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    • Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes -->This collection of easy chicken dinner recipes features some of our favorite family dishes, perfect for making a healthy, delicious home cooked meal on a busy night! Getting a healthy, home cooked meal on the table every night can be challenging. Particularly with the demands of work, school, activities and social obligations, well, it can be the last thing we want to do at the end of the day. So I’ve got tons of easy chicken recipes at my disposal that I turn to when I need to whip something up for us on one of those busy weeknights. (Or even busy weekends – dinners can be tough then, too!) And this collection of easy chicken dinner recipes has some that we make over and over again. It includes everything from skillet chicken dinners to slow cooker chicken recipes, one-pot chicken pastas, soups and salads with chicken, chicken burgers and meatballs, sheet pan chicken dinners and easy chicken casseroles. Are you looking for fast as well as easy? Me too. I’ve got collections of chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster still, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Or if you want to browse them all, my quick chicken recipes…
      • Easy Chicken Recipes with Few IngredientsThese easy chicken recipes with few ingredients include some great healthy lunch and dinner options, all made with 5 or fewer ingredients! I am all about the EASY when it comes to cooking. I don’t like to fuss much over my food and I certainly don’t like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen at the end of a long day. Easy chicken dinner recipes and healthy lunch recipes with chicken are much more my style. (As are chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster yet, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Cause life.) Speaking of life, a million trips to the grocery store also aren’t fun during a busy week. (Especially with little ones in tow!) So I’ve got these go-to easy chicken recipes with few ingredients that help me keep dinnertime simple. And my sanity intact. In fact, one of the first cookbooks I bought on my own, at a used bookstore in Washington, D.C., where I lived for a few years after college, was titled 3-ingredient recipes. I was pretty new to cooking and thought, I think I can handle that. My cooking skills have improved, but I still go for the simple chicken recipes…
      • Quick Chicken RecipesThis collection of quick chicken recipes features some of our favorite family dinners and go-to lunches, all ready in 30 minutes or less! From chicken skillet dinners to one-pot pastas, salads to burgers, you’re sure to find some new favorites! If you know me, you know I am ALL about the quick and easy recipes. I love making all of our homemade meals and home cooked dinners, but like you, I’ve also got a hundred other things to juggle and so keeping things simple in the kitchen is a must. And these quick chicken recipes include all of my chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, even faster, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Sanity savers for sure. Busy weeknights have nothing on us! A few of our favorites from these quick chicken recipes: Healthy chicken Alfredo with broccoli Creamy chipotle chicken 20-minute chicken and tortellini soup with kale Skillet salsa chicken Easy creamy chicken This collection also has some healthy lunch recipes with chicken for mixing up your lunch routine. (It doesn’t include my slow cooker chicken recipes though, since those aren’t ready in 30 minutes. But they can be super quick to prep in the morning and then…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 15 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pot wonders to salads, chicken skillets to tacos, you’re sure to find some new fast favorites! You know those nights when you walk in the door and need dinner pronto?! Like, 5 minutes ago? That’s when I turn to these quick and easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. I can make a healthy, home cooked meal for my family and be sitting down to enjoy it in no time. Cause plenty of evenings, 15 minutes is often all the time I have – or want to spend – on dinner. I’m not alone on that, right?! You can browse below but I thought I’d highlight a couple that I make over and over again. A few of our favorite easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes: 15-minute honey garlic chicken (gets rave reviews!) Southwest chicken skillet dinner (pile on your favorite toppings!) Quick chicken curry (perfect with rice and peas) One-pot low-carb leftover chicken recipe with spinach (my dad’s go-to recipe) This