I didn’t include this “planner” in the lineup photo because it seems so basic. But, it is an important part of what I’m using this year to steward the wellbeing of myself and my family.
It’s a simple notebook and another sidekick to my main planner. I use it for meal planning. My approach to that is, thankfully, simplified after many years of struggle.
Thinking of three meals a day for a family of five is one of the most unexpectedly difficult challenges of raising a family. Making the meals is far easier.
I used to attempt monthly meal planning and freezer meal prep sessions that I’ve seen around the internet. But, that never worked out well for us. Food would spoil. Meals were not prepped because of fatigue or other health and family disruptions. When they were prepped, they were sometimes not well received or eaten on time.
This simplified process has addressed most of these issues and kept me on top of mealtime for the last few years.
1. I start by brainstorming a list of meals.
These meal ideas are based on our family’s likes and nutritional needs.
When I need ideas on what to make, I ask the family what they want to eat. This almost guarantees that the food prepared will be eaten and enjoyed. It is also one way of showing them love, including them in the process of homemaking, and reinforcing the value of their opinions.
After vetting their ideas, I settle on a few that covers a variety of food groups. I would like to reduce our consumption of animal products but it will take time to transition to that. I am hesitant to implement that fully because of the nutritional deficiencies we have like iron and B vitamins which are easier to get from meat sources. However, I make sure to have vegetarian meals at least once a week. I love lentils but the family is not a fan. However, Green Soup, which is made from peas and zucchini, is always well received. Find the recipe here: Green Soup.
2. I think only 2-3 days ahead.
Life happens and sometimes meals are not made or consumed as planned.
So, I usually cook enough on one day to have leftovers for the next day so that I get some rest in between. Sometimes, the leftovers can be stretched to an additional day. On that last day, I can then think of what we might want to eat in the coming days. Doing this has significantly reduced the mental load of figuring what to cook when.
3. Compile grocery list and shop.
Keeping a well stocked fridge/freezer/pantry of basic staples helps to keep this process simple and successful. I usually menu plan on Mondays, and compile a grocery list. I also keep a running grocery list as items are used. For that, I use an app called Our Groceries which is shareable. Sometimes, my husband stops off at the store and checks this list to see if there’s anything he can pick up.
We rarely shop in store and have been taking advantage of online grocery orders since having our third child made in-person shopping more challenging. I place the order on Wednesdays based on what we need and stock up on often consumed products. Doing this on Wednesday gives me an additional day on Thursday to add to the order in case I forget anything.
4. Cross off the list, and repeat.
On Fridays, usually, I do a meal prep day. This is the day of our grocery pickup so it’s great for prepping and storing veggies. Also, seasoning meats and freezing them for later. I also cook a few meals for lunches and dinners so that we can all rest on the weekend.
After a meal is made, it gets crossed off the list. I like that I can still see it on paper so that I know not to make it for while. That way we won’t get bored of eating the same thing so often. I also look back on this list of what we’ve eaten in the past to ensure we’re eating a good variety of foods, as well as get ideas on family favourites I can make again.
The “planner” itself is a lined B6 notebook. It is part of the “Rise and Shine” trio by @dogoodpaperco and can be found on their website here: Rise and Shine notebooks.
The cute mini stamps are by @papergramshop and can be found here: Meal Option stamps. Also check out the Food & Drink stamps for more variety.
