Well, we’re heading into the second month of quarantine here in Illinois. The last day before Illinois went into lockdown, my husband and I moved into our new home. We’ve spent most of the last month unpacking and setting up our home, while also working remotely full time. We also had a pretty big impulse quarantine purchase – a new puppy! He’s taken a lot of our time and attention, stealing our hearts one kiss on the chin at a time.

As we head into this second month of quarantine, though, one of my goals is to start treating it a bit more like normal life. Sure, nothing at all is normal right now. But I’m hoping to seek some routine, instill some new habits and practices, and treat full time life at home like our new version of normal. (Just a note: if this is not where you’re at, that is so completely fine! This is a global crisis of surreal proportion. We’re all handling it differently.)

One of the more important habits I’m trying to get back to is meal planning. With the move came a lot of frozen pizza dinners and take-out burritos. It felt odd to meal plan when I was also just home all the time. It didn’t feel necessary? Almost silly. Couldn’t tell you why. My work hours are getting longer, though, as we launch a full virtual conference in the coming weeks and so having a plan when I close my laptop at night and turn around to cook dinner would definitely be helpful. Plus, it’ll help guide those bi-weekly grocery store runs we’re permitting ourselves to stock our fridge and pantry. And get flowers. Flowers have been very important for my heart in quarantine.

A few important notes for the way I’m approaching meal planning right now:

1. Regroup if something may go bad. Groceries feel too precious these days to let them go to waste. I’m trying to plan to use delicate items first, with heartier ones eaten later. But a meal focus can change if that heirloom tomato or cut of salmon needs to be eaten.
2. Support local business. We’re trying to order take out from small local restaurants at least a few times a week. We can afford it, and since it can help local business owners and their employees maintain their income, it’s very important right now.
3. Give yourself grace. Everything is a little harder, a little more stressful right now. Getting to the end of the day and having nothing left in you to cook is 100% the moment to pull out the emergency frozen pizza.

With all that in mind, here’s my meal plan for the week!

Breakfasts: Cereal, greek yogurt, oatmeal, toast, grapefruit. No need to be fussy in the morning. Except for the coffee. Coffee always deserves to be made fussily.

Monday
Lunch: Leftover Pasta Bolognese from Sunday
Dinner: Homemade PIZZZAAAAAAAA (I get very excited about pizza always)
Tuesday
Lunch: Quesadilla’s with black beans, chips & salsa
Dinner: Smitten Kitchen Everyday Meatballs and garlic bread
Wednesday
Lunch: Caesar salad with roasted chickpeas, homemade hummus and dippers like carrot and chips
Dinner: Grilled Italian sausage and red peppers, pan roasted broccoli with lemon browned butter (from Cook’s Illustrated)
Thursday
(it’s actually my birthday today!)
Lunch: Mi Casa steak tacos to-go!
Dinner: Lemon chicken, either homemade or from a local Italian restaurant. TBD depending on my whim that day. Pie, probably cherry.
Friday
Lunch: accrued leftovers from the week
Dinner: Take out of choice!
(We are always tired on Friday. Friday deserves no cooking unless it is baking.)
Saturday
Lunch: Chickpea & garlic pasta (look for recipe coming soon to this site!)
Dinner: Grilled chicken, pita bread, hummus, green salad
Sunday
TBD – always

Snacks: watermelon, grapes, smoothies?, mango, baby carrots & hummus, roasted seasoned chickpeas

Projects for the week

• Make bread
• Make pita bread
• Devise an ice cream topping with berries that are starting to get mushy

I hope my menu can inspire some meals of your own. Share your meal plans for the week, or successes after the fact. I love to hear what’s coming out of your fierce kitchen!

Mangia!