Flexitarian Meal Plans for Bean-Lovers

It’s 5 p.m. and you’re standing in front of the open fridge, staring at some wilted vegetables and ready-to-heat meals. That right there is a surefire recipe for a mealtime rut. And the way out? Just a little tiny bit of planning. And we can help with that.

If you’ve been thinking about adding more beans to your cooking repertoire or moving toward a flexitarian mindset (that means you still eat meat, but you also enjoy more plant-based protein), then we’ve got weekly meal plans to help get you started.

 

BREAKFASTS

Make weekday breakfasts easy by making Banana Blueberry Bean Smoothies at home. Or keep a big batch of Breakfast Egg and Bean Burritos in the freezer for grab-and-go meals.

On the weekends, indulge in slow sit-down breakfasts like Chilaquiles With Black Beans or a Breakfast Baked Bean Hash with Maple Sausage.

 

LUNCHES

Salads are your lunchtime friends for ready-to-eat-right-out-of-the-fridge, keep-you-going-all-afternoon, at-home meals. Make a few ahead, and enjoy the variety all week long. (And the best part is they taste even better after marinating for a day or two.) Try Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad, Black Bean and Mango Salad or Cucumber and Chickpea Salad with Citrus. Or keep all the ingredients on hand to whip up a quick Colorful Kidney Bean Salad.

 

DINNER

The not-so-secret secret for easy, breezy, no-sweat dinner planning is also fun: theme nights! Keep it simple and organized with this handy plan:

MEATLESS MONDAY

Keep it a little lighter on a Monday evening with meatless mains, like Butter Bean Soup or Backyard Black Bean Burgers.

TACO TUESDAY

Nothing, and we mean nothing, makes Tuesday feel as special as taco night. Try Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos. Or branch out with other Tex-Mex favorites like Black Bean Quesadillas or Skillet Chicken Enchiladas.

WINGS ON WEDNESDAY

The middle of the week calls for a bit of a celebration. Maybe a movie or game night and some wings? Try Memphis Dry Rub Wings.

SOUPED-UP THURSDAY

Keep it smooth and simple on Thursday nights with a big pot of soup. With a can or two of beans, you can pour out warming bowls in under an hour. Try Chicken Tortilla Soup or Quick Italian Sausage Soup.

FRIDAY NIGHT STEAK NIGHT

You made it to Friday. Roll out the red carpet (for yourself) with a Delicious Marinated Steak.

SLOW-COOK SATURDAY

Slow down on Saturday by filling up the slow cooker in the morning and sitting down to a homecooked meal in the evening. You’ll thank yourself. Try Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON BARBEQUE

Pull out the grill on Sunday afternoon, and throw on Maple-Glazed Chicken Kabobs with Sweet Jalapeño Salsa or keep it simple by pairing burgers and hot dogs with your favorite flavor of Bush's^® Baked Beans.

AND DESSERT, TOO!

What kind of weekly meal plan ignores the most important part? Not this one. Cap your delicious meals with Chocolate Fudge Cookies or Black Bean Dark Chocolate Brownies. And surprisingly, these dessert recipes are made with beans, too!