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Menu Plans

 

How to Use a Menu Plan

These menus are designed to give you an idea of how to achieve a healthy balanced meal plan for your family without spending too much time in the kitchen or too much money. Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dessert are provided as individual serves. Dinner recipes provided cater for families of 4-6 people or 1 or 2 serves for couples and singles.

If you see an asterisk* next to a food item then you will find the recipe in our recipe section of this website.

Read more...

This week’s menu includes a delicious chick pea curry served with rice – an economical, nutritious and great flavour option for a family. You can make it in bulk, freeze and store for use another night when there’s no time to cook!

Menu Plans

  • Families
  • Couples + Singles
  • Shopping Smart
  • How to Use a Menu Plan
  • Planning a Menu
  • Adjusting a Menu

Week 1 For Families

  •  
  • MON
  • TUE
  • WED
  • THU
  • FRI
  • SAT
  • SUN
  • *Bircher Muesli
  • 1 slice multigrain toast and 1 slice (20g) reduced fat cheese
  • Egg and cheese muffin: 1 wholegrain English muffin with thin spread of margarine or avocado + 1 egg (boiled/poached/ scrambled) + 2 slices (40g) reduced fat cheese + 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 serve fresh fruit e.g. 1 mandarin
  • 1 cup porridge (1/3 cup dry oats cooked + 1/2 - 1 cup reduced fat milk and 1 tablespoon sultanas + 1  1/2 tabs crushed nuts)
  • 1 wholegrain English muffin topped with 4 spears asparagus (canned or freshly cooked) + 2 slices of cheese (40g) - lightly grill until cheese melts
  • 1 serve fruit e.g. 2 kiwi fruit
  • 2 slices raisin toast with thin spread of margarine and  jam
  • 3/4 cup (200g) reduced fat yoghurt served with 1/2 cup chopped fruit
  • 2 slices wholegrain toast topped with 1/2 cup baked beans
  • 1 serve fruit e.g. 1 cup diced fresh fruit
  • *Mushroom Omelette  served with 2 pieces wholegrain toast and sliced tomato on the side
  • 1 serve fruit e.g. 1 medium slice of melon
  • 3 large wholegrain crackers topped with 4 slices (70g) lean deli ham and 1 medium sliced tomato
  • 1 slice raisin toast with thin spread of margarine and jam (optional)
  • 3 large wholegrain crackers topped with 1 tablespoon (20g) reduced fat cheese spread and 1 sliced of tomato or slices of cucumber
  • 3/4 cup (200g tub) reduced fat flavoured yoghurt
  • *Blueberry Muffin (portion and freeze leftover muffins)
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into sticks
  • 3 large wholegrain crackers topped with avocado or hummus and 1 sliced medium tomato or slices of beetroot
  • 3/4 cup (200g tub) reduced fat yoghurt with 1/2 cup berries or chopped melon
  • Roast beef and salad sandwich: 2 pieces wholegrain bread, 2-3 thin slices of lean roast beef, and 1/2 cup lettuce and tomato)
  •  1 serve fruit e.g. 2 kiwi fruit
  • Turkish bread with turkey/chicken & salad: Lightly toasted turkish breadroll with 3 thin slices of turkey/chicken, lettuce, tomato, grated carrot, and a thin scrape of cranberry sauce/tomato relish/mustard
  • Salmon/tuna, sweet chilli & salad pita bread: 1 medium pita bread filled with canned salmon or tuna (100g), thinly sliced red onion, 1 cup lettuce/rocket, and 1 teaspoon sweet chilli sauce
  • glass (250mL) reduced fat milk
  • *Fruit Smoothie 
  • 6  large wholegrain crackers topped with 1/4 avocado, 4 slices (70g) lean deli ham, 1 large sliced tomato and sprinkle of cracked black pepper
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into sticks
  • Toasted meat & veg sandwich: 2 slices wholegrain bread with 2-3 slices of roast beef or ham, sliced tomato, asparagus or sliced mushrooms, and 1 slice (20g) reduced fat cheese
  • 1 cup fruit salad
  • 1 glass (250mL) reduced fat milk
  • *Cherry Tomato, Mushroom and Baby Spinach Frittata (left over from last night)
  • *Greek Salad (this recipe is for 4, can be halved if necessary)
  • 1 medium multigrain bread roll
  • 1 glass (250mL) reduced fat milk
  • Chicken and avocado wrap: 1 large soft wheat tortilla with 1 teaspoon reduced fat mayonnaise, 1/2 cup cooked chicken, 1/4 medium avocado, 1 cup lettuce, 2-3 pieces chopped fresh or semi-dried tomato grated carrot - fold up the tortilla to enclose the filling
  • 1 glass (250mL) reduced fat milk
  • 3/4 cup (200g tub) reduced fat yoghurt
  • 3 tablespoons (30g) raw nuts e.g. almonds or cashews
  • 1 serve fresh fruit e.g. apple or orange
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into sticks
  • slice of raisin toast with thin spread of margarine or jam
  • 3 tablespoons (30g) raw nuts e.g. almonds or cashews
  • 3/4 cup (200g tub) reduced fat yoghurt
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into sticks
  • *Chick Pea Curry and Rice
  • *Cucumber and Yoghurt Raita
  • 1 cup garden salad
  • 1/2 cup canned peaches with 1 scoop reduced fat ice cream
  • *Fragrant Lamb Fillet  (served with steamed chat potatoes, steamed carrots, green beans/broccoli as per recipe)
  • 1/2 cup cooked mushrooms
  • 1 slice multigrain bread
  • 1 cup strawberries or 1 banana with 3/4 cup (200g tub) reduced fat yoghurt
  • *Pronto Chicken and Vegetable pasta
  • 1 cup garden salad
  • 1 slice multigrain bread
  • 1 cup fresh fruit salad with 2 tablespoons low fat yoghurt per person
  • *Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
  • 1 cup garden salad
  • 1 cup diced pineapple and melon with 2 shredded fresh mint leaves
  • *Cherry Tomato, Mushroom and Baby Spinach Frittata (make a double frittata recipe - leftovers will be used for lunch tomorrow)
  • Steamed vegetables e.g. 1/2 cup sweet potato and 1/2 cup broccoli and snow peas OR 1 steamed chat potato with 1 cup garden salad
  • 1 slice multigrain bread
  • 1 scoop reduced fat ice cream with 1/2 cup diced fruit
  • *Vegie Packed Spaghetti Bolognaise
  • 1 cup garden salad
  • 1 cup fruit salad
  • *Grilled Fish with Oven-baked Spring Vegetables
  • 1 medium multigrain breadroll
  • *Balsalmic Fruit Salad

