1 Month Master Menu Plan

I created this the other day to hopefully make things a little easier for Steve and I when we have foster-adoptive children placed with us soon. It will be something we can easily fall back on, and just repeat every month for several months with slight variations to avoid monotony.

I've had so many people ask me how I menu plan, I hope someone finds it helpful =). Warning, this is long/detailed.

1 Month Master Menu Plan

Kid/Family friendly, healthy, semi-vegetarian, budget, easy, yummy

Notes:
This is meant to be a helpful guide and not something to be bound to. For me personally it will be helpful to have a plan to fall back on and be able to help create routine/traditions for our foster-adoptive children. I created it to be as kid friendly as I can perceive (though I don’t pretend to have all the answer about that since I do not have children yet, and I realize my kids may come to me eating nothing but Top Ramen and take a long time for their tastes to change).

If your kids eat more veggies, beans and variety...and you have plenty of creativity up your sleeve then go for it! I was cooking very adventurously for Steve and I but realized I’ll need to tone it down at first for the kids. I just felt I should share it as this might be helpful for people who have no idea where to start.

As you’ll see I have a master rotation. Each Thursday night is Mexican Night, and within that you can get creative and make any variety of Mexican food your family will eat. Breakfasts, lunches and snacks also rotate with just a bit of variation. Kids are creatures of habit so won’t mind as long as it’s foods they like, and it will make shopping/cooking easier because you can buy in bulk, etc.

I try to make sure each day has 5 servings of fruit/veggies with at least 1 serving a green veggie. Meat/poultry/fish is only served a few times per week for budget, health and the environment’s sake. This is also the current recommendation of nutrition experts as well. Plenty of protein, nutrients and variety is offered with vegetarian foods.

Fruit bowl always available for snacks or optional meal alternative. For foster children that might come from a home with little food this will comfort them to know there is always food in this house and regulate their eating.

Avoid power struggles at meal time. Studies show that kids are excellent at self regulating calorie and nutrient intake when allowed to and a variety of healthy foods are offered to them, provide they are not losing weight. They will not die if they don’t eat veggies for a few years. I was picky as a child and now eat everything and love my veggies! Also, don’t be afraid to offer organic ranch dressing (or even hummus...my 3 year old niece loves hummus!) with all veggies if you have to: if that will get them to eat veggies it is well worth it (provide it is organic or home made and not filled with preservatives). Make dipping sauces. Kids love having everything separate and dunking things.

Have kids help choose healthy things grocery shopping (example: choose between 2 whole grain cereals, a vegetable to try, items from the bulk bins for a trail mix, a few toppings for home-made pizza, new dried fruits to try on oatmeal, etc). Limited choices with help them own their eating habits, avoid power struggles at meal time and thus maybe actually eat a healthier variety.

We’ll have free juice with WIC, so I figured since breakfast usually has some sugar in it it will be better to serve with lunch to avoid blood sugar spikes/crashes/related behavior issues.

This menu can easily be vegan-ized by using soy yogurt, Daiya cheese, making a veggie loaf/veggie cutlets to replace chicken meals, bean salad instead of salmon salad sandwiches, etc.

Hope this helps, enjoy!

Week 1

Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal (add flaxseed meal and choice of toppings: butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, raisins, chopped nuts, cinnamon), banana, milk/soymilk
Snack: Yogurt with thawed frozen strawberries and blueberries
Lunch: Trader Joe’s organic mac n’ cheese, raw broccoli with organic ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter or almond butter to dip
Dinner: Chinese Night: tofu-broccoli stir fry with brown rice (separate pan-fried tofu, rice, broccoli and dipping sauce for picky eaters)
Dessert Day!: Ice cream

Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs and hash browns, orange slices, milk/soymilk
Snack: Smoothie with yogurt, fruit, spinach and flax seed (dark berries, cocoa or carob powders will cover the green color for picky eaters....sweet/creamy fruits like banana or mangoes will thicken and sweeten the smoothie)
Lunch: Organic peanut butter (choice of almond butter) and jelly on whole wheat bread, carrot and celery sticks (remove strings from celery for young children) with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Rice cakes (Lundberg brown rice cakes in various flavors)
Dinner: Pasta Night: Brown rice spaghetti marinara (sauce on the side for picky eaters), salad with ranch or balsamic vinaigrette

