Let’s be honest… if you don’t live alone, you shouldn’t be dealing with meal time on your own! BUT, there are 4 simple steps to meal time success that need to be completed to knock it out of the park each day!
I, 100%, rely on the help of my husband Joe during meal time… & when the kids get older, they will have their parts as well. Why? It’s an important part of family meal dynamics & eating.
And spoiler alert, eating meals at home doesn’t have to be difficult whether you live with a family, your friends, your SO, or alone! It doesn’t have to be stressful either… but you do have to put some thought behind it so you don’t waste time, money, & energy!
Need a place to start➡️ here are the FOUR steps to meal time success that you need to put into effect each week:
Planning
What can you do for dinner each night based on your family’s schedule or your schedule? Do you need a quick meal on any specific night? How about leftovers? What time do you have to dedicate for meals each week? Do you need to dine out or rely on fast food? Looking at your schedule ahead of time is KEY for EACH week to know what is actually feasible… so make sure to revisit these questions weekly so that you don’t plan for a meal that will take you 30 minutes to make on a night you have a late work meeting.
Shopping
What day works best to either shop, pick up groceries, or get them delivered? Pick that day & then stick with it each week! It’s best to do this a day or two after planning to allow yourself time to make a list!
Prepping
When can you chop some stuff? Cook some proteins? Get stuff ready for the week? If doing some things right when you get home from the grocery store works, I’d always recommend that before putting anything away. Maybe the weekend is better… or maybe later in the evening? Either way, find a time for YOU that works & commit to it.
Cooking
What nights can you cook? When do you need leftovers? Who can help cook? It is important to know ahead of time which days you can actually cook & prepare & which days need to be days to reheat, dine out, or rely on quick meals from the pantry, fridge, or freezer.
So, time to get real, which of the 4 steps do you struggle with most each week?
Is there anyone in your family & household that can help you at each stage? If you live alone, how can you prioritize certain things to set yourself up for success? Can you delegate outside help? How can you improve moving forward? Reflect on these questions to make a better plan for next week!
If new meal ideas are something you struggle with, you’d be a perfect candidate for my new monthly nutrition membership, The Inside Scoop. This exclusive program has officially launched, and in addition to a monthly masterclass and a monthly Q&A session, you’ll get a recipe bundle delivered to your inbox each month. Now that’s recipe inspo! Better yet, this program is available to you at only $15/month, so grab your seat today!
