Here is a non-exhaustive, frequently edited listing of some our favorite menu ideas.
Soups
- Black Bean
- French Onion (in the slow cooker)
- Taco Soup
- Chicken Tortilla
- Chicken Dumpling
- Chili
- Broccoli
- Potato
- Wedding
- Chicken Noodle
- Beef Vegetable
- Beef Stew
Main-Dish Salads
Poultry
- Marinated Grilled Chicken
- Turkey Dinner (with Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Cranberries, Gravy & Applesauce
- Chicken stuffed with Spinach & Feta Cheese
- Favorite Chicken
- Chicken Marsala
- Chicken Parmesan
- Barbeque Chicken
Fish
- Lemon Garlic Tilapia
- Almond-Topped Fish (cod, haddock, orange roughy)
- Lemon Orange Orange Roughy
Beef
- Steaks on the Grill
- top with:
- Mozzarella, Parmesan Cheese & Garlic
- Bleu Cheese
- Hamburgers
- Beef Tips with Noodles
- Slow Cooked Roast Beef
- Meatloaf topped with mashed potatoes, green beans or asparagus, and gravy
- Keilbasa & Saurkraut
Mexican
- Chicken Quesadillas
- Black Bean Burritos
- Chicken Tortilla Casserole
- Tacos
- Taco Salad
- Taco Toppings: Cheddar, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Onions, Black Olives, Black Beans, Salsa, Sour Cream
- Sides – Mexican Rice, Black Beans, &/or Corn
Casseroles
Italian
- Lasagna
- Stuffed Shells
- Spaghetti & Meatballs
- Chicken Cacciatore
Sides
- Tomato Caprese
- Pierogi Casserole
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Salad
- Steamed Veggie – any
- Rice
- Pasta
- Pierogies
- Bread
- Potatoes – Baked, Mashed or Scalloped
Related Post: Our Menu Planning System – Tweaked!
If this has been helpful to you at all, please leave a comment to let me know! I love hearing your feedback!
Very helpful…I too love to cook, but need someone to tell me what they would like!
One question – do your children eat everything you make? Your list is great for me, but Kaleb has his favorites and doesn’t eat other things very well. Do they eat the soups well? Any tips???
Leslie,
I’m kind of a “mean mommy.” For the most part, what I make is what they get. If they choose not to eat, then they can eat their side dishes and wait for the next meal. Dessert or second helpings of anything are out of the question unless they eat their first serving of food. I keep the portions small for the children with smaller appetites and picky tendencies, to encourage them that they can do it. Princess and George will sometimes get a single green bean to accompany their meals! The idea is for them to at least give each kind of food a try, not necessarily for them to receive all of their nutritional needs from it. Eventually, they do acquire a taste for most foods.
I am flexible by allowing the kids to forego a *few* select foods that they absolutely hate. For example, Gameboy is usually a good eater but he cringes and shakes at fish, so I’ll allow him a very simple alternative on the nights that I make fish.
I have a few kids that wish they could be picky eaters, but over time they realize that it just doesn’t work. ;-) Bubbles is a good example of that. When she was very little, she would not eat anything else if bread or a drink was available. We eventually made it a rule that she could only have her bread and drink (with the exception of water) *after* she ate some other things. Today, she likes most foods and is a great eater, so we can give her the bread and drink upfront without a problem.
Thank you, thank you! I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a while now. Thank you so much for the jump start! Also, I love your comment about eating habits. Great food for thought. :)
just happened upon your website and LOVE your ideas! going to start your menu planning TONIGHT! and I am finally excited about making a grocery list :) thank you!