Weekday evenings can be a whirlwind of activities, with multiple kids heading in every direction. You arrive home at 7:00 pm with hungry, tired kids and nothing defrosted or planned for dinner. We’ve all been there!
Here are a few ideas to help you on those hectic evenings when you want to feed your family a healthy meal but feel overwhelmed.
Here are a few items I recommend always having in your pantry or refrigerator:
GF Pasta: I like Jovial brand
Tomato sauce: look for ones without added sugars and made with olive oil or avocado oil)
Frozen breakfast sausage: nitrate-free, I like Applegate Farms)
Bacon: I keep defrosted bacon in my refridgerator at all times.
Grass-fed butter
Heavy cream
Raw/unpasteurized cheddar cheese: raw parmesan is good to have too!
Sourdough bread: I like this brand; look for organic
Turkey and ham, nitrate free
Pastured Eggs
Frozen peas
FRIED EGG WITH SAUSAGE, CANADIAN BACON OR PORK BACON
Cook those eggs in grass-fed butter, load it up with some raw cheese and breakfast sausage. Toast some sourdough bread…and viola…it’s…
Breakfast for dinner!
It’s easily a classic meal; remembered and cherished by all.
PASTA BOLOGNESE
No defrosted ground beef? No problem!
Take that frozen ground beef out of the wrapper and throw it into a pot of organic tomato sauce while frozen. Let it simmer for a while and break it apart as it defrosts. You can also add in some breakfast sausage if you have that too. Heat up some gluten free pasta and call it a day! You can add in some extra spices (cumin, red pepper) and a bit of cream and parmesan cheese to the sauce to make it creamier and tastier!
GRILLED TURKEY/HAM AND CHEESE
An easy twist on a classic sandwich.
Make sure you have some good quality organic/nitrate free turkey or ham, some raw cheese, and grass-fed butter! Throw it on some sourdough bread and fry it up! You can also make it a “Rachel” by adding in sauerkraut!
HOMEMADE MAC N’ CHEESE
A cup of butter, a cup of cream and a cup of cheese make this an easy weeknight dinner!
I love Jovial brand brown rice pasta. Heat up 2 sticks (1 cup) of grass-fed butter, 1 cup of cream, and 1 cup of raw cheddar cheese. Warm and stir until it is creamy and pour it over your pasta. Add in some bacon or diced ham to add more protein.
EGG FRIED RICE WITH BACON, SAUSAGE, OR DICED HAM
Add a little pizazz to your rice!
Heat up some rice (cook it in broth to make it more nutritious!); and then add in some scrambled eggs and a meat such as breakfast sausage or ham. You can also add in shredded carrots, and some frozen peas! Be sure to cook those eggs in a healthy fat such as butter or duck fat.
Need more ideas?
Try my easy-download meal plan. Grab your copy and start cooking today!
Traditional food inspiration. A little less figuring out dinner.
Bring the warmth of fall into your kitchen without turning every evening into a cooking project.
This three-week recipe ebook draws inspiration from traditional, from-scratch cooking and puts it into a plan that works for modern family life. Each week includes four dinners, Monday through Thursday, plus one homemade treat—giving you a starting point for the busiest part of the week without scheduling every meal.
Inside, you’ll find cozy soups, skillet dinners, and comforting fall recipes made with familiar ingredients. The approach is simple: cook real food, enjoy the season, and leave room for the way your family actually lives.
Each week includes:
Four dinner recipes, so you’re not starting from a blank page every afternoon.
One homemade treat to bring a little something special to the week.
A grocery list to help you shop for the planned recipes.
Recommended ingredient sources for the real-food staples used throughout the book.
Recipes include sausage pumpkin risotto, honey-sriracha chicken, and gluten-free chocolate peanut butter muffins.
This isn’t a challenge to make everything from scratch. It’s a little structure, seasonal inspiration, and a collection of recipes to help you put homemade food on the table.