May Menu Plan
It’s already May and time for a new May Menu Plan! This year is simply going by too fast for me and May promises to be a super busy month. Our Spizzie Girl is graduating from college (Woot! Woot!) and we have some big parties planned. Can you believe she was barely in middle school when I started That One Mom and now she’s heading to graduate school?!? It’s insane!!
On with the May Menu Plan…
May Menu Planning Tips:
- Write down every single event you’ll be attending this month. May is traditionally a busy time for everyone, but it seems especially so if you have school-aged children. There are field trips, field days, banquets, award ceremonies, proms, graduations, and all sorts of sporting events and competitions this time of year. I used to be the world’s worst for not planning ahead when it came to what we were going to eat during those busy times. We spent way too much time and money running through the drive-thru until I figured it all out. (Hey, I’m not perfect!) If you know you’re going to be out of the house and for what reasons, it makes it much easier to plan what you’re going to eat for dinner and where you’re going to eat it! I totally suggest pre-cooking something portable. Even if you have to eat in the car, it can save a lot of money and be a lot healthier than fast food.
- Check your supplies/inventory list. Groceries aren’t cheap and knowing what you have available makes it so much easier to keep from overspending on things you didn’t actually need.
- Don’t stress if you have to change your plans. Menu plans are very useful tools, but if it stresses you out to deviate from the plan, you may need to reevaluate. Always have some simple meal ideas or meals you can pull from the freezer when you are limited on time and energy. Done is better than perfect and a full belly is nothing to complain about…even if it’s just the simplest of meals!
Last Month’s Favorites:
I always recommend being flexible with your menu plans, as things come up and you don’t always get to stick with it. This happened to me in April, so there were a couple of recipes that I didn’t get to try. I’ll add those back into another menu at a later date and try again. (This is why I say “don’t stress” if your May Menu Plan doesn’t stay the way you planned it!)
- Easter Dinner. Easter Dinner was by far my favorite meal in April, but we had soooo much food. The ham with mustard sauce was divine. I think I could probably eat that every month!
- Ham Fried Rice. I used the leftovers from Easter and veggies from a salad we had the night before Easter to make this rice dish and it was delicious. Fried rice and stir fry are a great way to keep those leftovers from going to waste.
May Menu Plan
Monday/1: Soup & Sandwich. To clarify, this is canned soup and store-bought bread and lunchmeat. There is nothing fancy, or probably even healthy, about this at all. Some nights I am alone though and there is no point cooking a huge meal for one.
Tuesday/2: Steak, Potatoes, Green Beans, Italian Bread. My son declared he was going to cook dinner for us and that is his menu plan. I won’t complain, because not only is it a free dinner, he’s an amazing cook!
Wednesday/3: Dinner Out (Pre-Anniversary). We aren’t going to be able to celebrate on our actual anniversary because of other commitments, so we’re celebrating early. I used to cook for my husband on our anniversary, but then I decided I wanted someone else to do it for me for a change!!
Thursday/4: Penne Pasta with Crockpot Pasta Sauce, Garlic Bread. This can be as simple as pouring a jar of pasta sauce in the crockpot with some meat and chopped veggies or you can make something from scratch. All-in-all, it’s still another simple meal, but it’s a busy week!
Friday/5: Jambalaya. I love dishes you can cook without dirtying every pot and pan in the kitchen. I can usually make jambalaya with one pot and one skillet. We’ll be adding shrimp to this because our daughter (with a shrimp allergy) won’t be home until the end of the weekend. We can still eat shrimp when she’s around, but I don’t like to for obvious health reasons, and also because she used to love shrimp and it makes her sad that she can’t have it anymore.
Saturday/6: Nacho Bar w/ Chicken, Beef, Chorizo, & Jalapeno Popper Cheese Sauce. It’s Graduation Day! Our baby girl is graduating from college and we’re eating at my momma’s afterward. A Nacho Bar will feed a lot of people without a ton of effort. Everything will be cooked and cut up the night before and kept in coolers or crockpots until time to eat. **Note: I use this recipe for Jalapeno Popper Cheese Fondue and I add milk and cream to turn it into a sauce.
Sunday/7: Leftovers/Family Dinner
Monday/8: Appetizer Night: Benedictine Spread, Thai L’il Smokies, Turkey Roll Ups, Chips & Cheese Dip. We’re not just celebrating anniversaries and graduations around here this month, we also have some birthdays going on and an Appetizer Night was requested!
Tuesday/9: Parmesan Lemon Chicken Legs, Baked Potato, Caesar Salad. I’ve made Parmesan Chicken with breasts and tenders before, but never chicken legs. We’ll see how it goes! Also, if you’re looking for a good Caesar dressing, Marzetti’s is actually really good.
