Starting tomorrow I’ll make lists for the frozen and fresh food I’ll be packing for
Current Fridge Protein & Leftover Inventory (Start of Day)
Fresh homemade focaccia
Homemade beef summer sausage
Cooked meatloaf
Cooked burger patties (4 leftover)
Roasted Chicken
Cooked breakfast sausage
Chicken Thighs (uncooked…need to cook that tomorrow)
Bone broth
Leftover hamburger buns
Morning
Started the morning by making more fresh bacon.
At this point, the amount of bacon moving through this kitchen is becoming slightly ridiculous, but with leftover focaccia sitting on the counter, there was really no other option.
The kids basically recreated last night’s dinner as breakfast:
- focaccia
- bacon
- cheese
Kind of like a premium breakfast BLT situation.
And honestly, focaccia with bacon feels wildly fancy for a weekday breakfast while still being incredibly easy.
Lunch — Sandwiches + Leftovers
Chris lunch – leftover steak sandwich:
Lunch today was another “everybody build what sounds good” kind of setup.
My teen made herself a toasted Italian-style sandwich with:
- homemade beef summer sausage
- chicken
- pepperoni
- cheese
- sandwich toppings
The other kids finished off:
- brat bites
- macaroni and cheese
- leftover pasta
- vegetables
- fruit
I made myself another large salad.
You’ll notice I eat a lot of salads for lunch, mostly because I really love:
- crunchy vegetables
- big bulky lunches
- lots of textures
And salads are one of the easiest ways to use little bits of leftover protein without making a completely separate meal.
Afternoon — Bounce House Weather
The bounce house came back out again this afternoon because the weather is basically perfect for it right now.
This really is the sweet spot:
- dry ground
- warm but not hot
- no muddy cleanup
- not sweltering inside the inflatable
The kids bounced off and on most of the afternoon while we did outdoor snacks and played outside. (Daphne ate the last piece of banana bread for snack)
It’s definitely a production to:
- drag it out
- stake it down
- inflate it
- dry it
- roll it back up
But on days like this, it feels completely worth the effort.
Dinner — Meatloaf Night
Tonight we used the meatloaf I made on Sunday.
I had frozen one loaf for later, but kept the second loaf sliced in the fridge specifically for an easy dinner night like this.
My favorite way to reheat meatloaf:
- sauté onions and tomatoes in olive oil
- season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning
- let the vegetables cook down slightly first
- layer sliced meatloaf into the pan
- cover with a lid to heat through
- uncover at the end so the extra moisture cooks off a little
The tomatoes and onions almost create a quick pan sauce situation that makes the meatloaf so much more flavorful.
I truly think this takes meatloaf from “fine” to something really special.
For sides we had:
- roasted vegetables
- steamed vegetables for a few kiddos who strongly prefer them plain
- rice
- garlic bread made from leftover hamburger buns
The garlic bread was one of those quick “use what’s available” kitchen moments:
butter + garlic salt + hamburger buns on a sheet pan = instant garlic bread.
Rice Prep for Vacation
One major prep project today:
a massive batch of rice.
I cooked four cups of dry rice, which obviously turns into a huge amount once cooked.
Some went with dinner tonight.
Some will get used later this week.
And a large portion is headed to the freezer in gallon bags for our upcoming trip to Charleston.
Frozen rice reheats beautifully, and since grocery stores already sell frozen rice, I figure there’s no reason not to make my own version at home.
This is exactly the kind of prep work that makes vacation meals dramatically easier:
- quick sides
- fast lunches
- easy bowls
- simple dinners with prepped proteins
Post-Dinner / Looking Ahead
What’s in the fridge/freezer now:
Cooked meatloaf – the leftovers are going with Chris for lunch tomorrow
Fresh cooked rice
Frozen rice portions for vacation prep
Homemade beef summer sausage
Cooked burger patties (4 leftover)
Chicken thighs (cooking those tomorrow)
Roasted chicken (just a small amount left)
Cooked breakfast sausage
Bone broth