3-2-1 Menu Plan - Pork, Apples, Sweet Potato

Weekly Meal Planning Just Got a Whole Lot Easier!

I don't know about you, but Friday afternoon hits, and suddenly I’m flooded with ideas of what I want to cook over the weekend that would be yummy, and carry into the beginning of the next week. 

In the past, this would have led me to buy $200 worth of groceries and let half of them wilt in the fridge because I had too many ideas, or saw something interesting that I decided to make while at the store, when I already had planned to make other things.  Geesh!

Feeling locked into making all of these recipes, I would end up on Sunday with a kitchen bubbling and stewing with delicious food that a family of 6 would eat…and I’m just 1!  After a marathon cook, I never ate what I cooked.  I tasted it along the way, but either I was full or didn’t want what I cooked and settled for scrambled eggs.

That’s why I came up with my new favorite little strategy: The 3-2-1 Menu Plan.

This isn't about rigid rules or gourmet cooking; it's about giving yourself a loose plan that brings focus back to your grocery list and variety back to your plate. Because let’s be real, no one wants to eat the same soggy leftovers three nights in a row!

The 3-2-1 Menu Plan Breakdown

It's simple math, really:

• 3 Core Ingredients: Pick three star ingredients that excite you and work well together. These become your shopping focus!

• 2 Main Meals (Dinners): Use those three ingredients to create two distinct, delicious dinner recipes.

• 1 Lunch or Breakfast Meal: Use the leftovers from those two dinners, plus your three core ingredients, to make a whole new, easy lunch or breakfast.

  
  

The magic here is that you're only buying items for a handful of recipes, and you’re forced to repurpose ingredients into something new, meaning less food waste and more flavor!

It turns leftover chicken into a fresh, crisp salad, not just "reheated chicken."

Ready to dive into this week's plan? It’s peak fall flavor, and you are going to love it!

This Week's 3-2-1 Plan: Pork, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes

🍎 The 3 Core Ingredients

• Pork Tenderloin

• Apples (Honeycrisp or Gala are perfect for roasting!)

• Sweet Potatoes

🍽️ The 2 Dinners

Dinner 1: Sheet Pan Pork with Apples & Sweet Potatoes

The Plan: This is the easiest cleanup ever! Slice your pork tenderloin into medallions. Toss cubes of sweet potato and thick apple wedges with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a generous sprinkle of thyme and rosemary. Preheat your oven to 375°F and roast everything together on one sheet pan until the pork is tender and the veggies are caramelized. (Don't forget to cook a little extra pork and sweet potato for the next meal!)

Dinner 2: Pork & Sweet Potato Hash

The Plan: Time to use those leftovers! Dice your extra cooked pork and roasted sweet potato. Sauté them with some sliced onion and perhaps a leftover green bell pepper in a skillet until everything gets nice and crispy. Top with a beautifully runny fried egg and a dash of hot sauce if you're feeling spicy! It feels completely different from Dinner 1, but it was born from the same ingredients.

🥙 The 1 Lunch

Lunch: Pork & Apple Salad Wrap

• The Plan: The perfect fresh mid-day meal. Thinly slice the rest of your leftover pork. Toss it in a bowl with freshly chopped apple, celery for crunch, and a light dressing made of plain Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, and a touch of salt. Serve this delicious salad mixture piled into a whole-wheat wrap with some fresh leafy greens.

See? No stress, three fantastic meals, and a fridge that actually feels manageable. Give the 3-2-1 a try this weekend and let me know how it revolutionizes your grocery shopping and your dinner table!

Happy Planning!