How to Create a Simple Meal Plan
When I get on instagram, I constantly see mom’s cooking meals that require recipes and sometimes intense recipes. But I have realized in my stage of life, recipes are not helpful for me. Unless I know the recipe by heart, I am not able to read a new recipe while cooking with a toddler either at my feet or on my hip or at the counter. I need easy dinners that I can cook while entertaining a toddler.
When I get on instagram, I constantly see mom’s cooking meals that require recipes and sometimes intense recipes. But I have realized in my stage of life, recipes are not helpful for me. Unless I know the recipe by heart, I am not able to read a new recipe while cooking with a toddler either at my feet or on my hip or at the counter. I need easy dinners that I can cook while entertaining a toddler.
So, I decided to simplify our cooking. After doing this, I am less likely to skip cooking dinner and just order food. Cooking no longer takes a lot of my energy and I am happy with the meals I create for our family. Plus, we are in a stage where none of the foods can touch, so having separate ingredients just makes it easier.
Also, I am not a short order cook in our house. We all eat one dinner from the baby to the parents. When I pick the meals, I make sure there is something that each person will eat.
Please know, I have a picky family (not just picky kids). My husband is incredibly picky when it comes to eating (pretty much the only protein he will eat is beef). So our Monday meal is usually beef and if he needs protein later in the week, he can reheat that. My boys rarely eat meat if at all and the baby will not touch produce. The rule in our house (if you are a child, I don’t make my husband do this) is you must have a piece of everything on your plate but you don’t have to eat it. This typically goes over well unless it’s a mess of a day and someone isn’t having it.
Here is my process.
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I look at my schedule and decide how many nights that week I’m going to cook.
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I pick my proteins – typically ground beef, meatballs (premade), chicken thighs, salmon, ground pork – easy proteins.
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I pick my starch. This is even easier because my kids don’t eat much. If I’m cooking three times this week, it’s rice, pasta and tater tots.
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I pick my vegetables. This is more off of what my husband and I like because our kids are not big vegetable eaters. Usually there’s a broccoli in there, sometimes cucumber. I love Brussels sprouts so those make an appearance.
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I add a fruit.
It’s that simple. I don’t overcomplicate it. My goal is to create a home cooked meal as easy as possible in the least amount of time.
So give yourself permission to create an easy meal plan. Pick the number of days you are going to cook and pick that many proteins, starches, vegetables and fruits. Done. Meal plan finished. Bonus is I save a lot on groceries because I’m not buying that random one off ingredient that I need for one recipe. I buy what I need and use what I have.
And to make it even easier, I buy spice blends so I can add spices with one hand!
So how does this sound? Does this sound like something that could work for you? Give it a try! Comment below if you try it and let me know how it works for you!