 

 

Shopping List - Week 1 for Families

Aisle Fresh Pantry
Dairy/Refrigerated
  • Reduced fat plain yoghurt, 1.5 cups
  • Reduced fat tubs yoghurt (plain or flavoured), 34 x 200g tubs
  • Reduced fat cheese, 24 x 20g slices
  • Parmesan cheese, 1 cup
  • Feta Cheese, 1 cup
  • Reduced fat cream cheese, 4 tablespoons
  • Reduced fat ice cream, 8 scoops
  • Reduced fat milk, 6 litres
  • Hommus
  • Vegetable margarine (e.g. olive oil spread)
Meat/Chicken/Fish
  • Roast beef cooked, 24 thin slices
  • Roast chicken cooked, 1 chicken
  • Lean ham cooked, 32 thin slices
  • Lamb fillet raw, 400g
  • Chicken breast fillet raw, 500g
  • Lean steak raw, 400g
  • Lean mince raw, 400g
  • White fish fillets raw, 500g (e.g. snapper, sea perch, barramundi)
Pasta/Noodles /Rice
  • Brown or basmati rice, 4 cups
  • Penne pasta (or other short pasta), 1 packet
  • Dry spaghetti or fettucine, 1 packet
Breads & Cereals
  • Wholemeal/ multigrain medium size pita/tortilla bread, 8 pieces
  • Fruit loaf (raisin bread), 1.5 loaves
  • Multigrain English muffins, 8
  • Multigrain bread, 3 loaves
  • Multigrain breadrolls, 8
  • Turkish breadrolls, 4
  • Wholegrain crackers large (e.g. Vitaweet), 2 packets
  • Natural muesli, 2 cups
  • Rolled oats, 2 cups
  • Wheatgerm
  • Oatbran
Baking Ingredients
  • Eggs, 25
  • Wholemeal self-raising flour, 1/2 cup
  • Self-raising flour, 1 cups
  • Baking powder
  • Cornflour
  • Brown sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • Pine nuts, 2 tablespoons
  • Various types of raw nuts, 3 cups (e.g. almonds, pecans, walnuts, brasil nuts, cashews)
Fruit
  • Avocado, 6 medium
  • Blueberries fresh or frozen, 1 cup
  • Lime, 1
  • Lemon, 1
  • Green apple, 2 (for Bircher)

