swipe file: weekly dinner plan
and the recipes we rotate
These swipe files are the practices and documents I use regularly to be the leader and caregiver I want to be, and to stay well. I keep the majority of swipe files are behind the paywall (in an effort to protect them from generative AI tools (which essentially steals these and shares it with no attribution), but am lifting it on this one. I’ve priced my Substack as low as the platform will let me, and I hope to earn your upgraded subscription (and am incredibly grateful to the hundreds of you who support this work).
When I tell you that this dinner rotation is the best thing we’ve established as a family, I’m not exaggerating.
It makes meal planning and grocery shopping easier. It’s reduced the amount of complaining from my kids. These meals are fairly easy to prepare, and I look forward to sitting down as a family most evenings and enjoying them together.
I have an appetizer plate set out for the kids before they get home, and have been preparing one for myself to snack on while I’m finishing dinner:
I do a serving of veggies (usually sweet peppers, cucumbers, and carrots), a serving of Greek yogurt (I do a cottage cheese dip for myself), and a snacking or string cheese. They inhale this plate in the time it takes me to get our main dish on the table.
Here’s our regular dinner rotation:
Mondays: Indian
Instant Pot kitchari (I double this recipe)
Tikka masala: I use a packet of Abbot plant-based chicken, a jar of Brooklyn Delhi sauce, and throw in 1-2 cups of frozen vegetables (peas and carrots, chopped spinach, or a mixed vegetable bag). I’ll serve with rice, or I’ll make this into a naan pizza for the kids
Tuesdays: Mexican
Taco night - I do refried black beans on corn tortillas or tostada shells for the boys, and will heat up a plant-based chorizo for us. We serve with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, serrano chiles, shredded cheese, and an easy Caroline Chambers’ taco sauce (Greek yogurt or cottage cheese blended with lime juice and taco seasoning)
Wednesdays: pizza
Banza pizza
Thursdays: East Asian
Frozen dumplings, shelled edamame, and onigiri (I make them with cucumbers and avocados, use this microwaveable sticky rice and these shakers, and sprinkle them with furikake)
Splendid Spoon congee (I heat two containers, and have jammy eggs, pickled vegetables, chili crisp, furikake, and scallions for everyone to customize to their preference)
Ramen (I use these packets, and add eggs and toppings to each person’s preference)
Fridays: burgers
I love these Beyond Meat Juicy Lucy burgers, and make them often. If I’m feeling lazy, I’ll halve the Beyond Meat patty and make a quick smashburger.
Saturdays: a cozy meal (or we order in)
Sundays: pasta
