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School holiday family meal plan: Week 3

Keep summer mealtimes interesting with our clever, budget-friendly meal plan. There’s snack and lunch ideas for the kids – we think they’ll love the fizzy grape jelly pots – and new and exciting recipes for family dinners. Get the kids involved with making the popcorn crusted chicken nuggets, it’s messy but fun! 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

    Homemade popcorn
    Put a few tablespoons of popcorn kernels into a microwavesafe bowl and cover with clingfilm. Pierce the clingfilm with a fork and microwave on high for 2-3 mins, shaking the bowl every 1 min until there’s only the odd kernel popping. Remove the clingfilm and season with your favourite spices or a dash of salt and vinegar.

    Lunch

    Courgette sweetcorn fritters
    Defrost a handful of sweetcorn in the microwave and drain. Grate in half a courgette and add a couple of beaten eggs. Season and add just enough plain flour so it looks like pancake batter. Fry off spoonfuls in a little oil until golden brown. You can make a big batch of fritters and chill or freeze them for quick lunches.

    Dinner

    Sushi-style rice bowls
    Seafood sticks are a great way to introduce children to fish flavours as they’re mild in taste with no risk of small bones. This colourful bowl makes a fresh dinner. Refrigerate the extra rice to use in tomorrow’s lunch! Find the recipe here.

    Monday
  2. Tuesday

    Snack

    Fizzy grape jelly pots
    Make up a whole pack of sugar-free lemon and lime jelly according to pack instructions but replace the cold water with fruity flavoured fizzy water. Divide the mixture between 6 pots or glasses and allow to cool. Chill for about an hour, then add halved grapes so they ‘float’ in the jelly. Chill until set. This makes enough snacks for two children across three days.

    Lunch

    Egg fried rice
    Fry some leftover cooked rice from yesterday with a handful of frozen soya beans, frozen sweetcorn and some grated carrot. Add a splash of reduced-salt soy sauce and crack a couple of eggs into the centre of the pan, scrambling with a spatula. You can’t reheat cooked rice twice, so only make as much fried rice as you need.

    Dinner

    Popcorn crusted chicken nuggets with sweet potato wedges
    Kids will love this fun take on chicken nuggets, coated in popcorn. Mix together mayo with crushed garlic and black pepper for an easy dipping sauce and serve alongside sweet potato wedges and cucumber batons. Find the recipe here.

    Tuesday
  3. Wednesday

    Snack

    Fizzy grape jelly pots
    Whip out a fruity jelly pop for an easy snack.

    Lunch

    Egg fried rice
    Fry some leftover cooked rice from Monday’s dinner with a handful of frozen soya beans, frozen sweetcorn and some grated carrot. Add a splash of reduced-salt soy sauce and crack a couple of eggs into the centre of the pan, scrambling with a spatula. You can’t reheat cooked rice twice, so only make as much fried rice as you need.

    Dinner

    Halloumi-topped tomato pasta bake
    We’ve given a classic tomato pasta bake a fun twist by swapping pasta shapes for spaghetti and topping it with slices of halloumi. Find the recipe here.

    Wednesday
  4. Thursday

    Snack

    Homemade popcorn
    Put a few tablespoons of popcorn kernels into a microwavesafe bowl and cover with clingfilm. Pierce the clingfilm with a fork and microwave on high for 2-3 mins, shaking the bowl every 1 min until there’s only the odd kernel popping. Remove the clingfilm and season with your favourite spices or a dash of salt and vinegar.

    Lunch

    Seafood stick omelette
    For a Japanese-inspired lunch, when making an omelette, add sliced leftover seafood stick and spring onion to the egg while setting. Serve with carrot sticks for crunch!

    Dinner

    Loaded baked potato soup with bacon and spring onions
    This comforting potato soup has a hidden courgette for extra veg and is blitzed with soured cream to give it a velvety texture. It’s topped with extra soured cream, spring onions and crispy bacon to serve. Delicious! Find the recipe here.

    Thursday
  5. Friday

    Snack

    Fizzy grape jelly pots
    Whip out a fruity jelly pop for an easy snack.

    Lunch

    Courgette sweetcorn fritters
    Defrost a handful of sweetcorn in the microwave and drain. Grate in half a courgette and add a couple of beaten eggs. Season and add just enough plain flour so it looks like pancake batter. Fry off spoonfuls in a little oil until golden brown. You can make a big batch of fritters and chill or freeze them for quick lunches.

    Dinner

    Honey soy aubergine stir fry with rice
    This sticky ‘n’ sweet aubergine stir fry is a doddle to pull together and ready in 30 mins, perfect for the end of the week! Serve with sweetcorn and extra chilli flakes if you like some heat. Find the recipe here.

    Friday
  6. Shopping list

    500g pack selection of seedless grapes
    4-pack Redmere Farms garlic
    1 x pack courgettes
    3-pack brown onions
    800g pack carrots
    1kg pack sweet potatoes
    600g baking potatoes, loose
    2 x aubergines
    90g pack baby leaf salad
    1 x cucumber
    1 x bunch spring onions
    650g pack chicken breast portions
    200g pack smoked bacon lardons
    2 x 250g pack seafood sticks
    250g pack Corner Deli Co. Cypriot halloumi
    150ml pot soured cream
    500g pack Hearty Food Co. spaghetti
    1kg pack basmati rice
    390g carton Italian chopped tomatoes with basil
    450ml squeezy bottle light mayonnaise
    12 medium eggs
    6-pack white batch rolls
    500g pack East End popcorn
    23g pack Hartley’s sugar free jelly
    1ltr bottle white grape & blackberry sparkling water
    600g pack frozen soya beans

    + From your storecupboard

    Plain flour, clear honey, reduced-salt soy sauce, vegetable stock, cooking oil, white wine vinegar, dried mixed herbs