Tired of the same old dinner routine?
Craving fresh mouthwatering meals, right from your garden?
In my early gardening days, I usually ended up giving away most of my produce. I prepared lots of salads but didn’t know how to use my veggies to prepare delicious hearty dinners for my family.
Here’s what I noticed once I started doing it right.
You don’t need much seasoning when cooking veggies, herbs, and even fruits right from your garden. You can’t imagine the difference it makes in your cooking once you stop picking vegetables and fruits from the store.
So, what are the best garden-to-table meal plans out there? I’ll share some of my favorites with you.
So, How Do You Prepare Garden-to-Table Meal Plans?
The first thing you need to know about preparing dinner meal plans inspired by your garden’s produce is that your choices will be governed by what’s in season and how much is available.
Once you’ve got that covered, you’ll probably need nothing more than just some butter, salt, and black pepper, and you’ll be good to go.
Did I mention that cooking garden-inspired meals is super easy? Shout out to all working parents out there!
So, how do you do it? Here are my tips.
- Take notes of what your family loves to eat. Yes, trying new foods is fun, but if your kids won’t eat them, then what’s the point?
- Plan your garden accordingly, calculating how much space you’ll need, knowing what grows in your area, what to grow each season, and how much to plant.
- Don’t forget your herb garden!
- Know what is best cooked fresh and what can be stored. Believe it or not, lots of produce will stay in good shape for weeks if stored properly.
- Grow more versatile foods that can be eaten raw or cooked.
You’ll have more meal-planning options and your family won’t be bored. Win-win!
- Organize your recipes by ingredient.
Highlighting every recipe you like that contains carrots, for example. Once you have them, you can go to the recipe and see what other ingredients you already have.
5 Incredible Garden-to-Table Meal Plans to Try
Elevate your dinners with these delicious yet easy-to-prepare meal plans. Not only do they save time and are healthy, but they also provide a new way to achieve more sustainability in your household.
1 – Basil Tomato Soup
Roast and cook your tomatoes to perfection and keep them in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure that you keep it in a sealed freezer bag or container.
Before dinner, I add my heavy cream, fresh basil, and some fried okra. You can also add some pre-cooked chicken cubes.
But what makes this a heavenly dinner, is the grilled cheese sandwich I serve on the side.
2 – Shepherd’s Pie
Nothing is off limits when I’m preparing my shepherd’s pie. It’s like a box of chocolate – you never know what you’re going to get.
I add potatoes, carrots, peas, mushrooms, onions, leeks, and parsnips, all finely sliced and added on top of the mashed potatoes.
I prepare this on the weekend and it’s good for two to three days in the fridge.
Once, I’m ready to cook it, I take it straight to the oven for 30 minutes. The crusty vegetables on top make it an exquisite feast.
3 – Zucchini Noodles With Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Zucchini noodles can last for six months in a sealed freezer bag. I usually prepare multiple batches using my spiralizer or mandoline and keep them ready for busy nights.
I used to use a peeler, but I honestly don’t recommend it, as you end up with a large core to waste.
Fresh and clean shrimp can last in the freezer for up to one year with proper storage. So, whenever there’s an offer or I’m at the market, I pick nice large shrimp to save for later.
I just make sure they’re peeled and deveined and divide them into batches, roughly preparing five or six shrimps for every member of my family.
I start by cooking the shrimp in oil over medium heat for one minute before flipping it to the other side. I add the chopped garlic and cook it until fragrant, then remove.
Then, I sauté my zucchini noodles for one or two minutes in another pan.
In the first pan, I add my butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth and bring to a simmer after seasoning it with salt and pepper. I like to add freshly chopped parsley before adding my zucchini and shrimp.
This dinner takes 10 minutes tops from start to finish.
4 – Vegetable Curry
Nothing is off-limits when I’m preparing my vegetable curry.
This is my go-to meal when I have some leftovers I don’t want to waste.
It’s a healthy and comforting dinner on cold nights, packed with rich and hearty flavors.
And the best part is that you can prepare different versions for your family, depending on what’s available.
I prepare my curry base using onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, and garam masala. Then, add potatoes, green beans, peas, carrots, corn, bell peppers, squash, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Mix the veggies with the curry base and some butter or oil, and season. Then add your broth and cook until fork-tender.
5 – Stuffed Bell Peppers
Fill your colored bell peppers with a mix of peas, diced tomatoes, onions, corn, and shredded chicken. You can also add some quinoa or rice.
Without the onions, the bell peppers can last a week in the fridge. If I add onions, I usually cook them the next day.
Arrange in a tray, add chicken broth, and bake until tender. You can also add some shredded cheese on top.
Final Thoughts
Your garden is full of treasures and it takes only some creativity to prepare hearty delicious meals every single day.
Remember to be flexible as your ingredients are already picked out for you. So, tweak and work with your favorite recipes to find something that suits you.

Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.