100+ Snowbird Menu Ideas

Snowbird menu ideas for 100+ easy, simple, go-to breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that are designed to be flexible, using hardworking basic ingredients without requiring special gadgets and appliances. Shop local, take advantage of access to fresh fish and regional or seasonal specialties in your snowbird home. Oftentimes we mix it up -- breakfast for dinner, leftovers for lunch and a more complicated meal on the weekends. I recommend "snowbird shortcuts" such as buying salad kits in a bag, instant rice, pre-grated cheeses, pre-made dips / spreads / desserts and semi-homemade recipes as much as possible.

Snowbird Menu Ideas

BREAKFAST:

Bagel with Neufchatel / cream cheese / flavored cream cheese and for special occasions, add lox, capers and red onion

Beverages: Coffee / tea / filtered water

Biscuits and gravy

Biscuits with sliced berries, jelly, jam, preserves or honey

Breakfast burritos: ground meat or egg, cheese, tomatoes, salsa and Greek yogurt

Bread: muffins / cinnamon rolls / biscuits / banana bread / croissants / toast and chutney or preserves / English muffins

Breakfast bars / Granola

Breakfast Casserole: with eggs, cheese, milk, sausage, mushrooms over a crust

Cereal with fresh fruit

Eggs: hard boiled / sunny side up / fried / poached / scrambled

English muffin with Canadian bacon / sausage patty, fresh spinach, egg and cheese

Fresh fruit: bananas / oranges / grapes / mango / strawberries / blueberries / blackberries / raspberries / cherries / stone fruits / apples / grapefruit / pears / specialty fruits

Grits with cheese topped with any of the following: bacon / shrimp / ham / sausage / nuts/ mushrooms and spinach

Juice: Orange / apple / grapefruit / tomato

Meats: bacon / sausage / Canadian bacon / chicken

Omelette: eggs, cheese, bell peppers, meat / poultry, onions, mushrooms

Pancakes* French toast or waffles* with blueberries and syrup

Pastries: Coffee cake / cinnamon rolls / donuts / biscuits / scones / muffins / banana bread

Parfaits with fresh berries, honey whipped cream and toasted oatmeal

Potatoes: Home fries / hash browns / pan fried

Quiche: Lorraine / ham / sausage / mushroom / seafood

Smoothies: fruit / green smoothie's

Yogurt: plain / fruit / Greek

Snowbird Menu Ideas

LUNCH:

Salads:
Caesar with Romaine, homemade dressing, shaved Parmesan cheese, black olives and croutons

Caprese salad: with Romaine, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, sliced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar

Greens with blue cheese, Ranch or red wine vinaigrette homemade salad dressing and vegetables, olives, avocado, cheese, nuts, croutons

Greek salad with greens, black olives, tomatoes, Feta cheese, cucumbers and homemade dressing

Layered Chop Salad: Romaine, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives, shredded cheese and scallions

Mayo Salads: Egg salad / ham salad / chicken salad / seafood / imitation crab / tuna with croissant or fresh bread

Pasta salad with nuts, onions, red bell pepper, traditional or turkey pepperoni, Parmesan cheese

Potato salad: traditional or variations such as green olive, sour cream and hard boiled egg

Salad kits from the grocery (an essential snowbird short cut)

Slaw: traditional or Asian style

Spinach salad with red onions, diced eggs, strawberries, nuts and warm bacon dressing

Taco Salad: with Romaine, ground meat, cheese, onions, black olives, tomatoes, salsa, smashed chips

Sandwiches:
Burgers: Seasoned steak cheeseburger / hamburger / turkey burger / veggie burger and Parmesan aioli

Club: Bacon (turkey or pork), avocado, tomato, lettuce and mayo on fresh bread or lettuce cup

Crab melts with lump crab, melted Swiss and scallions

Crackers: with lunch meat, cheese, avocado or cream cheese / Neufchatel cheese / flavored cream cheese

Deli meat and cheese: ham / turkey / chicken / roast beef either chilled or Baked Cheesy Deli Sliders with butter sauce, olives and mayo

Fish fillets* with cheese, lettuce, mayo, Sriracha mayo, aioli or tartar sauce on a fresh bun

Grilled cheese with tomato and Canadian bacon

Hot dogs / kielbasa / brats: plain with traditional condiments or chili-cheese style with chili, onions, cheese, Dijon mustard on a fresh bun

Meatball: with sliced cheese and marinara sauce on a fresh bun

Muffuletta with a variety of deli meats, cheese and olive tapenade on crusty bread

Open faced versions of your favorites: such as mini Lump Crab Melts

Peanut butter and jelly (or peanut butter and honey) on fresh bread

Pulled pork with barbecue sauce on a bakery bun

Reuben: Corned beef with sauerkraut and Thousand Island sauce on pumpernickel, swirl or Rye bread

Sloppy Joe's with pickles on a fresh bun

Wraps: Deli meat with Ranch, cheese, lettuce and julienne-sliced vegetables or your favorite combination in a flour tortilla or lettuce cup

Entrees:

Burritos* or soft / crunchy tacos (fresh or frozen) with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, black olives, salsa, Greek yogurt

Chili-Spaghetti: Angel hair pasta topped with chili (from a can), diced onions and shredded cheese

Egg rolls* with Dijon mustard, apricot or sweet / sour sauce

Mac 'n cheese (from a box) with seasoned ground beef or ground turkey

Quesadillas with chicken or beef, cheese/s, grilled onions, tomatoes or salsa, Greek yogurt

