10 Go-To Meals in My Recipe Box - Mom to Mom Nutrition (2024)

Make mealtime easier on the head chef of your family by keeping a list of go-to meals your family loves, no matter how often or when you serve them.

10 Go-To Meals in My Recipe Box - Mom to Mom Nutrition (1)

While it might seem like I’m always cooking and trying new recipes, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Honestly, that’s one of my biggest pet peeves about blogging and sharing online. You might think I’ve got it all together- sous chef and all! Well sister [or brother], let me let you in on a little secret: I do not. I’m writing this post freshly showered, it’s 8:23pm, and I have no idea if the kids are in bed. Because they are staying the night at Nana and Grandpa’s house!

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Seriously. I get most of my blogging done when the bash bro’s are out of sight [or napping], and the same goes for meal planning and cooking. While I dream of channeling my inner Ina Garten someday, the reality is that’s not life with kids. So I rely on my kitchen instincts, favorite flavors, and a few basic recipes to get me through the week! The trick is having a base of recipes to choose from… like my trusty 10! Here are 10 go-to meals or ideas that I refer to before making my weekly meal plan, complete with a few different serving variations! If anything, I hope this provides you with some inspiration, OR with the peace of mind that I’m not always cooking and my kids aren’t always eating quinoa and vegetables.

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Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

  • I sometimes make this with or without a sauce, such as tomato sauce or a little olive oil with grated Parmesan cheese.
  • The boys love ravioli and tortellini and pick out the peppers— but I’m not giving up hope!
  • I’ll also use the base of peppers, onions, and sausage and put it in a hot dog bun vs. pasta if we have those on hand.
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Tacos

  • My favorite way to make taco meat right now is to cook chicken in the slow cooker with salsa + taco seasoning, and shred the meat once it’s cooked.
  • You can swap Ground Beef, beans, or fish instead of the slow cooker shredded chicken. But you might want to cook it on the stovetop with the salsa and seasoning vs. the slow cooker.
  • Taco toppings we love include shredded cheese, cabbage and peppers [sautéed], and sour cream— and hot sauce!
  • We also love baking tacos in the oven like this simple recipe below!

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Ground Beef Sandwiches

  • Here’s the trick: When the Ground Beef is almost finished cooking, I add sliced mushrooms, onions, and garlic, then BBQ sauce to the skillet. Ted recently told me this was his favorite meal… which was almost a blow to my culinary self-esteem considering I used bottled sauce…
  • Sometimes instead of the BBQ sauce, I’ll add Italian seasoning + jarred peppers!
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Grilled Chicken Breasts or Steaks

  • My spring and summer jam! Marinated in bottled Italian dressing and served with a side of roasted or sautéed vegetables, dinner doesn’t get easier! Or tastier.
  • If you grill an extra batch or two of meat, you can use it as a topping for salads the next night or later in the week. Ted will sometimes take the meat as leftovers for lunch too. Get my recipe for perfectly grilled chicken breasts here.
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Stir-Fry

  • The easiest way to use leftover veggies and my typical Thursday night meal to clean out the fridge before a weekend grocery store trip!
  • I’ll usually use this spicy peanut sauce or simply a few tablespoons of soy sauce to make the stir-fry saucy.
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Quesadillas

  • Bring out that slow cooker and use the same filling for chicken tacos for the quesadillas. You can also swap out the salsa for BBQ sauce and make these Hawaiian BBQ quesadillas.
  • OR, the boys’ favorite quesadilla is a pizza-dilla! Pizza in a quesadilla. Duh!
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Skillet Burgers

  • We do burgers on the grill too… but I like doing skillet burgers so I don’t have to leave the boys inside while I’m outside grilling!This skillet chicken burger is my fav!
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Chicken Noodle Soup

  • I have a few variations I’m love with but the classic— with crusty cheese bread, of course! And a few cloves of roasted garlic.
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Chicken Salads

  • Do you see a theme I have going here with shredded chicken? So typically if I make a batch of shredded chicken with salsa or BBQ sauce, I’ll use that chicken for tacos/quesadillas, and then I’ll use it in a salad another night. Voila!
  • I also do not discriminate against beef salads… in fact, I’m more prone to use extra Ground Beef in a salad [mainly because Ted takes the chicken and uses it for sandwiches].
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Soup and Sandwich

  • I know I sound like a broken record with our shredded chicken… but if we are in a crunch for dinner, there’s nothing easier than a shredded chicken sandwich warmed up on our panini press!
  • I’ll also use up the extra soup we had a different night of the week OR a store bought tomato or butternut squash soup [Ted’s favorite].

