American Classics | Meal Plan Menu
Fun and fresh family meals are on our newest weekly menu! We’ve got a couple of all-American classics as well as dinners that are so easy to make, they’ll save you lots of time in the kitchen.
Our newest weekly menu is all about fun and fast! For some of us, it’s going to be a 3-day weekend for President’s Day, so we’ve included a couple of all-American classics with our signature healthy twist to make dinnertime fun over the weekend / week.
Our cooking community has also been requesting more sheet pan suppers – complete meals made on sheet pans, which saves on dishes used and makes cleanup time a breeze. The same goes for slow cooker meals; we love the whole “set it and forget it” deal!
These fresh family meals are so easy and quick to make, you’ll be spending less time in the kitchen and more time with the family. Scroll down to read more about each of the dishes on our newest weekly dinner menu planner. We also included some of our meal planning tips for the week below, so you can get a gist of how our meal plan service works.
As your meal planner, our goal is not only to provide you with tasty recipes to cook, but also to teach you how to cook efficiently and with confidence. So read on to see how we turn leftovers from this week’s menu into delicious new meals, grocery shop to reduce food waste, and get ahead in the kitchen to save time during the busy weeknights.
And if you’re ready to enjoy even more benefits of having your own personal meal planner, then join us here:
“My biggest challenge is figuring out WHAT to cook, so in the short time I’ve been using Cook Smarts’ meal plans, it’s been great to take that decision away.”
– Melanie D. (Member since Nov 2017)
All meals come with gluten-free, paleo, and vegetarian options, as well as a grocery list and optional weekend prep steps.
Meal Planning Tips
Efficiencies:
- A dollop of sour cream is all you need to enjoy creaminess and richness in a meal, but we hate it when we don’t know what to do with the rest of the container. Luckily, every single meal on this week’s meal plan can benefit from sour cream!
Make-Ahead:
- Chopping and dicing vegetables over the weekend can give you a much-needed head start and make dinnertime come together quickly over the weeknights. In our weekly meal plans, we include how many days something can be prepped in advance, so you’ll know at a glance what can be made ahead of time.
Leftovers:
- Slice leftover pork tenderloin, toss with some Mexican spices, and wrap in tortillas along with any leftover ingredients from the 7 Layer Dip Salad for quick weeknight burritos.
On the Menu
MONDAY | American Goulash with Lemon Garlic Broccoli
Total comfort food, American Goulash is an easy family favorite. It’s made with a tomato-y beef ragu and macaroni, baked in the oven, and topped with melty cheese and a good dollop of sour cream. Balance the richness of this dish with a simple side of roasted broccoli, tossed with lemon and garlic.
The paleo version of this dish is a classic beef stew with parsnips and carrots that is just as comforting as Goulash. Our vegetarian recipe swaps out the beef in the Goulash for a hearty mixture of mushrooms and lentils.
TUESDAY | 7 Layer Dip Salad with Paprika Vinaigrette
This dish is not just for snacking anymore! We’re transforming this Tex-Mex party dip into a healthy weeknight dinner – a fresh, crisp salad with homemade paprika vinaigrette! Lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, pinto beans, olives, cheese, and sour cream come together for a hearty vegetarian salad that has an abundance of flavors. Tortilla chips can be crumbled over the salad or used to scoop up bites of salad – whichever you prefer!
We love how easily customizable this salad is. Our paleo recipe features sauteed chicken in place of beans for a Tex-Mex salad that is just as delicious as the dip inspiration. Feel free to swap salad ingredients for other favorites like salsa, guacamole, or seasoned ground beef.
WEDNESDAY | Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce, Smashed Potatoes & Roasted Brussels Sprouts
This sheet pan meal calls for two sheet pans, but most of the cooking will be happening on these pans. Spreading vegetables out is the key to helping them brown and caramelize, so the extra sheet pan gives everything plenty of space. Brussels sprouts share a pan with pork tenderloin, which infuses even more flavor into the sprouts. The other pan holds new potatoes that get smashed and baked to crispy for a fun side dish. Enjoy everything with a creamy mustard sauce that can be made in minutes.
Paleo folks will be enjoying their pork tenderloin and sprouts with roasted sweet potatoes instead and an addicting honey mustard sauce. Vegetarians will be enjoying a Curried Butternut Squash Soup, made with sweet roasted butternut squash, tart apples, and Indian spices. Dried cranberries add additional flavor to roasted Brussels sprouts.
THURSDAY | Slow Cooker Chicken Pozole
Your slow cooker is perfect for turning chicken into tender meat that falls apart. This community favorite includes some of our favorite Latin ingredients, including poblano peppers, Hatch chilis, and hominy. The spiciness of this soup is balanced with cooling garnishes, such as green onions, avocados, radishes, and sour cream.
Instead of hominy, paleo members will be enjoying chayote squash in their pozole. Vegetarians will also have chayote to bulk up their pozole, but they’ll be replacing the chicken with black beans.
We do more than create meal plans. We create memories around the dinner table.
Subscribe to our weekly meal plan service to get the grocery list, dinner steps, and more cooking tips for these 4 simple dinners.
Plans start at just $6 / month. Cancel anytime.
