Meal Plan: Sarah’s Birthday Week Recipes

Struggling to plan meals that are quick, high-protein, and vegetarian? These weekly meal plans are designed to save the day (and your dinner table). Each week includes four dinners and one breakfast idea, plus a grocery list you can take to the store with you.

🍽️ On The Menu This Week

This week’s lineup is only the best of the best! It’s my birthday week, and you best believe I’m breaking out all my favorite recipes to celebrate in style (and by style, I mean with my favorite dish in hand).

• Dinner 1: Portobello Mushroom Gyros pair them with a fresh Greek salad or roasted potatoes
• Dinner 2: Stuffed Cucumber Sushi Rolls pair them with a side of miso soup or edamame
• Dinner 3: Dirty Martini Chickpeas pair them with roasted asparagus or over pasta
• Dinner 4: Marry Me Gnocchi pair it with crusty bread or an arugula salad
• Breakfast: Egg White Oatmeal pair it with a fresh fruit salad

👉 How To Use This Meal Plan

I’ve included four vegetarian dinners in this meal plan to leave some days for leftovers or eating out. I’ve also included a breakfast idea, which can be enjoyed on any day!

1. Print or save the Meal Plan and Grocery List below.
2. Head to the recipes (the QR codes will take you to them). You can click “jump to recipe” at the top of each post, or read the post to learn about substitutions and variations. You can print these recipes or save them on your phone.
3. Check the grocery list, crossing off any ingredients you already have, or that are for recipes you don’t want to make.
4. Grocery shop. I’ve sorted the list by section in the grocery store to make it quick! I personally prefer scheduling a pickup or delivery for Sunday morning so I can prep my meals for the week on Sunday evening.
5. Cook and eat! Feel free to drop any questions about recipes in the comments section below each recipe (or just to leave a review on how it went – this helps our community tremendously!).

🗓️ Grab The Meal Plan

📝 Grab The Grocery List

💪 Meal Prep Tips

You can prep these things in advance to make cooking throughout the week even easier:

• Portobello Mushroom Gyros: Mix the marinade and tzatziki and keep them in the fridge. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Pre-chop all the veggies and store them in separate containers for quick assembly!
• Stuffed Cucumber Sushi Rolls: Cook and season the sushi rice in advance, then store it in the fridge. Pre-slice all your filling ingredients and keep them in containers so you can roll everything together in minutes.
• Dirty Martini Chickpeas: Chop the olives and garlic and measure the lemon, brine, and gin. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then store them in the fridge. When you’re ready, just toss everything into the pan!
• Marry Me Gnocchi: Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and grate the cheese. Crumble and brown the vegan sausage, then store it in the fridge. When ready, you can quickly assemble and cook the gnocchi!
• Egg White Oatmeal: Blitz a batch of oats into a rough powder, then store it in an airtight jar. Pre-mix the dry ingredients and measure egg whites into an airtight container for quicker preparation in the morning!

🌱 Why Meal Plan?

Meal planning isn’t just about organization…it’s about freeing up your mental space and making cooking more fun! A few reasons we swear by meal planning:

1. Save That Cash
With a plan in place, you’ll skip the temptation of random aisle wandering and stick to a purposeful list.

2. Win Back Your Evenings
Gone are the “What’s for dinner?” debates! Meal planning means less time stressing and more time enjoying. (Bonus points if you prep ingredients ahead!)

3. Get Healthier (Without The Effort)
Not only does meal planning help you avoid the temptation of takeout, but you can sneak in extra veggies and control portion sizes more effortlessly when you have a plan in place.

4. Goodbye Food Waste
You know those sad veggies wilting in the fridge? With meal planning, you’ll actually use everything you buy!