Disclosure:  Because I like connecting others with resources that I have used and found to work well in my life, I want to be completely transparent with you.  Some of the links within this post are affiliate links from Amazon; as an Amazon Associate I earn  from qualifying purchases. I only promote products that align with my values and with what I truly believe to work, not because of the commission I receive on them. So if you do decide to purchase something from one of these links, thank you!

Meal planning and prep is a front-loaded process—you do the work in the beginning, and your life becomes easier later on. 

But I, myself, am not always (especially lately with a newborn!) diligent about taking the time to implement this process.  I know that I always feel better and more at ease when the planning is done, so why do I forgo this and jump right to the panic of “What the heck are we going to have for dinner tonight?”

Why do I allow that chaos to sneak in? 

I know we are going to eat every day, and I know we need to take food out of the freezer nearly every day, so why is it not in my nature to carve out the time to plan for a week?

Well, I’m sure part of it has to do with what was modeled for me when I was growing up (no offense, Mom).  We always had a balanced home-cooked meal, so thank you for that, but there definitely wasn’t a system in place for getting to that point. 

And that’s not a bad thing in the least, it just creates anxiety in the subconscious that may not need to be there. It also allows the opportunity for poor eating to set in, because when everyone’s hungry, quick, convenience foods are typically the go-to.  The next option would be to spend money eating out, which probably also doesn’t lead to the healthiest choices. 

So how do you develop a system for creating less stress around dinner time and more opportunity for healthy eating?  Planning. 

Creating a menu for the week, then taking the time to shop your personal pantry or refrigerator then the grocery store can take a bit of time in the beginning, but the payoff means more family time and healthier eating.

I personally have gone in and out of this planning process for much of my adult life since being out of college, but I keep coming back to it. 

Because it works. 

It takes the confusion out of the week around mealtime and simplifies life.  So it’s much like any other habit; it ebbs & flows. And sometimes making it a priority is the hardest part.

This is part of what Jess Ramaeker, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and I talk about in this week’s episode is about. We also dive in to talking about how to encourage healthy eating with your kids to set the stage for a lifetime of healthy choices.

Getting kids to eat and actually enjoy healthy foods can be a challenge at times, but with careful meal planning and possibly their help prepping foods, you and your kids will be eating foods that help them stay focused and feel nourished inside and out all while staying on budget.

And if you don’t have kids at home anymore who might be a bit picky, some of this info also goes for those of you adults who might be a bit picky.  Although it’s a bit harder when you are the one preparing the food because you know what you’re putting where, it can still definitely help.  Find out the 5 ways to help your kids {or yourself} begin to make healthy eating a habit.  All while doing so on a budget!

Click here to connect with Jess!

Download my quick reference guide of my go-to healthy snacks!

Here’s that knife set I mentioned in the episode (affiliate link)!

And here’s a quick reference guide I’ve created to help you remember those Top 5 ways to get your kids eating healthy!

Thank you so much for helping make this podcast possible by listening to it!  Consider sharing this episode with just one other person.  And if you haven’t left a rating or review, I’d love it if you could take a just a few minutes to do so in Apple Podcasts…that’s what helps other people find this show!

Schedule your FREE WEEK of class at Cairn Yoga & Wellness Studio to experience Adamantine® Yoga in Knoxville, Iowa.