One thing that I’ve been constantly grateful for in the past few weeks is that I implemented meal planning into my routine long before any of this started. Because of this, shopping for groceries for one to two weeks at a time doesn’t feel as overwhelming. Over the past year or so, I’ve curated an arsenal of relatively healthy meals that allows me to pick a few for each week’s meal rotation. Using a few weekly favorites and adding in one or two new recipes to try each week, keeps us fed without feeling too bored with what is on our plates.

I love reading and hearing about recipes that others find, especially ones that make meal planning even easier, so I wanted to share a couple of our tried and true that usually make an appearance at least once a month, if not more often. These are all meals that are easy to prepare, mostly utilize pantry staples, as well as ones that teeter on the healthy side.

Chili: Everyone needs a go-to chili recipe for those cool, dare I say, cold, nights. While what I call ‘Chili Season’ is coming to a close, this is one recipe that fulfills that warm + cozy feeling that we are all craving right now. The recipe that I use is designed for the crockpot, but I’ve made it on the stove as well.  I’ve tried many versions, but this has been my favorite recently.

Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup: This very well may be the easiest soup ever. Another five-ingredient meal needing only broth, diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, and spinach, this soup is perfect for a light dinner. I throw all of the ingredients in a pot on the stove, heat until warm and spinach is wilted and top with a bit of parmesan cheese. You could serve it with a salad, bread or both!

Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken: I actually made this for the first time this week and holy moly – this is definitely being added to our weekly rotation! It is so easy to make, and contains all of the flavors that any Hibachi restaurant would provide. I made it with a side of cauliflower rice, but brown rice would be yummy as well.

Chicken Pesto Bake: Jody and I love this dish for a simple chicken dinner. Ready in under thirty minutes, this chicken is topped with pesto, sliced tomatoes, and mozzarella. I usually serve it with green beans, kale gnocchi from Trader Joe’s or penne pasta.

Turkey Burgers: I don’t eat a lot of red meat, so I’m always on the hunt for a good turkey burger. Turkey can tend to be dry, but using this recipe for Skinnytaste, which includes shredded zucchini in the mix, keep the burger flavorful! She has lots of variation to this burger, but you can’t go wrong with just cheese!

White Bean Caprese Salad: I have quite the love for all things Caprese, so when I saw this salad, I knew I had to try. Another Skinnytaste recipe, this salad is designed to be a side but I usually make it as a lunch instead. It is quick, easy, and so good.

Cilantro Chicken Tacos: This very well might be the easiest, yet tastiest, dish I’ve ever made. It only requires five ingredients, all of which you dump into a crockpot, cook, and shredded before serving. Perfect for Taco Tuesday and also perfect with a margarita.

Breakfast Pizza: You can’t go wrong with having breakfast for dinner. While I love eggs and waffles as much as the next person, this Breakfast Pizza is a must. Pile on the toppings over the dough, which is made out of flour, greek yogurt, and baking powder, toss in the oven for ten minutes, and voila! I am surprised by how good it is every time I make it!

Cheeseburger Pie: I grew up eating cheeseburger pie and still love it to this day! I keep this classic Betty Crocker recipe on the lighter side by using ground turkey, reduced-fat cheese and Heart Smart Bisquick. If you use ground turkey, I would suggest using either the 85% or 93% fat-free — 99% fat-free ground turkey tends to be a little on the blander side.

Caprese Zoodles and Chicken: I am a huge zucchini fan and this is one of my summer staples but you don’t need the fresh zoodles for it to taste good! I’ve used this recipe and frozen zucchini noodles and it is still delicious! Lucky for us, zucchini season isn’t too far off, so hopefully you are able to find fresh or frozen ones in your grocery store soon!

Chicken Sausage and Peppers: Chicken sausage is one meat I think I’ve been, thankfully, able to find every time I go to the store! I also tried a couple variations of this dish, but I love how this one uses grape tomatoes, peppers and onions. Simple, healthy and filling. I can’t ask for much more than that!

I hope this helps you add a new recipe or two to your meal rotation! What have you been cooking during these past few weeks? If you have any tried and true recipes that have added a little joy and taken away a little stress in your week, let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear!