Fall Menu

My husband found an article that talked about a mom who created a menu for her family. While I can't quite bring myself to establish a year-round menu, I like the idea of a seasonal menu where key dishes repeat. I've decided to give this a try for three months and see how it goes. Last night, we brainstormed as a family about what foods should be on our fall menu. Here's what we came up with:

Entrees
Chili (B or P)
Pumpkin Soup (V)
Chicken Pot Pie (C)
Pork Chops (P)
Lasagna (V or C)
Chicken & Dumplings (C)
Jamblaya (S)
Taco Soup (B)
Pot Roast (B)
Pork Loin (P)

As indicated, we have a pretty good variety of beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian entrees. I think 10 entrees will give me enough variety that I'm not bored to tears. We also agreed that we will follow our normal procedures for left-overs, which is to turn them into a different meal before eating them. For example, taco soup leftovers are spooned out with a slotted spoon and served in enchiladas or quesadillas. Pork loin leftovers might end up in a stir fry, etc.

Side Dishes
Broccoli (Italian, steamed or marinated)
Roasted Veggies (zucchini, squash, potatoes, onions, peppers)
Baked Apples
Roasted Green Beans
English Peas
Carrot Souffle
Baked Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes (diced or baked)

I think all of these side dishes would complement at least three or four of the entrees, so they seem like good staples to have on hand. It was good to get feedback from the girls because A offered the idea of baked apples and B asked for green beans to be in the rotation. K can't eat enough broccoli, so she was glad to have that one make the cut.

Most of the entrees are strictly fall servings in our house. No one wants to eat chili when it's 90 outside and I'm not going to make a dense dish like lasagna when the humidity is already weighing us down. But the side dishes are fairly season neutral, with the exception of baked apples and carrot souffle. So I imagine the entree menu will change more with the seasons than the side dishes will. Time will tell.

So, if you were crafting a menu for your family's meals, what would be included? What have I left out that is a must-have in your family?