A month usually full of frosty starts and dark nights. The time of hibernation is setting in, so winter warming breakfasts, bonfire night bakes and easy slow cooker evening meals are usually on the menu in our house. As always I try to keep the menu plan as seasonal as I can (UK based). I’m definitely craving apples. toffees, oats and winter greens so I think this Autumn menu plan has been created around some of these cravings!
If you’re new to my meal plan posts then welcome and here is a brief lowdown on how my monthly posts work; I try and feature most of my meal plan for the month on my Pinterest board and other recipes that I look at on here.
It isn’t a complete set of monthly meals as I’m guessing that we all have a bank of family meals that we regularly make and so just need inspiration for a few days a week.
I find it really helps me to be more creative with our meal planning, finding recipes to produce a Pinterest board each month that is mainly seasonally inspired. I like to include breakfast, lunch and evening meal ideas and some side dishes, with desserts and bakes also added in.
Autumn Meal Plan
You will find all these recipes on my Pinterest board at the end of this list. Some dishes will have a clickable link if not available on Pinterest.
Breakfast
Banana Stovetop Porridge
Blueberry Oat Bars- Using up a glut of blueberries that aren’t quite so sweet.
Carrot, Apple and Oat Breakfast Cookies
The bars and cookies will be handy for ‘on the go’ breakfasts or for 2nd breakfasts for kids clubs on the weekends.
Lunches
Vegan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad- One for lunch when the kids are at school.
Harvest Vegetable Salad- A roasted root vegetable salad for lunch or as a side for dinner. This reminds me of a ‘Roasting Tin’ cookbook recipe.
Apple Walnut Spinach Salad- A quick lunch salad for when I’m home alone. Although I have a few children who love apples so maybe I could add it in, as a family side dish.
Courgette Soup- Thinking of getting some greens into me at lunch time. Also I will attempt to serve some up for the kids in a mug as they’re pretty good with any veg once it’s blended up!
Dinners and Sides
Catherine Wheel Toad in the Hole – A fab bonfire inspired take on this recipe over on BBC Good food and on my board.
Warm Kale, Sausage and butternut squash salad- Another recipe that my kids won’t be keen on but I can hopefully adapt for us all to eat.
Sausage and Squash Traybake – Yes apologies for another sausage recipe but it’s bonfire season and sausages a must either meat or meat free ones.
Cola Ham – Maybe it’s time for a practice run through on cooking a ham ready for Christmas time.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork- This taming twins recipe was a hit for all the family. We bought a big joint and made more than one meal out of it, making it very economical.
Parmesan Crusted Lemon Chicken Strips- This looks like it might be a tasty hit served with some rice or potato wedges and greens.
Cheese and Tomato Risotto- This fussy eater recipe is always a hit in our house for a weeknight meal. We also often serve it with some salmon to get Omega 3 into our diets.
Baked Gnocchi – Another taming Twins recipe. It’s simply delicious and really easy to knock up.
Beef Bourguignon- I find a beef stew is easy to whip up for a week night meal. This recipe is a bit different as its a creamy pasta beef dish. Looking forward to trying this out.
Honey & Garlic Salmon- I’m thinking noodles and sugar snap peas with this yummy looking recipe.
Creamy Chicken & Gnocci Soup – Hoping to make this one in the slow cooker.
Haloumi Burgers with sweet Chilli Mayo and Avocado
One Pot 30 Minute Creamy Tomato and Basil Pasta- Half Baked Harvest recipe. We love her recipes at this time of year.
Maple Grilled Chicken Burgers
Better than Takeout Thai Noodles
Shakshuka
Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
Caramalised Fennel, Leek and Onion Gratin
Roast Cauliflower, Fennel and White Bean Salad
Salmon Nuggets
Vegan Mushroom and Walnut Pate
Slow Cooker Chicken Butternut Squash Stew
Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Hummus Platter
Desserts and Bakes
Breadstick fireworks- We loved making these – see our Instagram page for lots of seasonal ideas.
Bonfire Night cakes
Jam and Coconut sponge
Caramel Apple Pudding
Toffee Apple Crumble
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin and Nutmeg Tarts
Orange and Rosemary Cake
We love making Parkin every year
So I hope that this post and my Autumn meal plan Pinterest board give you some food for thought for November and can help inject a bit of inspiration into meal planning for a busy family. Please do let me know if there are any recipes that have caught your eye this month, I’m always on the look out to add new ones in!
If you need more inspiration then head to my October Meal Plan post.
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