Wednesday/10: Pineapple Chicken & Rice. It may seem weird, but while I was taking chemo treatments, almost everything tasted off to me. Two of the things I craved and probably could’ve eaten every single day were garden fresh corn and Pineapple Chicken from the local Chinese restaurant. Hopefully, this recipe is just as good or else I may be going for takeout!
Thursday/11: Sub Sandwiches & Potato Chips. I love a good sub and this one is so easy. Just layer ham, turkey, roast beef, American cheese, Swiss cheese, and provolone on a loaf of Italian bread (split in two, of course). Add Italian dressing, some banana peppers, wrap tightly, and let sit in the fridge for an hour or two. Something about the dressing and some of the juice from the peppers soaking into that fresh bread just makes me happy!
Friday/12: Leftovers
Saturday/13: BBQ Ribs, Angel Chicken, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Pasta Salad, Slaw, Rolls, Sugared Grapes. It’s Party Day!! Spizzie goes to college in a different state, so we decided it would be easier to have a big Graduation Party on a different day so that we didn’t have to rush. She picked most of the menu and we have dozens of friends and family members coming to celebrate. I’m so excited!!
Sunday/14: Leftovers/Family Dinner
Monday/15: Breakfast for Supper – Pancakes and Sausage. Another super easy meal that everybody likes! I should probably figure out how to add a vegetable or two to this.
Tuesday/16: BLTs, Veggies w/Ranch Dip. Did I mention the theme for the May Menu Plan was “quick and easy”??? Because I’m all about it this month.
Wednesday/17: Simple Summer Salad w/Grilled Chicken. This is honestly one of my favorite recipes. Hopefully, we’ll have some leftover chicken from the Graduation Party and that will be one less thing to cook!
Thursday/18: Leftovers
Friday/19: Chicken Quesadillas and Corn w/Elote Sauce. I’m not lying…I could eat corn on the cob every single day. Pair it with my sister’s Elote Sauce recipe–which I need to share soon–and I’m as happy as a pig in slop. (Hopefully, that’s not what I look like eating it!)
Saturday/20: Apple Pecan Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes. Pork and Apples was a staple meal around here for a lot of years. Our oldest was probably the pickiest eater on the planet until he moved out on his own, but he would request this dish at least a couple times a month as a child. We haven’t had in a while and I’ve been feel nostalgic, so…
Sunday/21: Leftovers/Family Dinner
Monday/22: Salmon Patties, Dill Sauce, Baked Potatoes, Salad. Canned salmon is a little pricey right now, but you can make Salmon Patties with fresh or frozen filets. Just bake it, flake it, and mix it with your other ingredients to make patties. I still can’t make Salmon Patties that are as good as my Nan’s, but maybe someday I’ll figure out what made hers so much better.
Tuesday/23: Pinto Beans, Cornbread, Fried Potatoes, Kraut and Kielbasa, Wilted Lettuce. Coming from the mountains of Kentucky, this is a meal I’ve eaten quite a bit. Call it Southern, Mountain, Appalachian, whatever…I just call it comfort food. Nobody can make cornbread or chow-chow like my Mammaw did and nobody beats my Momma’s wilted lettuce, but I’ve got the Pinto Beans down pat now!!
Wednesday/24: Orange Chicken & Rice. If you have an Aldi near you, their Orange Stir Fry Sauce is actually one of the best bottled sauces I’ve had.
Thursday/25: Leftovers
Friday/26: Fried Chicken, Squash Fritters, and Cheese Grits. Sometimes you just need some good fried food. And some cheese grits.
Saturday/27: Homemade Pizza & Salad Bar. This is one of those meals where I put the Super Trooper in charge of grilling the pizzas and chopping up veggies. It’s a win-win for me!!
Sunday/28: Leftovers/Family Dinner
Monday/29: Not Quite Cavatini, Garlic Bread, Side Salad. I’ve totally got to update this recipe post with some new photos, but I promise, it tastes better than it looks!
Tuesday/30: Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, Rice, and Macaroni Salad. There is a Hawaiian restaurant in Lexington, KY that I’ve been hoping to try for a while now. I haven’t had time to make the drive, but until then, I’m going to try this recipe so I have something to compare it to!
Wednesday/31: Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, Panzanella Salad. Oh, Panzanella Salad, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 1. It’s bread…with oil. That’s all I really needed, but the veggies and vinegar don’t hurt either!!
Just a Reminder…
Now that you’ve seen the May Menu Plan for the That One Mom household, I hope it inspires you to plan your own. Just remember to give yourself some grace if you deviate from the plan and keep it as simple as possible during the really busy months!
And don’t forget to sign up and get your fill-in-the-blank menu plan!
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