a really simple meal plan v.13
to savor the end of summer!!!
For many of us, August is a month of transition. We’re soaking up the last few days/weeks of summer before schools start back (my boys actually started yesterday!!), then going full speed ahead into another school year. But from a produce perspective… summer is currently at its PEAK!! This meal plan was written to celebrate late summer and take advantage of all its perfect produce before we’re ready to transition to soups and squash come fall. Enjoy! ☀️
xx
Caro + Molly
PS: Click the PDF or link below for a grocery list organized by section in the grocery store. If you need to edit yours for any reason (to sub an ingredient or cut some meals from the lineup), copy and paste it into a new Google doc or phone note and edit as needed.
link to grocery list
DINNER DAY #1: Lemony brown-butter shrimp rolls
Remember this from last year?! It’s truly summer in a bite and will transport you to Maine in just 20 minutes of cook time. It doesn’t yield a ton (it’s written to feed 4 — or even 2 super hungry adults), so I typically don’t have leftovers. But if you do end up having leftover shrimp, store it in an airtight container and add it to tomorrow’s lunch.
LUNCH DAY #2: 20-minute summer sauté
Double this recipe so you have lunch for tomorrow too! See the “how to double it” section in the headnote for tips on doubling. If you happen to have leftover shrimp from last night’s dinner, you could do half chicken sausage, half shrimp for the protein. If so, add the shrimp toward the end of cooking so they warm through but don’t overcook.
DINNER DAY #2: Jalapeño pork chops
… with a refreshing watermelon, cucumber, and feta salad. Both elements of this meal keep beautifully, so if you have leftovers, store them separately in airtight containers and add them to your lunch plates throughout the week!
LUNCH DAY #3: 20-minute summer sauté
Enjoy the fruits of yesterday’s labor! Serve it with a side of watermelon salad, if you still have some from last night’s dinner.
DINNER DAY #3: Sunshine curry with cilantro-lime rice
I wrote this recipe last year as ode to late summer, so don’t let August slip by without cooking it! If you want a meatless meal this week, swap the chicken here with tofu or a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas — it’s a delicious swap that I highly recommend. Double the cilantro-lime rice to have a grain for lunches the rest of the week. Store the leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge.
LUNCH DAY #4: Bagged salad kit + cilantro-lime rice
Have leftover curry? Lucky you!! It makes for a quick, easy, and delicious lunch. If not, mix some warmed leftover rice with a Mexican-inspired bagged salad kit like Taylor Farms’ Mexican Street Corn Chopped Salad Kit or TJ’s Elote Salad Kit or any Southwestern salad kit. A warm grain does so much to elevate a bagged salad!
DINNER DAY #4: Chicken panzanella
Unless you think you’ll have leftover chicken (this recipes yields about 4 thighs), double the chicken and add an extra tablespoon of both oil and balsamic vinegar and a big extra pinch of salt and pepper to the sheet pan. Once your extra chicken thighs have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.
LUNCH DAY #5: Chicken, rice, and arugula bowl
Make bowls with sliced or cubed leftover chicken (warm it in the microwave or oven, or eat it cold), warmed cilantro-lime rice, arugula, and any other veggies and/or leftover herbs you have in the fridge. Drizzle it with any vinaigrette or dressing you love and have — a balsamic dressing would be fab! So would ranch!
Or, make this balsamic dressing: Add 1/4 cup minced fresh basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to a large bowl and stir to combine.
DINNER DAY #5: One-pot sausage and corn pasta
Wrap your week with a glorious summer pasta feast!!! My sister made this one this week and texted me “OMG, forgot how good this one is.”
Are you into meal planning?? I love it so much, but I’m so off my routine right now with summer travel and leading into book tour travel! I’m going to do a lot of meal planning to help George while I’m away on tour… I plan to send our sitter a few old “really simple meal plan” emails so she can work on dinner while Cashy naps.
I love these but they just don’t work for my life right now. I have to bring my lunch to work and we have a microwave and a toaster oven. Can you do one for working moms?
I need to add the sunshine curry back into my life. It is so yummy.