We’ve all been there…it’s 5:00 PM, you’ve just rushed through the door with your kids begging for snacks, the dog wants to go for a walk, and you don’t even have time to take your shoes off before the chaos erupts. Trust me…we’ve all been there. Yes, even the food savvy dietitian mom here has felt the stress of making a healthy meal for the family.

We are all busy people in our own ways. The working parent is just as busy as the stay-at-home parent, and each faces different challenges when it comes to getting dinner on the table. Meal planning should not be overwhelming. In fact, meal planning should be effortless, fun, and most of all….EASY.

Here is what I often hear from parents when it comes to meal planning:

1. I don’t have time to make healthy recipes.
2. We always have too many leftovers that get thrown out.
3. Everyone in my family likes different things….and my kids are so picky, they don’t eat what I make them half the time.
4. I stick to my meal plan for about a week…then, I’m burnt out and exhausted, and decide on takeout or frozen meals instead.
5. I’m way too tired to cook.

The struggle is real. But, I’m a huge believer in the quote “We can do hard things.” Facing the reality that no family is perfect is the best thing you can do. My advice to any parent is to (1) accept being an imperfect family (2) don’t beat yourself up when it doesn’t go as planned and (3) Do the best you can!

Now it’s time for the real treat. How can you make meal planning easy?

Follow these 3 simple tips to get started on a new meal planning journey:

 

1. MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER…USE FROZEN AND CANNED FOODS

With a plethora of information out there about using fresh more than frozen or canned, it can seem overwhelming. If you’re anything like me, when life gets busy and you have fresh spinach in your refrigerator, it’s more than likely going to go bad. Why? Because the sheer thought of having to prep a salad (for kids ages 4 and 2 nonetheless) is nearly impossible. It’s not that making salad is hard, because it isn’t, but it’s the thought of chopping, mixing, slicing, dicing, you name it. On a busy evening when I only have 15 minutes to prepare a meal, I’m going to nix the salad making…and guess what? That’s okay!

Instead, I always keep frozen broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, peas, mixed veggies, and canned green beans, corn, tomatoes, or peas on hand. This is a lifesaver for me. The fact is, frozen and canned fruits and veggies have the same nutrients as fresh. The only kicker is with canned, make sure to purchase low sodium options or rinse them before consuming to rid the salt. Take the pressure off yourself….opt in for frozen or canned produce. Plus, most bands let you steam the veggies in the bag in the microwave, and it takes less than 5 minutes!

Salad kits are also a wonderful idea. I always recommend using a little less of the dressing, or make your own dressing to go with it. Save time on chopping lettuce and gathering miniscule ingredients to make a wonderful salad.

 

2. MAKE IT FLEXIBLE & DOABLE

If you write down what you’re having exactly for dinner every day and it works for you, then by all means, keep doing it! If you’re anything like me and often find there are days that don’t go as planned, keep a list of easy meals to make (see example below):

Instead of this:

Try this:

Take the pressure off yourself. If it gives you anxiety to follow an exact meal plan, try the method of listing out your family favorites with about how much time it will take to prepare it. Then, if you come rushing through the door with 15 minutes to make a meal, you’ll know which dinners will suffice for the night.

3. KNOW YOUR PANTRY & REFRIGERATOR STAPLES

I love providing lists of foods for people to start buying…but the kicker is, if you or your family don’t like those foods, then what’s the point of having them in your pantry, fridge, or freezer?

 

Make a list of your family favorites by food group. For example, here is what my family enjoys on a regular basis:

 

Grains: oatmeal, whole grain bread, tortillas, wild rice, minute brown rice and quinoa, spaghetti noodles, flatbreads, wheat thins

Vegetables: frozen peas and spinach, fresh carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and salad kits, canned corn, tomato soup (canned), frozen avocado chunks, go-go applesauce packs, frozen diced onions

Fruit: bananas, grapes, raspberries, apples

Protein: frozen chicken, ground beef, canned tuna and salmon, canned beans, lentils, peanut butter, eggs, protein powder for smoothies

Dairy/Alternative: Greek yogurt, yogurt tubes, cottage cheese, whole milk, almond milk, cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella

Condiments: Salsa (mild and medium spice), pasta sauce, frozen 100% orange juice, ketchup, Chobani creamer, taco seasoning, chili powder, ranch dressing

Other: granola bars, sliced almonds, fruit snacks (yes, I let them have fruit snacks every once in a while!), goldfish crackers

 

YOUR staple list will look different than the above example, but you get the gist. Divide out by food group and list your family’s favorites. Then, keep them stocked up in the pantry, fridge, or freezer.

 

I like to base my staple list on easy meals we eat almost weekly. Our easy meals are:

-Flatbread pizzas

-Tacos

-Spaghetti with a side of steamed vegetable

-Chili with beans, lentils or ground beef, and side salad

-Grilled cheese on whole grain bread w/tomato soup

-Tuna salad on crackers w/chopped veggies (carrots, cucumbers, or peppers)

 

Individualize your approach – make a list of your family favorites!

 

Tie it all together….

1. Make a list of your pantry staples first.
2. Make sure to add in frozen or canned options if you’re usually in a pinch.
3. Write down your easy meals in no particular order with an estimated time to prepare them…then choose your meal based on how much time you have to prepare it!

Make meal planning easy, fun, & simple! It doesn’t have to be extravagant. Maybe you leave the more intense, interesting recipes for the weekend when you have more time to enjoy preparing it. Or, maybe, you’re like me and you seek easy meals all the time. Whatever your case is, give yourself a break and enjoy the process of fueling your families with healthy foods!

If you are interested in actually getting a meal plan…you’re in luck! Check out my meal planning page for more information: http://yva.lht.mybluehost.me/dietitiancallie.com/meal-plans/