This is Paleo in real life – our real life – with three hungry boys and a very busy schedule!
We recently implemented weekly meal plans and are sharing them with you in the hopes of providing you with some new tips, tools and recipes. To read more about why we’ve been meal planning, how it saves our family time and money, reduces waste, and helps us maintain a Paleo lifestyle, check out our first installment of ‘What We Ate Wednesday’ here!
Every Sunday morning begins like this, it’s a new ritual we all look forward to.
We look at approaching meals plans in three ways: (1) when we can, we pick out seasonal, local produce and let that spark inspiration for our meals; other times, (2) we’ll take guidance from what we already have in the fridge and need to use up; or (3) we crave a recipe and then ensure we grab the ingredients for it when we do our weekly shopping. Frankly, each week is usually a combo of those steps. Once the plan is in place, any other requests have to wait until the following week. We’ve eliminated a number of additional stops at the grocery store with this method, saving us both time and money. Who doesn’t love that?!
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This week’s dinners were:
Sunday Brunch: Frittata, Bacon and Butter Pecan Apples
Our brunch was sooo good we just had to share it! Dinner was leftovers ♥
—> Thanksgiving Leftovers Brussesl Sprouts Frittata Recipe from our blog
—> Butter Pecan Apples Recipe from our blog
Monday: Pork Belly with Arugula
A family favorite from our book, and we made extras because pork belly leftovers are a game changer! This allowed us to re-use some of the pickled onions we’d made for Thanksgiving appetizers of Proscuitto Wrapped Pears (also from Real Life Paleo).
—> Pork Belly from Real Life Paleo
Tuesday: Turkey Soup with Rice and Popovers
Using up that leftover turkey in the best way possible – with nutrient rich broth and veggies.
—> Stacy’s Soup Recipe from our blog
—> Popovers from My Paleo Patisserie
Wednesday: Pumpkin Waffles and Down Home Brussels Sprout Hash with Fried Eggs
Couldn’t wait to try this new hash recipe! We love a good breakfast for dinner meal and this one did not disappoint!
—> Pumpkin Waffles from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
—> Down Home Brussels Sprout Hash Recipe from Paleo Grubs
Thursday: Fish Sticks and Meaty Collard Greens
The boys love fish sticks, we prepare them using the chicken tenders recipe from our book. And paired with a big bowl of cooked greens, this will be a delicious and filing meal.
—> Fish Sticks (see Chicken Fingers recipe for fish alternative instructions) from Real Life Paleo
—> Meaty Collard Greens from The Ancestral Table
Friday: Calamari Fritti and Popcorn Chicken Fried Steak with Fries and Salad + Lemon Meringue Pie
This was a fun meal for my dad’s birthday party – complete with a special pie for dessert!
—> Calamari Fritti and Popcorn Chicken Fried Steak from The Paleo Cupboard Cookbook
—> Sweet Kale Salad from Costco with copycat Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
—> Coconut Cream Pie from Merit + Fork
Saturday: Crispy Beef Tacos with Chips, Salsa and Guacamole
Weekend Mexican Fiesta night! I had dinner out with family, so the boys indulged in ALL the nightshades at home while watching Star Wars Episode V – gotta refresh for the new release later this month!
—> Crispy Beef Tacos from Down South Paleo
—> Chips, Salsa and Guacamole from Down South Paleo
Special Requests
♥ Mini Corn Dog Muffins and Gummy Snacks
Finian’s requests for this week! We love that he requests nutrient-dense, gelatin based treats for his packed lunches!
—> Mini Corn Dog Muffins from Real Life Paleo
—> Gummy Snacks from Real Life Paleo
♥ Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
We’re getting in the holiday spirit with warm spices and molasses!
—> Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies Recipe from Gourmande in the Kitchen were a big hit – Wes told me they tasted “just like Christmas.”
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Books featured in our meal plans are among our favorites and ones we actually use ourselves.
Real Life Paleo | Down South Paleo | The Paleo Cupboard Cookbook | My Paleo Patisserie | The Ancestral Table