collection also includes some healthy lunch options that are quick to put together — like the Asian chicken mason jar…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 30 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pan meals to burgers, one-pot pastas to healthy salads, you’re sure to find some new favorites! Quick, easy and mostly healthy is pretty much the name of the game for dinner at my house. I love a home cooked meal and we eat a ton of chicken, which means I’ve come up with and found a lot of easy chicken recipes over the years. And this collection highlights some of my easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes, when you want something delicious but need it on the table pretty quickly. Is that every single night for you too? We’ve got everything from skillet chicken dishes to chicken pasta and from soups and salads with chicken to chicken meatballs and burgers. All the chicken love! Many of these recipes use boneless, skinless chicken breasts (though you could substitute chicken thighs if you prefer) while others use ground chicken and some rely on pre-cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken you pick up at the store or some leftover grilled or baked chicken. Lots of these 30 minute chicken dinners are complete meals but…
      • Healthy One-Pot Chicken DinnersHealthy one-pot chicken dinners are such a help on busy days! This collection includes everything from one-pot pastas and skillets to easy slow cooker and sheet pan recipes to help you get an easy, healthy and delicious dinner on the table any night! I am ALL about quick and easy meals. I cook our dinner 99% of the time, including on days when work has blown up in my face, or the kids have decided to coordinate their melt-downs, or we’re all just wiped out and hungry. And even though I love to cook, I definitely have those days when I’m just not feeling it. Enter some quick and easy one-pot chicken dinners for the win! These are great to have in your back pocket for busy days, busy weeks or in case of a “kids-are-making-me-crazy” kinda moment. (My husband also loves these meals because he’s on clean-up duty and it’s nice not to have a huge pile of dishes staring you down after dinner!) Many of these dishes are complete meals on their own. Others are low-carb as written, but can easily be paired with some rice, pasta, bread or potatoes to bulk them up a bit. Here are…
      • Slow Cooker Chicken RecipesThese hands-off slow cooker chicken recipes will put your slow cooker to work and have you coming home to a delicious, healthy dinner that’s ready to go! Some days, you just need someone else to make you dinner. I’m not talking takeout or delivery or a restaurant dinner. I’m talking about your crock pot or slow cooker. I find it supremely satisfying to go about my day, knowing that a delicious home cooked dinner is cooking up at home for me. I can play with the kids, take them to practices, run errands or just relax with a book and breathe easy. These slow cooker chicken recipes mean there is just one less thing to do in the evening and that’s a great thing on a busy day! This collection includes slow cooker recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well as chicken thighs (though you can usually sub either one). And many of these take just minutes to prep in the morning! 👍 Here’s a few of our favorite slow cooker chicken recipes: Slow cooker balsamic chicken Slow cooker bistro chicken thighs Slow cooker apricot chicken Crock pot Mediterranean chicken Slow cooker teriyaki chicken And be sure to check…
    • Easy Vegetarian RecipesEasy vegetarian recipes include main-dish meals that are hearty and satisfying and can stand alone for lunch or dinner (with a few savory breakfast options as well). Everything from one-pot veggie pastas to stuffed squash to chili to veggie burgers and hearty grain bowls and salads, there are meatless options here for everyone! I am a veggie lover through and through. 💚💚💚 I adore getting in as many vegetables as I can, throughout the day really, and I often make easy vegetarian dinners a couple of times a week. (Hello meatless Monday, I’m looking at you!) So over the years, I’ve created tons of great veggie-based meals that can stand on their own for lunch or dinner and be hearty and satisfying. And that are also mostly quick and easy, because I work as a health and nutrition editor and we’ve got a busy family so cooking on a weeknight needs to be low-key. My one-pot vegetarian spaghetti has been a hugely popular recipe here on the blog and you guys can’t seem to get enough of my grain bowls and salads. I know the feeling. 😉 I wanted to round up some of these in an easy-to-browse category that features…
