Planning your meals ahead of time can make for an easier week in the kitchen.

• You’ll take away the stress that goes with planning last minute meals
• You’ll keep your budget in check by sticking to a meal plan and avoiding the “eating out fall back plan”
• Your shopping will be streamlined with one trip to the market
• Your meals will be healthy and nutritionally dense
• and… you’ll have the majority of your prepping done on one day – less dishes, less time at the counter and MORE time with your family at the table!!!

Below you will find a shopping list to take with you the market. This list is adapted to meet my family’s needs and how I altered the recipes. I have chosen 6 recipes that are easy and can be moved from the oven to my grill. If your grill does not have a temperature gauge, it might make this transition difficult, but you can always try. Please adapt these recipes to meet your needs- be flexible and try new things! Check your growing zone for availability, ensuring what is on your list is seasonally available. Above all… have fun and enjoy your local market.

When I am preparing my meals I also chop up snacks/sides for the week, salads for the week and seasonally available fruit. My family includes these at the table for sides and desserts. If you want to learn more, stop by the market this Saturday, July 30, for a meal planning demonstration at 9:00 and 11:00 near the Bridge Card booth!

Meals from the Market – Shopping List for family of FOUR

Vegetables:

4 large Portobello mushrooms
1 bunch of green onions
1.5 cups grape tomatoes (or 2 roma tomatoes)
swiss chard OR spinach (about 8 cups worth)
3 medium onions
4 medium carrots
3 cloves garlic
2.5lbs of fresh spinach
2 bell peppers OR green beans (1.5 cups worth)
2 zucchinis
1 summer squash
1 bunch cilantro
2 medium kohlrabi
fresh rosemary
fresh fruit – desserts for dinners
snacks/sides:

                  cucumbers
                  carrots
                  peas
                  peppers
                  lettuce
                  radishes
                  celery

Meat and Dairy:

½ cup cheese of your choice for mushrooms
2 dozen eggs
small block of butter
mild cheddar for fajitas
2 cup cheese of your choice
½ cup parmesan
½ cup cheese of your choice for frittata

Other:

salsa

Additional needs (may need to be purchased elsewhere):

olive oil
rice (white or brown)
whipping cream (small and optional)
salt
flour
pepper

Along with the links to the recipes below, I have included some alterations I have made.

 Kohlrabi Cakes

• changed cheese to match our family’s taste
• did not make yogurt sauce 

Crustless Spinach Quiche

• changed cheese to match our family’s taste

Colorful Vegetable Fajitas

• took out peppers and added in green beans, since the peppers were not in season yet.
• changed cheese to match our family’s taste

Frittata with Asparagus, Tomato and Fontina

• asparagus not in season, used spinach
• removed whipping cream
• changed cheese to match our family’s taste

Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

• did not use cooking crème
• changed cheese to match our family’s taste

Spring Eggs in a Nest

• used raw tomatoes
• used white rice, as it is what I have on hand
• using whatever is on hand at market – swiss chard or spinach

UPDATE: We were able to buy all of the ingredients from the market for only $75, with several leftovers for snacks too!