When it comes to meal planning and feeding your family, there is no doubt: it can be a stressful job. We want to nourish our families and give them healthy foods that they actually enjoy, BUT we also have to find that time in our schedules to plan, shop, cook, etc. It can be a lot to juggle!
I recently saw a sign that said, “Who knew the hardest part of being an adult would be figuring out what’s for dinner every single night for the rest of your life.” I immediately laughed out loud at the truthfulness of this simple statement!
Whether you love mealtime or absolutely dread it, my hope is to give you some tangible tips that have made mealtime in my home much more manageable and enjoyable over the years.
My family of four looks forward to mealtimes together when we can actually make it work with all of our schedules, accommodates those days when each of us is going in a different direction, and also sticks to a budget to ensure we’re on track financially. How? We’ve found a system that is manageable, proactive, and works for us!
How do you feel about mealtime and the responsibility of feeding your family?
Mealtime Isn’t Going Away Any Time Soon
Mealtime is a part of our lives and is here to stay. It really isn’t going away anytime soon, regardless of how much you wish it would. So how can you eat reasonably high-quality foods within your means?
It is helpful to understand and accept that mealtime and your relationship with food can and will change over the course of your life. The things that worked for you in your twenties probably won’t work for you in your forties. What worked when you were single will look much different than the days of having toddlers and preschoolers running around. As you change and evolve as a family, so will your meals and nutrition.
Beyond your relationship with food, having a gameplan, budget, and routine also helps make the entire process much easier.
Working With A Budget
Through what lens do you look at your grocery bill? Are you excited about groceries, have a passion for food, dread going to the store, hate cooking? The list could go on. The way you view groceries as an expense will have an impact on how you feel about mealtimes at home.
If you’re wanting to stick to a budget and don’t think you can while utilizing groceries, ask yourself how much you spend on food each month. This should include groceries, snacks, eating out, delivery, and any other food expenses. Many people view groceries as an expensive bill that may not be necessary on top of other food purchases. But when you begin to supplement those meals at restaurants or delivery services with home-cooked, healthy meals, you can actually eat healthier and even save some money.
Approaching food with an eat less, pay more mentality has served me well. I try to be mindful of planning my family’s meals, waste as little food as possible, always choose fresh foods that can go bad before pantry items, and have quick and easy staple ingredients that I can throw in my freezer and whip up any time.
Find a budget that works for you and try to prioritize high-quality foods like basic proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and easy sides over-processed, expensive options.
Find A Planning Process That Works For You
Friday is my planning day. I use it to wrap up my work week by reviewing my passion planner - taking note of what might need to be pushed to the upcoming week. I add all appointments, commitments, and important notes to next week, and then dive into my menu planning based on our evening plans and commitments.
These are some tricks I use to plan my week ahead without becoming completely overwhelmed.
I don’t like to cook every night, so I always plan on leftovers.
I don’t like to waste food either, so I typically plan for “clean out the fridge” night.
I plan my large shopping trip on Saturday or Sunday and then count on a mid-week trip to restock my fresh foods on Wednesdays.
The day of the week doesn’t matter, but find time in your schedule that you can plan your family’s meals and shop for those needed groceries. Balance is also key in recognizing your weekly meal plans. Cooking at home and considering your health does not have to be rigid or perfect. My family prioritizes our health and wellness and we make room for our favorite junk foods or indulgences.
Most weeks, I plan for about 20 meals cooked at home for my family. We all eat about 6 lunches and 6 dinners together, and my daughters both have breakfast at home 7 days a week.
How do we plan all those meals while staying sane and organized?
We prioritize our dinner choices when planning so we can make extras.
We use those leftovers for easy lunches the following day since we already paid for them and have it ready to go.
We very rarely waste food or money and are able to utilize everything we purchase.
We eat fresh foods first.
We recognize the volume of food we eat to make our food last for the week.
