![]() ![]() ![]() Each week simply download and print my weekly meal planner template. The idea is simple, but the impact is huge. In other words, a kid-friendly weekly meal planner template that could be filled in and structured for both the parent and child’s benefit. She suggested the concept of creating a school menu, but for the home. Then my sister-in-law (the master chef who helped me create amazing recipe posts in the past… see here, here, and here) came up with a brilliant idea as she too would be home working while leading her oldest child through virtual school and simultaneously caring for her toddler. I also knew that when I could take back control, I needed to! Simple Idea/Big Impact I knew that wearing multiple hats on one head would prove to be rather difficult. Trying with all my might to to see the glass half full (after all, 2020 is blessing me with another year of having my babies at home (their childhoods really go WAY too fast)), I also new that things weren’t always going to be rainbows and puppies. For the first time, this mama will be assisting my kindergartner with a 5-day week virtual learning program, while simultaneously homeschooling my preschooler, and still trying to work from home (however, instead of uninterrupted, will full interruptions). Instead, we are experiencing a first we never thought we’d experience. And the first time this work from home mama would have uninterrupted work stretches since entering motherhood. The first time my youngest daughter would attend 3 half-days a week school (specially preschool). The first time my oldest daughter would attend all-day school (specifically kindergarten). My kid-friendly weekly meal planner template (available as a free printable) is exactly what you need!Ģ020 was supposed to a spark a year of first. With that said, why not cut even a fraction of that unpredictability by taking control over even one aspect of your new routine- meal planning. Whether they are partaking in full-time in person, hybrid, virtual, or you have opted to homeschool… the fact of the matter remains… uncertainty and unpredictably can lead to anxiety and increased stress. It also reduces food waste, as you’ll know exactly what’s in your fridge/pantry, so you won’t have to throw out ingredients that are past their best before date or are rotting away at the back of your vegetable drawer.One thing is for certain, 2020 is likely NOT the way you imagined your children to return to school. How many times have you stood staring into the fridge after work, wondering what to serve your family?Ĥ. As mentioned above, despite the fact that it takes a few minutes of time to plan a menu, it’s also a considerable time saver. It improves your family’s nutritional intake as it forces you to be more aware of what you are serving, rather than staring into your fridge or pantry at the end of a long day and grabbing the first thing that will fill the gnawing hole in your belly.ģ. It saves money by reducing impromptu visits to the grocery store, which often results in impulse spending.Ģ. Why Plan a Menu: 20 Benefits of Meal Planningġ. It’s one that kids tend to love, and it can easily turn into a family fun night. Themed Dinner Menu Plan– this menu plan is entirely theme-based. Since you already know what you have on hand in your freezer, fridge, and pantry, you know what items you have to accompany the meals or to create main dishes. Scan through the sales ads of your favorite grocery stores, and jot down several meal ideas based on those specials.I’ve found that this is quite helpful when it comes to trying to figure out what to feed the family. I’ve always been this way with my family and my children are not picky eaters by any stretch of the imagination. For us, I have a 2 choice option on our menu, take it, or leave it. Generally, this list is considerably smaller. I feel it’s imperative to have an idea of what they won’t eat. I know that lots of menu planning articles like to focus on what you will eat or want to eat. Make a list of what your family absolutely WON’T eat.If you have a fully stocked pantry of basic items, congratulations, the battle is nearly won! This serves several purposes: first, you may be surprised at how much food you actually have on hand. (I’m not talking about a physical list, just a general overview so you know what you have available to use). Start by taking an inventory of what you have on hand in your pantry, fridge, and freezer.This type of menu works well for families with very picky eaters. These same meals are eaten over again (hence the “rotating” menu). Generally speaking, a rotating menu consists of 15-20 meals that are within the family’s budget. Rotating Menus– This is the least time-consuming method of menu planning, but also the most boring. ![]()
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