    • Healthy Oatmeal RecipesA collection of healthy oatmeal recipes, including sweet and savory breakfast and brunch options as well as delicious, wholesome snacks and desserts. We are pretty much oatmeal fanatics in my house. ALL of us adore oatmeal and it’s a rare day that we’re not making or eating something with oats or oatmeal in it at some point during the day. And I mean all four of us – my husband, myself and our kids (currently ages 6 and 4). Our go-to 3-minute microwave oatmeal is a morning staple for my husband and a weekly staple for the kids and me. My kids eat overnight oatmeal jars at least twice a week for breakfast and we often have baked oatmeal another morning of the week. For school lunches or afternoon snack, we can be found munching on some no-bake cookie or energy balls with oats, oatmeal cookies of some variety or if they’ve asked nicely, I’ll make a batch of granola and we all just shovel handful after handful until it’s gone. Want to know some of our very favorites of the group below? OK, I’ll share! Our family’s favorite healthy oatmeal recipes: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Overnight oatmeal jars, 3…
    • Healthy Muffin RecipesA collection of easy, kid-friendly healthy muffin recipes for all times of day: breakfast, school lunch, snacking, dinner and dessert! We are BIG muffin lovers in this house, at all times of day! My kiddos love them for breakfast, brunch, school lunch, afternoon snack and sometimes even savory muffins at dinner. Muffins all the time! I’ve made thousands of healthy muffin recipes over the years and I love sharing them with you! There are plenty to browse below and plenty more I plan to add! (You can sign up for my newsletter so you never miss a recipe. You’ll also get my FREE e-book of easy weeknight dinners.) Wondering where to start? Spinach banana mini muffins and whole wheat pumpkin muffins are some of our constant favorites. Healthy peanut butter and jelly muffins are fun for lunch and easy cheesy cornbread muffins are great for a quick + easy dinner side, especially with soup or chili! And if you’re in the mood for a little chocolate (I know I always am!) you can’t go wrong with my healthy chocolate chip muffins. Hope you find some new favorite healthy muffin recipes! XO, Kathryn
    • Healthy DessertsThis collection of healthy desserts features everything from lightened up cookie bars and brownies to cakes, muffins and breads to no-bake energy bites. It’s the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying on track with healthy choices! Healthy desserts are kind-of my jam. I like a dessert that gives back. One that has redeeming qualities. A sweet treat that’s going to treat me right. But of course, it also needs to be delicious so I actually satisfy those sweet cravings! The healthier dessert recipes you’ll find below are some of our go-to treats that are perfect for a healthier late-night option and many of which are great for offering kids a wholesome, but fun, treat for an after-school snack or tucked in their lunch box. Most of these recipes are whole grain and naturally sweetened, others are recipe makeovers that are lower in sugar and/or butter. A majority of them contain chocolate. 🍫❤️ And ALL are easy to make. (You can also check out my healthy muffin recipes and my entire category of sweets & desserts if you want more.) Here’s a few of our favorite healthy desserts: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Healthier no bake cookie bars No…
    • Healthy Fall BakingThese healthy fall baking favorites include everything from muffins and baked oatmeal to snacks to cookies and cakes. These fall recipes are whole grain and most are naturally sweetened for a wholesome, delicious treat at breakfast, snack, school lunch or dessert! Does anyone else get the baking bug when the cooler weather starts to roll in during autumn? I know I do! I get excited for all the apple baking projects, pumpkin baking projects and even getting ready for all the holiday baking to come! 🍎🎃 The spices, the warmth, the aroma of having something in the oven is just part of the season for me. Plus the love that comes from a homemade baked good – it just can’t be beat! ❤️ And y’all know my style is definitely a healthier version of baking. I use whole grains and most of my recipes are naturally sweetened. I try to lighten things up where possible and keep to mostly wholesome treats, maybe with a little indulgence here and there! 😉 Wondering where to start? Here are some of our healthy fall baking favorites: Chocolate chip apple cake Pumpkin baked oatmeal with chocolate chips Whole wheat pumpkin applesauce bread Easy healthy…
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Official guide to meal planning

