I’ve never hidden the fact that while I love to bake, cooking can be a different story. Meal planning and dinners have always been a bit of a challenge for me. I am always looking for easy meals that my family, including the picky eaters, will enjoy. Being a bit more organized about meal planning was one of my new year’s resolutions this year, and I’m trying! Today I want to share a simple and delicious Easy Shrimp Alfredo recipe with you, as well as what a weekly meal plan looks like for us.
The folks at SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Company recently asked me if I would like to try some of their products and work them into my meal plan. Since that whole meal plan thing is something I am really trying to improve this year (you know, have more than four meals, one being takeout pizza!), I was up to the challenge. And I’m also excited that they are going to give someone a year’s supply of SeaPak!
I think one of the biggest challenges for meal planning for me is the actual “planning” part. So many times I find myself unprepared, not having all of the items I need, or not getting the timing right. I’ve tried to really simply things this year, keep my pantry stocked with staples and have quick and easy protein sources, such as SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood, stocked in the freezer.
Another challenge I face is having two picky eaters. Both my girls are pretty darn picky, and one is not into trying new foods. She’s fond of walking through the kitchen while I’m cooking and declaring, “not gonna try it”. Thanks for that vote of support kid! She also is not a fan of her foods mixed together, even foods she likes, so that counts out a lot of casseroles and slow cooker meals. I’ve taken to coming up with dishes that the rest of the family can mix together, but that I can serve her side by side, such as this Shrimp Alfredo.
There is something so fun about popcorn shrimp. I remember getting it as a kid when we would go out to dinner, and to this day it has a nostalgic quality to me. My girls love fettuccine alfredo, and while broccoli isn’t their favorite, this meal was a hit, and was so easy to whip up. While I love to roast my veggies when I have the time, I love the frozen and fresh steamer bags that allow me to pop my veggies in the microwave. A dinner like this works well for me, I can make my pasta and sauce on the stove, while my shrimp cooks in the oven and my veggie cooks in the microwave, and they all come together in the end.
So what does a typical weekly meal plan look like for me, a busy mom who doesn’t love to cook, and often has to whip up meals quickly after school and before taking my oldest daughter to an evening of dance lessons? Here’s a sample of a weekly meal plan for us. It’s not fancy, it’s not elaborate, and there is some takeout in there, but it’s real and it’s do-able, which is what I think is most important!
Weekly Meal Plan
Sunday – Roast With Potatoes and Carrots
Monday – Meatless Monday – Takeout Pizza (our favorite local pizza place has half off deals on Monday, and for me having our crazy Monday dinner picked up on my husband’s way home is a sanity saver!). Served with a salad and veggies.
Tuesday – Taco Tuesday – Fiesta Shrimp Tacos
Wednesday – Turkey Sliders
Thursday – Chicken Pot Pie
Friday – Easy Shrimp Alfredo With Broccoli (recipe below)
Saturday – Bar-B-Que or Breakfast For Dinner
That’s what a simple week looks like for us. As I said, nothing fancy, but something I can achieve. I try to always make a little extra, which gives us leftovers for lunches. We are creatures of habit, so I often put simple spins on things like the Easy Shrimp Alfredo, and another week we’ll have a similar dish made with macaroni. For me keeping things simple is really the key to making meal planning work for our family.
If you are looking for meal planning inspiration and more delicious recipes, make sure to head over to the SeaPak website.
Also, don’t miss my delicious Bang Bang Shrimp recipe.
Easy Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients
Fettuccine Alfredo
- 1/2 pound uncooked fettuccine
- 4 oz cream cheese (cut into eight pieces)
- 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/5 tsp salt
Broccoli
- 2 cups fresh or one pound frozen broccoli florets
Shrimp
- 1 - 12 oz package SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp
Instructions
Shrimp
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange frozen shrimp in a single layer on baking sheet so shrimp are not touching. Bake for 110 to 11 minutes on middle rack. For best results, turn shrimp after five minutes
Fettuccine Alfredo and Broccoli
- While shrimp is baking, cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions. Fresh broccoli can be cooked with the pasta during the last two minutes of pasta cook time. For frozen broccoli, prepare according to package directions.
- In a saucepan, cook remaining fettuccine alfredo ingredients on low heat until cream cheese is completely blended and mixture is mixed well.
- Once pasta is done drain and return to pan. Add sauce and stir to coat evenly. Add cooked pasta, broccoli and shrimp. Serve.
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
This easy Shrimp Alfredo is quick and easy to whip up, you can easily have it on the table in under 20 minutes start to finish. Even I can do 20 minutes! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Company. All opinions however are mine and mine alone.
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
We LOVE the SeaPak shrimp – my husband will seriously eat a package himself!! What a great way to turn it into a family friendly meal!
Thanks Deborah! We should probably not talk about how many pieces of shrimp I ate straight from the pan, I would probably be right there with your hubby!
That’s a great and realistic meal plan for a busy mom! I usually try to plan out what we’re going to eat on Sundays. . sometimes it works for the entire week and sometimes, I say screw it and we order pizza. But I do love to cook and introduce my kids to new foods as much as I can. . I love this shrimp alfredo!!! My kids would actually eat and love this! 🙂
Thanks Alice! Yeah, I try to keep it simple and realistic. In the past I’ve gotten a bit too complicated, or thought I’d have far more energy at the end of the day than I ever actually do, so simple = do-able. 🙂
This is a great quick week night meal we would all love!! – like you I love to bake….cooking, not so much. I need quick and easy
Thanks Cheryl! Quick and easy for the win!
My meal plans look a lot like yours. I am only cooking for one adult and two small kids, so my meals are not elaborate in any way!
Ashley, I am all about keeping it super simple! 🙂 By that time of the day I’m just trying to hold it together until bedtime!
We are the exact same about cooking and baking! But this dinner looks amazing. I LOVE shrimp!
What is it with kids and not wanting foods to mix? Does EVERY kid go through this phase? hahaha. Whatever, kid – here’s all the elements of your meal, eat it however you want. Love how your meal plan is so totally do-able. Let’s be real, we all need takeout once a week, but cooking at home for the majority of the week (and using a little help from things like SeaPak products) is the way to go. I’m digging this recipe. Pinned!
Lori, seriously! It took me years to get my oldest to eat any sort of casserole and even then she had to witness it coming together to make sure that I wasn’t sneaking something in. I’m with you though, here are the individual parts, as long as you eat them, I don’t care if they touched or did not touch. And yes, takeout once a week is a sanity saver, I’ve found it easier to embrace it than fret over it, then keep it easy the rest of the week. 🙂
This looks like the perfect meal for a busy weeknight! My family will gladly eat pasta of any kind, especially if it involves shrimp.
Thanks so much Dara!
Thanks so much Dara!
I am the worst meal planner in all the land. Love this easy and yummy dish with the SeaPack Shrimp
Leslie, you’d be in the running with me for that title! I always wonder how others are so prepared and together, it certainly does not come natural to me, but having a few go to easy recipes is helping me get there. Baby steps!
I’m soon with ya! Meals that the entire family enjoys are priceless & this looks like the ticket to success!
Thanks Marla! When there is a meal the whole family enjoys, I pretty much feel like I won for the day!
Love this fun dinner recipe Christi! My boys are so picky with seafood, but they do really love this shrimp! Have a great Monday! xo
Thanks Jenny! I think popcorn shrimp is like the gateway seafood for kids, there is something so fun about it.