Munch Menu V.14
One jar of (mild) salsa, two meals
If you’re new here, welcome! To get started, check out my first munch menu, which includes my dietary philosophy and an overview on how to use these weekly meal plans. Also, make sure to stock up on my (mostly) non-toxic munchkin kitchen essentials which help make meal prep much easier.
The first Monday back after the holiday is one of the most joyous days at drop-off.
Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed spending two weeks with my child. But I also enjoy being able to manage the most basic tasks of my life outside of a 1.5-hour nap window.
And yet, now that I’m back at my desk with childcare, those tasks still feel hard.
Jo Piazza said it best in her newsletter:
What if the first days of work and school after a long holiday, were spent easing back into the world instead of aggressively trying to be AS PRODUCTIVE AS POSSIBLE?
This includes the kitchen, which is why I’m postponing most of my meal prep to next week and taking as much help from store bought helpers (like a jar of salsa) as I can get.
If you’re with me, this menu is for you.
In case you missed it, I had a lot to say about protein when it comes to kids. If you’re feeling bombarded by low carb edicts this time of year, please give it a read. In a sea of misused nutrition catch-phrases, this post will actually teach you how your body works (and why adults and kids need different things).
2025 was the year of no sleep. Whether it’s due to peri-menopause, stress, a general health unraveling, or all of the above, it is one area I’m focusing on in 2026. In a moment of desperation in December, I impulse bought this gadget from an Instagram ad. I’ve been using it every day for the last two weeks and though I’m still restless at times, I think there’s an overall improvement? I’ll report back on my progress.
Happy munching!
Phoebe
THE GAME PLAN
Store-Bought Spotlight
(elements you can buy)
Cassava Flour Tortillas: Despite years of trying to make corn happen, flour tortillas are just a superior vehicle for quesadillas. I make this work in my GF life by buying Siete products. I’m partial to the cassava option – it is the most flexible / durable. If you are not GF just buy flour!
Mild Roasted Tomato Salsa: Any mild salsa does the trick, but I’m partial to Frontera roasted tomato because the flavor is so intense. Roasting the tomatoes also makes the salsa texture thicker and less watery. Your salsa can do double duty this week as a topping for quesadillas and then as the sauce for your baked chicken.
Enchilada Beans: Why Heyday isn’t paying me by now, I am not sure, but it’s something we can manifest in 2026. Their enchilada beans are labeled as mild, but are a smidge spicy for my munch, so I don’t serve them on their own. Mixed in with rice, they are wonderful.
Teriyaki Tofu: Premarinated organic tofu is one of my munch menu secret weapons for adding protein. You simply slice or dice – no cooking necessary!
Brown Rice & Millet Ramen: Lotus Foods makes my favorite alt-noodles from interesting ancient grains and heirloom rice varieties. Their black rice ramen is also delicious and a fun way to shake things up on your munch’s plate in the name of SSBD (same same but different).
Gluten-Free Gnocchi: This shelf stable gnocchi really mimics traditional premade dumplings. For a grain-free option in the freezer aisle, I like Cappello’s.
P.S. Have you been enjoying Munch Menus as a free subscriber? It takes me many many hours to put together these game plans every week. If you love them, it’s a very reasonable $1.50 per week if you do the annual option. A small price to pay for someone to do all the planning for you!
Meal Prep
(elements you can make in advance)
Freezer Eggplant Parm: January is a perfect month to do some favors for your future self by stocking the freezer. This dish involves no breading and takes very little time to prep. The only time commitment is the baking, and if you freeze pre-baked portions in advance, this too can be avoided.
Salsa Chicken: One of my favorite recipe hacks: combine 1 pound chicken thighs and 1 jar salsa (or whatever is leftover from the quesadillas!) in a baking dish or skillet. Bake at 400F until the chicken is tender and the salsa has reduced, 30 minutes. It keeps great in the fridge or can be made the night of. Garnish with cilantro or melt some extra cheddar over the top.
Rice & Beans: Combine 1 cup long-grain white rice with 1.5 cups water or stock. Stir in one can of black beans (rinsed and drained), or one can of the pre-made enchilada beans. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes. This gazpacho rice and bean recipe is another option if you don’t mind something a little more involved!
Peanut Sauce: Simply sub peanut butter for tahini in the fan favorite Sesame Everything Sauce. It takes 5 minutes to throw together, but also keeps forever, so you might as well make it ahead. Alternatively, you can sub any store bought peanut sauce to save time.
Turkey Bolognese: I love this hidden veggie Bolognese recipe, which uses store bought tomato sauce as a shortcut. If you don’t have time to make something from scratch, any store bought sauce will work with the gnocchi!
Quickies
(non-recipe recipes you can cook the night or day of)
Onion and Pepper Quesadillas: Thinly slice one red onion and one red or yellow bell pepper. Sauté in a large skillet over medium heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, grate 8 ounces of cheddar cheese. Divide the cheese and onion-pepper mixture between 4 tortillas and fold. Pan-fry the quesadillas in the same skillet until the cheese is melting and the tortilla is crisp on both sides. You can freeze any remaining quesadillas or use for lunchboxes later in the week.
Ramen & Green Beans: Cut the green beans into 1-inch pieces and throw into the boiling water with the ramen during the last two minutes of cooking. Drain well, top with the tofu and peanut sauce. Alternatively, check out the recipe for one pan tofu below in the family dinner section!
Gnocchi: Cook according to package instructions. If boiling and not finishing on the stove, you can kill two birds with one stone and toss the broccoli in with the boiling gnocchi (same trick as above). Toss with the Bolognese (or whatever sauce you like).
Buttery Broccoli: You can use fresh or frozen broccoli and employ the microwave as a shortcut! Otherwise, cut a medium head into florets, add 2 tablespoons of water, and steam in a covered skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, a crushed garlic clove, maybe a splash of lemon and season with salt. Toss until everything is melted off the heat.
FAMILY MEAL IDEAS FOR WEEKENDS
If you’re someone who goes the family dinner route, don’t worry, I still got you! Every week I’ll add two ideas from my archives or the internet that have been kid-approved in my house. You can make them on the weekends or rotate them into a munch menu.
Moroccan Lamb Chili with Sweet Potatoes: We’ve officially entered slow cooker season, and one of the first recipes I turn to is this chili that is a meal in a bowl. Instead of beans, it uses chickpeas and sweet potatoes as the carbs. If you don’t have lamb, beef, turkey or chicken would work well too. And the stew is finished off with a dose of frozen kale, which melts away enough in the pot not to bother your munch.
One Pan Tofu with Green Beans in Peanut Dressing (What are we Having): This easy veggie dinner comes by way of the lovely Hillary Dixler Canavan. It’s probably sacrilege to say that I am not personally a Trader Joe’s shopper, but her series on quick dinners inspired by their aisles is always full of family meals that are simple to execute. This one is perfect for a weeknight quickie for munch and adults alike!
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This is brilliant advice about easing back into routines after the holidays! That Jo Piazza quote really resonantes with how I felt last week trying too jump straight into my normal grind. Sometimes I gotta remind myself its okay to use shortcuts and not try to be superhuman right away, especially when getting back into the rythmn of work and meal planning feels overwhelming.
Thanks for sharing my recipe — even though you’re a TJs skeptic! 🫶