Published on September 18, 2015 Last Modified: March 1, 2021 By Kathryn Doherty

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy

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I have a planning problem. I like to do it way too much. Particularly as it involves anything edible.Ultimate guide to meal planning - tips, tricks and considerations to get started | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

I fear I’ve passed the syndrome on to my daughter. She’s 4 and it’s not unusual for her, while she’s eating her current meal, to want to know what she’s having for the next one. Sometimes, at 9:30 in the morning, she’ll ask what’s for dinner.

I tell her she’s getting ahead of herself, but she also knows that I know. I have the kids’ menu written out for the week and she’ll tell me to check it. I gotta say, I’m with her – I kinda like knowing what my next meal is. And the one after that. And the one after that.

Plus, meal planning takes all of the stress out of dinner time. I know what we’re having, I know I’ve shopped for the ingredients and I know I can throw it all together and make dinner happen.

I typically plan our adult menu for the month. Now stay with me here. I used to do it weekly, and sometimes I revert back to that if I can’t get through a whole month of planning in one sitting. Or if I don’t know what’s coming up in terms of our schedules. But generally, I’ve got a monthly calendar with all of our dinners planned.

Ultimate guide to menu planning | FamilyFoodontheTable.comI like doing it monthly because you can make a note of the nights that you have a work meeting or a girls night or are traveling so you know that you won’t be there to cook and you can plan a freezer meal or leftovers for your spouse/family. You can plan around family get-togethers or dinner parties or other obligations so you know what to expect.

Menu planing also makes grocery shopping a breeze. You just check your menu, check your recipes and you’re all set. You save money by knowing what you need and what you don’t, and you waste less food by not buying a bunch of stuff you don’t end up using.

Now, of course, there is flexibility. Sometimes salmon goes on sale and I switch that dinner around so we can get it at a discount. Sometimes we have one of those days where the kids have worn me slam out and I’ll pick whatever is the least involved dinner for that week – or one of my back-up, go-to dinners – and have it that night. It’s a fluid thing. Here’s what my menu starts off looking like and what it ends up looking like. A total mess.

Meal planning guide | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

Meal planning after menu | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

I got this year’s monthly menus from Landeelu. Pretty but also simple, which works for me. (Here’s the link to her 2016 printable calendars.)

I also love these from Simple as That, The Taylor House and Craftaholics Anonymous.

Having a plan makes it so much easier to get home cooked meals on the table. So I’ve compiled an extensive run-through of all the considerations to take into account as you start to plan your weekly or monthly menus. Once you get into the groove, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it!

Menu planning how-to guide
If you’ve got soccer or swim or music one night, make sure that’s a night that you do something in the crock pot or have leftovers to transform into another meal or have part of the meal pre-prepared. I’ve got lots of quick meals that help me pull together dinner even on the busy nights.

I also make a note of when I won’t be home for dinner — girls night every third Wednesday of the month! Whoop, whoop! — or when my husband is out for work or travel. I know to make something ahead for him or to pull something from the freezer. If it’s him that’s out for a night, I load up on veggies so I can overdose in solitude. My guilty pleasure, minus the guilt.

Menu planning how-to guide
Are you zapped on Friday nights? Or do you want to kick back on Sundays? Plan around what you know works for you. Make your longer, more involved dinners on days that you tend to be more energetic. Save your quick and easy go-to dinners for your crazy days when you just aren’t in the mood.

Menu planning how-to guide
You’ll need to plan your menu around when you grocery shop, if that’s something you have already scheduled. Particularly if you only shop once a week or if you frequent a farmers market or have a CSA delivery. Use the more perishable items the first few days after you shop and the more shelf-stable and longer-lasting veggies later in the week.

Menu planning how-to guide
I get an email once a week with what’s on sale at my grocery store. This is how I started menu planning, on a weekly basis. I would see what was on sale, create a menu for the following week and then load up on the sale items. Even doing it monthly now, I sometimes shuffle my menu around to be able to buy and use what’s on sale. Budget-friendly is a good way to go!

Menu planning
We often do meatless Mondays, but I also occasionally get into other themes. Taco Tuesday and Fish Friday are favorites. I also like the idea of a regular burger night (veggie burgers, bean burgers, turkey burgers, regular burgers, burgers on salad), an Italian/Mexican/Indian theme night, a crock pot night, one-pot wonder night, everything on the grill night, breakfast for dinner night, panini night, a soup/chili night — whatever you want to try and will work with your family and schedule. You can do endless variations with most of these themes so you won’t get bored. Plus you’ll develop a few go-to recipes in each theme that you can make with your eyes closed; perfect to pull out during a busy week. (Aren’t they all busy?!)

