What’s for Dinner!?
As a mom I hear this question countless times per day- not only from my children, but my husband as well. I must admit, that over the past several months I have completely stopped meal planning. I used to be fairly organized when it comes to meals, but with the business in full swing, we have gotten way off track. It is always a last-minute surprise as to what will be on our plates that evening.
We aren’t your average family that follows the traditional food pyramid: meat, grains, veggies, etc. My husband and one of my daughters eat meat, one is vegetarian about 50% of the time, and my middle daughter and I don’t eat meat or eggs. This makes meal planning rather tricky.
So, what to do? Well, I hate to say it, but I need to plan. I don’t like planning meals. I like variety, a change from day to day, so planning and continuous routine is awful for me. But I must make this change for several reasons:
- Time management- I need to balance work, homework, meals, cleaning, etc.
- Food waste: planning meals drastically reduces food waste
- Lunches: kids can pack their own lunches if they know what to put in it (see planner download)
- Cost: planning meals reduces the cost of food by eliminating the need to order out
Here is the game plan: I will attempt to meal prep. For those of you that know me, this is a shocker. I have never meal prepped. I am cringing as I type this, but I know that I need to give it a shot.
Plan:
- Meal prep for 5 days- maybe 2 dishes for 5 days
- Make 2 quarts of fresh juice so that we can have fresh juice after school as a snack
- Have the kids use their Bento Box Meal Planner and put all their lunches in the fridge on Sunday
- Make a few mason jar Instant Pot meals for “just in case” days
It sounds ambitious! I have never been this organized when it comes to meals, but I need to be. What have you tried? Any thoughts, suggestions? I am all ears when it comes to this… this is all unchartered territory for me.
Click green button for Bento Box Planner:
Be well and Bon Appetit!
