June is such a weird month.

May ends with Memorial Day weekend, and everybody’s suddenly in summer mode. But in New England, summer vacation is still weeks away (and, as my super-pedantic 10-year-old son pointed out, ACTUAL summer isn’t until the Equinox, sooooo). But the summer mindset is here and it’s unshakable, even as the calendar persistently grinds on with the never-ending parade of school concerts and recitals and last-minute field trip forms.

But, as I’m reminded in looking over the next few weeks, all that suddenly ends. And on a Tuesday in the middle of the month, seemingly all at once, it’s going to be summer. Really summer. No school year structures to bind us, no summer camps for at least a couple of weeks, no forms to sign or backpacks to check or lunches to pack or evening extracurriculars to coordinate. One day we will be busy busy busy busy as always, and the next there will be no alarm clocks set, no grades to check.

We’re almost there. And every year, it takes me by surprise.

June is, in some ways, the last “real meal plan” month before I take a bit of a summer hiatus. It’s not a real break, because certainly I meal plan during the summer — it’s just that, in July and August, we’ve got all kinds of camps and days off and “let’s see what happens” kinds of things showing up on the calendar, so things are a little looser and more organic to what’s going on. But right now, we’ve still got structure and routines and things to uphold, so when I meal plan for June, I’m still in school year mode…with a little yearning for the carefree weeks to come.

June 2019 Meal Plan

WEEK ONE:

Saturday, 6/1: Fresh seafood
Sunday, 6/2: Baked gnocchi with greens and cheese
Monday, 6/3: Beans and greens on toast (Epicurious)
Tuesday, 6/4: Taco salad
Wednesday, 6/5: Pizza burger patties, roasted potato wedges and broccoli
Thursday, 6/6: Vegetarian pasta salad
Friday, 6/7: BLTs and sweet potato fries

WEEK TWO:

Saturday, 6/8: Schnitzel, egg noodles, red cabbage and vegetables
Sunday, 6/9: Penne vodka and grilled vegetables
Monday, 6/10: Shakshukah and bread
Tuesday, 6/11: Turkey tacos and refried beans
Wednesday, 6/12: Breakfast for dinner — J. has requested something including pancakes
Thursday, 6/13: Ramen salad and potstickers
Friday, 6/14: Risotto with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella (MyRecipes)

WEEK THREE:

Saturday, 6/15: Fresh seafood
Sunday, 6/16: Father’s Day — not sure yet what our plans are, but tentatively thinking we’ll have chicken parmigiana, salad and homemade bread.
Monday, 6/17: Baked eggs with toast and cream (Saveur), salad
Tuesday, 6/18: Potato and chorizo tacos, beans and rice
Wednesday, 6/19: Homemade pizzas
Thursday, 6/20: Black bean soup and quesadillas
Friday, 6/21: Grilled chicken sandwiches and fruit

WEEK FOUR:

Saturday, 6/22: Fresh seafood
Sunday, 6/23: Roast chicken dinner
Monday, 6/24: Creamy mushroom pasta (MyRecipes), salad
Tuesday, 6/25: Chicken fajitas and refried beans
Wednesday, 6/26: Bibimbap
Thursday, 6/27: White beans with sausage and broccoli rabe, bread
Friday, 6/28: One pot farro with tomatoes (Smitten Kitchen), salad

WEEK FIVE:

Saturday, 6/29: Fresh seafood
Sunday, 6/30: Pulled pork with beans, slaw and rice