So there you have it! 10 go-to meals that are constantly on rotation in our house. The variations, mix-ins or fillings all depend on what we have in the fridge or who feels like what that night. But as long as our dinner has some type of carbohydrate and melted cheese, the boys are happy! And Mom is happy that she can just get dinner on the table…. [not always showered I might add]. And if you want specific recipe ideas, you can search for them right here on my recipe index or just use your Google search for popular recipes!

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Related

10 Go-To Meals in My Recipe Box - Mom to Mom Nutrition (2024)

FAQs

How to meal prep a working mom? ›

16 Meal Planning Tips for Busy Moms
  1. Shop before you meal plan. ...
  2. Buy in bulk (but don't hoard) ...
  3. Meal plan on Sundays. ...
  4. Write down your meal plan for the week. ...
  5. Keep a running list of recipes your family loves (recipe binders or your own cookbook) ...
  6. Get efficient at ingredient prep. ...
  7. Try a grocery service. ...
  8. Plan 5-6 dinners per week.
Jan 30, 2023

How do moms set up meals? ›

My foolproof process
  • On a recurring day of the week, assess what you have in the pantry.
  • Build a meal plan for the week based on what you have, and what events are on your calendar.
  • Make a shopping list of missing ingredients.
  • Prep dinner the night before or morning of, NEVER at dinner time.
Aug 21, 2019

What meal to have for family who just had a baby? ›

Meal Ideas

Chili + Garden Salad + Cornbread Muffins *Chili is a good one to make vegetarian! Extras to include: toppings for soup (depends on your soup, but things like grated parmesan cheese or other cheese, fresh cilantro, parsley or basil), etc.), veggies/croutons to top the salad and salad dressing.

How do I make a meal prep routine? ›

Prepping for Meal Prep
  1. Discuss with your family what types of foods and favorite meals they like to eat.
  2. Start a monthly calendar or spreadsheet to record your meal ideas, favorite recipe sites, and food shopping lists.
  3. Collect healthy recipes. ...
  4. Consider specific meals or foods for different days of the week.

How do I plan a day for my working mom? ›

Divide your days into blocks

You are essentially batching your tasks. The main block of your day will be your work block, which you can also divide into morning work block (before lunch) and afternoon work block (after lunch). Then you have two more blocks: before work and after work.

What are the 5 rules in planning meals? ›

Key Principles of Meal Planning
  • Adequacy.
  • Balance.
  • Variety.
  • Moderation.
  • Nourishment.
Jan 28, 2020

What is a good meal plan? ›

A healthy eating plan: Emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. Limits saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars.

How many meals should you eat a day? ›

The Theory: Nutrition experts tend to recommend eating 3 balanced meals (350 to 600 calories each) and 1 to 3 snacks per day (between 150 and 200 calories each). The calories for each meal and snack depend on a variety of factors including, height, weight, age, gender and activity level.

How to cook moms meals? ›

No preparation required! Simply follow the suggested heating instructions on the label of each entree, warm in the microwave and you have a delicious and nutritious meal to enjoy!

How are moms meals shipped? ›

Mom's Meals ships at refrigerated temperatures, and our meals keep in the refrigerator for 14 days from delivery. Next, depending on a customer's location, our fulfilled packages go into Mom's Meals refrigerated trucks out for delivery or are picked up by a third-party shipper like UPS or FedEx.

How to plan a weekly menu for your family? ›

Write a list of the foods your family likes to eat and keep it taped inside the kitchen cabinet. When you try a new recipe that everyone likes, add it to the list. Make enough menus for about a two-week cycle. Plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or five to six “mini-meals” per day.

What is a healthy meal for grieving families? ›

Here are some ideas for thoughtful meals to give a grieving family:
  • Soups. A homemade soup is warming, comforting and nourishing. ...
  • Chilli and stews. Like soup, chilli and stews are warming, comforting and nourishing. ...
  • Pasta dishes. Pasta is another cheap, easy and filling meal that can be made in large batches. ...
  • Roasts.

What should a woman who just gave birth eat? ›

Try to limit packaged, processed foods and drinks that are high in salt, saturated fat, and extra sugars. You also need to get enough: Protein: Foods like beans, seafood, lean meats, eggs, and soy products are rich in protein, which help your body recover from childbirth.

How do I meal prep while working full time? ›

Meal Prep Tips
  1. Keep it simple. If you just don't think you can plan out three meals a day, that's okay. ...
  2. Use the same ingredients more than once. ...
  3. Prepare ingredients ahead of time. ...
  4. Keep a well-stocked pantry and spice drawer. ...
  5. Keep a well-stocked freezer. ...
  6. Go easy on yourself.

How do I meal prep for a 12 hour shift? ›

Your meal plan for a 12-hour shift should include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy, a small amount of oil and lean proteins like chicken and fish. Limit saturated and trans fats, added sugars, sodium and alcohol.

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