A One-Week Fall Meal Plan for People Who Adore Fall Flavours
Savor autumn flavors with this hearty, seasonal fall meal plan! You’ll find ideas for easy fall breakfasts, lunches, and suppers–all cooked from scratch with clean ingredients!
The weather is changing, and with it, our daily fare.
My husband got an extra hug when he brought home a spaghetti squash the other day.
“They’re here!!” I exclaimed, reflecting with absolutely zero regret on how I elated I get with the advent of winter squash. “Oh, the things we’ll make!” and my mind danced with visions of butternuts and acorns.
I love fall food. It’s rich, and comforting, and festive. And, especially in the case of squash, it’s gorgeous sitting on your counter waiting til you use it.
What foods are in season in the fall?
Keep your eyes open in the grocery store and local farm stands for lots of varieties of pumpkins and other winter squash. You’ll also find root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and rutabaga. Look for other fall cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and dark greens. Fall fruits include apples, pears, figs, grapes, cranberries, and persimmons. Nuts like walnuts, chestnuts, and pecans are all harvested in the fall, which is why you’ll often see them featured in Thanksgiving menus!
Although we often associate abundant produce with summertime, fall has its own cornucopia of options! Have fun trying and combining flavours. (For a fall produce guide specific to your region, check out these printables.)
I have more delicious fall recipes in the queue than I can get to in a season, but I’m going to give it my best shot(: I’ve put together a sample fall meal plan for you, if you, too, are one of the legion of people who love autumn fare. There are several recipes in this meal plan that are not strictly “fall.” But they fit well because they’re either a hearty complement, or they’re a lighter complement that balances out other heavy dishes.
Use this fall menu when you want to take a full week off of meal planning, or just glean inspiration from it and tweak as necessary. I’ve included lots of hearty and cozy meals, but with plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
The crock pot suppers on Wednesday and Friday are great for busy days. Tuesday’s supper takes the longest to prepare, so consider saving that for a special company night or an evening when you have a little more time to cook. But overall, these fall recipes are pretty easy–and the flavour payoff can’t be beat!
A One-Week Seasonal Fall Meal Plan
Sunday
Breakfast: Make-Ahead Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Lunch: Hearty Clam Chowder, Garlic Cheese Biscuits
Supper: Smoothies with frozen fruit and fresh, dark leafy greens; stove top popcorn
Monday
Breakfast: Yogurt with pecans, pears, and oats
Lunch: Fall quinoa salad
Supper: Cheeseburger Skillet, roasted Brussels sprouts
Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs, toast, grapefruit or clementines
Lunch: Tuna melts, raw veggies
Supper: Spaghetti Squash Casserole (we like to add cooked ground sausage to this, as well as additional dried herbs like rosemary and thyme), Clove and Cardamom Poached Pears (Save time by cooking the squash ahead of time. The pears can also be made ahead.)
Wednesday
Breakfast: Yogurt with pecans, figs or pomegranate seeds, and oats
Lunch: Chef salad with honey mustard dressing
Supper: Creamy Pulled Chicken Sandwiches in the Crock Pot, roasted butternut squash
Thursday
Breakfast: Garlic cheese grits
Lunch: Seasonal fruit and vegetables with hummus and crackers
Supper: Biscuits with Salmon Gravy
Friday
Breakfast: Fried sweet potatoes with runny eggs
Lunch: Chef salad with red raspberry dressing
Supper: Sloppy Lentils in the crock pot, seasonal fruit, brownies
Saturday
Breakfast: Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Muffins, boiled eggs
Lunch: Leftovers or green smoothies
Supper: Cheddar and Gouda Mac & Cheese with Bacon, kale salad
[question]What are your favourite fall flavors and recipes?[/question]
P.S. Want to spruce up your table for fall? These cloth napkins are lovely! And these solid-colour napkins make for a great neutral.