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School holiday family meal plan: Week 1

Keep the summer holidays fuss-free with the help of our budget-friendly family meal plan. With easy snack and lunch recipe ideas for the kids, plus delicious dinners that you can enjoy too, family meals couldn’t be easier. We’ve done all the hard work and made a weekly shopping list, so you can spend less time planning and more time enjoying the sunshine.

  1. Monday

    Snack

    Frozen yogurt bark
    Spread half a pot of Greek-style yogurt out onto a tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle over a little clear honey and scatter over a couple handfuls of frozen berries. Pop into the freezer until solid then break into chunks to serve. Enjoy the rest of the bark for a snack on Wednesday.

    Lunch

    Quesadilla
    Mix chopped pepper, grated carrot, chopped cherry tomatoes, sliced spring onion and grated cheese. Heap onto one side of a tortilla, fold over and toast on both sides in a dry frying pan until crisp and the cheese is melty. Serve with sliced apple.

    Dinner

    Turkey meatballs with fruity couscous
    The whole family will enjoy these turkey meatballs. Whip up homemade meatballs using turkey mince and spices, then serve with fruity couscous and a crunchy salad. Use up the rest of the couscous for the kid’s lunch tomorrow. Find the recipe here.

    Monday
  2. Tuesday

    Snack

    Apple doughnuts
    Slice an apple into rings and, using a spoon, cut out the core leaving a circle in the middle. Spread the rings with a little peanut butter or yogurt and sprinkle with raisins and chocolate chips.

    Lunch

    Fruity orange couscous
    Add a chopped orange to the leftover couscous from the previous night for a flavour boost, and serve with slices of pepper for crunch.

    Dinner

    Indian-loaded sweet potatoes and veg
    These loaded sweet potatoes are ready in 25 minutes! Make a cheat’s biryani using chickpeas, spinach and peppers, then top onto your roasted potato with a dollop of cooling Greek yogurt. Find the recipe here.

    Tuesday
  3. Wednesday

    Snack

    Frozen yogurt bark
    Whip the rest of the frozen yogurt bark you made on Monday’s out the freezer – snack-time couldn’t be easier!

    Lunch

    Quesadilla
    Mix chopped pepper, grated carrot, chopped cherry tomatoes, sliced spring onion and grated cheese. Heap onto one side of a tortilla, fold over and toast on both sides in a dry frying pan until crisp and the cheese is melty. Serve with sliced apple.

    Dinner

    Healthy nachos
    Show the kids that healthy eating can be fun too! These kid-approved nachos are just the ticket. Make your own tortilla crisps by baking wraps with a little seasoning, then load with Mexican beans, peppers and a fresh homemade salsa. These taste great with some guacamole for dipping! Find the recipe here.

    Wednesday
  4. Thursday

    Snack

    Apple doughnuts
    Slice an apple into rings and using a spoon, cut out the core leaving a circle in the middle. Spread the rings with a little peanut butter or yogurt and sprinkle with raisins and chocolate chips.

    Lunch

    Cheesy spinach puff twists
    Defrost and squeeze the water from a few blocks of frozen spinach. Mix with a sliced spring onion, some grated cheese and seasoning. Unroll a sheet of puff pastry, cut in half and spread with the spinach mixture. Lay the other piece of pastry over top, cut into thick strips and twist. Bake until golden brown. Serve, saving some for tomorrow, with orange slices.

    Dinner

    Chinese-style orange chicken with rice and carrots
    Recreate your favourite Chinese takeaway at home! Cook chicken in an orange Chinese-style sauce with veggies. Serve alongside fluffy rice and tuck in. Find the recipe here.

    Thursday
  5. Friday

    Snack

    Peanut butter bites
    Heat a spoonful each of honey and peanut butter in a bowl in the microwave until very runny. Stir through porridge oats until it forms a stiff dough, add a handful of raisins and roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls.

    Lunch

    Cheesy spinach puff twists
    Plate up the rest of the savoury pastries you made yesterday – delicious.

    Dinner

    Pork and apple burgers with sweet potato fries
    Friday night dinner calls for burgers. Make your own patties using pork mince and finely chopped apple. Pile into burger baps with crunchy salad, fried onions and mayo. We like to serve these with herby sweet potato fries – yum! Find the recipe here.

    Friday
  6. Shopping list

    6-pack Rosedene Farms Braeburn apples
    5-pack Suntrail Farms oranges
    800g pack carrots
    1kg pack sweet potatoes
    250g pack Nightingale Farms cherry tomatoes
    1kg pack Redmere Farms brown onions
    375g pack Nightingale Farms Peppers
    90g pack baby leaf salad
    1 bunch spring onions
    1 avocado
    250g pack Creamfields grated mature Cheddar
    500g pot Creamfields Greek-style yogurt
    320g pack ready rolled puff pastry
    500g pack 2% fat British turkey breast mince
    650g pack chicken breast fillets
    500g pack Woodside Farms
    12% fat pork mince
    500g pack raisins
    1kg pack Grower's Harvest porridge oats
    340g pot Stockwell & Co. crunchy peanut butter
    340g pot Stockwell & Co. clear honey
    150ml bottle reduced salt soy sauce
    500g pack couscous
    1kg pack Grower's Harvest Rice
    4-pack large wholemeal baps
    8-pack H.W. Nevill's plain tortilla wraps
    100g pack dark chocolate chips
    415g tin mixed beans in tomato sauce
    400g tin chickpeas in water
    500g pack frozen summer fruits mix
    900g pack frozen leaf spinach

    + From your storecupboard

    Cornflour, vegetable oil, vegetable stock, crushed chilli flakes, ground cumin, curry powder, garlic granules