Wednesday
Breakfast: Whole grain/low sugar cereal (choice of 2), milk/soymilk, banana
Snack: Ants-on-a-log
Lunch: Grilled cheese on whole wheat, carrots, red bell pepper and snap peas with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Grapes (cut up in small pieces for young children)
Dinner: Try Something New Night: Baked potato bar (topping options: veggie chili, cheese, avocado, butter, plain yogurt instead of sour cream, green onions, salsa, ranch), broccoli

Thursday
Breakfast: Cream of brown rice cereal (add flaxseed meal and choice of toppings, can also add a bit of brown rice protein powder for added protein), apple slices, milk/soymilk
Snack: Smoothie: milk/soymilk, peanut butter, cocoa powder, banana
Lunch: Leftover Buffet Day (leftover stirfry, pasta, baked potatoes, etc), or PBJ, carrots with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Annie’s Organic snack mix (cheddar bunnies, pretzels, etc)
Baking Day!: Help bake chocolate chip cookies for dessert
Dinner: Mexican Night: Fish tacos (choice of toppings), strawberry-baby spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette, plain rice
Dessert Day!: Chocolate chip cookies (freeze leftovers for next week)

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal or muesli (muesli soaked overnight in fridge with yogurt), milk/soymilk, orange slices
Snack: Yogurt, banana
Lunch: Pinto bean and brown rice bowl (choice of toppings: shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, diced avocado, mild salsa)
Snack: Popcorn (something softer for young children)
Dinner: Pizza Night: Help assemble pizza (Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza dough) with choice of toppings, salad with ranch or balsamic vinaigrette

Saturday
Breakfast: Whole grain pancakes (with flaxseed meal in batter, choice of toppings: thawed frozen strawberries with a bit of sugar, butter, maple syrup, peanut butter, jam), milk/soymilk
Snack: Trail mix (kids can help pick items to put in trail mix from bulk bins) (we plan to be outside, at parks, etc on Saturdays so something easy and portable)
Lunch: Picnic Sandwich Day (even if it’s just a “picnic” at home): Hummus wrap on whole wheat tortilla (PBJ for picky eaters..but let them try helping you make their wrap with their choice of toppings: lettuce, tomato, avocado, shredded carrots, shredded beets, sprouts, chopped olives, shredded cheese), fruit salad (let them help make melon balls!)
Snack: Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies
Baking Day!: Help bake whole grain blueberry muffins for breakfast tomorrow (make double batch to freeze leftovers and have next week)
Dinner: “Fancy” Dinner Night: Roasted chicken legs or veggie cutlets with BBQ sauce, baked sweet potato with butter, cinnamon and honey, steamed asparagus spears with dipping sauce of choice

Sunday
Breakfast: Eggs and muffins, milk/soymilk, grapefruit with sugar or orange slices
Snack: At church
Lunch: Home church potluck
Snack: Tea Party: warm herbal tea (when I was around 10 I made myself a cup of hot herbal tea every day...it made me feel grown up and I loved it. A proper tea time would be a fun family tradition), mini PBJ and cucumber-cream cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Veggie burger on whole wheat bun with choice of toppings, coleslaw

Week 2

Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal (with flaxseed and choice of toppings), milk/soymilk, orange slices
Snack: Yogurt with berries
Lunch: Mac n’ Cheese, broccoli with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Apple slices with almond or peanut butter to dip
Dinner: Indian Night: Mild veggie-chickpea curry with quinoa, whole wheat naan bread (separate steamed veggies with dipping sauce, quinoa and naan bread and maybe organic frozen chicken nuggets for picky eaters)
Dessert Day!: Help make home made easy banana “ice-cream” (peel and freeze bananas and blend with just a bit of regular or non-dairy milk...that’s it!, tastes a lot like ice cream)

Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs and toast (choice of butter, peanut butter, jam and honey), milk/soymilk, orange slices
Snack: Smoothie with yogurt, fruit, kale and flaxseed
Lunch: PBJ, carrot and celery sticks with ranch or hummus
Snack: Rice cakes
Dinner: Vegetarian lasagna, salad with ranch or balsamic vinaigrette

Wednesday
Breakfast: Cereal, milk/soymilk, banana (thaw leftover muffins for dinner)
Snack: Ants-on-a-log
Lunch: Quesadilla on whole wheat tortilla (we like the Trader Joe’s Organic Whole Wheat and Corn Tortillas...they are soft and have a good/not overpowering flavor for whole grain tortillas), carrots, red bell pepper and snap peas with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Grapes
Dinner: Try Something New Night: Cream of Rainbow Soups (choice of Trader Joe’s/home made cream of broccoli and sweet potato bisques. If home made they will have fun helping/watching an immersion blender turn the soup magically creamy), leftover muffins from last week

