This week, I’m trying to cook main protein dishes in bulk, then reuse them in completely different ways. As I was writing the explanations below I realized that none of these meals are fan favorites for my picky eater and might be a challenge. What can I say - I was selfish with my preferences this week! I’ve include some little tid-bits of information that I use when I know he’s not going to be thrilled with… well, anything.

Let me explain:

Meal 1: Last week I bough mint and parsley at the store and never used it. I think I was going to make a watermelon, mint, feta salad and then never got to it. Luckily, the herbs still look good so I’m going to use them to make tabbouleh - a quick, Mediterranean grain dish made with bulgur, herbs, red peppers, cucumbers, and a simple lemon dressing. I’ll serve it with grilled Trader Joe’s Shawarma Chicken Thighs, lots of fresh veggies and dips. I might include and apple and peanut butter tray on the table because the three-year-old probably won’t eat the chicken or tabbouleh… and leaving him with just cucumbers and hummus seems a little harsh. Especially when we might be very active the day we have this meal.

Meal 2: I’ve been craving good ol’ BBQ chicken. I thought making a BBQ Chicken Bowl would be a creative way to eat it. A little slaw, a little roasted sweet potato… I’m excited. I haven’t made southern coleslaw in a really long time. I plan to mix a little mayo, a little Greek yogurt, a little apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, celery seed, salt and pepper and see what happens. I’ll roast up a few sweet potatoes and toss it all in a bowl together. I would make my own BBQ sauce but whew… I’m not up for it. I bought Primal Kitchen BBQ sauce which I used before and enjoy. It’s not sweet, but with the sweet potato and sweet slaw, it’ll balance nicely. To please the three-year-old I’ll probably leave one chicken thigh plain.

Meal 3: I’m very excited on this new spin on Mexican night! I’ll make quesadillas (a crowd favorite!) and load some with just cheese and some with avocado and BBQ chicken. I’m going to try and put them all on a plate in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves. Also on the table will be chips and salsa, a side salad and fruit.

Meal 4: Friends are coming over to grill! Burgers are quick and easy. I’ll grill the veggies ahead of time, chop them up, and toss them in either pesto or a vinaigrette of sorts. And, I’ll have the corn cooking in boiling water inside to save grill space. I’m making extra burgers to have later in the week. The three-year-old will eat corn… and there will probably be chips and dip for appetizers and/or a treat. When we eat with company, he doesn’t really care about the food - and, isn’t that a great lesson - focus on the people around you!

Meal 5: Skinny Taste Cheeseburger Salad is perfection! I’ll whip up the dressing (don’t skip it if you try “cheeseburger salad”… it makes everything come together to taste exactly like a cheeseburger!), throw some tots in the oven, heat up the burgers and done! Tots will be the crowd pleaser. We’ll probably have fruit and veggies on the table too.

Meal 6: It’s clean out the fridge night (this usually happens on Thursday or Friday) and if there’s nothing, then we’ll eat pizza.

Meal 7: OUT!

Happy meal planning!