It’s that time of year again! Time to get back into a more structured routine as summer winds down and kids go back to school. Some of us thrive off of routine and others of us dread it and wish for carefree weeks year-round like they are in the summertime.

Meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking are some of my least favorite activities, but over the years I have found methods to make them each a little less stressful and much more simple! Let’s dive in!

First, meal planning. What even is meal planning? Meal planning is the process of building your menu for the week. Planning out meals can save you time and money in the grocery store, eliminate stress about what’s for dinner, and help stay on track with your nutrition goals. The list could go on and on about of benefits of planning out meals ahead of time. 

Before I do my grocery shopping for the week I sit down and plan out my breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks for the week on the notes app of my phone. I figure out which meals will provide me with leftovers and I factor in any day(s) that I might have dinner with friends or family. Of course there is room to change things as the week goes on as things come up, but this at least gives me solid foundation for upcoming week. This does take a bit of time, but then I have no stress around meals the rest of the week (plus I only buy what is necessary at the grocery store). Now that I have been doing this for a while though, I can actually do this fairly quickly. I have my staple recipes and dishes and simply rotate through them while adding in at least one new dish each week for some variety.   

Next, grocery shopping. After I have my meals planned for the week I can make my grocery list and buy only what is necessary for the week so that I 1) don’t overbuy and waste food at the end of the week; and 2), so that I stay on track with my nutrition goals. If you know me, you know that grocery shopping is my least favorite chore of them all, so having a list so I can quickly get in and get out of the store is a must for me! (I even organize my list by aisle and how I am going to walk through the store…I know…call me crazy!)

Then its time to prep the meals. I like to pick one or two days that I am going to meal prep for the week. Typically, this is the same day I grocery shop so that it is done and over with. If that doesn’t sound like your jam, you can at least partially prep everything – wash and cut all the veggies, brown the meat, etc. so that you just have to throw things on the stove when you get home at the end of the day.

I do like to prep all of my lunches for the week, portion them out into my glass containers so that in the morning all I have to do is put the container in my lunch box before I head out the door. If you are not able to prep all of your lunches ahead of time, my suggestion to you is to prep enough for your dinners so that you have enough leftovers for lunch next day. You can still throw leftovers into your container as you clean up from dinner so that you can grab and go in the morning. For a while I would prep one dish for lunch for the week, but I got super bored with what I was eating and needed more variety.

Mornings are particularly stressful for me as I always feel like I am rushing to get out the door no matter how early I wake up. I typically have my breakfast on the go or at least my breakfast is quick to prep in the morning. Some of my favorites to prep ahead of time are egg bites, overnight oats, protein muffins, and avocado toast (see my favorite way to make avocado toast below). These are all things I can grab and go! If time allows, I like to make a smoothie to go with some almond milk, avocado (makes it so smooth and creamy), protein powder, and my choice of frozen fruit for the morning (usually mixed berries).

Make this a family affair! Kids can get in on all the fun too. If they help prepare a meal, they are much more likely to eat it. This could be a great time for kiddos to learn some simple kitchen skills and how to follow directions with a recipe. It’s also a great time to bond with your kids. So many fun memories are made in the kitchen. They can even help to give ideas for meal and snack options for the week. Kiddos don’t know what a balance diet is and they rely on their parents and/or caretakers to teach them what this means. Choose to lead by example!

Try some of these tips for the next month and see how it starts to simplify some things that are stressful right now. Change and developing new habits can be difficult. Start off just by planning one meal for the first couple weeks - breakfast, lunch or dinner. Then once you start mastering your new routine you can add in other mealtimes and snacks. You’ll be a meal prepping pro in no time!

The BEST avocado toast - (Basic, I know…but once you try it you’ll be craving it) I prefer to only eat this on whole grain / whole wheat toast, otherwise it just isn’t the same! Mash half or one whole avocado on to the toast with a little butter + Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, a little sprinkle of seasoned salt, and the most important part…a little wedge of lemon for fresh squeezed lemon juice. YUM! It’s so simple, but so delicious!