week of meals, I had the cashier ask me “What are you going to do with all of those green peppers?”  I don’t know what she was expecting my answer would be, or why she even cared… but we only plan to EAT the food we buy.  Some people are surprised to hear that each and every one of our five kids enjoy eating peppers.  I know that they aren’t typically considered a kid friendly food, and I certainly wasn’t digging them when I was younger.  But this recipe is just so much fun.  Everyone gets their own green pepper ‘bowl’ filled with delicious chicken.  What’s not to love?

For those of you interested in simplifying your grocery shopping for these specific recipes, just click on the link below for a complete shopping list which includes everything you will need to make this week of healthy meals for your family.

GROCERY LIST WEEK 1

Remember, this is a reverse shopping list – if you already have the item in your kitchen, just cross it off!

And there you have it!  4 weeks of healthy, family friendly meals!  If some of these recipes appeal to you more than others, consider adding some of your own family favorites to the mix and making your own rotation / coordinating shopping lists.  I promise you, once you try it you will never want to go back to the aimless grocery store wandering. Less time in the grocery store and kitchen means MORE time to do other fun things!

Happy Cooking & Shopping everyone!

PS:  See those cute little buttons below this post?  Go ahead and click on them to share with a friend who might find this information useful!