This has been a strange year for sure. We had big plans for traveling up the East Coast and over to the Midwest, but instead, we were stationary for quite a while and only moved around the state of Texas. Which did give us time to explore our new domicile state a little more, but we were thrilled when we could travel and explore once again.
One thing that has saved me all these years with multiple children, crazy work schedules, and now, traveling is meal planning. It isn’t always easy in our tiny space to stock up on foods and meal prep items, but at least with a plan, we know what we need and can easily move meals when needed.
August is typically the month that summer winds down and kids are getting prepped for going back to school. But this year looks a little different for everyone. Some of you may find yourself homeschooling for the first time and others may be gearing up for distance learning. Whatever situation you find yourself in this year, I hope meal planning will help take some of the pressure off of the stress we are living in right now.
Perfect Summer Time Meals & Treats
When we lived in a sticks & bricks house, one of my favorite things to do during the summer was to make freezer meals. Not only did they save me time, but they kept me from heating up the house every day. So I would spend one day cooking and have meals for a week or two. It was fantastic!
If you’re looking for some other great dishes and meals to enjoy on those hot summer days, there are a ton of recipes you can make too cool you down and not heat up the kitchen. Check out this list of hundreds of recipes perfect for a hot summer day.
Choose from Two Meal Plans
The regular meal plan includes slow cooker meals on Sundays and Wednesdays, for a break in the kitchen or to use on those busy days. There are a variety of meats and seafood with some seasonal salads to break it up just a bit. And on Friday nights we have grilled meals as we welcome summer.
Or choose the Instant Pot Meal Plan. On this plan, I have included some delicious seasonal meals with a variety of meats (fish, chicken, pork, beef), plus a few salads. And the suggestions for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and desserts at the bottom are all Instant Pot recipes too!
There is a variety of meats (fish, chicken, beef, pork) as well as salads (on both plans) to keep the whole family happy. My hope each month is that you will find some new favorites to add to your own must-have rotation.
As always, feel free to move any of the recipes around as needed to fit your family’s schedule. You can also combine the two for more variety. And if you’d like to switch up some of the Slow Cooker Meals to an Instant Pot recipe, check out this Instant Pot beginners post for a great link to help!
You can download each meal plan by clicking on the corresponding images below.
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Annette has been married to her husband and best friend since 2003. Together they are raising their six children to follow the Lord’s will, no matter what. Annette longs for the day when she will meet her angel babies who have entered heaven before her. She enjoys creating UNIT STUDIES and FREE PRINTABLES for homeschool families. You can follow her crazy life at In All You Do where she blogs about homeschooling, homemaking and marriage while trying to maintain her sanity. She is also the owner of Thrifty Homeschoolers where she shares her tips on homeschooling without breaking the bank.