Note: if fruits listed below aren't in season or available, choose other types:

  • Strawberries, 5-6 punnets
  • Bananas, 8 medium
  • Melon, 2 (rockmelon or pawpaw or water melon)
  • Pineapple, 2
  • Kiwifruit, 12
  • Apples, 8
  • Oranges, 8
  • Seedless grapes, 4 cups
  • Pears, 4
Vegetables
  • Tomatoes medium, 34
  • Roma tomatoes, 2
  • Cherry Tomatoes, 2 punnets
  • Asparagus, 2 bunches
  • Mushrooms, 5-6 punnets
  • Lebanese cucumbers, 8
  • Iceburg lettuce large, 2
  • Carrots medium, 30
  • Broccoli, 4 medium heads
  • Red onion medium, 6
  • Brown onion medium, 8
  • Red capsicum large, 2
  • Green chilli, 1
  • Green shallots, 1 small bunch
  • Zucchini medium, 6
  • Potatoes medium, 2
  • Chat potatoes small, 10
  • Peas frozen, 1 cup
  • Baby spinach leaves, 3 cups
  • Sweet potato small, 2
  • Snow peas, 2 cups
Canned / Bottled fruits, vegetables or meats (choose salt reduced)
  • Canned tuna, 8 x 100g
  • Canned beetroot, 400g
  • Canned chopped tomatoes, 3 x 400g
  • Canned asparagus (if no fresh available), 2 x 400g
  • Canned baked beans, 2 x 400g
  • Canned peaches, 2 x 400g
  • Canned chickpeas, 1 x 400g
  • Kalamata olives pitted, 1 medium jar
Herbs, Spices and Stock
  • Mint fresh, 1/2 bunch
  • Parsley, 2 bunches
  • Basil leaves, 3 bunches
  • Ginger raw, 6 teaspoons
  • Garlic, 1.5 bulbs
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground/cracked black pepper
  • Turmeric
  • Ground coriander
  • Garam masala
  • Dried rosemary
  • Paprika
  • Chilli flakes
  • Dried oregano
  • Vegetable stock salt reduced, 1 cup
  • Beef/chicken stock (salt reduced), 1/4 cup
Cooking Liquor & Oils
  • Sherry, 2 tablespoons
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Vegetable oil spray (e.g. canola or olive oil)
Sauces/Pastes /Purees/Spreads
  • Tomato relish or cranberry sauce
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Sweet chilli sauce
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Salt-reduced soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Jam
  • Salt reduced tomato paste
  • Low fat mayonnaise
 
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About

  • Healthy Food, Healthy Planet
  • Food Groups
  • Special Dietary Needs
  • Involving the Children
  • Serves

Menu Plans

  • Families
  • Couples + Singles
  • Shopping Smart
  • How to Use a Menu Plan
  • Planning a Menu
  • Adjusting a Menu

Swapping Ingredients

  • Health/Nutrition
  • Saving Money
  • Saving the Environment
  • Saving Time
  • Special Diets/Allergies

Recipes

  • Breakfast
    • Cold
    • Hot
  • Lunch
    • Cold
    • Hot
  • Dinner
  • Snacks
    • Savoury
    • Sweet
  • Sides
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