CATEGORIZED MEAL IDEAS
Because foods crossover into many categories, they will often be possible in multiple meals (chili potatoes could be classified as “beans” or “potatoes”. Besides being in their ethnic group, Enchiladas and Lasagna could also be casseroles, since they are cooked “casserole style.”) Be creative and have fun! Meal names with an “*” means there is a recipe to follow. If there are two “**”, the recipe is found under another category.
Main Dishes Side Dishes
BEANS BEANS Bean Dinner* Baked Beans* Bean & Cheese Burritos Four Bean Salad* Chili Hoppin’ John’s (black eyed peas) Chili Potatoes Bean Soup** White Bean and Chicken Chili* Cheesy Refried Beans
BEEF BEEF Roast Beef Sandwiches (No side dishes for this category) Shredded Beef Burritos Steak Sandwich
BREAKFAST BREAKFAST Breakfast Casserole* Fruit Soup* Crepes* Mixed Fruit German Pancakes* Muffins Nest Eggs* Smoothies, Daiquiri, Margarita Stacks* Yogurt and Fruit Parfaits
CASSEROLE CASSEROLE Chicken Broccoli Casserole Green Bean Casserole* Chicken Enchiladas* Corn and Zucchini Bake** Lasagna Corn Pudding Casserole Tuna Noodle Casserole Seven Layer Bean Dip** Turkey or Chicken Stuffing Casserole* Zucchini casserole*
CHICKEN CHICKEN Chicken Kabobs Chicken and Fruit Salad Chicken Pot Pie Pot Stickers** Easy Chicken Ala King* Egg Rolls** Fiesta Chicken* Caesar Salad with Chicken Oven-baked Tin Foil Dinners* Hot Wings
CHINESE (ORIENTAL) CHINESE (ORIENTAL) Almond Chicken Ham Fried Rice Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Pot Stickers* Chicken Stir Fry Ramon Noodles Egg Rolls* Stir Fried Vegetables** Sweet ‘N Sour Chicken/Pork/Shrimp* Won Tons
EGGS EGGS Breakfast Burritos* Deviled Eggs Breakfast Casserole* Egg Foo Yung German Pancakes** Boiled eggs Ham & Spinach Quiche Spinach Soufflé Overnight French Toast* (Peach Zucchini Casserole** (and Raspberry Cream Cheese)
FISH/SEA FOOD FISH/SEA FOOD Crab (or Chicken) Salad on Croissants* Crab Salad* Shrimp Linguini Macaroni Shrimp Salad Tuna Noodle Casserole Shrimp Fried Rice Tuna or Salmon Patties* Tuna Salad* Tuna Salad* Shrimp Cocktail
FRUIT FRUIT Crepes** Baked Mixed Fruit* Fruit Plate with Dip* Fruity Coleslaw* Hawaiian Haystacks** Fruit Kabobs Pancakes/Waffles with Fruit Sauce Pear and Gorgonzola Salad Sweet & Sour Chicken** Pistachio Salad*
GROUND BEEF GROUND BEEF Meatloaf Surprise or Mini Meatloaves* (No side dishes for this category) Hamburger Noodle Casserole Sloppy Joes* Stuffed Onions or Red Peppers* Tacos
HAM HAM Breakfast Burritos** Ham Fried Rice Ham and Potato Casserole* Ham or Chicken Filled Crepes* Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches Ham Roll-ups ITALIAN ITALIAN Manicotti or Stuffed Shells* Marinated Mozzarella & Tomato Salad Homemade Pizza Spinach Salad** Lasagna Zucchini Boats* Ravioli* Garlic Bread Spaghetti Ratatouille
MEXICAN MEXICAN Bean and Cheese Burritos Bean and Corn Salsa* Beef Enchiladas Chili Con Quesa Dip* Chicken Enchiladas* Chips and Salsa Tostadas Refried Beans Tacos 7 Layer Bean Dip*
PASTA PASTA Easy Spaghetti Bake* Frog Eye Salad (Acini de Pepe)* Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Macaroni and Cheese Johnny Mazetti* Macaroni Salad Linguini with Clam Sauce Pasta Salad Spaghetti & Meatballs Alfredo Noodles
POTATOES POTATOES Cheesy Potato Soup Cottage Potatoes* Chili Potatoes Potato Salad Beefy Tater Tot Casserole* Potato Wedges* Potato Bar Scalloped Potatoes Shepherd’s Pie* Twice Baked Potatoes*
PORK PORK BLT Sandwiches Pork Fried Rice Pork Carnitas Baked Beans** Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce* Shredded Pork Sandwiches* Stuffed Pork Loin
RICE RICE Easy Chicken Ala King** Rice Pilaf Chicken and Rice Soup Rice and Fruit Salad Easy Chicken and Rice Dinner* Spanish Rice Hawaiian Haystacks* Rissoto Porcupines* Rice Pudding
SALAD SALAD Chef Salad Fruity Coleslaw** Crab or Chicken Salad** Cookie Salad* Taco Bean Salad* Orange Cream Salad* Tuna Salad** Lemon Supreme Jell-o Salad* Caesar Salad with Chicken Yogurt Glazed Fruit Salad
SANDWICHES/BREADS SANDWICHES/BREADS Hoagie Sandwiches Baking Soda Biscuits Personal Pizza’s (on French bread, Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread hamburger buns or English muffins) Corny Cornbread Panini’s Garlic Bread Pita Bread Sandwiches* Irish Soda Bread* Quesadillas*
SOUP SOUP Cheesy Cauliflower or Broccoli Soup* You can use any of the main-dish soup Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup* ideas for a side dish. Chili Hearty Hodgepodge Soup* Spicy Bean Soup*
VEGETABLES VEGETABLES Garden Vegetable Soufflé Corn and Zucchini Bake* Hawaiian Haystacks** Fresh Vegetable Plate with Dip Vegetable Skillet* Roasted Mixed Vegetables* Vegetable Stir Fry* Spinach Salad* Vegetable Beef Soup Zucchini Boats**
YOUR CHOICE This gives the child who picks this category to choose whatever meal category they want to fix.
DESSERTS Cakes: Lemon Poke Cake* Raspberry Pudding Cake* Wacky Cake*
Cookies: Cake Mix Cookies* No Bake Cookies* Monster Cookies*
Miscellaneous: Lemonade Cream Pie* Microwave Caramel Popcorn* Pudding Parfaits*