Another week, another new meal plan. Currently, Jason and I are on a Whole30, so staying on track with meal planning isn’t hard to do. One night, I ate out with a friend and one night Jason attended a work event, which served dinner; those nights I still planned dinner, and we used for lunch so it all worked out.

I had a few emails from those who were excited for this new meal plan series, but I also had a few people tell me they felt guilty because they didn’t cook all of the recipes from the menu. Listen. meal planning will save you time and money, but it should never serve as something that brings you guilt! The recipes I include in my weekly meal plans comes straight from Casa de Crews – and hey, if you want to use my site for all of your recipes, I’d love that! 

But also…that’s not realistic! Cook what you know, use other sites, use mine…just planning and prepping is a step in the right direction. Not every night or week will be perfect, and you’ve just got to roll with it. Click here to download this week’s corresponding shopping list.

Why I like to meal plan:

I didn’t really know how to meal plan/prep until after Jason started law school. And before that, I was still in school myself, so in those days we ate out more because I was pretty much never home, and also I was in my twenties and I could eat junk multiple times in a week without feeling a food hangover. That’s not the case anymore – womp.

• Meal planning and prepping saves a ton of money! Even if you feel like you’re spending a lot at once on Sunday [or whatever day you grocery shop], if you compare eating out to a grocery trip, you will definitely save. I think we save approx $250/month just by meal planning!
• Whether you follow a certain lifestyle [keto, paleo, primal, whatever] cooking the majority of your meals at home will make you feel better. YOU know exactly what you’re putting on your plate and into your body.
• Less stress! I don’t know about you, but as fun as it to sometimes stray from my meal planning, I stress about what to eat when it isn’t planned. A planned night out doesn’t stress me out [and who doesn’t love a night out?!] but a day where I don’t have breakfast food in the house, or food to make lunch or dinner and I find myself scrambling and stressing. Plus, Jason and I play the game every couple knows, “what’s for dinner?” where neither of you want to make the decision.

That’s not to say every week is perfect or that I plan as often as I’d like, but it helps me immensely to have a plan in place! Because it’s the two of us at Casa de Crews, most of our dinners serve as lunch leftovers the next day, but I will provide lunch options below that aren’t part of the plan, but simple ideas to help you out! My weekly meal plans will include dinner ideas to get you from Monday-Friday. I like to make more weekend-esque meals on Saturday or Sunday, which are more time consuming but fun for me. You do you, friend.

P.S. This week’s menu is completely Whole30 compliant because I am on a Whole30. You don’t have to be following the Whole30 or even know what a Whole30 is to make these meals at home – enjoy! Click here to download this week’s corresponding shopping list.

on this week’s menu:

Monday

Pesto Grilled Pork Chops. You can use ANY pesto you want, but here is the recipe for my Pistachio Pesto with Roasted Garlic. Dairy-free and clean, whole30, keto…all the things. It’s just good! It’s also tasty over grilled chicken or a bowl of pasta or zoodles. *This week’s shopping list does not include the ingredients for my pesto, so if you opt to make, add it to the list!

Tuesday:

Chopped Chicken Antipasto Salad. This salad is one of my faves to meal prep. Tuesdays are yoga nights for me, so I need easy, and this salad does it. Here is the recipe to add to your menu.

Wednesday:

Crispy Turmeric Chicken Thighs. You guys! These thighs have so much flavor. I like to pair with cauliflower rice and these thai cucumbers, but any side you crave is fine.

Thursday:

Gyro Pita Lettuce Wraps. Okay, let’s chat! I love Greek food SO much. And restaurant gyro is tasty af. But what’s really in it? I don’t ever want to know, if we’re being honest. So instead make your own with ground lamb. If you eat wheat, you could use pita instead of bibb lettuce, but you do you. Again, since I am on a Whole30, I use dairy-free this recipe for my tzatziki.

Friday:

Jerk Chicken Burgers! I mean it’s Friday and I want a burger. With sweet potato fries in the airfryer. thankyouverymuch. These burgers are a little more labor intensive than most of my weeknight meals but I like to slow it down on the weekends, and you can make the slaw in advance to cut down on meal prep time if you want!

Bonus recipes:

I like to prep a lunch for us on Sunday to get the week started right. So tomorrow, I’ll prep a batch of Harvest Tuna Salad. Again, whole30, so if you use this recipe look for no-sugar added dried fruit to add in Sunday is supposed to be windy and cold, and rainy so I plan to make this pasta dish, BUT! I’m swapping in zoodles and trying coconut cream over heavy cream. If it’s tasty, I’ll report back because pasta is my go to comfort food but I’ve learned to make zoodles and spaghetti squash work in its place. 

Click here to download this week’s corresponding shopping list.

To see previous meal plans, visit here.