This week’s Lunch Logic is really all about planning ahead.  Oh, I know most of what I post here on RRG is focused on planning (that’s one of the side effects of sharing a monthly “meal plan,” ahem), but this week I really, really, extra mean it.  See, sometimes you get an effortless lunch-packing experience just from using the leftovers in the fridge; and sometimes, you have to make sure that you CREATE those leftovers ahead of time.  For example, I’m recommending this week that you use some cooked pasta from Thursday’s goulash — but of course, that means that you’d have to make enough pasta in advance for both the goulash and some lunches.  (I don’t usually find that’s a problem, since the way I make my Mom’s old-school goulash recipe, there’s a lot of eyeballing and guesswork and I never know quite how much pasta I’ll need, so I generally dump a whole package into the boiling water and sort it all out later.)

In order to find yourself well set-up for the week’s lunch packing, this time around, you need to think about manufacturing some extras while you’re doing your regular cooking.  It’s not any harder, and it doesn’t take any more time, to make a pound of pasta versus a half-pound; you just have to know that you’ll need it.  With a few minutes of thought at the start of the week, and a gentle reminder to yourself once or twice in the middle of things that the future you will want help from the present you, there’s no need to stress over what to pack for lunch.

Meal Plan Refresher:

Saturday, 3/30: Parmesan Chicken cutlets, roasted vegetables
Sunday, 3/31:
Easter Sunday!  Not totally sure of the menu right now, but probably roast pork, artichokes with hollandaise, a medley of vegetables, and some popovers.
Monday, 4/1:
Tyler Florence’s Spaghetti with pancetta and peas
Make it GF: Use brown rice, kamut, or quinoa pasta – we prefer Jovial and Tinkyada brands
Tuesday, 4/2: Slow cooker – honey-mustard chicken thighs, roasted potatoes, and broccoli
Wednesday, 4/3: Weekend Warmup – Roast boneless turkey breast, sourdough dinner rolls, and salad
Make it GF: Don’t bother with the dinner rolls; substitute either leftover potatoes from Tuesday night, or a quick-cooking grain like quinoa.
Thursday, 4/4: Another weekend warmup – Mom’s old-school goulash
Make it GF: We always use Tinkyada brown rice pasta shells for our goulash, and they’re perfect.
Friday, 4/5: Fend night

The full April 2013 Meal Plan

The Lunch Logic:

Lunch logic April 2013.1a

Lunch logic April 2013.1b

Essential Links:

Roni Salad