🗓 September 28, 2025 — by Carol in 2025, Autumn Week 1, From Scratch, Meal Plan, Weekly Dinner
A week of hearty comfort food, a few real-life swaps, and just enough balance to prove the Autumn meal plan works in practice, not just on paper.
How the Meals Played Out:
Autumn #1 is officially in the books, and honestly? It went better than expected. All five dinners hit the table, even if a couple showed up in disguise (looking at you, cheeseburger and bacon & eggs). The Shrimp Po’ Boys were delicious but camera shy, and the extras made their cameos without overwhelming the week. A1C balance leaned a little heavy on Tuesday, but Thursday lightened things right back up. In short: the meal plan worked, real life did its thing, and we’re rolling into Autumn #2 with lessons learned and appetites intact.
Jump to the Lessons learned section.
🟩 Monday, September 22, 2025 – Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Tender steak bites with cavatappi pasta kicked the week off with a hearty classic.
🟥 Tuesday, September 23, 2025 – Cheesy Ground Beef & Rice
The skillet comfort food worked exactly as planned — cheesy, filling, and a perfect Tuesday night fit.
🟨 Wednesday, September 24, 2025 – Cheeseburger & Onion Rings
The pasta didn’t happen — instead, it was a juicy cheeseburger with crispy onion rings. Honestly? No regrets.
🟪 Thursday, September 25, 2025 – Bacon and Eggs
The skillet chops got bumped, replaced by a breakfast-for-dinner plate of bacon and eggs. Sometimes simple is the win.
🔵 Friday, September 26, 2025 – Grilled Shrimp Po’ Boys
es, we cooked them — roasted peppers, onions, pickles, and all. No photo proof, but I promise they were delicious. Next year I’ll review this seafood meal, since “all fried” isn’t the best idea.
🍽 Saturday, September 27, 2025 – Giordano’s
[Simple Summary]
🍽 Sunday, September 28, 2025 – Chipotle
[Simple Summary]
🧐 Lessons Learned This Week
Vegetables are still the tough nut to crack — Steve’s list is short, but varying prep (roasted vs caramelized vs fresh) kept things from feeling stale.
A1C balance wasn’t bad: Tuesday skewed carb-heavy, but Thursday was light and protein-packed, so the week leveled out.
Flexibility wins: cheeseburgers and bacon & eggs might not have been “the plan,” but they were real and satisfying.
I will eventually take a photo of the Shrimp Po’ Boys. Maybe. Someday.
Autumn Week #1 through the years.
🔮 Looking Ahead…
Autumn 2 is here, and it’s not easing in quietly. Monday starts with Ham Fried Rice — because apparently we think tossing eggs, ham, and every leftover veggie into a pan counts as balance. Tuesday doubles down with a Bacon Cheeseburger Chopped Salad that pretends to be light but sneaks in croutons, cheese, and dressing because moderation is overrated.
By Wednesday we’re frying chicken cutlets, drowning them in gravy, and serving them with loaded mashed potatoes that have so many add-ins they probably need their own zip code. Thursday means Steak and Potato Packets — foil dinners that make us feel like we’re camping without ever leaving the kitchen. And Friday wraps it up with Shrimp Cakes, Seasoned Rice, and a Ginger Garlic Cucumber Salad, which at least sounds like we tried to behave.
The extras don’t make things easier: Double Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter M&M Blondies, and Fried Corn & Cheese Fritters are basically shouting, “Forget balance, just enjoy.” It’s going to be hearty, messy, and absolutely delicious — exactly how October should taste.