Family Meals

Just got back from a Saturday morning Costco run. Not sure why I decided to torture myself in that way but I survived. Grabbed our essentials for lunches but also started to think ahead to the week for dinners. We are a meal planning family. I know it is not for everyone. But hear me out.

Over the years, my husband and I have developed a system that help our weeks run a bit smoother. On Sunday mornings, while we are sitting drinking our coffee as usual, we start discussing the week ahead. Are there any days my husband expects to be home later? What days is there a practice or a game? What is the weather forecast looking like? These types of questions get us on the same page and eliminate some surprises. I won’t plan a meal that I need my husband to grill if I know he might be home late. A baseball game night is a quick after school turnaround. What is something I can have prepared before school pickup? Heat wave headed our way? I am not turning on my oven.

From here, we just take a blank piece of paper, write out the days of the week, and decide on dinners that fit the schedule. But what if you don’t feel like Taco Tuesday but that is what was planned? Tough shit. You just have to make it. Trying to fly dinner by the seat of my pants proves way more stressful than eating a meal I am not in the mood for. Because let me tell you. Four hangry yelling kids while I try to come up with a dinner puts me in a mood no one wants to be around.

Try it. It might take a bit of getting used to. Maybe just start with that conversation of what lies ahead for the week. And the meal planning can come later. I promise you though. The more you do it, the easier it will become. I am currently compiling our top 10 go-to meals to share with you. Dinners that are tested and approved by a family of six. Meals for when you are making your grocery list, and you can’t think of that last one for the week, you can rely on these. Hoping to have them up by the end of the week! Happy Sunday everyone.