I do a pretty consistent job of creating a menu plan each week, but while keeping up with a pretty busy schedule, I don’t always execute the plan perfectly. Eating out or ordering pizza when the meal plan fails is not in our budget. Instead, I always try to have ingredients on hand for quick meals that will give us nourishment, even if the day has gotten away from me and the frozen chicken is still frozen. (Fact – A frozen chicken will remain frozen if left in a frozen environment.)
Click on this link to see a full, detailed list of the freezer, fridge and pantry items I try to always keep on hand, but I find that if I at least have the following ingredients, I can throw together a nice variety of meals with very little planning involved:
- Wheat or other grains (to grind into flour)
- Milk
- Eggs
- Whole Wheat Pasta
- Butter
- Tomato Sauce
- Cheese
- Frozen veggies
- Fruit (fresh and frozen)
- Canned Salmon
- Canned Tuna
- Hamburger Meat
Here’s a list of simple, nourishing meals I can make with these ingredients:
- Pancakes and scrambled eggs – using this pancake recipe, but skipping the soaking part
- Italian Pasta Bake – without meat if I don’t have time to thaw and cook hamburger
- Salmon Patties with frozen veggies
- Creamy Mac and Cheese with frozen veggies
- Tuna Casserole – using the creamy mac and cheese recipe with a can or two of tuna
- Fried eggs with fruit smoothies
- Quesadillas – if I have tortillas on hand
- Hamburger patties with vegetables
None of these meal ideas take much time or energy to make, nor do they create much of a mess in the kitchen. I love having these ideas as “back up” meals for those times when I fail to stick with the menu plan. (And now, I’m going to go get a chicken out of the freezer for tomorrow.)
What are your favorite meals to fall back on when your dinner plan falls through? What ingredients do you like to have on hand for meals like this?
Update: If you have the ingredients for it, these Black Bean Chicken Nachos are great when made last minute. :)
