Today, we’re diving into one of my favorite installments — What We Ate, What I Spent, and How I Prepped !
The weather has finally turned, and it’s peak fall here — the kind of crisp, golden air that practically begs for soup and mashed potatoes. So we’re going all in: 🍁
- Soup Night Sundays
- Meatloaf Mondays
- Cozy everything.
Sunday: Pumpkin Patch + Tomato Soup Night 🍅
We spent Sunday at a new-to-us pumpkin farm — they had food trucks, a market, and fried Oreos. For three adults and four kids, lunch came to about $55, and it was worth every penny.
Dinner that night was simple and classic: homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese on sourdough and a little side of pickles. I use a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, a yellow onion, tomato paste, broth, red pepper flakes, and finish it all with cream and basil. Blend it up, and it’s perfection.
My daughter loved it. My boys? Not so much. Maybe one day they’ll be soup people.
Monday: Mom’s Meatloaf Recipe (aka the Only One You’ll Ever Need) 🧆
We’ve officially instituted Meatloaf Mondays for fall, and I couldn’t be happier. I used to make a complicated version until I came back to my mom’s recipe — which is pure magic.
Here’s her simple, perfect formula:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 is best)
- 1 egg
- A squirt of ketchup
- Splash of broth
- Handful of breadcrumbs
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Mix it all up, press it into a parchment-lined loaf pan, glaze with ketchup, and bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes.
Serve it with buttery mashed potatoes (I’m talking 4 tablespoons of butter per pound of potatoes — no apologies here 🧈) and a green veggie. Monday dinner bliss.
Tuesday: Asian-Inspired Night 🌶️
Tuesday was my go-to coconut chicken with red peppers and onions — one pot, fast, and full of flavor. It has coconut milk, a touch of brown sugar, and fish sauce.
Wednesday: Salmon + Mushroom Rosemary Cream Sauce 🐟
For salmon night, I roasted filets on a blazing-hot baking sheet (a trick I learned from America’s Test Kitchen — it locks in the fat beautifully).
I served it with rice from the night before, green beans from Monday, and a mushroom rosemary cream sauce that tied it all together.
Thursday: Chicken Marsala + Leftovers Done Right 🍄
Thursday’s dinner used up the leftover mushrooms from Wednesday. I paired the chicken marsala with mashed potatoes from Monday (thank you, past Dara 🙌) and a crisp little salad — mixed greens, feta, olives, cucumbers, and my homemade honey-Dijon apple cider vinaigrette.
Friday: Chili Night (Without the Cornbread 😅)
I had all the chili ingredients but totally forgot cornbread supplies on my midweek grocery run. It happens. Dinner was still cozy, and my house smelled amazing.
Saturday: Dinner by My Mother-in-Law
My in-laws were in town, and my MIL graciously took care of dinner: rotisserie chicken, baked beans, mac and cheese, and a salad (to which I added my leftover vinaigrette). The biggest win: no cooking or cleanup for me. 🙌
Weekly Prep + Snacks 🥚
This week I boiled about three dozen eggs — we go through them like crazy. Between hard-boiled and scrambled, eggs are our breakfast MVP.
I also kept my sourdough starter alive (one loaf a week feels manageable right now). When the discard jar fills up, I make discard pancakes for my son — though some mornings he decides he’s “not in the mood.”
I used to buy Trader Joe’s ginger juice shots, but at $2 a pop (and with my husband now drinking them too), I started making my own. Fresh lemon juice, frozen ginger cubes, cayenne, and honey — stored in a mason jar. I just take swigs throughout the week. Not glamorous, but it works. 😂
And when I have extra tomatoes and cucumbers, I chop them into an Israeli salad with parsley, lemon juice, and salt. Simple, bright, perfect.
School Lunch System 🎒
Packing lunches for my two oldest (kindergarten and first grade) has become a well-oiled machine. Each kid has a Bentgo system with multiple inserts.
On Sunday, I pack four lunches (two per kid) for Monday and Tuesday.
On Tuesday afternoon, I pack another four for Wednesday and Thursday.
Friday is pizza day at school, which I’ve decided to embrace as my little gift to myself 🍕 — no packing lunches that day!
Lunches usually include:
- Bagels with cream cheese or turkey and cheese sandwiches
- Fruits (grapes, blueberries, clementines)
- Veggies (celery, carrots, bell peppers)
- Hummus and a tiny piece of dark chocolate for fun
I try to keep it wholesome despite all the sugar and food dye that seem to lurk in every school celebration. Healthy food at home helps balance it all.
What I Spent 💸
Here’s the weekly breakdown:
- $25 at the pumpkin farm market (apple cider, honey, green beans)
- $139 at Trader Joe’s (main shop)
- $46 midweek grocery store run
- Total: $210 for groceries
Dining out was minimal — $55 at the pumpkin farm and a $6 chai latte before baby gym (totally worth it).
We did run out of milk on Sunday and had to use half-and-half as a substitute, which my kids actually loved. The Trader Joe’s cashiers were horrified, but I stand by it. 😂
Final Thoughts
No emergency takeout, no panic dinners — just real, cozy, homemade meals and a manageable grocery bill.
I hope this week’s post gives you a little inspiration for your own family rhythm — whether that’s meal planning, lunch-packing, or just staying afloat in the endless loop of feeding small humans.
See you back here next week 💛