This post contains a 15 Day Meal Plan that’s based around recipes with common ingredients that have a long shelf life, and delivers big flavours with crowd pleasing food! There’s a consolidated grocery list, all the recipes are easy to make and it’s based around a family of 4 to 5.
If we’re housebound, let’s make sure that life is extra delicious!! {Also – Meal Plan #2 now available!)
Coronavirus Quarantine Menu Plan
2 weeks ago, you might’ve turned your nose up at the thought of stocking up on food in anticipation of being housebound due to Coronavirus.
Today, I’d consider it the wise thing to do. I don’t want to be overly dramatic or an alarmist, but these are uncertain times. But one thing we can do to give ourselves a sense of security is to stock our pantries with a sensible amount of food.
So here’s a 15 Day+ Menu Plan with a consolidated grocery list for a family of 4! This is what you’ll get:
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15 dinner recipes – most will have some leftovers
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Long shelf life ingredients – all ingredients are freezable or kept in the pantry
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Family friendly – I’ve parked the more exotic / spicy dishes for another day!
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Common ingredients across recipes – for efficiency (cost and number of items)
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Highly versatile – substitute away!
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Easy to make, complete meals – so you don’t have to think about adding sides
Hope you find it useful! – Nagi x
Tip: Go to the grocery store as soon as it opens. Or ask them when they do restocking of shelves!
IMPORTANT: Read this first
Here are universal changes I’ve made to the recipes that is reflected in the grocery list, aimed at space and cost efficiency, and shelf life of ingredients. I’ve also listed some useful substitutions.
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Stock cubes / powder instead of liquid broth/stock – use stock cubes / powder instead (bouillon cubes) instead of liquid stock sold in cartons. Dissolve 1 cube or 1 tsp of powder in 1 cup boiling water = 1 cup liquid stock. Much more space efficient than storing gallons of liquid stock;
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Can’t find canned tomato? (It’s hot property here in Sydney!) Here’s a substitute using tomato paste: Whisk 1.5 tbsp flour with 1/4 cup water until lump free. Then mix in another 1 1/4 cups water, 4 tbsp tomato paste and 1 tsp sugar. Bring to simmer on stove until it thickens to gravy consistency. Use in place of 1 can of crushed tomato;
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Switched short shelf life fresh ingredients for longer shelf life ingredients. For example, bean sprouts (lasts several days) switched for shredded cabbage (lasts 4+ weeks). These switches are specified in the list below;
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Skip insignificant garnishes; and
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Be prepared to substitute depending on what you can get your hands on. Don’t get hung up on using the right beans or right pasta, or exact herbs. Be flexible!
Also see my GOLD TIPS on smart food stocking(don’t hoard!)
15 Day Coronavirus Quarantine Menu Plan
Here’s an overview of the meal plan. Notes on long shelf life adjustments and substitutions for each are listed in each recipe below.
Click here to download and print the grocery list
1. Chicken Enchiladas
Filled with a juicy chicken and bean filling and homemade Enchilada Sauce!
Sub options: use any beans you have – even lentils or chickpeas, or add diced frozen vegetables instead. Or make the ground beef/mince version!
2. Creamy Chicken Pasta
Chicken, parmesan, garlic, creamy, sun dried tomatoes, and a sprinkle of bacon. Do you need anymore information? 😂
Subs: Use any pasta you can find, long or short. Also – cream and parmesan are freezable! Use frozen spinach in place of baby spinach – or any vegetable you can get your hands on. Or just leave it out!
3. Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup
Slow cooked for fall apart beef! Magnificent stew-like soup that’s hearty with a flavourful broth.
Subs: Use any vegetables you can. Switch the stewing beef for any protein suitable for stewing!
4. Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Tastes like a risotto…but so much easier to make!
Subs: Skip the chicken and double up on broccoli to make it meat free. Switch the broccoli for any vegetables you have.
