Fall Express Meal Planning | Family Economics

By Trisha

When my children head back to school and all the fall activities begin, my life can get crazy. And putting dinner on the table each night can easily become a frustration.

Rather than being frustrated this fall, I created a list of eight theme nights to assist me in creating an express meal plan, quick and simple.

I will rotate these eight theme nights over the fall choosing a variety of meals from each theme to feed my family without a lot of work.

You can create a fall express meal plan with these eight themed nights:

1. Pasta Night – raviolis, spaghetti, lasagna, pesto sauce, chicken fettuccine alfredo, macaroni and cheese, tortellini.

2. Soup/Stew Night – chicken noodle soup, chili, taco soup, beef stew, minestrone soup, corn chowder, turkey stew.

3. Build It Yourself Night – pizza, tacos, burritos, baked potatoes, hamburgers, salad, camp stew, waffles.

4. Slow Cooker Night – chicken fajitas, pot roast with vegetables, corned beef and cabbage, pulled pork sandwiches, barbeque ribs.

5. Casserole Night – lasagna, shepherd’s pie, homemade macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle casserole, enchiladas, baked ziti.

6. Sandwich Night – grilled cheese, BLTs, French dips, melts, paninis, wraps, deli style, gyros.

7. Rotisserie Chicken Night - stop by the grocery store or warehouse store and pick up a rotisserie chicken. Serve as is with side dishes and a salad or make one of these meals – chicken wraps, quesadillas, barbeque chicken sandwiches, chicken tacos, chicken potpies.

8. Left-Over Night - empty out the fridge and create a left-over night. This can also include the items in your freezer. Grab a half-opened bag of chicken fingers, etc. and put out all the leftovers on the counter for everyone to enjoy!

Do you have a simple and quick meal planning suggestion?