Family Meal Planning Myths and Benefits
Feeding a family is a completely different ball game compared to when it was just you and your partner. As time passes, you may notice you can’t wing it anymore.
But maybe what you’ve seen about meal planning seems way too confining or complicated.
Today, I’m here to clear up some misunderstandings about meal planning and tell you how it can make your life so much easier! You don’t have to be a good cook or even a good planner to reap the benefits of meal planning.
Meal Plan Myth-Busting
Here are some common misperceptions about meal planning that I see online and in my work with clients…
You don’t have to schedule your meals for specific days.
It can feel confining to schedule dinners on a day-of-the-week whiteboard (ex: Monday - chili, Tuesday - Cobb salad, Wednesday - Salmon). Instead, you can list a few meals for the week without deciding which specific day you’ll eat them. Get the ingredients for this week’s meals and then choose from the list in the moment.
Just because you meal plan doesn’t mean you must “meal prep.”
Meal planning is simply deciding what to eat. Don’t get this confused with spending your entire Sunday chopping and measuring ingredients.
Meal planning doesn’t have to include recipes that you cook.
You can still meal plan if you don’t consider yourself a cook. You’ll still reap the benefits of meal planning if you’re making “pop in the oven” meals like frozen pizza or chicken tenders. Have a plan to make perfectly ordinary meals.
You don’t need buckets of motivation & time to meal plan.
You don’t have to flip through cookbooks or scroll through food blogs every week to meal plan. When you have a system in place, all you need to do on Sunday is choose from a list.
Meal planning isn’t owned by the diet industry.
Many of my clients stopped meal planning when they stopped dieting. They didn’t find it necessary to plan when their food options expanded. However, they discovered that they miss the stability and structure of knowing what’s for dinner. It’s freeing when you realize it’s not black-and-white…you can have the structure of planning (meals you actually like) without the restriction of a diet!
Benefits of Meal Planning
The benefits listed below are related to having a SYSTEM of meal planning. This means not starting with a blank page each week and brainstorming meals every Sunday, but having a meal library, rotating list, or IN Balance Menu of familiar meals to reference each week.
Saves Time
Choosing from a list is faster than brainstorming and browsing for recipes.
Knowing which meals you’ll be making this week allows you to do meal prep ahead of time (if you want).
Makes Grocery Shopping More Efficient
You don’t need to aimlessly browse the aisles in person for meal ideas.
Creating a grocery list is fast and easy once you know the meals you’ll be preparing.
You can create standardized or template grocery lists that coordinate with your meal plan.
Saves Money
Buy only what you need for the meals planned.
Take advantage of sales on items you know you’ll use because they’re in your rotation.
You’re less likely to order carryout or dine out when you have a plan.
Decreases Stress
Reduces day-of-dinner decisions.
Post the week’s menu so everyone in the family knows what to expect.
Cooking familiar meals is easier than following a new recipe.
Supports Kids’ Growing Development
It can take 8-15 exposures of a food before a kid will eat it. Rotating through meals every 4-6 weeks gives young eaters plenty of opportunities.
Having a system that includes 1-2 meals per week that your older child can prepare increases autonomy and cooking skills
Allows You To Be Intentional
Having a system ensures that you include everyone’s favorite meals regularly.
You’re more likely to sit to eat together as a family (instead of Fend For Yourself nights when everyone does their own thing).
Let me help you meal plan!
I can help you create a system for meal planning that you’ll use every week for months and years to come. Together we can create a menu like the one pictured below. We’ll be intentional about meeting your priorities for dinner, and you’ll reap the benefits of meal planning—save money, time, and your sanity!
Check out the Menu Creation Program for more details!