5. Corn Chowder
Creamy corn chowder with potato and sprinkled with bacon bits… it’s all MINE!!! Psst recipe recommends fresh corn, but just use canned or frozen (quantity is in the recipe 👍)
Subs: Switch the corn for anything you could add into soups. Diced vegetables, peas, even rice, quinoa or beans! (Ooooh…creamy bean soup….)
6. Creamy Tuna Mornay
The highest and best use for canned tuna, full stop! The creamy garlic parmesan sauce is 100% amazing (and no cream!)
Subs: Make this with any short pasta, switch tuna with canned salmon, use other chopped proteins OR stir in frozen veg and make it meat free!
7. Chicken Nachos
Imagine Friday nights in with THIS in front of Netflix……
8. Brazilian Coconut Chickpea Curry
Chickpeas made amazing, thanks to the Brazilians!
Subs: This sauce works with everything, from Fish to shrimp/prawns, chicken, beef, vegetables, any bean.
Click here to download and print the grocery list for this 15 Day Meal Plan
9. Beef Ramen Noodles
One pot wonder! Psst Recipe calls for beansprouts, but we’re going to sub with cabbage instead cause it lasts forever in the fridge (ok ok, “forever” is a slight exaggeration – but upwards of 4 weeks for sure!)
Subs: Make this with any ground/mince meat. (Fellow Aussies, there was still plenty of KANGAROO meat at the store today even though everything else was gone!)
10. Cashew Chicken
Chinese takeout gold standard! (PS Loads of sauce to soak your rice. Promise.)
Subs: Make this with any vegetables or protein you have. The sauce will make anything taste great!
11. Chili Mac and Cheese
Nope, not spicy. Just loaded with flavour! Juicy, saucy, cheesy, beefy, it’s a cross between Chilli Con Carne and Mac ‘n Cheese.
Subs: Make this with any ground/mince meat, switch the red kidney beans for any beans you have. Or sub with diced veg. This one’s all about the sauce (eeer….and cheese 😇)
12. Chicken Lo Mein Noodles
The beauty of these noodles? You could make it with just spaghetti and cabbage, and it’s still going to be delicious (I should know, I’ve done it!). That Lo Mein Sauce ROCKS.
RECIPE CHANGE: Grocery list calls for this to be made using instant ramen / dried noodles because of long shelf life (recipe calls for fresh noodles). Also grocery list accounts for double batch to serve 5 (recipe as written serves 2 – 3).
13. Salmon Patties
Who knew you could make something so amazing with CANNED salmon!!?
Subs: Try this with any canned fish, especially tuna! Skip the fresh dill if you don’t have it, just add 1 tsp of any dried herbs you have.
14. Baked Spaghetti
A vision that makes me weak in the knees…
Subs: Make this with any pasta, and any ground/mince meat.
15. Mexican Beef Rice Casserole
This is how you take a packet of beef mince (ground beef) and a cup of rice and turn it into an amazing dinner.
Subs: Any ground/mince meat, any diced veg! Only rule – no skimping on the CHEESE 😉
Grocery List
I’ve combined the ingredients for all the above recipes into one consolidated grocery list. You can even browse the big matrix I used to calculate the totals and check the formulas I used to convert the ingredients into different metrics! 😂
Click here to download and print the grocery list
I hope you find this Menu Plan useful! If there’s enough demand, I’ll prepare another one which is more adult focussed – more worldly foods, more exciting flavours. (Think – Chicken Shawarma, Indian Chickpea Curry, Lamb Koftas etc)
And lastly, you might also find this useful – my gold tips for food stocking for Coronavirus. Sensible suggestions for space saving and cost saving food items.
Stay safe everyone! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Life of Dozer
Rest assured the Baked Spaghetti above was subjected to a thorough quality control:
Stephanie says
Thanks so much for sharing this and including substitutes – this is an actually useful menu plan that I can keep handy!
Lyndall says
Thanks Nagi, I love so many of your recipes. Thanks for taking the time to provide so many handy hints in this uncertain time.
Nemo says
Thank you Nagi! You do an amazing job and we love your recipes in our home. This is such a great idea so thanks!!