Thursday
Breakfast: Cream of brown rice cereal (add ground flaxseed and choice of toppings), milk/soymilk, apple slices (thaw leftover cookies)
Snack: Smootie: milk/soymilk, frozen strawberries, bananas and a bit of cashews or cashew butter, flaxseeds
Lunch: Leftover Buffet Day, juice
Snack: Annie’s Organic Snack Mix
Dinner: Mexican Night: Bean and cheese burritos on whole wheat tortilla with choice of toppings (shredded lettuce, diced tomato, avocado, salsa), baby spinach salad with canned baby mandarin oranges with “orange juice dressing” (Orange juice added to a basic vinaigrette...they can help shake dressings in a jar. Double batch for tomorrow)
Dessert Day!: (Leftover) chocolate chip cookies

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal or muesli, milk/soymilk, orange slices
Snack: Yogurt, banana
Lunch: Quinoa and black bean bowl (choice of toppings), carrots with ranch or hummus
Snack: Popcorn
Dinner: Pizza Night: Help assemble personal whole wheat English muffin pizzas with choice of toppings (we loved doing this as kids, I even remember requesting this meal for my 6th birthday to make pizzas with my friends), salad with leftover orange juice dressing or ranch

Saturday
Breakfast: Whole grain waffles with choice of toppings (try sticking blueberries in each hole!), milk/soymilk
Snack: Trail mix
Lunch: Picnic Sandwich Day: Salmon salad sandwiches (PBJ for picky eaters, but if they aren’t crazy about tuna, pink salmon is milder...and offer a few cookie cutter to make fun shapes), fruit salad
Snack: Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies
Dinner: “Fancy” Dinner Night: Veggie loaf with BBQ sauce or ketchup to dip, mashed potatoes, broccoli with ranch to dip, adult side kids can try: sauteed swiss chard

Sunday
Breakfast: Egg burritos (eggs and toast for picky eaters), grapefruit with sugar or orange slices, milk/soymilk
Snack: Home church
Lunch: Home church
Snack: Tea Party: warm herbal tea, mini PBJ and cucumber-cream cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Grass fed beef, organic chicken or veggie hot dogs on whole wheat buns with choice of toppings, waldorf salad (with a bit of finely shredded cabbage or lettuce for more nutrients)

Week 3

Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal, milk/soymilk, banana
Snack: Yogurt with berries
Lunch: Mac n cheese, broccoli with ranch or hummus, juice
Baking Day!: Help bake cupcakes for dessert (leave half unfrosted and freeze for next week)
Snack: Apple with peanut or almond butter to dip
Dinner: Japanese Night: Stir-fry noodles with chicken or tofu and veggies (separate cooked chicken “tenders”, veggies and noodles with dipping sauce for picky eaters)
Dessert Day!: Cupcakes

Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs and hash browns, milk/soymilk, orange slices
Snack: Smoothie with yogurt, fruit, kale and flaxseed
Lunch: PBJ, carrots and celery with ranch or hummus
Snack: Rice cakes
Dinner: Pasta Night: Brown rice pasta with tuna “Alfredo” (Find recipe for lower-fat mock alfredo with parmesean cheese, yogurt, etc. When I was a kid I hated tuna but loved it in this creamy dish. Offer pasta with marinara sauce or plain pasta with butter/olive oil for picky eaters), salad with ranch or balsamic vinaigrette

Wednesday
Breakfast: Cereal, milk/soymilk, banana
Snack: Ants-on-a-log
Lunch: Grilled cheese on whole wheat, carrots, red bell pepper and snap peas with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Grapes
Dinner: Try Something New Night: Salad bar with chicken, garbanzo beans, cheese cubes, sunflower seeds, various veggies, ranch or balsamic dressing, whole wheat breadsticks plain or with marinara to dunk

Thursday
Breakfast: Cream of brown rice cereal, milk/soymilk, apple slices
Snack: Smoothie with yogurt, banana, orange juice and flaxseed
Lunch: Leftover Buffet Day, juice
Snack: Annie’s Organic Snack Mix
Dinner: Mexican Night: Veggie-cheese enchiladas (you can sneak some cooked mashed butternut squash in with the cheese), rice, beans, baby spinach-strawberry salad
Dessert Night!: Ice-cream

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal, milk/soymilk, orange slices
Snack: Yogurt, banana
Lunch: Leftover bean and rice bowl (choice of toppings), carrots with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Popcorn
Dinner: Pizza Night: Help make home-made pizza on whole wheat dough, salad

