Menu 001: Fall Week 1, Full Meal Plan + Shopping List
This week’s meal plan is all about fresh ingredients, fast cooking, and cozy fall flavors!
It’s a nice mix of some super quick prep meals for busy nights, a make-ahead dish perfect for meal prepping, and a restaurant-worthy one that turns dinner at home into something a little elevated.
As always, I’ve planned for four different meals to cook, allowing for leftovers and a bit of takeout and dining out.
Menu
day 1
Fresh & fast
Parchment-Packet Fish with Spinach, Tomato & Coconut Rice
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Fish Packets:
4 fish fillets such as cod, halibut, or salmon, 5–6 oz each
4 cups baby spinach
16 fresh basil leaves
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Salt
Black pepper
4 sheets parchment paper
Coconut Rice:
2 cups jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk, 13.5 oz
1 ½ cups water
1 tsp salt
day 2
Meal prep idea
One-Pan Lemon & Herb Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
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1 whole chicken, about 4–4.5 lb, spatchcocked
2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced and zested
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Salt
Black pepper
1.5 lb baby potatoes, halved
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
day 3
Leftovers
There will be plenty from the roasted chicken. Portion it out to make it easy.
day 4
5 min prep
Viral Slow Roasted Chuck Roast Tacos with Avocado and Pickled Radish
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Beef:
2.5–3 lb chuck roast
1 onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Salt
Black pepper
Tacos:
12 small corn or flour tortillas
2 avocados, sliced
1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
½ cup white vinegar (I like to use rice vinegar)
3 T sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups curly fresh or romaine lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, diced
Optional toppings: Cotija cheese, limes, cilantro, hot sauce, salsa
day 5
Leftovers
Turn leftover meat and toppings into a healthy bowl with a grain base.
day 6
Restaurant-worthy
Pork Chops with Polenta, Roasted Sage Mushrooms & Seasonal Squash
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4 bone-in pork chops, about 1–1.25 lb total
Salt
Black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Polenta:
1 cup polenta, coarse cornmeal
4 cups chicken stock or water
2 tbsp butter
½ cup grated Parmesan
Vegetables:
12 oz mixed mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake, or button
2 cups assorted squash such as zucchini, yellow squash, or delicata
2 tbsp olive oil
6 fresh sage leaves
Parmesan flakes for garnish
Grocery List
Produce
Baby spinach – 4 cups
Cherry tomatoes – 2 cups
Lemons – 2
Yellow onions – 2
Garlic
Baby potatoes – 1.5 lb
Carrots – 1 lb
Mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or button) – 12 oz
Assorted squash (zucchini, yellow squash, delicata) – 2 cups
Fresh sage leaves
Fresh rosemary
Fresh parsley
Fresh cilantro
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil
Curly fresh or romaine lettuce
Tomatoes – 2 medium
Radishes
Limes
Meat / Fish
Bone-in pork chops – 4 (1–1.25 lb total)
Whole chicken – 1 (4–4.5 lb)
Chuck roast – 2.5–3 lb
Fish fillets (cod, halibut, or salmon) – 4 (5–6 oz each)
Dairy
Butter
Parmesan
Cotija cheese
Pantry / Other
Olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Polenta
Chicken stock or water – 4 cups
Beef stock – 2 cups
Cumin
Chili powder
Corn or flour tortillas – 12 small
White vinegar
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sugar
Jasmine rice
Coconut milk – 1 can (13.5 oz)
Parchment paper
