One week from tonight, we’ll be sitting down to our seder. Despite having a mostly clean-for-Pesach house (minus the kitchen – which, of course, is 75% of the work, anyway!), I still feel ill-prepared for the next week’s worth of activity.
Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure I felt the exact same way last year at this time. And the year before. And the year before that. I guess this is just how the last week before Pesach goes for (some of) us.
The one thing I always make sure to get done at least a week out is my menu plan. I like to plan the whole week, so I can avoid as much shopping as possible during chol ha’moed (I know some of you don’t shop at all).
Note that we host both seders for family *only* — and we have a pretty small family. I’ve finally learned that huge, patchkied meals are not necessary – especially after we’ve already gorged ourselves on the seder plate stuff, the matzah ball soup and hard boiled eggs. I’ve eliminated gefilte fish this year and kept our seder menu to just meat and two sides. Our desserts are simple, too. I realize that not everyone will go for this, but if you’ve been wanting an excuse to simplify, take a look at our plans.
Monday, April 14 ~ 1st Night of Passover
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, smoothies
Lunch: Baked potatoes, cottage cheese, cut-up veggies
Seder:
- All the seder plate stuff
- Matzah Ball Soup
- Hard Boiled Eggs w/ salt water
- Brisket (I know some don’t eat roasted meats, but this brisket is our first night tradition – we tweak this recipe)
- Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower “Rice”
- Chocolate covered strawberries (our traditional seder dessert – my start kids asking about it a month ahead of time!)
- Meringues
Tuesday, April 15 ~ 2nd Night of Passover
Breakfast: Matzah brie, cut-up fruit
Lunch: Strawberry soup, Steamed salmon, broccoli
Seder:
- All the seder plate stuff
- Matzah Ball Soup
- Hard Boiled Eggs w/ salt water
- Spicy Chicken Bake
- Accordion potatoes
- Steamed broccoli
- Matzah crack
- Fruit salad
Wednesday, April 16
Brunch/Lunch: (I’m assuming we’re either sleeping in or those who wake early can fend for themselves) Frittatas, home fries with left-over accordion potatoes, cut-up fruit
Dinner: Matzah pizza for the kids, salad and left-overs for the grown-ups
Thursday, April 17
Breakfast: Fruit smoothies
Lunch: Lunch-to-Go (we’ve got some fun plans this day since it’s our only full day of chol ha’moed) = cheese, matzah, cut-up veggies & fruit
Dinner: Grilled chicken breasts with avocado mango salsa and red cabbage slaw
Friday, April 18
Breakfast: Fruit smoothies
Lunch: Ground turkey & kale “hash” (I sort of invented this “recipe” during our Whole30 and love it so much I’d eat it every day if my family wouldn’t mind!)
Dinner: Unstuffed cabbage (made on the stove top, since we don’t have a Passover slow cooker anymore), mashed cauliflower, some steamed veggie, flourless chocolate cookies
Shabbat, April 19
Breakfast: hard-boiled eggs, fruit, matzah with cream cheese
Lunch: cold strawberry soup, salmon, potato-crust quiche, green salad, fruit salad and more flourless chocolate cookies
Dinner: salad, matzah with spreads – egg salad with homemade mayo, avocado, cream cheese, etc.,
Sunday, April 20
Breakfast: matzah brie, yogurt and fruit salad
Lunch: Not sure yet – would like to make my sweet potato gnocchi with sage & browned butter if time permits
Dinner: Potato-leek soup, Cinnamon Beef Stew (this is *incredible* — just cook it even longer than it says), Cauliflower “Rice”, roasted asparagus, chocolate chip meringues
Monday, April 21
Breakfast: hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit
Lunch: Out at friends
Dinner: Left-overs (honestly, by this point in the chag, I’m exhausted and burned out… we’ll have a very low-key dinner and go to bed!)
Tuesday, April 22
Breakfast: matzah brie for the last time of the year!
Lunch: Out at friends
Pre-dinner snack: Matzah pizza? Left-overs? Whatever I scrounge out of my fridge?
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Looking for more menu planning inspiration? Check out these posts from year’s past.
25 Kosher for Passover Vegetarian Recipes
What’s on your Passover menu? Any traditional favorites that make the list year in and year out? Please share below – I know we all need more inspiration!
I’m with you – we do the same seder meals both nights; seder parts, then matza ball soup, chicken, 2 different veggies (one each night), and dessert. No one is starving then, especially with the second night starting so late!
I plan a group of meal possibilities, and then we go with what we’re in the mood for or what fits our schedule for the day. So I have a couple of breakfast choices, a couple of lunches, and a couple of dinners, and buy the stuff for those. And I do plan at least a meal or two of leftovers but I call it favorites remix. 🙂
Here’s my menu: http://organizedjewishhome.com/2014/04/07/pesach-menu-2014/
Amital – I spent an hour on your site last night… I never realized how much we have in common! 🙂
What are your fun plans for Thursday? Looking for inspiration. Want some ideas that will make a lot of the extended family happy! It’s the only time that all the cousins can spend time.
Two years ago my brisket was very tough, so for another dinner, I shredded it in the food processor, dampened matzo to make a taco shell, made homemade salsa and guacamole and everyone loved it! Also, I make matzo chips for dipping by spreading with a little oil and season and bake. Then cool a little and break into chips.
My family can’t wait for chips and salsa night!