Our (Minimalist) Shavuot Menu Plan

Use my brand new Shavuot Menu Planner to plan your menu and make your grocery list.

You know how people always says, “Oh, I’m going to make a really minimal menu plan this Shabbat”?

And then they end up making two mains, four sides, six starters and three desserts? (Tell me it’s not just me who does this!)

When it comes to Shabbat and yomtov, we don’t tend to minimal very well, do we?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I have found that one of the totally unexpected “benefits” of being isolated for the past two months is that I’m finally embracing this minimalist mentality — for real! And I’m loving it!

Yet, with a two-day yomtov starting Thursday night (technically in Israel, it’s one-day, but functionally it’s two days, since we go straight into Shabbat), my new found adherence to minimal menu planning practice is really being put to the test.

Here is what I came up — it’s a minimalistic blend of family favorites and Shavuot traditions.

And hopefully it will all be easy and quick to prepare, so I won’t be too exhausted from cooking to stay up and learn with my kiddos Thursday night.

Minimalist Shavuot Menu Plan

Erev Shavuot Dinner

Challah
Cream of cauliflower soup (sub vegetable stock for chicken stock)
Homemade macaroni & cheese
Roasted broccoli
Oreo cheesecake

Late-night-learning / kiddush-in-the-morning treats

M&M cookie sticks (like chocolate chip, but with M&Ms)
Ice cream (Ben & Jerry’s)
No-Bake Biscuit & Cream Cake (I’ll try to post a recipe for this one soon — my daughter learned it from a classmate)

Lunch

Challah
Spanikopita “egg rolls” (like Spanikopita, but I roll them egg roll-style for individual portions)
Buttered noodles (for the picky one)
Greek salad
Roasted sweet potato
Leftover desserts from night before

Shabbat dinner

Challah
Chicken fajitas (we cook day-of on our charcoal grill)
- Grilled chicken
- Grilled peppers & onions
- Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Rice
If we need dessert (“need”), I’ve got a watermelon

Shabbat lunch

Challah
Dips & salads (I try to make up a few dips every week and they last in the fridge for 7-10 days)
- Babaganoush (already in fridge)
- Chumus (thanks for this one, Arica!) ~ this makes a lot, so you may want to cut the recipe in half
- Carrot dip (thanks to Katamon Kitchen for introducing me to this on her IG stories)
- Cucumber and dill salad (I always add the red onion) ~ made day-of
- Tomato & basil salad ~ made day-of
Pargiot (grilled on Friday afternoon)
Rice (leftover from dinner)
Big salad with Caesar dressing and homemade croutons (in the freezer already from left over challah)
Popsicles if we really need something sweet after lunch