This week is a good one. We’re firing up the grill for Yucatán pork, hibachi steak and shrimp, shish kabobs, AND sourdough pizza (yes, I show you how to grill it right in the post), then slowing things down with IHOP-style pancakes for a lazy morning and homemade cookies and cream ice cream that you make once and pull out all week long.
Scroll through before you shop. As a Smart Cooky Club member, each recipe comes with prep-ahead tips, gluten-free, low-carb, and dairy-free swaps, serving suggestions, and little notes I’ve added to help everything come together without the stress. That’s the good stuff you won’t find just browsing the blog. This lineup is made for summer: mostly hands-off, mostly outdoors, and the kind of food that makes people happy to show up at your table.
Your Weekly Plan
Suggested sides are not included in the grocery list.
- Dinner 1: Yucatan-Style Achiote Pork
- Dinner 2: Hibachi Steak and Shrimp
- Dinner 3: Shish Kabobs
- Dinner 4: Homemade Sourdough Pizza
- Brunch/Lunch/Dinner: Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes
- Snack/Dessert: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
This Week’s Kitchen Rhythm
Your Smart Cooky Club plan for the week
- Fire up the grill: Yucatán Pork
Marinate it the night before and let the grill do the heavy lifting! - Surf + turf night: Hibachi Steak and Shrimp
Skip the restaurant bill and bring the Benihana vibes right to your own backyard (or kitchen)! - Skewer season: Shish Kebabs
Thread ’em, grill ’em, devour ’em. The whole family picks their favorites and dinner practically makes itself. - Homemade pizza night: Sourdough Pizza
Start the dough earlier in the week and let it work its magic. Pizza night just got a major upgrade. - Slow-down breakfast: Harvest Grain & Nut Pancakes
IHOP who? These hearty, nutty pancakes are the weekend treat everyone deserves. - Sweet treat all week: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Make it at the start of the week and let the freezer be your best friend. Dessert is always ready when you are!
A simple plan to help your week run a little smoother.
5 Steps to a Stress-Free Week of Meals
Start by printing your grocery list, then let’s make this week feel a whole lot easier.
Remember the suggested sides are not included on the grocery list, so be sure to add those ingredients.
- Plan Your Week, Your Way: There’s no right or wrong order here. Cook the meals as listed or mix and match your favorites.
- Access Your Recipes Anytime: Print the recipe cards or pull them up on your device. Everything you need is right at your fingertips.
- Shop Smart: Check your fridge and pantry first. Cross off what you already have and add anything else you need.
- Make It Yours: Use the tips below to adjust for dietary needs, preferences, or portion sizes.
- Enjoy the Process: This is about simplifying your week and gathering around the table with good food and the people you love.
You’re building a kitchen rhythm that serves your home well, one simple meal at a time.
Dinner 1: Yucatan-Style Barbecued Pork
Prep-Ahead Tips: This one is all about the marinade. Make it the night before and let the pork soak up all that gorgeous citrusy, smoky goodness. You can marinate up to 8 hours (don’t go longer with a citrus-based marinade, or the pork can get mushy). When it’s time to grill, it cooks up in about 8 to 12 minutes. Leftovers are incredible tucked into tacos or burritos the next day!
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, just double-check your spice labels to be safe.
- Dairy-Free: Already dairy-free as written — you’re good to go!
- Low-Carb: Skip the tortillas and serve sliced over cauliflower rice or a crisp salad. Add pickled red onions and avocado and you won’t miss a thing.
Cooking for Two? This recipe scales down easily, just use the slider on the recipe card. Leftovers also reheat beautifully and are fantastic in tacos or rice bowls throughout the week.
Suggested Sides: We love this with Mexican Street Corn Rice Bowls and a fresh Mexican Chopped Salad. Or keep it simple with warm tortillas, fresh cilantro, and pickled red onions.
Dinner 2: Hibachi Steak and Shrimp
Prep-Ahead Tips: Day-old rice is the secret for the best hibachi fried rice, so cook your rice the day before and let it chill in the fridge overnight! Prep and chop your veggies ahead of time and store them in the fridge so when it’s go-time, everything just flows. Make the Yum Yum Sauce a day or two ahead too!
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: Swap regular soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos and double-check your oyster sauce label. Otherwise, this comes together beautifully GF!
- Dairy-Free: Skip the garlic butter or use a plant-based butter alternative! Still totally delicious.
- Low-Carb: Serve over cauliflower fried “rice” instead of traditional fried rice, and load up the plate with extra hibachi veggies.
Cooking for Two? Just scale down the proteins and rice. The Yum Yum sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, so make the full batch, you’ll want it on everything.
