To Plan or Not To Plan…This Is The Question

By Sandi Richard

As I travel the country and talk about the importance of meal planning, I often get that dazed look from a parent. “Please. . . not one more thing to do.” I used to feel that way myself—until I realized that meal planning was only ever done one way: the chief cook, grocery shopper, ME, would now have to spend TIME. Yikes, I’d have to figure out all the meals for the week, THEN I’d have to go to the grocery store.

Occasionally, when I would make a plan, my week seemed smoother than normal and I felt healthier. But the problem was that I would have to do it over and over and over again, week after week, month after month!!!!! WHY ME, how did I get this job? Why can’t someone else just tell me what to have for dinner? This is when I would don my favorite martyr suit and wear it with pride. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard that same phrase from other parents: “If only someone could just tell me what to make for dinner.”

What if I were to tell you that the thing standing in the way of my meal planning so many years ago was ME? Now, what if I were to tell you that by posting a piece of paper on the fridge and getting your family to choose the meals, your meal planning problems will be over forever??? What if I were to tell you that you only have to make each plan once (as long as you put it in a plastic sheet protector) and you will never have to re-do that meal plan again?

What if I were to tell you that you are about to save a ton of money, that your children will feel better about themselves and you too will feel better about yourself and that your eating life will get easier, not more complicated? Aaaaand while your life is getting easier, the relationships within the home will begin to improve?

“You can climb over the laundry heap, but you can’t ignore dinner!”

The Meal Planning Challenge

I challenge you to try meal planning my way. You’re going to flip out!

Tools required to meal plan with favorite cookbooks and filed recipes.

• 1-duo tang
• Plastic sheet protector
• A fridge magnet
• A pen
• Lined paper

STEP ONE

Photocopy several copies of the blank grocery list (see page 166 of Fixing Dinner) or Print blanks for free, at www.cookingfortherushed.com or hand write the same thing on a blank sheet of paper.

STEP TWO

Hang one of the blank sheets on the fridge with a magnet. Ask your family during the week to suggest meals they would like to have the following week. As they give you their suggestions, write them neatly into the blanks on the top left corner of the page. (Refer to where the recipe can be found i.e. which book and the page number or the recipe file, etc.)

IMPORTANT: SHARE YOUR INFORMATION! If the recipe is in your head—get it on paper. This is why I have lined paper as a part of your tool kit. Even if the meal is hot dogs, fries and salad, you will need to get it on paper so that a family member can participate in getting ingredients and equipment out whether they are doing the cooking or not. Once on paper, place it in a plastic page protector and place it in your menu duo tang.

As each of the meals are filled in, the person who usually shops and plans will need to make sure the week isn’t filled with junk food or the same goods such as chicken and pasta, chicken and pasta (like my kids would do). The week needs to have variety to make it nutritionally balanced. If you have small children, they will likely want to choose a meal that you may see as junk food. You have to make it clear to them that only one junk food type meal is allowed per week. The kids can take turns to choose this meal. For example, if John asks for hot dogs and fries, you’ll need to ask him what vegetable he would like included with his selection. When Kate insists that she wants to pick the junk food meal, tell her she gets to pick it out next week. You’ll be amazed how many healthful recipes you have that she’ll love and happily choose. All families have healthful recipes they love. It’s important that all family members eat the meal that was chosen—no dual dinners allowed!

STEP THREE

Now that you have the names of five meals written on the blanks at the top of the grocery list, reference the recipe book they belong to and the page number.

STEP FOUR

List all of the groceries in the appropriate categories, such as dairy, produce, meat, etc. Don’t just list the ingredients you don’t have in the house, but all of the ingredients called for in the recipes.

STEP FIVE

Now take your list, and look through your pantry, fridge, and freezer, to see what you don’t have from the list you’ve made. Write those items down on a blank sheet of paper.

STEP SIX

Take the blank sheet you have written on with you to do your groceries and put your original list in a plastic sheet protector in your menu duo tang. If you want to serve this week of meals again, your complete grocery list is already done. It also serves as a great stress-buster on your really crazy weeks.

STEP SEVEN

The final step each day is to take a look at what your activities will be the following evening. Choose a meal based on the amount of time you will have. Take meat out to defrost if necessary. Most importantly, share your information! Let your family members know what you’re having. Leave the recipe out on the kitchen counter. Ask someone in the family to take out the equipment and the groceries (except those that need to stay in the fridge) after school or work to help speed up the meal making process for when the cook gets home. If you have older children, you may be surprised to see they start making the meal themselves.

Believe me, the dynamics of your family will change around dinner and stress levels will go down!

Excerpted from Cooking for the Rushed: The Healthy Family, Sandi Richard,

 

• Rauni | October 3, 2007 at 12:37 pm - §

  I'm going to try this, I sure hope it works!!

• Cassandra | October 10, 2007 at 8:43 pm - §

  I have been using Sandi's meal planning for a while and when I get off track with the meal planning I become unglued and unmotivated. Thanks Sandi

• Karen | October 27, 2007 at 4:20 am - §

  Hi Sandi, I have two children 3yr old son and 4yr old daughter. I usually take my children to the supermarker with me, so they can make there selections on healthy foods to take to preschool. However, my children do not ever end up making a good nutritious choice, they call an apple eew, or boring. Comparied to a bag of chips or vanilla pudding. I want to give my children the best nutritious choices, however it is making it impossible and upsetting to me. How can I substitute a bag of chips or wagon wheel to a baggie of vegetables or fruit with dip. Please help. thank you..

• Yolibeth | November 5, 2007 at 10:03 am - §

  Hi Sandi, I have three children 6yr old, 13yr old and 16yr old boys. I usually take my children to the practices (soccer, football, lacrosse - depend on the season) and this is just after I get home from work. This does not give me enough time to prepare healthy food for dinner. So usually we end up eating out in between practices or games. However, my children usually ask for home made food but I am so tired of driving and work that I go for spaghettis of whatever I can get done in lest of 30 minutes. I want to give my children the best nutritious choices; however it is very difficult to me. How can I plan meals if I do not have the time to cook in between their sport or school activities? Please help and thank you.

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