The Busy Parent's Guide to Simple Meal Planning
Do you ever get to 5pm, with your kids getting hangry in the background, while you stare into the fridge hoping dinner will magically appear? Maybe you find yourself wondering how other parents seem to have be so organized and have it all figured out. If this sounds familiar, you're absolutely not alone.
Meal planning can feel overwhelming, just another job you need to make time to do. When you’re already juggling work, kids’ activities and keeping on top of household chores and admin, it’s no wonder that meal planning falls to the bottom of the list. But your children’s meals doesn't have to look picture-perfect like your favourite Instagram accounts might lead to you believe. The truth is, most meal planning advice is created by people who don't understand the reality of family life. What you need isn't another complicated system. You need a simple, flexible approach that works with you, not against you.
A little bit of loose, flexible, imperfect planning can really take the pressure off that end of the day stress, prevent decision fatigue and last-minute supermarket trips, as well as reducing food waste and adding more variety to your family’s meals. So it really is worth making the effort and you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with in just 5 minutes.
The easiest way to think about planning balanced meals is surprisingly simple: aim to include a protein-rich source (for example: meat, fish, eggs, pulses, nuts or dairy), a starchy carbohydrate and a fruit or vegetable in each meal. That's it.
This might look like grilled chicken with rice and steamed broccoli, scrambled eggs on toast and orange slices, or even a peanut butter sandwich with apple slices. For snacks, keep it even simpler by combining a protein with a carbohydrate like cheese and crackers or apple slices with peanut butter.
Top tips to make meal planning work for your busy life:
Build your go-to meals list: Create a collection of 10-15 meals your family actually enjoys that are quick to make and use common ingredients. If your child is a picky eater, just create three lists of their accepted foods instead: protein foods, carbohydrate foods, fruits and vegetables.
Plan around your schedule: Look at your week and plan quick meals for busy nights – we call these ‘snacky suppers’! You can save more involved cooking for other days when you have time.
See what you already have: Check your fridge, freezer and cupboards before shopping to use what you have and avoid buying duplicates.
Embrace deconstructed meals: Choose meals like jacket potatoes, fajitas or pasta where everyone can help themselves and make their own. This is a great mealtime strategy for picky eaters.
Plan for flexibility: Accept that some nights will be leftovers, takeaway, or something from the freezer (check out my top tips for serving processed foods here).
The most important thing to remember is that meal planning should make your life easier, not harder. Your plan doesn't need to be elaborate, perfectly balanced or worthy of social media. Let go of unrealistic expectations and focus on what actually works for you and your family
Ready to transform your family mealtimes from stressful to peaceful? Download my free guide ‘How to have stress-free mealtimes’ where you'll discover 5 simple steps that will help you stay calm and confident around food so you can create the relaxed, enjoyable family mealtimes you are looking for. Get the guide here.