Hey, hey my friend,

Welome to the final episode of Meal Planning for Busy Moms for 2024! This week, we’re saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new with ease and simplicity. I’ll be sharing a pantry-friendly weekly meal plan that’s quick, delicious, and perfect for using what you already have. Plus, I’ll teach you how to reverse-engineer your week—starting with how many meals you actually need and building them around what’s in your pantry and fridge.

This episode is all about easing into the new year with stress-free meal planning that saves time, money, and your sanity. So grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s step into 2025 feeling prepared and confident. Happy New Year, friends!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How to decide how many meals you actually need for the week.

The importance of using what you already have to save money and reduce waste.

Why cooking meals you know and love is the best way to ease into meal planning.

A pantry-friendly weekly meal plan to inspire your meals this week.

This Week’s Meal Plan:

1. Monday: Spaghetti with marinara sauce and garlic bread.
2. Tuesday: Chicken stir-fry with rice.
3. Wednesday: Bean and cheese quesadillas with salsa and sour cream.
4. Thursday: Tuna noodle casserole.
5. Friday: Baked potato bar with chilii
6. Saturday: Breakfast-for-dinner with pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
7. Sunday: Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Episode Highlights:

• The benefits of starting the year with pantry-friendly meals.
• Tips for reverse-engineering your meal plan to simplify the process.
• Why planning 3–5 meals is often all you need for a successful week.

Join the Meal Planning for Busy Moms community for more tips, meal plans, and inspiration.

Stay connected for exciting new content in 2025!

Thank you for tuning in to the last episode of the year! I’m so grateful for your support, and I can’t wait to continue this journey with you in 2025. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with love, laughter, and delicious meals. I’ll see you next year, friends!

Have a blessed and beautiful week,

xx Blaga

P.s. Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more busy moms find us and join the meal-planning fun!

Hey, hey beautiful Mamas,

Welcome to a very merry episode of Meal Planning for Busy Moms! With Christmas just days away, I’ve got a festive and practical weekly meal plan to take you from Christmas Eve all the way through the “in-between” week before New Year’s. Whether you’re planning a traditional Christmas dinner or looking for quick, healthy meals to keep everyone happy and fed, this episode has you covered.

We’ll also dive into my top tips for managing your holiday meal prep so you can spend more time making memories and less time stressing in the kitchen. And don’t worry—if you still need inspiration for your Christmas menu, I’ll point you to my Thanksgiving episodes packed with ideas for turkey and ham feasts.

Plus, I’m sharing some exciting news for 2025: starting in the new year, Meal Planning for Busy Moms will streamline to one episode every Sunday, giving you everything you need to master meal planning and tackle the “What’s for dinner?” question with ease.

This Week’s Meal Plan:

Monday: Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Tuesday (Christmas Eve): Charcuterie Board & Appetizers

Wednesday (Christmas Day): The Big Feast (Turkey or Ham)

Thursday: Leftover Turkey Cranberry Sliders with Sweet Potato Fries

Friday: Instant Pot Beef Chili

Saturday: Build Your Own Pizza (or order takeout)

Sunday: Sheet Pan Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Potatoes

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1. How to plan and prep for a stress-free Christmas dinner.
2. Tips for making the most of Christmas leftovers.
3. A festive weekly meal plan to carry you through the week after Christmas.
4. Why simplifying your menu and delegating tasks is a game-changer.
5. Exciting updates for the podcast in 2025!

Get My Book: Meal Prep Made Simple on Amazon by Blaga Goertzen

Thanksgiving Episodes for Christmas Inspiration:

Turkey Menu Ideas (Episode from October)

Ham Menu Ideas (Episode from November)

Become an Insider: Sign up here to get all recipe links delivered straight to your inbox!

Join the Community: What’s for Dinner Mama’s Facebook Group

Thank you for tuning in to this week’s episode. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas! Be sure to join me next Sunday for more meal planning magic as we kick off 2025. Be blessed, my friends!

xx Blaga

Welcome to Episode 118 of Meal Planning for Busy Moms!

The holiday season is here, and with all the chaos, who has time to think about dinner? Don’t worry, Busy Mamas—I’ve got you covered! This week, we’re diving into a festive, family-friendly meal plan that’s quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious. Plus, I’m sharing a special recipe for Overnight French Toast that will make your Christmas morning stress-free and magical.

In this episode, I’ll be covering:

A 7-day meal plan featuring comforting favorites like Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken, Beef Tacos, and Cheesy Ham & Rice Casserole.

A fun and relatable holiday story about how I learned to simplify Christmas morning.

Step-by-step instructions for the ultimate Overnight French Toast recipe that you can make ahead of time.

How to join our What’s for Dinner Mamas Facebook group to connect with a community of meal-planning moms.

Why you need to grab my book, Meal Prep Made Simple, to streamline your holiday season.

This Week’s Meal Plan, Here’s what’s on the menu:

Monday: Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken with Veggies

Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday: Beef Tacos

Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Homemade Tomato Soup with Veggies and Dip

Friday: Beef Dip with Caesar Salad

Saturday: Cheesy Ham and Rice Casserole

Sunday: Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Featured Recipe: Overnight French Toast

Make Christmas morning extra special with this easy, make-ahead recipe. Prep it the night before and enjoy a warm, delicious breakfast without the stress.

Ingredients and step-by-step instructions are shared in the episode. Don’t miss it!

Get all the recipe links sent right to your inbox by becoming an insider here.

Resources and Links Mentioned

Get the Book Meal Prep Made Simple – Your Guide to Stress-free Meal Planning, especially during the holiday season. You can buy it on Amazon here.

Join the Facebook Group: What’s for Dinner Mamas – Connect with a community of moms sharing tips, tricks, and inspiration here.

Subscribe & Share

If you loved this episode, be sure to:

Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.

Leave a review—it helps other moms find the show and join the meal-planning fun.

Share this episode with your friends or family who could use a little holiday meal-planning help!

Thanks for tuning in, Beautiful Mamas! Wishing you a blessed and beautiful week. See you Wednesday for more meal-planning inspiration!

xx Blaga