Two Weeks of Sanity-Saving Dinners: The Reserve-Based Meal Plan That Keeps Me Sane (and Fed)”
If you’ve ever stared into your fridge at 6:47 p.m., wondering if coffee counts as dinner… hi, hello, welcome. Pull up a chair.
I’ve been there. Actually, I live there — in that fun little corner of “I want to eat real food, but executive dysfunction, fatigue, and a body that hates me say otherwise.” That’s why I started reserve-based meal planning. It’s not fancy. It’s not Instagram-perfect. But you know what? It works.
Here’s the deal: I only cook three times a week — Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday — and I build in enough “reserve meals” to handle the days in between without me having to think, chop, or remember what day it is.
This new 2-week plan is heavy on chicken and kielbasa, with some ground beef tossed in because my teen would eat ramen for every meal (and often does) if I let her. Everything is simple, budget-friendly, and spoonie-approved.
How It Works
- Cook Days: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. Big batches, double recipes, whatever it takes.
- Reserve Days: Meals that are already made or almost zero-effort to throw together.
- Zero-Guilt Days: When you order pizza instead. It happens. Own it.
This Week’s Plan
- Week 1 Cook Days:
- Garlic Butter Kielbasa & Veggie Skewers (no pineapple, because no thank you but by all means, its an optional add on)
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake (lighter sauce, extra cheesy flavor)
- Taco Night (make extra meat for another meal)
- Week 2 Cook Days:
- One-Pan Honey Garlic Chicken & Veggies
- Kielbasa & Potato Skillet
- Ground Beef Chili Mac (leftovers = instant win)
- Simple Reserve Options (Single-Dish / Minimal Prep)
- Chicken strips / nuggets (frozen) – microwave or oven
- Grilled or pre-cooked sausages / kielbasa slices – heat in skillet or microwave
- Mac & cheese – boxed or microwaveable
- Quesadillas – just tortillas + shredded cheese, optional leftover meat
- Pasta with jarred sauce – just boil noodles and pour sauce
- Frozen veggies – steamable in bag
- Instant rice / microwaveable rice packets – pair with protein
- Frozen pizzas or flatbreads – heat & eat
- Eggs – fried, scrambled, or boiled for super-quick meals
- Snack plates – cheese, crackers, fruit, raw veggies
Everything — recipes, grocery list, and instructions — is laid out below so you can print, save, or just pull it up on your phone while you stand in the middle of the grocery aisle wondering if you already have paprika at home. (You don’t. Buy more.) Til next time gang, take care of yourselves, and each other!
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