Skip to main content

Featured

2024 Thanksgiving Menu and Meal Prep Timeline

* image These past few months have been busy for our family, especially since our oldest joined a local swim team. Between juggling our work schedules and balancing school with practices... we're all pretty wiped out. Although it's a lot of work, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. Preparing the holiday meal for our family fills my heart with joy, and I can't wait to get started. To make things easier for me, I don't deviate much from  our first Thanksgiving  as a family. The dishes I make are familiar ones, and the recipes for them live at my fingertips. Keeping the same menu year after year means I don't have to spend time researching recipes or planning a new one. Here are my tried-and-true Thanksgiving recipes, as well as my prep timeline for the big day!

A Month of Dinners: Menu Plan for September

In an attempt to make my life a little easier, I'm planning all of our dinners for September at once.

Photo by Beto Galetto on Unsplash


This post contains affiliate product links. Clicking on the links may result in my being paid a commission based on product sales. Regardless of commission, all opinions expressed in this post are my own. For more information, please review our site policies.

The weather is getting cooler. My social media feeds are full of first-day-of-school photos. Pumpkin-spice everything is starting to appear on grocery store shelves. Summer is nearly over, and we have no choice but to begin the transition to fall.

At the same time, I'll also be heading back to work after my time at home with the new baby. I wish I could have more time with Jonathan, especially considering everything that happened leading up to his early arrival. But I have to admit I'm a little relieved that we'll be returning to a somewhat regular routine. Just now I'll be playing the part of a full-time working mom who works outside the home.

I don't know how my return to work will affect the family. I figure it'll take several weeks for us to fall into a comfortable rhythm... and I have to remind myself that I'm about to start running a marathon, not the 100-yard dash. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I know I'll need to shift some of my priorities. I'll be slashing things from my to-do list to establish balance... then I'll be looking for ways to do things more efficiently to maintain that balance.

Starting with our menu plans. As I mentioned on Sunday, I will no longer be sharing them on a weekly basis. I'm going back to the monthly menu plan format, and I'll share those plans with all of you on the first of every month.

*fingers crossed*

With our previous menu plans as inspiration, here's what I've planned for September.

Menu Plan for September

Week 1: September 1 - September 2

Friday: Pizza with Bacon and Pineapple
Saturday: Tailgate Leftovers / Dinner Out / Take-Out

Week 2: September 3 - September 9

Sunday: Ground Turkey and Barley Soup with Mushrooms and Spinach
Monday: Grilled Italian Sausage on Potato Rolls with Sauteed Onions and Peppers
Tuesday: Ground Beef Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning
Wednesday: Stephen's Choice
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizza with Broccoli and Caramelized Onions
Saturday: Beer-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage and Egg Noodles

Week 3: September 10 - September 16

Sunday: Slow-Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Monday: 10-Minute Broiled Chipotle Salmon Fillets with Wild Rice and Sugar Snap Peas
Tuesday: Pasta with Spicy Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Wednesday: Stephen's Choice
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizza with Roasted Eggplant, Grape Tomatoes, Garlic, and Fresh Mozzarella
Saturday: Tailgate Leftovers / Dinner Out / Take-Out

Week 4: September 17 - September 23

Sunday: Shepherd's Pie with Peas and Carrots
Monday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
Wednesday: Stephen's Choice
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Ricotta and Spinach Calzones
Saturday: Tailgate Leftovers / Dinner Out / Take-Out

Week 5: September 24 - September 30

Sunday: Crock Pot Thai Peanut Chicken with Basmati Rice
Monday: Mexican Stuffed Peppers from Claire's Corner Copia Cookbook
Tuesday: Spaghetti and Basic Baked Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
Wednesday: Stephen's Choice
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Margherita Pizza
Saturday: Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas

Thinking of starting a menu planning routine? Check out my previous menu plans, as well as these helpful meal planning tips. Need even more dinner inspiration? Then don't forget to follow my special Meals from the Menu Plan board on Pinterest!

-----

One year ago: A Month of Dinners: Menu Plan for September {MENU PLAN}
Two years ago: A Month of Dinners: Menu Plan for September {MENU PLAN}
Three years ago: Summertime Nectarine Sorbet {RECIPE}
Four years ago: Two Rivers Brewing Company - Easton, PA {DINING}
Five years ago: {Wedding Wednesday} Our Brunch Wedding Reception {LIFE}
Six years ago: Black and White Madeleine Cookies with Nutella Filling {RECIPE}
Seven years ago: Sweet and Spicy Bacon {RECIPE}
Eight years ago: Chronicles of a Food Enthusiast {BLOGGING}
Nine years ago: Grilled Avocado and Tomato Roll-Ups {RECIPE}


Like this post? Connect with me to find out when I post again. Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest or sign up to receive updates via email!