Ann says
This is wonderful! Thank you from a Scot on lockdown in California. You and Dozer look after yourselves!
Prue says
Wow, this is genius! Honest to god, I said a few weeks ago should the quarantine thing happen, my goal was to cook more of your recipes, and paint the house. This has just made part 1 super easy! I’m off to do a stocktake now 🙂
Also very keen for the adult focused plan even though I have a toddler, we’re lucky he’s a great eater!
Cimmie S says
Many thanks for your labours. Sensible food suggestions with grocery list…hugs aplenty🤗.
chris says
hi nagi,
this is amazing! thank you for putting this together. i would be happy with just this list, however, an adult focused one would also be much appreciated. your website is my household’s goto cookbook. thank you for all that you do! all the best!
Kelly Samsel says
Hi Nagi, Thank you so much for these recipies and some useful help! Today, I made your Juicy Roast Turkey, & Italian Sausage and Beef Ragu (a staple in my house), I’m plan to make a Lasagna to freeze for later with the Ragu sauce. I also love the Beef Enchiladas. It is so easy to make, & the flavor is delicious! Again, thank you for your easy, and flavorful recipes. Cooking doesn’t seem to difficult anymore.
NAIR says
You make a rookie cook like me look like he knows what he’s doing…..great menus for a tough time …and I don’t have to worry about buying toilet paper like so many daft Canucks!
Denise says
Thank you Nagi, you are a sweetheart for sending out these recipes. Stay safe and keep Dozer off your jumper 😂
Lucy says
Hi Nagi, hope you’re well too in these crazy times. You are my go to for all recipes, my family and I love all the recipes you come up with.
Daniela says
Thank you sooo much Nagi! It means a lot.
May I present you with another challenge for those of us with a sweeter tooth? I’ve been trying to find recipes for sweet treats that don’t require a lot of ingredients. Especially not a lot of butter or eggs since those are on high demand and I need to ration them at home XD
Thanks so much!
Kate says
Try googling depression cake/crazy cake for no egg/no dairy cake recipes.
Another option would be things like turkish delight, which requires no dairy or eggs, or toffee products (like homemade toffee apples).
For frozen sweets, think about making sorbet, which is basically fruit (juice or puree) + sugar syrup.
Try googling vegan sweets or dairy free desserts and see what comes up.
Trace says
Thank you so much Nagi. I use your recipes all the time (Asian Slaw big hit) and will pass this on to friends, family and clients. Stay well and hugs to beautiful Dozer and yourself.
Carole Kuns says
Thank you, Nagi. We are “hunkerered down” and I have many of the ingredients you suggested to stock up on. It was exciting to have new recipe ideas, because we need a bit of variety in our menus. Although we can get groceries delivered, it does not include fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, or frozen items. I appreciate your effort and concern for all of us at this frightening time. Keep healthy. Blessings.
Tamara says
Nagi, you’re the real MVP! Thanks for putting this all together! PS.. I have made more than half these recipes and they are all so delish! I love the consolidated grocery list I just may make this my monthly grocery list from now on 😂 Cheers all the way from sunny Florida!
Nancy says
Thank you for such a thoughtfully curated menu plan as we navigate uncharted territory. Hope you and Dozer and family all stay well and please keep posting!
Sarah says
Nagi, this is wonderful. You are wonderful! Thank you!!!! I’ve recently got into making your recipes (we’re currently trying about one new recipe each week, the brazilian fish stew is on fortnightly rotation), and this resource is wonderful. It will be used by our family, and it will bless me. Trust me, this is gold beyond isolation and viruses – just family planning/budgeting/simplicity/yumminess gold.
TerryF says
Here in Canada, we have been practicing self-isolation and preparing for possible lockdown for weeks now – but your post is the first I have seen that comprehensively addresses food and menu planning. Bravo and thank you, Nagi! Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Ronnie says
This is an awesome idea! Thanks! Stay well!
susan johnson says
I too, have always loved your recipes! Not only do your recipes give comfort and cheer, but you yourself are always uplifting and put a smile on my face. THANK YOU