Meal theme night ideas

[AniellasMommy]

Im trying out giving each night of the week a theme, like Mexican every Thursday. Raw every Tuesday etc. so I have a "outline" that stays the same and it will (hopefully) make it faster to fill in the blanks.
I need more idea to fill in my week......does anyone have any good ones?

[ghostlykisses]

How about an "Italian" night, there are lots of yummy things you can do with that theme. A kids pick night is also popular, since your children are very little you could just pick a favorite of theirs.

[spectrum42]

I've done this before and it really did help fill in the blanks. Some of the themes we used were:

- Italian (usually pasta)
- Mexican
- Pizza night
- Soup and sandwich
- Salads or raw
- Chinese
- Breakfast for dinner
- Casserole
- Crockpot

[mikaela]

Fiesta night is our favorite and usually involves tacos and all the fixins. We've also included beans, rice, fried plantains, guacamole, burritos, fajitas, quesidillas, etc. We have props for this particular theme, as well: sombreros, chili pepper-shapes cutouts, chili pepper table cloth. It started out as a party for a family member and now we just break everything out once in a while for fun

[JennySmith]

Maybe not something you could do every week but what about a Hawaaiian night?

*Indian
*Chinese/thai/japanese
*Italian
*Mexican

We also normally have a pizza night (I make the crust, but the pizza toppings always change).

[ekortering]

I just posted on this topic on my blog, Dutch Girl Diary:

http://dutchgirldiary.blogspot.com/2...eal-plans.html

So far it's working very well for me. It provides structure but allows me to utilize good sales on meat.

Erin =)

[karliyanchus]

i have this mennonite cookbook, more with less, by doris janzen longacre, it's an incredible resource. the ideas for build your own, theme nights that would be suitable for guests also, in that book are,

a bread meal, homemade bread wtih different spreads, cheese, raw veg

a build your own salad meal, with greens, marinated beans, seeds, hard boiled eggs, assorted veg

pancake meal with berries, nuts, bacon, honey (my kids like fruit yogurt to dip their pieces of pancake in)

cassarole meal with a salad and bread

slow cooker meal meat and veg layered in a crock pot

granola meal, with fruit, yogurt, icecream

vegetable main dish meal

soup meal

another soup meal is hot broth over assorted noodles, rice, chopped cooked meat, green onions, spouts, hot peppers, every one builds their own bowl of noodles etc and then you pour hot broth over it

rice meal stirfried or steamed with assorted veg, nuts etc

and for a celebration, an icecream meal, with fruit, sauces, cookies or cakes, nuts and seeds

personally, in my house we always like build your own pizza, and the kids always like chili, although now that it's getting warmer i don't want to make chili so much. we use our little wee bbq alot, i could see setting aside one night a week that is a grilled meal.

[wife&mommy]

I don't currently use this, but this is my old 2 week meal planner for themed nights. It did help, but I found after I had the baby I needed a little different style for a while. I do think I will go back to this eventually.

Monday - Crockpot
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Fish
Thursday - Pasta
Friday - Vegetarian
Saturday - Sandwiches or Wraps
Sunday - Appetizers

Monday - Crockpot or Soup
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Cultrual (Mexican, Chinese, etc.)
Thursday - Grill
Friday - Vegetarian
Saturday - Homemade Pizza
Sunday - Casserole

ETA: The Appetizers was during football season when we liked to sit and watch the games and snack. Don't do that in the summer, and now I would replace that with another grill day.

[KaraBoo]

don't want to repeat so I'll add:

breakfast for dinner
color (pick a color and have all the food be one color)
Leftover Buffet
Mini Food (all food is tiny, mini versions of regular food)

[flminivanmama]

we do this. I think all our nights were mentioned already LOL

[BetsyS]

In the summer, we have a main dish salad night. In winter, it translates to soup night.

Saturdays are always a "fun food" night. Usually something grilled, but lots of things would qualify. Pizza, wings, sandwiches, calzones, chicken fingers, barbecue. You get the idea.

Usually once a week, we have a "grandma food" night. It's stuff my grandma used to make, of course. Chicken and dressing, chicken fried steak, meatloaf, that sort of thing. Basically anything you'd get at a meat and three restaurant.

[umami_mommy]

we have a "full moon" dinner.. which is usually something round (ish).

israeli couscous in tomato soup
round ravioli
pancakes
quesadilla
little round meat loafs......


but this won't help with a once a week thing.

we also do food for ethnic holidays, like chinese new's year and st. joseph's day table. retro food, farm house cooking, etc. i also do things like "native american thanksgiving." (the highlights were a whole salmon and wild rice)

these days we are eating much simpler though.

[dolcedaze]

I like doing a "try something new" night, cooking something we've never had before. Breakfast for dinner is a fun theme night with lots of options, too.

[LookMommy!]

Middle Eastern night! Humus, felafel, ful, chopped salad, pita, eggplant dishes, salty olives, tehina/babaganoush, bourekas.... Lots of great recipes out there.

Leftover night. Whatever is in the fridge.

Backwards night - dessert before dinner.

Color nights. Each time, pick a color and eat monochromatically.

Picnic night - on the floor, or out back.

Have fun! Lisa