Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family or holiday meal, usually on Sunday, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost-cutting strategy, a meatless dish for people who may not be strict vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat, an express meal that requires little or no preparation and an entertaining menu, usually the Saturday meal, that's quick but worthy of company.
Sunday/Family
The family will enjoy grilled beef kebabs. Serve with roasted new potatoes. Add a romaine salad and crusty bread.
Plan ahead: Save four kebabs for Monday.
Tip: Allow enough space at the end of skewers for tomatoes.
Monday/Heat and Eat
Make a quick beef stir-fry with Sunday's leftover kebabs. Heat the leftovers in a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray and add prepared teriyaki sauce. Serve over rice. For dessert, make brownies from a mix.
Tuesday/Express
Round up the kids for a turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. Cook the bacon in the microwave, toast dense whole-wheat bread and spread with low-fat mayonnaise. Layer the bacon, leafy green lettuce and ripe tomato slices on the toast. Add some pickles and baked corn chips on the side. Warm the leftover brownies and top with fat-free chocolate-chip frozen yogurt.
Wednesday/Kids
Check the refrigerated meat case for smoked pork chops and heat in a nonstick skillet. Serve with honey-mustard sauce. Try Kraft's new light macaroni and cheese dinner. The fat is about half that of the regular macaroni and cheese dinner, and the calories are slightly reduced. Microwave a package of frozen green beans as an accompaniment. Cinnamon apple sauce is a tasty addition.
Tip: For easier cleanup, combine the cooked macaroni and sauce in a separate container. (If combined in a hot pan, the cheese will "cook" onto pan.)
Thursday/Meatless
Meat will be a memory with herbed pasta and caramelized onions. By all means, use sweet onions (Vidalia or other) for this sauce for a richer flavor. Serve with a green salad and a light vinaigrette. Add crusty bread.
Friday/Budget
Boost your food-dollar savings and your complex carbohydrates and fiber with festive beans and rice. Serve a fresh fruit salad on the side. Accompany your meal with bread sticks.
Saturday/Entertaining
Wow your guests with the delicious flavor of tuna steaks on warm spinach salad. Add fresh herb-roasted potato wedges. For dessert, make your own poached pears and serve with fat-free chocolate sauce.
Tip: To cut the fat and calories, use reduced-fat vinaigrette.
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
red-wine vinegar
soy sauce
sugar
black pepper
garlic
top round steak
fresh mushrooms
summer squash
red bell peppers
cherry tomatoes
new potatoes
romaine
crusty bread
Monday
rice
teriyaki sauce
brownie mix
Tuesday
turkey bacon
dense whole-wheat bread
low-fat mayonnaise
leafy green lettuce
tomatoes
pickles
baked corn chips
fat-free chocolate-chip or other frozen yogurt
Wednesday
smoked pork chops
honey-mustard sauce
packaged light macaroni and cheese
frozen green beans
prepared cinnamon apple sauce
Thursday
herbed pasta
olive oil
sweet onions
garlic
hearty red wine (Burgundy or Cabernet Sauvignon)
fresh marjoram
fresh Italian parsley
salt
pepper
salad greens
light vinaigrette
crusty bread
Friday
long-grain brown rice
fresh mushrooms
green bell pepper
chicken broth
cumin
oregano
paprika
salt
olive oil
onion
prepared chunky pasta sauce
chili powder
canned black beans
fresh fruit for salad
bread sticks
Saturday
tuna steaks
vinaigrette
fresh spinach
cherry tomatoes
Idaho potatoes
ingredients for your own poached pears
fat-free chocolate sauce
Pub Date: 5/10/98