Mealtime Magic
Or: You’re Already Cooking, So Let’s Make it Easier!
When you dreamed of being a parent, it’s very likely that you imagined cute baby outfits, hugs, and going to mommy-and-me classes. Sure, people told you about how tired you’d be, and about some of the tough things like colic, tantrums, and sleep-training. But did they tell you mealtimes would become a combination of last-minute macaroni and cheese and a little voice in your head asking “what’s for dinner?” Every. Freaking. Day? No. No, they did not. But I digress.
After burning out from my self-imposed high expectations around mealtimes (and the meltdowns related to it), I’ve embraced a much simpler, joyful approach to putting food on the table. I believe that God is one of order, not disorder; so I decided that if I’m cooking for my family each day, I’m going to embrace it.
And guess what? It is possible to create peace and harmony around mealtimes without being unrealistic.
Clear the Mental Clutter
That “what’s for dinner” voice in the back of your head takes up a lot of space, as does the non-stop mental load of the never-ending “when am I going to prep?” and “will the kids eat it?” type questions. Let’s clear that mental clutter and save your sanity for more important things - like literally anything other than planning dinner.
I’ve got five ways to simplify your mealtime routine, so you can get dinner on the table with ease, and stop making hanger-induced decisions to hit up Taco Bell instead. It will even help you clean up faster because you’ll have some things prepped, so you can get back to the good stuff in your life (like being with your people).
Create Mealtime Magic
Before I jump into how I’m making mealtimes easier in my own home, I want you to remember that this is how I do it. There is no one “right way” to feed your family. If something I share speaks to you, use it. If not, leave it behind. You know what your family needs.
Think like a minimalist
Minimalists do so well in their lives because they have less, and thus have less to manage. The same is true about our thoughts. They take up real space in our brains! To combat that, eliminate some of the decisions you have to make around food. Less options = less choices = less mental load. Think about the easiest way to get what you want around meals:
I love trying new recipes, but right now I don’t have the mental space (or time) to do it. That’s the season I’m in, and that’s okay. Embrace where you are!
Repeat meals everyone loves. It turns out you don’t need as much variety as you think.
Buy prepped veggies or meat.
Meal plan, so you don’t have to keep wondering “what’s for dinner”. (More on that shortly!)
Rather than be upset because your toddler suddenly hates the spaghetti that they loved yesterday, feed them a sandwich and move on. No big deal.
Keep your pantry and fridge/freezer stocked with the basics, but avoid over-buying random things you know deep down that you’ll never use or don’t have a plan for.
Lock Down Breakfast & Lunch
Most of the stress around mealtimes relates to dinner, but you can make those other daily meals easier, too. At our house, we tend to eat the same one or two breakfasts and lunches every day for a week (or more!). After a sleepless night or looming nap-time, no-thought meals are very welcome. In our house this week, it’s fried eggs and toast or mug cakes for breakfast, and then sandwiches with veggies for the kids for lunch. If I have time, I’ll make myself a salad. If not, it’s a protein shake.
Make Your Own Cookbook Go-To Dinner List
Why spend hours on Pinterest and food blogs looking for something new, when you know your family would rather have chicken noodle soup with goldfish crackers? Instead of endless recipe-searches, spend thirty minutes this week and create a list of your go-to dinners. This will save you so much time when you’re meal planning or need to whip something up. Think of the things your family loves to eat, are easy to make, and that you usually have the ingredients for. Bonus points if you know the recipe by heart. Some recipes on my list are eggroll in a bowl, homemade pizzas, crockpot chicken thighs, and yes - chicken noodle soup.
Mix & Match Meal Prep
This is my alternative to meal planning and it’s so simple. The basic idea is you prep a few different meats and vegetables ahead of time, and then throw them together in different ways. For example, you can cook up a few pounds of taco meat and then freeze it or use it over a few days for soup, on salad, in tacos, or breakfast wraps/scrambles. If this sounds amazingly easy to you (it is!), check out this more detailed post of Mix & Match Meal Prep.
✨✨Plan a Month of Meals in 20 Minutes✨✨
Yes, this is possible. And no, you don’t need to go crazy doing it. You can get this done during the kids’ nap-time in just six tiny steps:
Print out a blank calendar.
Write in all the activities, classes, events, etc. for the month. This helps you see what might get in the way of meal-prep or dinner time, so you can plan for it.
Choose one meal that you’re going to eat every week, and write it in.
Plan a meal that will make leftovers each week. This means you cook once, and eat twice. Write that in.
If your budget allows, write in your “eat out” days.
Finally, fill in the blanks using your list of go-to dinners.
Boom! A fast and easy meal plan for a whole MONTH.
Since we can’t avoid mealtimes, we might as well enjoy them. Or at least not dread them every day! Using these five tips, you can alleviate some of the mental load around meals, save yourself time, and maybe even enjoy dinner with your family.