The Essentials List
A dinner plan to get through busy times
On my first Mother’s Day as a parent, my husband made me a photo album featuring screenshots of our text messages throughout the early days of newborn life. Each page was a snapshot in time, alternating our musings with baby photos we had shared. As I flipped through the album, I noticed a common thread on almost every page. Just above or below our conversation bubbles was some version of, “where should we order dinner tonight?” Apparently, this gift would not only be a sweet memento of our first months in this new life stage, but also a record of our favorite restaurants on the Upper East Side and the surprising frequency with which we leaned on them.
Before having a baby, I had loved the idea of meal prepping and filling the freezer with ready-to-go dinners. How on top of things I would feel when I threw a prepared container into the oven or slow cooker and still had a pile left for days to come. The one problem with this plan was that I never quite got around to the prepping part. Of course, our little one arrived with a new world of needs to be met, leaving me with zero interest, energy, or time for cooking dinner.
Anyone who has become a new parent can relate to this struggle, but it also crops up at other times. When life is particularly busy, overburdened, or hard, spending time and effort to feed ourselves can feel so low on the totem pole of demands.
A friend recently shared a similar story: in the craziness of moving house with two young kids, she felt like she hadn’t eaten any real food in days. Subsisting on granola bars and Starbucks’ egg wraps, she craved a home-cooked meal but couldn’t find the time or headspace to plan or grocery shop.
Inspired by these craziest of times, I’ve created an “Essential Dinner Plan.” This list is nothing groundbreaking. These are not the dinners you will be serving to company. There are no bay leaves. However, these “essential” meals are hearty, family-friendly, and truly easy. Save for the breakdown of a rotisserie chicken and a few peppers, nothing needs to be chopped. Most importantly, the planning step is already complete (there’s even a shopping list).
This is the meal plan I wish I had back in those early parenting days and also the one that I will use next time we are returning from vacation or the kids are home sick. Bring this list to the grocery store or use it to fill your online delivery cart. Send it to a friend who’s having a busy moment. I hope it will be something to lean on anytime life gets overwhelming, because we can only last so long on take-out and granola bars.
The Essential Dinner Plan
Rotisserie Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Kale
Crockpot sweet potatoes: Rinse the potatoes and place them (without drying) in a slow cooker, stacked if needed. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours (really, that’s it).
Rotisserie chicken: Break the chicken down into pieces in a baking pan. Cover with foil to prevent drying out. Heat on the bottom rack of the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until warm.
Roasted kale: Spread out chopped kale on a sheet pan. Coat with cooking spray or 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook on the top rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes (watching closely as it can burn quickly).
Black Bean Tacos
In a medium pot, mix two tablespoons of salsa with two cans of drained, rinsed black beans. Heat over medium-low until warmed (about 5 minutes).
Set out tortillas and toppings (cheese, guacamole, salsa, sliced peppers, shredded leftover rotisserie chicken) for a make-your-own taco bar.
Double Batch Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Pea Pasta
Meat sauce: Pour both 24 oz. jars of marinara into the slow cooker. Break up ground turkey and stir into sauce.* Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Just before starting the pasta water, open the crockpot lid and use a spatula or spoon to break up meat into small pieces, stirring so everything can soak up the sauce. Add salt to taste.
Cook one package of pasta per directions, adding 1 cup of frozen peas in with the dry noodles.
Serve with salad (from salad kit).
Save or freeze leftover meat sauce for another dinner.
*The texture of this meat sauce is on the softer side. For a more traditional texture, brown the turkey before putting it into the crockpot. However, if you don’t have time or energy for the extra skillet, it is still perfectly tasty.
The Essential Grocery List
1 3-lb. bag sweet potatoes
1 bag shredded/chopped kale
2 bell peppers
1 bagged salad kit
1 container pre-made guacamole
2 cans black beans
1 jar salsa
2 24-oz. jars marinara sauce
2 packages pasta (includes one for leftovers)
1 rotisserie chicken
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 bag shredded Mexican cheese
1 package tortillas
1 bag frozen peas
Recipes & Links
Exploring Pinch of Yum’s fantastic SOS dinner series, I came across this Bang Bang Salmon recipe, which will become a staple in our rotation. The sauce comes together quickly with mostly on-hand ingredients.
How to Pick Out the Best Mangoes Using the “Rule of Thirds”, from the Kitchn
It’s Time to Embrace the Hybrid Homemade and Takeout Meal, from Eater