Starting something new today that I think is going to be really helpful-a quick snapshot of what proteins/leftovers we currently have in the fridge. This is honestly how I mentally map out our meals each day and I thought a running list would be helpful.
Current Fridge Protein & Leftover Inventory
- Cooked bacon (guessing this will be enough through Saturday)
- Loaf pan chicken (Chipotle version)
- 2 grilled chicken thighs
- 1 burger
- Leftover Easter ham (2 servings)
- Meatloaf (about 2 servings)
- Brat bites (plain + some in Rao’s sauce)
- Leftover rice
Morning
- Special homeschool co-op day (different location + programming)
- Kids had a quick breakfast before heading out:
- Bacon
- Toast
- Cereal
- Packed up for the day (we were going to be out for several hours):
- Cut veggies + pantry snacks
- Protein drinks + yogurt for my son (still navigating braces)
- Of course a Paw Patrol drink yogurt for the 3 year old
- Kitchen scissors + plates (specifically planned ahead knowing I’d need to cut pizza small later for the kiddo with new braces)
Lunch (Outing)
- Co-op event was about the science of sound (instruments, hands-on learning—really well done)
- Followed by playground time + pizza delivery (we do a big group pizza delivery twice a year and it is THE BEST!!)
- Lunch = pizza outside on a beautiful day
- Used kitchen scissors to cut pizza into small bites for my son → worked perfectly
- Snacks got fully used (we were there ~4 hours):
- Veggies
- Pantry snacks
- Protein drinks
Afternoon (Late Lunch for Me plus a snack for one kid)
- Got home and needed something quick but filling
- One kiddo needed some protein so she ate the last burger
- I pulled together a “fridge plate”:
- Meatloaf
- Roasted veggies
- A scoop of the leftover Rao’s sauce from the brat dish
- This is one of those meals that looks random but actually hits all the marks and takes 2 minutes
Dinner (Leftovers Night)
Thursday = leftovers night (especially after co-op days)
What I did:
- Diced up remaining ham + pan-seared in butter
- Reheated leftover rice
- Made garlic bread using leftover Easter rolls
- Heated up remaining steamed veggies
Served two ways:
- Some kids:
- Ham + rice + veggies + garlic bread
- Rest of us:
- Chipotle-style bowls using leftover chicken:
- Rice
- Chipotle chicken
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Cheese
- Tortilla chips
- Lime
- Chipotle-style bowls using leftover chicken:
→ Super fast, customizable, and used up multiple leftovers at once
I also pulled out the last pieces of frozen cake from Easter..didn’t even last a week in the freezer…probably could have just left it in the fridge! lol!
Post-Dinner / Looking Ahead
What’s left now:
- Very small portion of Chipotle chicken (about 2 servings)
- 2 grilled chicken thighs
- Brat bites (some remaining)
- Rice (mostly used up)
- Meatloaf (1 slice)
Used up today:
- Ham (gone)
- Burger
Plan for tomorrow:
- Enough bits and pieces for an easy lunch at home
- Dinner is already decided—we’re going out to celebrate my husband’s new job
- I’m going to pull some cooked ground beef out of the freezer