Meal planning. Do you? I want to!

 

I have never really thought much about meal planning, unless you count looking in the freezer every morning to decide what meat we will have for dinner that night. But, I think I would like to start. I would like to shop each week knowing exactly what we will need instead of just buying to replace things we have run out of. Dinner has always been one of my favourite times of the day.

I enjoy the whole process of deciding in the morning, preparing during the day & cooking when everyone is at home of a night time. I get excited to cook a big hearty dinner but I get just as excited to cook burgers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love to make the buns during the day for burgers that night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love to experiment with making a new sauce that is just perfect for the burgers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I do sometimes find myself cooking the same things on a regular basis because I am not “planning ahead”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a stack of recipe books & recipe aps on my iPad but I often just cook the same meals I have been cooking for years. I think that a lot of that comes with making food that I know the kids like & will eat with no fuss. I was watching something on The View the other day (yes, I stopped being busy to have a cup of tea!) & I heard something along the lines of…

 

 

”Humans have a flight or fight response in built. If a child has not tasted a food before they are 3, they automatically will think that it is going to do them harm if they are told to eat it. We as parents need to take back control & tell our kids that it is our responsibility to make the right food choices for them. They have learnt over time that if they complain enough we will eventually give in. We as parents need to take back power & make them try new things”

{I hope I remembered it correctly}

 

 

I am taking back the power to make the food choices for my family. I know that there are certain foods that my kids just don’t like. Georgia does not like pumpkin, she will not eat it because she does not like the taste. The teenager does not like any berries, she doesn’t like the tartness of any form of berry. I won’t make them eat the foods that I know they just don’t like. But I want them to try new foods. A lot of it will still be the same ingredients but just take on a different form. They like steak & veg but will not eat stews or curries. I think it is time they tried. So I am going to start by making a meal plan that includes a couple or regular meals & a few new ones each week.

 

 

Most days I discuss on the blog Facebook page what we are having for dinner that night. So many of you join in & share what you will be serving up that night too. I love that time of the day & I often get a little jealous when I see some of your meals. I want to use those discussions as inspirations for my meal planning & maybe you might too! If you haven’t already, you can follow me on Facebook

HERE

Do you use a meal plan each week?

 

 

If you do, how do you do it?

 

 

Do you all have input or do you take control of the choices?