Hi Reader,

The smartest thing I do all week happens on Sunday. But we aren't talking about hours of meal prep. Frankly, I want to enjoy Sunday with my family, not spend the day in the kitchen.

I still like to prep strategically to make the week a bit easier. Sometimes that means making muffins while dinner is in the oven or cooking something that takes longer than I have on a weeknight. Or doubling up a recipe to cut back on prep later in the week.

This week, I am planning to roast a chicken, along with a big pan of potatoes and carrots. And here's the smart part -- that one oven session covers more than Sunday dinner:

After roasting a chicken (or two if Tate is home), I set some of the meat aside for lunches and a casserole later in the week, and save some of the roasted veggies as a side.

But I don't stop there; I also save the bones from the chicken(s) and peels from the carrots and use them to make homemade chicken stock. It is the easiest way to stretch a buck further. Don't worry, you don't have to make the stock on Sunday, or even this week! Just dump it all into a freezer-safe storage bag and freeze until you are ready to make stock.

And yes, you can absolutely use my Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe here in place of the oven roasted chicken. 😉

How I Stretch Sunday's Dinner

For Sunday: Homemade Rotisserie Chicken with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Carrots (Bonus Option: make two chickens if you have room in your oven and freeze leftover meat for your future self).

• Make Quick Work of Dinner: Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole using the leftover chicken and store-bought enchilada sauce in just about 5 minutes of prep!
• Double-Duty Side Dish: Pair leftover roasted potatoes and carrots with a main course later in the week. I plan to serve them with Skillet Pork Tenderloin with Cabbage.
• For Lunches: I love my Waldorf Chicken Salad this time of the year. It is made with grapes, apples, and walnuts -- and of course, the leftover chicken.
• Bonus: Use bones and veggie scraps to make Instant Pot Chicken Stock or Homemade Chicken Stock.

See more ways I stretch meals and ingredients by grabbing this week's meal plan below.