We’re on our final week of Back-to-School Meal Planning. This week’s theme is Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Meals for those busy school (and work) nights.
Quick and easy meals at our house start with leftovers. That means checking the refrigerator for what didn’t get eaten the week before. Our family loves to be able to pick out their favorites and put them together how they want.
After clearing out the leftovers, it’s time for meal planning. Check your calendar for those really busy nights, and decide how you’re going to make it easy on yourself:
Prepare as much of the meal in advance — chop veggies, mix spices, thaw meat, etc.
Frozen Meals — Make double batches of dishes when you have the time, so you can put one in the freezer for those busy nights. Or, purchase ready-made frozen meals at the grocery store (GF pizza, burritos, casseroles, etc.).
Slow-Cooker Meals — Easy, quick prep in the morning is all you need for a ready-made dinner in the evening.
Picnic Foods — Sandwiches or lunchmeat, raw fruits and vegetables, cheese, crackers, salads, etc.
Quick and Easy Breakfast foods for dinner — Pancakes, bacon, and eggs all cook up very quickly, and fill you up, too.
Restaurants — Pick up fast food or order ahead from your favorite restaurant and just pick up on your way home. Choose the restaurant carefully, so that it works for all your diet restrictions.
Grocery Stores Prepared Food — Pick up Salads, Roasted Chickens, etc. at your grocery store or local deli. Just be careful about ingredients and cross-contamination issues.
Make it easy. — Meals don’t have to be elaborate. Just because it has to be gluten-free, doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. Simple meat and veggies is just fine for a safe, nutritious, and tasty meal.
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What is your family’s favorite quick and easy meals? Don’t forget to check below our menu for more gluten-free menus, meals, and ideas for Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Meals.
Celiac Family’s Quick and Easy Menu This Week:
Nachos with Guacamole
Rainbow Apple Salad
Gluten-Free Pancakes
Monday – Allergen-Free Rotisserie Chicken (picking up from Sam’s Club), Mashed Potatoes (potatoes cooked in the morning for final prep in the evening), Roasted Broccoli (cut up in morning or purchased florets already chopped)
Tuesday – Chicken Nachos (Put chicken in slow-cooker so it’s ready to go at dinner time.), Guacamole (fast recipe with help from Frontera’s mix)
Wednesday – Frozen Pizza (Daiya pizza for dairy-free and Freschetta for the real-cheese eaters), Rainbow Apple Salad (made quickly while pizza is baking)
Thursday – Pancakes (using Namaste Pancake Mix), Bacon, Tropical Fruit Salad
Friday – Frozen Gluten-Free Battered Fish (StarFish brand), Sweet Potato Fries (Ore-Ida brand), Green Peas
Saturday – Grilled Flank Steak (marinating in the morning), Broccoli Salad, Rice Pilaf
Sunday – Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork, Corn on the Cob, leftover veggies or salads
Gluten Free Menu Swap Roundup
The Gluten Free Week: Gluten-Free
Find new quick gluten-free dinner ideas on Pinterest: Lori’s own Pinterest board of Gluten-Free Dinners and Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures – Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas. Lori’s menu this week is all about quick and easy…and looks yummy, too! Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas, Bok Choy Stir Fry, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tenderloin, Turkey and Squash Pasta, Lentil Soup, and Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
Check back later to see who else will be sharing their gluten-free menus, recipe links, and ideas for Quick and Easy Meals.
Want to join Gluten-Free Menu Swap?
For this week’s roundup, email your menu link to celiacfamily[AT]gmail[DOT]com. Or, simply put your menu link in the comments below.
Join us again next week at CeliacFamily for sharing gluten-free menus and ideas for Gluten-Free Italian Dinners.
The Gluten-Free Menu Swap Page has the current schedule of themes and hosts. If you’d like to host a future week, please send me an email (celiacfamily[AT]gmail[DOT]com) with your preferred date and theme.
Need more menu ideas?
Laura at OrgJunkie.com hosts Menu Plan Monday every week. You’ll find links to hundreds of meal plans (not necessarily gluten-free) there.
Or, check out some of my past menu plans.