I did so well for so long. While I was pregnant and for months after Quinten was born. We knew what we were eating every day. We didn’t spend unnecessary money on fast food because we had plans. Grocery shopping was a breeze because there was a plan and a list. Summer hit and our lives got busier. I got lazier. Instead of planning on Sunday morning, we did other things. Grocery store runs were out of necessity and didn’t yield much for meals. We grilled a lot. We ate sandwiches a lot. We got fast food more than either of us would have liked (while trying to stick with our budget).
This weekend I finally made a change. I sat down with my whiteboard and I made a meal plan for the week. No more getting home from work with no idea what is for supper while Quinten cries because he wants to eat, NOW. I knew I had to be realistic. I knew I couldn’t shoot for the stars, I just needed to find a way to ease back into it. I planned our meals around what Quinten could eat. When it wasn’t something he could eat, I wrote down “baby food.” I had a plan for everyone. We went to the store and we only wrote down the things that we needed for meals. Everything else was already part of the grocery store routine. We even went to the store after work one night and came home to make supper. That never happens! But, I made a simple plan for the week. I took into consideration what our daily activities were and I made something that was feasible.
I started with the basics: a fruit, a vegetable, and a main course. It’s not extravagant or top notch, but it’s a plan and it’s doable. Our nights feel more secure again. We both know what we’re doing and neither of us feels responsible for determining what’s for supper.
I’m stretching my wings again and getting back into the groove. It was nice to be carefree over the summer, but being a meal planning drop-out isn’t one of the responsibilities that my family can afford to lose. We’ll get back there. I may not have time for big meals, but I do have time to plan ahead and ensure that my family gets the proper nutrients. What kind of meals are you making?
Oh how a hot dog night and a pizza night can help with sanity! That is the go to’s for Dan on the nights I am traveling. C loves it and it is quick and easy! Good luck on your future meal planning. 🙂
I don’t know what we’ll do when winter rolls around and we can’t grill anymore! A packet of potatoes and a grilled hot dog is the best!
Agreed! I just started doubling up recipes at home and freezing one portion to get us a “stock pile”. So far so good! Also helps for when I am traveling!
I am beyond jealous of this! I had to stop freezing meals because our deep freeze is full of milk and there’s no room in our fridge. Lame!
We only have one small section in the deep freeze to put the freezer meals…the draw underneath. It fits about 8 flat meals which is better than nothing. I still hate that dang side by side fridge/freezer!