Current Fridge Protein & Leftover Inventory (Start of Day)
- Leftover smash burgers (big batch from last night)
- Leftover sirloin steaks
- Cooked ground beef (freezer)
- Marinated chicken breast (raw, cut thin — ready to grill)
- Fresh bacon
- Brats (defrosting)
- Chuck roast (waiting — didn’t get to it today)
- Leftover mac and cheese, green beans, biscuits (from the weekend)
Morning
New week, new batch of bacon. Shocking, I know.
- Kids had bacon and bagels (Eleanor’s Costco request, still paying off)
- Homeschool work done before we headed out
Lunch (Packed — Zoo Day)
My son had a doctor’s appointment near Cincinnati Children’s, which also happens to be right by the zoo, and it was a beautiful day, and we homeschool — so obviously we went to the zoo after.
My teenager stayed home (piano lessons to teach + her own work), but the other four kids loaded up.
Packed lunch from last night’s smash burgers:
- Warmed up burgers, threw some veggies and chips in containers with lids
- My 10-year-old Eleanor suggested just cutting her burger up and eating it in a bowl with a fork — ate the whole thing, zero mess in my car
- Lids on containers = no sauce remnants rolling around, no crumbs, minimum car trash situation. Always use lids.
Zoo snacks:
I actually made a short reel today about how I pack produce so it actually survives the trip:
- Pack it in a bag with a little paper towel to absorb moisture
- Put that bag into a lidded container before it goes in the cooler — protects it from getting smashed against the ice
You spent the money and the effort on that produce. Finish the job and get it there in good shape.
Dinner (Back Home at 4:30, Tired — Done in 20 Minutes)
This is exactly why I marinated and cut that chicken yesterday.
- Walked outside, turned the grill on
- Chicken was already cut thin and uniform — grilled in 10 minutes flat
- While it cooked, pulled every leftover out of the fridge:
- Leftover mac and cheese (from the weekend)
- Leftover green beans (from my parents’ house on Saturday night)
- Last couple of biscuits
- Peeled some oranges
- Parmesan to sprinkle on top
Kids had grilled chicken with mac and cheese, green beans, biscuits, and oranges. I made myself a grilled chicken salad.
Dinner was on the table in under 20 minutes, almost entirely from leftovers. The only thing that required any real effort was turning on the grill — and that was 100% worth it because now I have a huge batch of grilled chicken in the fridge for the rest of the week.
Tired or not, ten minutes of grilling was worth it!
Post-Dinner / Looking Ahead
What’s in the fridge now:
- Grilled chicken (big batch — just made)
- Smash burgers (still plenty — only used 5 today)
- Leftover sirloin steaks
- Cooked ground beef
- Bacon (fresh batch)
- Brats (defrosting)
- Chuck roast (tomorrow — for real this time)
- Thick cut pork chops…still a little frozen today. I’ll check tomorrow and then brine them.
Tomorrow is an easy day. Bacon for breakfast, leftovers for lunch and dinner, and the chuck roast is finally going in the oven.
→ A zoo day, a doctor’s appointment, a tired 4:30 arrival home, and dinner was still on the table in 20 minutes. That’s why I prep!