Let’s talk meal planning & prep!
This can feel very overwhelming to some, but it doesn’t have to be! In fact, it can be super simple, easy and effective!
Every Sunday morning, after my son's hockey game, I sit down in the kitchen with my coffee, an index card and a pen and I plan out our meals for the week. It takes me about 10 - 20 minutes depending on how many new recipes I want to try vs sticking with our tried and true.
I keep it super simple, and it saves me so much time and stress throughout the week simply by having a plan. At the end of the week, I file the plan away - to be used again in the future (why reinvent the wheel, right?).
As a health coach, I help my clients create a plan that works for them, and we modify it until it no longer feels overwhelming. It becomes part of their routine and helps to make life a bit easier and a lot less stressed. Like my client Jenna who went from overwhelmed with meal planning to having fun with it and making it a family event! Jenna was finding it hard to stick with a consistent dinner routine because she was stuck on not knowing what to make for dinner. I challenged her to write down two recipes each day so by the end of the week she would have two weeks completely planned out for her and her family. Not only did she do the exercise, but she involved her husband, and they loved the activity so much, they are continuing to write down ideas each day...creating their own library of healthy balanced meals.
If you are also feeling overwhelmed with meal planning, I want to offer you the following three steps to reduce the overwhelm and make meal planning simple. Practice these each week and it will get easier and easier for you!
Know your week! Plan quick meals or leftovers for your busiest days and only plan for meals when you know you will be home.
Incorporate 1-2 nights of go-to family favorites. This helps to save time because you know exactly how to pull the meal together + you know everyone will like them!
Make your grocery list as you go along. After you plan each meal write down all the ingredients you know you need to pick up to ensure you have everything you need (without needing to go back to the store!) and at the end of meal planning you’ve also got yourself a complete grocery list.
I hope that you find these three steps helpful to help you better plan and prepare for your week. If you have any questions, drop a comment below!
