I will warn you, this a long one…but a good one.
A few weeks ago, I read an article a friend linked to on her Facebook feed. The article called attention to a new North Carolina University study showing that there is an enormous amount of stress that goes into planning the “family meal” every night. And, unfortunately, most of this falls on moms. Whether the family expects a delicious, inventive, warm meal every night or your internal struggle to “be a good mom” by spending hours in the kitchen, the stress is real.
According to the article, “those “expectations,” the researchers say, come from the celebrity chefs, food critics and public health officials who tout the message that home-cooked meals made from scratch could help mitigate nutrition-linked health issues like heart disease and diabetes. There is also a widespread belief among the women that if you want to be a good mom in a good family with good kids, you cook.”
I found this article so intriguing, and I completely understand how this could be adding a ton of stress to already over-worked moms (and dads). I think you could easily add food bloggers and Pinterest to the list of outside influences that add meal stress on home cooks.
I love meal planning and taking the time to cook for my family, and honestly, myself. However, most mothers (or fathers) don’t have the time to devote to pouring through cookbooks and Pinterest as much as I do (hey, I have a food blog!). I bet most parents would love to be able to serve up a hot, nutrition-packed meal every night, but the planning that goes with that can be overwhelming.
I am here to help.
Starting today, every other Thursday (and maybe every Thursday, at some point), I will provide you with a 7-day meal plan.
But first, I want to share my tried and true tricks to low-stress “family meal” planning. As some of you know, I am on a health kick these days. Some of the recipes here reflect that, and some are just plain good. If you are doing something quick for the kids, it doesn’t need to be gourmet. However, you can definitely make thoughtful, stress-free choices to make those meals just a bit better.
1. Grocery shop over the weekend. No one wants to go to the grocery store after work with a cranky kid. Find the best time to go over the weekend that allows you to take your time and make those thoughtful choices.
2. Don’t try to batch cook. I know. This is SO helpful to so many people, but it doesn’t work for me. If you are like me, you don’t want to sit in the kitchen cooking for 2-3 hours on the one full day you don’t have soccer, or birthday parties, or other commitments. I hope the rest of the these tricks afford you the ability to keep your weekends somewhat free!
3. Schedule in a day to go out to eat or eat leftovers. Done.
4. Bring back a theme night. Think Taco Tuesdays, Pizza Fridays, Mexican Mondays…you get my drift. I swear these were huge in the 80s, and I have no idea where they went. This is a parent’s dream. There are only two requirements here: 1) make sure this is something most of the family members love and won’t get sick of, and 2) choose something that you can create multiple varieties of, again, so no one gets bored. Also, the theme you choose isn’t written on a stone tablet. You can always change it up. The key here is less stress for you…and whining kids is very stressful. Lets try to avoid that.
5. Make nice with the slow cooker. Every week, you should plan on at least one crock pot meal. You may be thinking that crock pot meals can be a bit flavorless and blah, but I will help you find the good ones. Stick with me. The slow cooker can change your life.
6. Buy a rotisserie chicken. These little gems are in almost every grocery store these days. Rotisserie chickens are great for salads, enchiladas, pasta dishes, soups, tacos, and even alone with a few good sides. Having one in the fridge will cut your cook time in half.
7. Plan on one one-pot meal. By this, I mean a hearty salad, one big bowl of pasta, a pizza…anything that is easy to prepare and even easier to clean up.
8. Use the pre-marinated meats at your grocer. These can be a life saver, and they are super delicious.
9. And, finally, always have a back up plan. If you are running home after baseball practice and you are trying to fill your family’s tummy before your Junior League meeting, you don’t have time to cook. Keep some back ups in the freezer. I am talking chicken nuggets, frozen meatballs, sweet potato fries, a pizza (gasp!)…and don’t be ashamed or stressed. Your kids need dinner, and you are busy. It’s life. You are still a good mom…trust me.
Okay, whew. After that list, I bet you are ready for this week’s menu. Here you go.
Sunday: Grilled chicken breasts (pre-marinated) with roasted brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes.
Monday: Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Mondays are rough. Do yourself a favor and make Mondays your regular slow cooker night.
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday. Lets go with pork carnitas this time, since we had beef on Monday. You can follow this easy recipe (another slow cooker recipe…score!) or you may even be able to find the pork pre-marinated. Keep shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, and avocados in your kitchen for these nights.
You could easily do ground beef tacos every week, if your family won’t complain. Again, complaining is annoying and stressful.
Wednesday: Chicken Stir Fry…with your rotisserie chicken. Here are come great recipes for stir fry sauces, and since the chicken is already cooked, the vegetables and rice are the only thing you need to worry about. Coarsely chop any vegetable you like (we like onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, snap peas, and zucchini) and saute in a few tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil until they begin to soften. Throw your chicken and sauce in the pan, let it all heat up, and you are done. Oh, well, you may want rice. I recommend Bastami rice, but, honestly, you can use minute rice.
Thursday: Baked Shrimp Scampi. This recipe is always a crowd pleaser, and it is super quick. Serve it with brown rice and some simple and flavorful green beans, and you are done.
Friday: One-pot Pasta Primavera. This recipe is amazing. And, if you feel the need for some protein, you can easily add rotisserie chicken or some cooked Italian sausage to this guy.
Saturday: Your night to go out or eat on the lovely leftovers from the week…if you didn’t take them in your lunch to work.
And, there you go! Not so bad, right? I would love to hear any feedback on my meal planning methods! For more great recipes, visit my Pinterest Recipe page.
This is great! Always looking for new ideas in my menu planning. Keep them coming!