Saturday
Breakfast: Whole wheat french toast (try cutting in strips for dunking, try a dip of warmed applesauce with a bit of maple syrup and cinnamon), milk/soymilk
Snack: Trail mix
Lunch: Picnic Sandwich Day: Amy’s Organic Turkey Bologna/Tofurkey with choice of toppings, fruit salad
Snack: Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
Dinner: “Fancy” Dinner Night: Grass-fed steak sliced in very thin strips (easier for kids to eat/chew..I loved steak this way as a kid...and will stretch a small amount of meat to feed a whole family) with BBQ, teriyaki or A-1 type sauce to dip if desired OR portabella “steaks”, rice pilaf, green beans (or carrots/broccoli with ranch...whatever your kids will eat. I loved green beans as a kid), adult side for kids to try: stir-fry kale with garlic

Sunday
Breakfast: Egg “McMuffin” (eggs, cheese, whole wheat English muffin...separate for picky eaters), grapefruit with sugar or orange slices
Snack: Home church
Lunch: Home church
Snack: Tea Party: warm herbal tea with mini PBJ and cucumber-cream cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Veggie sloppy joe’s (made with lentils), carrot-raisin salad

Week 4

Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal, milk/soymilk, banana
Snack: Yogurt with berries
Lunch: Mac n’ cheese, broccoli with ranch or hummus, juice
Baking Day: Thaw leftover cupcakes and make new batch of frosting
Snack: Apple slices with peanut or almond butter to dip
Dinner: Mediterranean Night: Buffet style: falafel, pita, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, jarred dolmades (rice wrapped in grape leaves and marinated in olive oil), hummus and tzatziki for dipping (most kids will go for dipping pita wedges in hummus if anything)
Dessert Night: Cupcakes

Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs and toast, orange slices, milk/soymilk
Snack: Smoothie with yogurt, fruit, spinach, flaxseed
Lunch: PBJ, carrots and celery with ranch or hummus
Snack: Rice cakes
Dinner: Pasta Night: Spaghetti marinara, salad

Wednesday
Breakfast: Cereal, milk/soymilk, banana
Snack: Ants-on-a-log
Lunch: Quesadilla on whole wheat tortilla, carrots, red bell pepper and snap peas with ranch or hummus
Snack: Grapes
Dinner: Try Something New Night: Veggie chili (not spicy) with diced avocado, cornbread with honey-butter

Thursday
Breakfast: Cream of brown rice cereal, milk/soymilk, apple slices
Snack: Smoothie with milk/soymilk, peaches (frozen if winter), almond butter, flaxseed and vanilla
Lunch: Leftover buffet day, juice
Baking Day!: Bake apple cake for dessert (with ½ wheat ½ white flour and less sugar so it is also breakfast worthy for Sunday)
Snack: Annie’s Organic Snack Mix
Dinner: Mexican Night: grass-fed ground beef or lentil tacos, baby spinach salad with canned baby mandarin oranges

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal, orange slices, milk/soymilk
Snack: Yogurt, banana
Lunch: Lentils and rice with cheese melted on top, carrots with ranch or hummus, juice
Snack: Popcorn
Dinner: Once Per Month Dinner Out!: Pizza or whatever else you all enjoy

Saturday
Breakfast: Crepes (we loved these as kids...thin little pancakes we rolled up like burritos with whatever filling we wanted: butter/peanut butter and syrup, powdered sugar and lemon or jam), milk/soymilk
Snack: Trail mix
Lunch: Picnic Sandwich Day: Cookie cutter egg salad sandwiches (PBJ for picky eaters), fruit salad
Snack: Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
Dinner: “Fancy” Dinner Night: Fish (can cut in fingers, bread in panko bread crumbs, oven “fry” and offer with dipping sauce of choice: ketchup, tartar sauce, etc) OR veggie cutlets, home-made oven baked potato wedge fries with ketchup, peas (or carrots/broccoli with ranch, whatever they will eat. I loved peas as a kid when I hated other veggies), adult side kids can try: brussels sprouts

Sunday
Breakfast: Eggs, leftover apple “cake”, grapefruit with sugar or orange slices
Snack: Home church
Lunch: Home church
Snack: Tea Party: warm herb tea, mini PBJ and cucumber/cream cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Grilled chicken or veggie patty sandwiches with choice of toppings (can serve chicken/veggie patty, bread and veggies separately for picky eaters), coleslaw with peanut dressing