Do you get into the routine of feeding your kiddos the same meal over, and over, again because you have too much going on? Sometimes working parents don’t have the time or energy to get home from work and prepare a luxurious meal, which is totally understandable. But, what if I could help with all of this with an easy fix of making effortless dinners for the weekdays?!
Growing up in a household, where my mom cooked 3 meals a day for our family, I will say I was blessed with the best! I learned how to cook many dishes from breakfast, snacks, lunches and dinners. Although, at the time I didn’t enjoy the process of cooking in my youth, but now that I have my own family, I’ve learned how important healthy and filling meals can be for our well-being.
Not only do hearty meals impact your overall nutrition, they affect your mood for the day much more than you might think. I was told that food is a natural endorphin for us.
Our bodies don’t overly enjoy microwavable food, or the same pasta dish for the 2nd week in a row. I know for a fact that you don’t enjoy it either, so let’s bring some energy back to the dinner table and bring the family together for a nice meal at least a few times a week! babysteps...
Whether you have a huge background in cooking or not, it doesn’t matter. All I ask for is one day of prep work, preferably Saturdays or Sundays.
The First Few Steps of Family Meal Prepping:
I’m new to this style of cooking as of a couple of months ago, but I never want to go back. I work so much that I’m so tired by the time I get home that all I want to do is order a pizza. Your kiddos need some nutrition in their bellies and so do we!
1. Pick a Day:
I try to meal prep on Saturday or Sunday, depending on what I have going on. These are the days I have the most time to take it easy and cook in a somewhat relaxed state without much to do on my schedule.
2. Pick a Time to Sart:
This is crucial, especially if you’re not an award winning chef, to start early in the morning. I’m not suggesting the crack of dawn but somewhere around 9-10AM or when your kids are busy doing something that won't require your attention.
3. Write Your Meals Out & Pick Up Ingredients:
You can do this the day before if you have the time or have the ingredients sent to you via a grocery store delivery. Write out your meals so you can keep a clear vision of what you will be making. As basic as that sounds, it can get a little hectic once you start.. trust me on this one.
Now that you have those 3 steps down, here are THREE recipes to start with that your family will love!
These are some amazingly healthy and easy meals that your kiddos can eat for dinner and even take as lunches at school, so it saves you the time to make another meal!
These are some of my favorite foods that are my own household faves! Recipes are linked when clicking the name the dish.
I love to add diced veggies in mine such as green peppers and onions! Yum
This is a delicious Gluten Free dish. I add red peppers to this dish. It's so delicious for rainy days.
Chicken Thigh Casserole
Probably my all time favorites. An affordable and no stress meal that your family will rave about!
Try these at home and see what you think! Please leave a comment below on what you'd like to read more of!