Pre-Olympics Meal Plan, Edition 5
I planned your week for you, with a printable menu + shopping list inside.
Here we are, almost at the end of winter: February starts tomorrow, and the Winter Olympics are less than a week away. As my sons are very into tennis, I don’t really have much of a connection to winter sports apart from the usual things: love skiing, watching ice skating contests and trying to figure out the rules of that mysterious curling game. This year, however, I actually have a connection to the Olympics even though it is quite distant: my friend’s ex-husband’s nephew will be competing for France in ski jumping. Hands on for him!
This week’s meal plan contains a balanced menu fit for champions! We will be cooking pasta twice, since it’s widely known that this is what athletes eat before a long run to sustain their energy levels with a good portion of carbohydrates. Almost all of the dishes on the menu can be prepared in advance, with minimal effort required just before serving. For Friday night, we’re planning the classic meatloaf, so you can enjoy the leftovers with the old-time favorite potato gratin for Saturday or Sunday lunch while watching the Olympics opening ceremony.
Have a lovely week ahead and stay warm!
Lots of love, Sophie xx
Printable Menu Card (PDF):
THE 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: Mac & Cheese
Jump into the recipe to read a peculiar story about me plunging into icy water in Finland, and to find the classic macaroni cheese recipe. This dish is perfect for making in advance and freezing.
TUESDAY: Filipino Chicken Abodo
This delicious Filipino recipe features a sweet and sour caramelized sauce with a hint of garlic that will make your Tuesday chicken exceptional. Perfect with a bowl of rice!
WEDNESDAY: Turkey meatballs & Sweet potatoes
Speaking of the Nordic countries, these meatballs are very similar to those served in the IKEA cafeteria! Hearty and healthy! Make as many as you like and freeze them raw ready for a quick lunch or supper.
THURSDAY: Tagliatelle with Seared Shrimp
Here is the second pasta dish that I hope you will enjoy. Surf & Turf, light and easy to make with a brief history lecture at the beginning. The sauce can be made well in advance and stored until you’re ready to serve it with the pasta.
FRIDAY: The Classic Meatloaf
One of the recent hits on my channel — it received millions of views just two weeks after being published! After sharing this meatloaf recipe, I tried out a few more variations, and it remains one of my favorites. If you have enough space in your freezer, it’s worth making a few in advance — you won’t regret it!
Bonus for the weekend: Potato gratin with garlic and cheese
Beautiful and delicious, this French recipe can be made with many other vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, cauliflower, courgettes, Jerusalem artichokes, beetroot and celeriac, if you wish. As with meatloaf, it’s great to make several if you feel like stocking your freezer for the future.
Preparations
These recipes can be made in advance, frozen or refrigerated, and then warmed up in the oven before serving: Mac & Cheese, Potato gratin, Chicken adobo and Meatloaf can all be made in advance.
You can form turkey meatballs and freeze them to be thawed and fried whenever you want. Sweet potato mash and sauce can also be prepared in advance and then frozen.
The sauce with seared shrimp for tagliatelle can also be added to your big prep day. All you have to do is bring it to the simmer, mix in some freshly cooked pasta and serve.
Lots of love,
Sophie
Please, I am only interested in the cooking. If the is a problem, please end my subscription.
Thanks, Jack Alsteen