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School holiday family meal plan: Week 2

Keep the summer holidays fuss-free with the help of our budget-friendly family meal plan. This week’s plan is totally vegetarian; there’s great ideas for kids’ snacks and lunches, plus delicious dinners for the whole family. 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

    Soft cheese tortilla pinwheels
    Spread a tortilla wrap evenly with soft cheese and drizzle with a little honey and a pinch of cinnamon. Roll up firmly and slice into rounds.

    Lunch

    Potato skins with chunky salsa
    Cook baking potatoes in the microwave for 8-10 mins until soft. Halve and scoop out the cooked potato, reserving for another recipe. Cut the skins into 3 thick strips and air-fry or bake for 5 mins until crisp. Mix chopped cherry tomatoes, red onion and yellow pepper, and season. Serve the potato skins with a little grated cheese and the salsa to scoop up.

    Dinner

    Cauliflower cheesecakes with salad
    Cauliflower cheese gets reimagined into crispy ‘cakes’, mashed together with potato and coated in wholemeal breadcrumbs. Serve alongside sweetcorn and salad for a tasty, veggie dinner. Find the recipe here.

    Monday
  2. Tuesday

    Snack

    Mango yogurt pots
    The night before, in short glasses, layer Greek yogurt with a handful of frozen mango, then another layer of yogurt. Add a drizzle of honey or melted peanut butter and leave in the fridge. The mango will defrost overnight, ready for snack time.

    Lunch

    Grated carrot and soft cheese sandwiches
    Make sandwiches using wholemeal bread, spread on both sides with soft cheese. Fill with grated carrot and onion if liked, and some green salad leaves. Serve the sandwiches with cucumber batons.

    Dinner

    Tofu tikka wraps
    Add colour ‘n’ crunch to the week with these tasty wraps. Tofu is coated in tikka pasta and fried until golden brown. Quick pickled onions add tang and the rice bulks them out. Kids will enjoy building their own! Find the recipe here.

    Tuesday
  3. Wednesday

    Snack

    Air-fryer parsnip crisps
    Use a vegetable peeler to shave a couple of parsnips into wide strips. Toss with a little oil and seasoning or a pinch of spices, if you like. Cook in the air-fryer for 4-6 mins, tossing after 3 mins until golden brown. Alternatively, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 8-12 mins, stirring regularly. Tip onto a plate lined with kitchen roll and leave to cool to crisp up further. Save half for tomorrow’s snack.

    Lunch

    Houmous salad bowl
    Blend a tin of chickpeas with some oil, a scoop of peanut butter if you have it, some garlic granules and enough water to form a smooth paste. Heap the quick houmous into bowls filled with salad leaves and top with quartered cherry tomatoes. Serve with slices of tortilla wrap, carrot sticks and cucumber for scooping up.

    Dinner

    Roasted red pepper and cottage cheese pasta
    This clever pasta dish uses jarred peppers, cottage cheese and stock to make a delicious creamy pepper sauce. Serve with a sprinkling of cheese and a side salad for a comforting family meal. Find the recipe here.

    Wednesday
  4. Thursday

    Snack

    Air-fryer parsnip crisps
    Serve up yesterday’s parsnip crisps.

    Lunch

    Houmous salad bowl
    Blend a tin of chickpeas with some oil, a scoop of peanut butter if you have it, some garlic granules and enough water to form a smooth paste. Heap the quick houmous into bowls filled with salad leaves and top with quartered cherry tomatoes. Serve with slices of tortilla wrap, carrot sticks and cucumber for scooping up.

    Dinner

    Slow-cooker fruity chickpea curry
    This colourful curry can be made in a slow-cooker or in a saucepan. It’s a great dish for packing in the veg and frozen mango adds a fruity kick. Serve over rice and with a dollop of yogurt. Find the recipe here.

    Thursday
  5. Friday

    Snack

    Mango yogurt pots
    The night before, in short glasses, layer Greek yogurt with a handful of frozen mango, then another yogurt layer. Add a drizzle of honey or melted peanut butter and leave in the fridge. The mango will defrost overnight, ready for snack time.

    Lunch

    Grated carrot and soft cheese sandwiches
    Make sandwiches using wholemeal bread, spread on both sides with soft cheese. Fill with grated carrot and onion if liked, and some green salad leaves. Serve the sandwiches with cucumber batons.

    Dinner

    Veggie sausage honey mustard traybake
    This traybake couldn’t be easier – it’s got end-of-the-week vibes. Potatoes, carrots, peppers and onions are roasted alongside veggie sausages, all coated in honey and mustard dressing which makes a sweet and sticky glaze. Find the recipe here.

    Friday
  6. Shopping list

    500g pack parsnips
    1kg pack Redmere Farms red onions
    800g pack carrots
    4-pack baking potatoes
    250g pack Nightingale Farms cherry tomatoes
    375g pack Nightingale Farms Peppers
    1 x yellow pepper
    250g pack sweet & crunchy salad
    2 x 120g pack mixed leaf salad
    1 x cucumber
    200g pack Creamfields soft cheese
    1kg pot Greek style natural yogurt
    300g pot Creamfields low-fat cottage cheese
    400g pack Creamfields lighter mature cheese
    6-pack Plant Chef Cumberland-style bangers
    399g pack Wicked Kitchen organic firm tofu
    800g H.W. Nevill's wholemeal sliced bread
    8-pack H.W. Nevill's white tortilla wraps
    500g pack Hearty Food Co. penne pasta
    1kg pack Grower's Harvest long grain rice
    200g jar tikka paste
    250ml bottle honey & mustard dressing
    350ml bottle white wine vinegar
    480g jar Aleyna roasted red peppers
    200g tin sweetcorn in water
    400g tin chickpeas in water
    900g pack frozen cauliflower florets
    500g pack frozen mango chunks

    + From your storecupboard

    Vegetable stock, vegetable oil, dried mixed herbs