Menu planning how-to guide
You can balance your menu better when you plan it out. I try to vary our proteins — meatless/vegetarian night, chicken, turkey, pork and the very rare red meat night — as well as our starch — potatoes, rice, quinoa, barley, pasta — and our vegetables so we’re getting a good variety.

You can also take advantage of batch cooking when you have a full week or more planned out. You can grill some extra chicken or double up on your rice one night to have to pull out for later in the week. Less waste and less time spent in the kitchen. What’s not to love?

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So there you are. All my insights and tips into menu planning. It’s a lifesaver around here and I strongly recommend it as a sanity saver. It may seem intimidating at first, but give it a try and I bet you’ll be hooked. And please let me know if you have questions or need help or ideas along the way!

** Do you plan your meals ahead of time? If so, how? If not, what challenges do you face? I’d love to hear from you! **

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Comments

  1. Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says

    September 18, 2015 at 2:31 PM

    You are so incredibly organized! I never have a plan. I make impulse buys at the grocery store then have no idea what to do with it.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      September 18, 2015 at 7:37 PM

      It’s a blessing and a curse I think, Cathleen 😉 Though I do love buying or ending up with extra veggies to make impromptu sides and lunches with!

      Reply
  2. Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says

    September 19, 2015 at 8:36 AM

    Oh I am totally and utterly in love with this post!!!

    I am a menu planner too and so many of my friends laugh at me about it!!

    This is less to do with the fact I am planning meals and more to do with the fact I am organised enough to do it. In my house you are lucky if you find two matching socks and I have remembered to put out sports uniforms and not formal uniforms. You are also very lucky if there is a spare toilet roll as I seem to have an uncanny ability to forget them when I do our shop. (I buy them in bulk of 48 so it is always a long time between purchases – that is my excuse and I am sticking to it!!!!!)
    But you ask what we are eating this week and I will know exactly! I know what we are having for breakfast, lunch, dinner and what snacks I will be making. I always have the ingredients I need and I never have to look around lost….missing items and looking around for things is a daily occurrence in my house!!!!

    So this post is just so wonderful, I am sending you a virtual hug as I no longer feel quite so strange that my food life is organised and scripted.

    LOVE IT!!!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      September 19, 2015 at 1:19 PM

      Hugs back at ya, Claire! It’s so nice to know that even when the laundry is piled up and the dishes are stacked all around the kitchen and the playroom is a total mess, I’ve got our food covered. 🙂 XO

      Reply
  3. Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says

    October 8, 2015 at 6:03 AM

    I always do a weekly meal plan and generally stick to the same notions you have expressed here, makes life so much easier. I cannot fathom how to manage a month at a time though – well done, hats off to you.

    As guest co-host I’d like to say a big thanks for linking up to #FabulousFoodieFridays this week

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      October 8, 2015 at 6:40 PM

      It is such a time and sanity saver, isn’t it? I started doing it weekly and have (mostly) migrated to monthly, but that just works for me. Thanks for hosting such a great party, Malinda! Have a wonderful weekend!

      Reply
  4. Quinn Caudill says

    October 27, 2015 at 3:04 PM

    I feel like I am doing good if i take out 3 pr 4 meats, poultry, or fist out of the freezer on Sunday to have during the week. That is usually when I start planning. I couldn’t imagine having the whole month planned out. Maybe I should start with two days a week.
    Thanks for sharing with us at #ThrowbackThursday. Hope to see you again this week.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      October 27, 2015 at 9:01 PM

      I think any planning or thinking ahead to the week’s meals is a huge step! It’s all about practice… from there you might want to have a few recipes you know you’ll make and from there a few entire meals you’ve got in mind. It’s all about little steps and whatever you need to make it work for you and your family. A whole month is probably too crazy for most people and that’s totally OK. Every little bit helps!

      Reply

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