July 2022 Meal Plan

All your meals for the month—and for the Fourth!

It’s the beginning of the month and I am beyond excited to kick it off with our first meal plan. These recipes are some of my absolute favorites to make in the summertime. From easy breakfasts to tasty dinners and all of the cocktails and desserts in between, you are going to love what we are cooking up this July.

How does this plan work?

Below you will find a list of meals you can make for each week of the month. Each week of meals will include:

• One weekday breakfast to prep

• One weekday lunch to prep

• Two dinner ideas to cook (and eat leftovers other days of the week)

• One weekend brunch idea

• Some weeks also include a fun treat

You’ll also notice some of the meals will have suggested sides, like a mixed green salad or bread for dipping. These are my suggestions, but feel free to have whatever sides you desire.

This month I have also included a special Fourth of July menu in case you still need ideas for festivities.

Get your groceries!

My rule of thumb is to check to see what you have first. I have listed everything you need on our grocery list, so you may already have some of these items in your pantry, fridge, or freezer. So do a quick check before going grocery shopping and buying double. No food waste here!

This grocery list is for the entire month, split up by the week. So for each corresponding week here, you will find the proper grocery list on the PDF that you can download right here.

Alright, here’s what we’re making. Enjoy!

July 4 Weekend

I know festivities usually include hot dogs and cheeseburgers on the grill, but I thought I would change it up for two reasons. One, not everyone has a grill (hello, me!), and two, I was craving something a little different. So we’re going to make my favorite Instant Pot Pulled Pork. It’s a tad spicy, but I promise, it’s so delicious with creamy coleslaw (buy it premade at the store) on a toasted bun and a whole bunch of sides. Or serve it on top of a fat slice of jalapeño cornbread!

I also love to enjoy a crumbly coffee cake on July 4 weekend—either the day of, or at some point on the other weekend mornings. And don’t forget to pour a classic Old Glory cocktail to celebrate!

Recipes

Breakfast: Crumbly Blueberry Coffee Cake

July 4 BBQ: Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread, Greek Pasta Salad, Caprese Salad

Drink: Old Glory Cocktail

Treat: Rice Krispies Treats

July 5 - July 10

This week we’re prepping a batch of my favorite granola. It’s simple and very versatile. Feel free to throw anything it to your heart’s desire. I enjoy adding pecans and pumpkin seeds, but any other kind of nut, seed, or even dried fruit is always welcome here! Top on a dollop of Greek yogurt and fresh berries of your choice—I usually go for raspberries.

Recipes

Breakfast: Honey Peanut Butter Granola, Greek Yogurt, & Raspberries

Lunch: Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

Dinners: Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Crispy Breaded Chicken with mixed greens

Weekend brunch: Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

July 11 - July 17

Okay, okay…it’s not officially summer until we have some cheeseburgers. These classic cheeseburgers are super easy to throw together on a cast-iron skillet—I quite literally throw them together all the time. We’re keeping the rest of the week simple as well with my favorite ricotta toast and a big chickpea Greek salad for lunch. And, of course, a little peach cobbler for dessert on the weekend—it is summer, after all!

Recipes

Breakfast: Tangerine Ricotta Toast

Lunch: Roasted Chickpea Greek Salad

Dinners: Weeknight Pork Fried Rice, Classic Cheeseburgers

Weekend brunch: Honey Whipped Ricotta French Toast

Treat: Perfect Peach Cobbler for One

July 18 - July 24

I am not kidding you when I say that this Lemon Garlic Shrimp in White Wine Sauce is my most popular recipe over on Pinterest. People are obsessed with it. Why? Because it only takes five minutes to throw together! In that same theme, we’re keeping our second dinner simple with Kielbasa Foil Packs—perfect to throw on the grill or even right on the fire when you’re camping.

Recipes

Breakfast: Blueberry Superfood Smoothie

Lunch: Honey Sweet Potato Summer Salad

Dinners: Lemon Garlic Shrimp in White Wine Sauce with bread for dipping, Kielbasa Foil Packs

Weekend brunch: Roasted Sweet Potato Hash

July 25 - July 31

A cold key lime pie just feels like it’s meant to be enjoyed on the deck after a long, hot day on the beach—don’t you agree? My recipe does teach you how to make a homemade graham cracker crust, but you can simply buy a crust instead of you’re feeling a bit lazy. I admit that’s always what I do…

Recipes

Breakfast: Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

Lunch: Chicken Flatbread

Dinners: Kale Gnocchi White Wine Skillet, Baked Salmon with mixed greens

Weekend brunch: Old Fashioned Waffles

Treat: Key Lime Pie