Ah, March has arrived with a wintry chill, making it the perfect time for hearty, comforting meals straight from the oven. As we transition into this early March weather, I’ve curated a vintage meal plan to warm both body and soul. Let’s face it, planning meals can often feel overwhelming, even with a plethora of recipes at hand. That’s why I’ve handpicked a 7-day meal plan directly from my 1950s menus, taking the guesswork out of your weekly dining. So, as we embrace the onset of daylight savings time this weekend, let’s rediscover the joy of cooking from scratch with these comforting midcentury menus for Meal Plan Monday.
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Vintage Menus For the End of Winter
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These are meals that I make for my own family.
At the end of February, it’s always Lent, and as a Catholic, I fast during Lent. But I have a lot of children who aren’t of age for fasting, you’ll see milk at every meal still. This week, you’ll see all fasting meals, and abstinence for every day of Lent (except Sundays!), rather than partial abstinence.
Although I love to cook 1950s menus, I usually use 1940s and 1930s recipes because they use far fewer prepared foods and are mostly made from scratch.
Monday Menu
Breakfast
- Pineapple juice
- Oatmeal for the children
- Toast
- Coffee for adults, cocoa for children
Lunch
- Onion soup for the children
- Lettuce sandwiches for the children; toast for fasting
- Stewed fruit for the children
- Tea for adults, milk for children
Dinner
- Cranberry juice
- Golden broiled fish fillets
- Parsley potatoes
- Whole carrots
- Orange rolls
- Frosty plums
- Coffee for adults, milk for children
Tuesday Menu
Breakfast
- Grapefruit juice
- Hot wheat cereal for the children
- Toast
- Coffee for adults, cocoa for children
Lunch
- Bean soup
- Cornbread
- Celery and radishes
- Stuffed prunes
- Tea for adults, milk for children
Dinner
- Chilled pineapple juice
- Golden-crusted fish (whole perch or fillets) with tartare sauce
- Cottage-fried potatoes
- New asparagus
- Whole-wheat bread
- Tossed green salad
- Baked apples
- Coffee for adults, milk for children
Wednesday Menu
Breakfast
- Orange juice
- Oatmeal for children
- Toast
- Coffee for adults, cocoa for children
Lunch
- Macaroni and tomato sauce for children
- Toast for adults
- Celery and carrot sticks for children
- Stewed raisins for children
- Tea for adults, milk for children
Dinner
- Tomato juice cocktail
- Tuna-rice casserole
- Grilled pineapple
- Beets piquant
- Hard rolls
- Coleslaw
- Spiced apricot compote
- Coffee for adults; milk for children
Thursday Menu
Breakfast
- Pineapple juice
- Oatmeal for children
- Toast
- Coffee for adults, cocoa for children
Lunch
- Pea soup for children
- Bread and butter for children, toast for adults
- Cherry gelatin
- Tea for adults, milk for children
Dinner
- Spiced apple juice
- Broiled fish fillets with lemon wedges
- Paprika potatoes
- Jellied cranberry sauce
- Bread and butter
- Tossed green salad
- Frozen fruit cocktail
- Coffee for adults, milk for children
Friday Menu (Fish for Fridays!)
Breakfast
- Orange juice
- Oatmeal for children
- Toast
- Coffee for adults, cocoa for children
Lunch
- Tuna-fish sandwiches for children
- Raw vegetable sticks for children
- Toast for adults
- Vanilla cake
- Tea for adults, milk for children
Dinner
- Tomato juice cocktail
- Shrimp and mushrooms on toast
- French green beans and onions
- Shoestring potatoes
- Grapefruit-avocado salad with herb dressing
- Stewed peaches with raspberry sauce
- Coffee for adults, milk for children
Saturday Menu
Breakfast
- Grapefruit juice
- Hot wheat cereal for children
- Toast
- Coffee for adults; cocoa for children
Lunch
- Fish sticks with tartar sauce for children
- French fries for children
- Tossed salad for children
- Milkshakes for children
- Tea and toast for adults
Dinner
- Fish chowder
- Pilot crackers
- Tossed green salad with lemon dressing
- Frosty strawberries
- Coffee for adults, milk for children
Sunday Menu
Breakfast
- Orange cups
- Dates in wheat cereal with top milk
- Sausage links
- Pancakes with syrup
- Coffee for adults, cocoa for children
Old-Fashioned Sunday Dinner
- Boullion
- Roast chicken with celery stuffing and cream gravy
- Riced potatoes
- Broccoli
- Watermelon pickles
- Crescent rolls
- Shredded lettuce with Russian dressing
- Red cherry pie
- Coffee for adults, milk for children
Sunday Supper (a repeat because this is so good!)
- Toasted oyster rolls
- Celery, olives, and cranberry sauce
- Baked pears with ice cream
- Cocoa for all
If you would like, you can check out the rest of my mid-century dinner menus. And if you make the menus, share a pic on Instagram and tag me! (Are you following me on Instagram? I share a lot of vintage homemaking quick wins over here!)
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