Sides:

Applesauce

Baked beans

Chips, plain or with optional dip such as Fire Roasted Salsa or New England Clam Dip

Cottage cheese

Fruit: fresh or canned

Fries: white potato / yam

Hummus

Parmesan Crisps: with Kosher salt, fresh rosemary or bacon and bleu

Pickle spears

Vegetables: crudite with optional dip or grilled

Soups/Stews:
Refer to dinner menu

Snowbird Menu Ideas

DINNER:

Salads: refer to the lunch menu

Sandwiches: refer to the lunch menu

Entrees:

Baked spaghetti with cheese, green olives, onions, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese

Beef and noodles

Broccoli Con Capellini with fresh steamed broccoli, baby bella mushrooms, pasta and Parmesan cheese

Casserole: Broccoli, rice, cheese, chicken and mushroom sauce

Casseroles -- send your favorite casserole recipes to me!

Chicken and noodles

Chicken alfredo with fettucine / linguini

Chicken parmesan with marinara sauce and noodles

Chicken wings with celery, buffalo sauce or blue cheese sauce

Crab cakes with fresh herb sauce

Crusted fish or chicken with Parmesan-panko-garlic-pecans

Eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce

Fish fillets: broiled / baked Tilapia whitefish / pan fried / grilled Amberjack from the fish market or frozen / Salmon / Mahi Mahi en papillote

Grits with shrimp, bacon, Canadian bacon and/or mushrooms / spinach / white wine sauce

Gumbo: seafood, kielbasa and chicken, bell pepper, onion, celery with rice

Jalapenos stuffed with cheese, ground meat

Jambalaya with rice

Kielbasa / brats / sausage with grilled onions and pierogies or fresh bun and condiments

Lasagna: frozen or homemade with noodles, marinara, seasoned ground meat, ricotta and Parmesan cheese

Mac 'n cheese (homemade) baked with two+ cheeses and creamy sauce

Meat: grilled / pan fried / baked poultry / pork / beef

Meatballs with angel hair pasta and Parmesan cheese

Meatloaf / ham loaf

Nachos with poultry / ground meat / seafood and tomatoes, lettuce, olives, cheese, Greek yogurt

Pierogies* with kielbasa and grilled onions

Pizza: frozen / homemade / flatbread with pesto, fresh mozzarella and roasted chicken

Poblano peppers stuffed with meat / cheese and chili releno sauce

Pot pie: beef / chicken / turkey with fresh vegetables, sauce in a crust

Pulled pork and mashed potatoes / pasta / bun and barbecue sauce

Scottish Mashed Potatoes with Sausage and Whiskey Gravy

Seafood: fish fillets / salmon / cod / white fish / shrimp / scallops / mussels / clams / crab / lobster

Seafood en papillote (in parchment paper)

Shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta

Stroganoff: ground meat with mushrooms, onions, sour cream with rice or egg noodles

Stuffed cabbage with green olives and tomato sauce

Stuffed pasta shells with ricotta, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce

Stir fry: chicken / pork / beef / seafood with fresh vegetables

Salmon patties with fresh herb sauce

Sides:

Bread: Sour dough / rolls / garlic / cheesy / popovers / biscuits / croissants / pumpernickel / focaccia and specialty breads

Legumes / quinoa / hummus

Pasta: angel hair / spaghetti / fettuccine / egg noodles / shells / tortellini / linguini / gnocchi / pierogies / couscous / orzo

Potatoes: mashed / baked / twice baked / hash browns / home style / cheesy potato casserole / pierogies / latkes

Rice: White / brown / wild / basmati / jasmine / Caribbean / Tex-Mex / sunset style / risotto

Stuffed Baby Bella mushrooms with Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, mozzarella and fresh rosemary

Vegetables GREEN: Avocados / green beans / peas / asparagus / broccoli / brussels sprouts / lima beans / zucchini squash / bell peppers / poblano peppers / Jalapeno peppers

Vegetables YELLOW/WHITE: Corn / potatoes / cauliflower / bell peppers / yellow squash / mushrooms / onions

Vegetables ORANGE/RED/PURPLE: Tomatoes / yams / sweet potatoes / egg plant / carrots / bell peppers / onions / butternut squash / acorn squash

Soups/Stews:

Beer cheese with popcorn

Bisque: Seafood / shrimp / crab / lobster

Butternut squash

Chicken noodle

Chili with cheese and onions

Chowder: clam / fish / seafood / corn

Cream of fresh broccoli / mushroom / chicken / shrimp / leek / potato

French onion with crusty bread, grilled onions and cheese

Potato and bacon

Scottish Winter Soup

Seafood gumbo

Vegetable soup

Snowbird Menu Ideas

DESSERT:

Brownies / cookies / bars: semi homemade or from the bakery

Cheese cake: semi homemade or from the bakery

Cobbler: fruit with vanilla ice cream

Fruit: salad with whipped topping / tart / parfait style

Ice cream: plain or with chocolate, caramel or strawberry syrup, chopped nuts, whipped topping

Parfait: with fresh berries and whipped cream

Pudding: semi homemade or from the canned food section

Pie / cake: semi homemade or from the bakery; Bourbon Chocolate Nut pie

White Chocolate Popcorn: with peanuts, chocolate and butter

* denotes from the freezer section

Contact me with your favorite snowbird recipes and casseroles!