This meal plan is ideal for families with children who have started school in the early days of August. Most of the dishes (or significant parts of them) can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer, saving you time in the evening.
On Monday, I suggest making a creamy ragout pasta that only requires one pot. On Tuesday, we will be serving the famous British dish, “toad in the hole”. Wednesday’s meal is comforting paprika chicken thighs with potato mash. Thursday will be vegetarian, with a simple rigatoni in delicious tomato sauce. To finish the week, we’ll be serving something exotic: beef and lamb arayes. As a garnish for your meals or a light lunch, you can enjoy a simple Turkish shepherd’s salad with the unusual combination of mint and feta cheese.
Have a lovely week ahead!
Printable Menu Card (PDF):
Printable shopping list:
This week’s shopping list is organized in one simple PDF you can download and print.
Each ingredient has a small emoji next to it so you instantly know which recipe it belongs to.
The plan serves 3–4 people, but feel free to scale up or down.
Download the list, print it, or keep it on your phone while shopping. I hope it makes your week feel lighter and your dinners easier.
Printable shopping list (PDF):
THE MEAL PLAN
Monday: One-Pot Creamy Ground Beef Pasta
A classic ragout pasta dish, adjusted with cream at the end. If you’re gluten free, enjoy it with chickpea- or lentil-based pasta.
Tuesday: Delicious British Sausage Pudding
Although this dish is officially called “toad in the hole”, no toads are required as ingredients. Sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter are widely appreciated by children…and adults.
Wednesday: Creamy Paprika Chicken Thighs with Potato Mash
The sauce’s Mediterranean flavor, created by sun-dried tomatoes and paprika, goes so well with potato mash.
Thursday: Creamy Garlic Tomato Rigatoni
This vibrant rigatoni dish, made with cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs and a hint of chili, is perfect when served with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Friday: Crispy Beef and Lamb Arayes
This Middle Eastern dish consists of flatbread, such as pita, filled with spicy minced meat. It is then pan-fried and served with various dips, fresh herbs and salad.
Bonus: Turkish Shepherd Salad with Feta & Mint
This salad only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and its vibrant combination of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and feta cheese puts it at the top of my list of favorite salads.
Preparations:
You can make the sauce for creamy ground beef pasta and garlic and cherry tomato rigatoni up to three days in advance. When you’re ready, simply add some freshly boiled pasta.
Paprika chicken thighs and mashed potatoes can be prepared entirely in advance, then stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For the best results, make the batter for sausage pudding at least 12 hours in advance – this allows it to rise properly. Store in the fridge for up to 2–3 days.
Make the raw minced meat mixture for the arayes and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook, fill the pitas, pan fry them and serve.
Enjoy your cooking!
Many hugs,
Sophie xx