Engaging The Whole Family
Since I want my family to eat healthily, I try to get my husband and girls involved in the menu planning as often as possible. When they see meals they love or foods they’re excited to eat, it gives them an opportunity to help with cooking, take ownership over a meal, and sets them up for success in the future when they’re not eating at home to make healthy choices. I look at it as an opportunity to engage my family instead of a burden to get them involved.
And though I want my kids to be included and eat square meals, I also recognize that they’re still kids and should enjoy kid foods from time to time. My goal is to help them build a relationship with meals, not just snacks.
Also, keep in mind that your family’s involvement (and even your planning process) does not need to change overnight. You don’t have to cook everything from scratch always. This doesn’t have to be stressful, expensive, or overwhelming. Have fun with food and try some different approaches until you find what works for you.
My Grocery List + Staples
Finding the time to meal plan and grocery shop is a step in the right direction, but what should you actually buy for your meals? Keep it simple. You do not need to use complex recipes each and every day. Find some staples that work for you and that can be varied to produce multiple meals by changing up the spices and herbs you use.
My grocery list is broken down by category
Proteins
Veggies
Fruits/Potatoes
Pantry Items
Toiletries
Frozen Foods
Dairy
These categories help me to remember the basics, plan square meals, and also make grocery shopping much easier as many of these categories are grouped together throughout the store.
Here are also some staple items I keep on hand for quick and delicious, healthy meals.
Eggs
Canned tuna
Salad greens
Peas
Frozen meatballs
Red sauce
Frozen fruit for smoothies
Dinner Menu
Monday:
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs (3 lbs), Sweet Potatoes (2 large), and Garlic Roasted Green Beans (5 lbs)
*We’ll make extra chicken to go with our lunch menu and extra potatoes and beans to use for lunch or our clean out the fridge night.
Tuesday:
Chuck Roast (3 lbs), Roasted Potatoes (small bag), and Cauliflower (1 large head)
*We’ll make extra of everything to go with lunch or after-school snacks.
Wednesday:
Grilled Salmon, Steamed Rice (2 cups), and Roasted Broccoli (5 lbs)
*We never make extra salmon because nobody likes it, but always make extra rice and broccoli.
Thursday:
Clean Out The Fridge night which means finish up all veggies.
Friday:
Date night for me and Justin! Frozen foods for the kids such as chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, pizza, or fries.
Saturday:
This is a free day where we can use our pantry staples or find something else on our own.
Sunday:
Chili, Meatballs, or Soup for family dinner.
*We chose a more labor-intensive meal on Sundays that we can make in bulk and support our upcoming weekly menu.
Lunch Menu
We love to keep our lunch menu super easy and inexpensive.
My Kids
Rachael and Carla pack school lunches 5 days a week
They tend to eat the same things which keeps it simple in knowing what to buy and how much to purchase.
They have created a habit of always including a fruit (strawberries, raspberries, grapes, pineapple), a veggie (romaine, carrots, celery), and two crunchy items (goldfish, pringles, crackers, or pretzels)
Me and Justin
We eat leftover proteins from dinner or eggs.
Add in mixed greens or leftover veggies.
Include a fruit or potatoes or rice.
Breakfast Menu
Justin and I have been experimenting with intermittent fasting so we typically eat 2 meals a day sometime between 11-1 pm and 5-6 pm. My girls always have breakfast at home before school. Lately, they tend to choose quick options like smoothies or bagels.
Getting Started
Getting started with a new system and routine can seem daunting at first, but I promise you a little planning goes a long way. I challenge you to try some of these tips, from setting aside time to plan your meals to get your family involved in the menu.
Find your go-to, easy and enjoyable options first, and let yourself get used to this routine. Once that’s established you can begin to add or alter your choices. When you can make mealtime healthy and fun together, you may be surprised how much your attitude towards it can change.
Holly Mann
Holly Mann
Personal Success Coach
Founder of Fresh Habits: freshhabits.net
I am on a mission to facilitate meaningful conversations that encourage individuals to upgrade and expand their habits and routines which will ultimately allow them to live life at their fullest potential!
