Welcome to the first Veg Box Weekly Meal Planner. This November menu is built around potatoes, onions, leeks, squash, Savoy cabbage, radicchio, Padrón peppers, courgettes, apples, pears and bananas, with rice, pasta, pulses, eggs and seasonings from the cupboard. Swap ingredients to match what actually arrives.
The Seven-Day Plan
Monday — Padrón Pepper, Courgette & Chickpea Rice Bowls
Char the peppers in a hot pan, fry sliced courgette with garlic and paprika, then toss with warmed tinned chickpeas. Serve over rice with a lemony yoghurt dressing if you have yoghurt. Lunch tomorrow: pack any leftovers as a rice salad. Most Padrón peppers are mild, but an occasional one is hot.
Tuesday — Leek & Potato Soup with Toasted Bread
Soften two sliced leeks and an onion in butter or oil, add diced potatoes, stock and enough water to cover. Simmer until tender, then blend or leave chunky. Serve with toast or stale-bread croutons. Lunch tomorrow: save two portions of soup.
Wednesday — Creamy Courgette & Leek Pasta
Cook the remaining leek with grated or sliced courgette and garlic. Toss with pasta, a splash of pasta water and grated cheese, or a spoonful of cream cheese if there’s some in the fridge. Add chilli flakes or dried tarragon.
Thursday — Squash, Cumin & Lentil Traybake
Roast squash wedges and onions with cumin, oil and salt at 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F for around 30–40 minutes until tender. Serve with cooked lentils and a mustardy dressing. Roast extra squash for Saturday. Lunch tomorrow: stuff leftovers into a wrap or serve over grains.
Friday — Savoy Cabbage, Potato & Bean Hash
Parboil diced potatoes, then crisp them in a frying pan with onion. Add shredded Savoy cabbage and a drained tin of white beans, cover briefly to soften the cabbage, then uncover to brown. Top with a fried egg if you fancy one.
Saturday — Roasted Squash Risotto with Radicchio Salad
Use Thursday’s extra roasted squash in a risotto with onion, risotto rice and vegetable stock. Finish with butter or grated cheese. Toss finely sliced radicchio with olive oil, a little vinegar, salt and a touch of honey to balance its bitterness. If the radicchio looks delicate, use it earlier in the week instead.
Sunday — Leftover Vegetable Frittata & Warm Potatoes
Soften any remaining vegetables in an ovenproof frying pan, pour over beaten eggs and cook gently until nearly set; finish under the grill until fully cooked. Serve with leftover potatoes or a green salad. This is the clear-out-the-fridge dinner before the next box arrives.
Breakfasts & Something Sweet
Use oats and milk for porridge topped with sliced pears or bananas. Stew any bruised apples with cinnamon for yoghurt or pancakes. If there are eggs, flour and milk in the cupboard, try store-cupboard crêpes at the weekend.
Check the Cupboard First
Rice, pasta, risotto rice, tinned chickpeas and white beans, dried or tinned lentils, vegetable stock, oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin, paprika, mustard, oats, flour and seasoning. Eggs, milk, butter, cheese and yoghurt are helpful fridge staples but not needed for every meal.
A Small Top-Up List — Only If Needed
Check for eggs, milk, cheese or yoghurt; garlic; and a lemon. Skip anything you already have, and substitute bottled lemon juice when fresh lemons are missing. Quantities will depend on your household and how much veg arrives.
Make the Box Last
Use Padrón peppers and courgettes early; keep leafy vegetables refrigerated and check their condition through the week. Store potatoes somewhere cool, dark and ventilated, and keep onions dry and separate. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly, eat within 48 hours or freeze; cool cooked rice quickly and refrigerate for no more than 24 hours before reheating once until steaming hot.
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