Suggested Sides: This is basically a full dinner in one dish, but a side of Hibachi Vegetables and Hibachi Fried Rice takes it full restaurant-style.
Dinner 3: Shish Kabobs
Prep-Ahead Tips: Mix the marinade up the night before and let your chicken and/or steak marinate in the fridge. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling so they don’t burn. Chop your veggies ahead of time and store them in the fridge, then thread everything onto skewers right before grilling. Dinner will be on the table in no time!
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari in place of soy sauce, and double-check your seasonings. Load up those skewers with extra veggies. The more, the merrier!
- Dairy-Free: This recipe is naturally dairy-free.
- Low-Carb: Skip the pineapple on the kabobs and stick to protein and veggies, and watch how much onion is on your skewers.
Cooking for Two? Just make fewer skewers! The marinade can easily be halved, or make the full batch and use the extra to marinate veggies for another night.
Suggested Sides: Serve with a big side of rice pilaf or a Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette. Warm pita or flatbread on the side is always a crowd-pleaser too!
No skewers? A grill basket works beautifully for keeping all those veggies and meat together on the grill!
Dinner 4: Homemade Sourdough Pizza
Prep-Ahead Tips: The dough actually needs time to develop flavor, so plan to make it 1–3 days before pizza night. Mix it up early in the week, let it do a slow rise in the fridge, and by the time Friday night rolls around, all you have to do is stretch, top, and bake!
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: In order to make gluten-free bread, you need to start with a gluten-free starter; if you have that, substitute the flour for a good gluten-free bread flour for the best results. You can use your favorite store-bought GF pizza crust or a cauliflower crust as a base and top it with all the same amazing toppings.
- Dairy-Free: Use your favorite dairy-free cheese or skip the cheese entirely and load up on veggies and sauce, it’ll still be incredibly delicious with a great sourdough crust.
- Low-Carb: Try a cauliflower pizza crust as your base, then pile on all the toppings you love.
Cooking for Two? Make the full batch of dough and freeze half for another pizza night, since it freezes beautifully! Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and you’ve got a head start on dinner next week.
Suggested Sides: An Italian Chopped Salad is the classic pairing. Or serve with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli for something a little heartier alongside your slices.
Breakfast: Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes
Prep-Ahead Tips: Mix your dry ingredients the night before and store them in a bowl on the counter. In the morning, just add your wet ingredients and you’re ready to flip! These also freeze like a dream; make a full batch, cool completely, and freeze flat on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Pop them in the toaster on busy mornings and enjoy!
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: Swap the whole wheat flour for your favorite GF flour blend and certified GF oat flour. The texture will be slightly different but still wonderfully hearty and nutty.
- Dairy-Free: Use your favorite plant-based milk in place of buttermilk. Use dairy-free butter as well.
- Low-Carb: These are heartier-than-average pancakes thanks to the whole grains and nuts, but for a lower-carb version, try swapping in almond flour and reducing the oat flour.
Cooking for Two? Halve the batter easily using the recipe card slider. Or make the full batch and freeze the extras. Future-you will be SO glad you did.
Suggested Sides: Crispy bacon or breakfast sausage, hash browns, fresh fruit, a drizzle of real maple syrup, and a big cup of coffee. That’s weekend morning perfection right there.
Dessert: Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Prep-Ahead Tips: This is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it dessert! Make it at the start of the week and the freezer takes care of the rest! Mix it up, pour it in your ice cream maker, freeze for at least 6 hours (overnight is even better), and you’ve got a creamy, dreamy dessert ready and waiting every single night.
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free sandwich cookies in place of regular Oreos. There are some great options out there!
- Dairy-Free: Swap the heavy cream for full-fat canned coconut cream and your favorite higher-fat nut milk. The texture is slightly different but still wonderfully creamy and delicious.
- Lower Sugar: Use Zero-Sugar Oreos, yes they are a thing!
Cooking for Two? Make the full batch. It keeps beautifully in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Just scoop what you need and tuck it back in. The hardest part is not eating it all at once! 🍦
Suggested Serving: Scoop into waffle cones or bowls, crumble a few extra cookies on top, and serve with warm brownies and hot fudge if you’re feeling extra fancy. Because why not?
Make the Most of This Meal Plan
- Only the main recipes are included in the printable grocery list (no sides)
- Look over the recipes at the start of the week so nothing sneaks up on you
- Prep a few basics ahead (chopped veggies, cooked proteins, sauces)
- Cook once, plan for leftovers to cover another meal
- Don’t be afraid to swap meals based on your schedule or what sounds good
- Keep simple sides on hand (bread, salad, fruit) to round things out
- Adjust portions as needed, especially if cooking for two
- Give yourself a little grace… done is better than perfect 💚
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