Meal Planning and Prep
Tips & Tricks
When I got married 10 years ago, I had just finished my undergraduate degree at Ohio University, and I had 2 months of enjoying marriage before I began graduate school full time. During those two months, I developed a pretty strong desire to prepare delicious dinners for my husband and I to enjoy upon him returning home from work. And no, I was not brainwashed to be June Cleaver. I liked discovering new recipes and I like to eat, making my new husband’s stomach happy was a bonus!
Then graduate school started and we simultaneously began an aggressive plan to get out of debt. I was commuting to classes, studying, maintaining my new marriage relationship, and trying to cut our grocery bill significantly. I obviously didn’t have as much time on my hands, but we still needed to eat and save money. I discovered a smaller grocery store (Hey Aldi Nerds!) and began actively looking through Pinterest for healthy, cheap, quick meals.
Fast forward 10 years and I’m still trying to maintain a budget, feed my husband and 2 kids, and make healthy/quick/easy meals. Occasionally, I pretend I’m a chef in a fancy restaurant, but most nights it’s pretty basic. My husband can YouTube any home repair and learn how to fix it… I guess I’m the same with food, except I scour Pinterest and follow food bloggers. I look up recipes, adjust to our family preferences, and slowly add new gadgets to make cooking fun and easy (I’m still terrified of my InstantPot!).
Here are some tips and tricks I've learned along the way:
Have some basic tools on hand:
A cutting board, a sharp knife, some glass bakeware, cookie sheets, some good pots and pans, some strainers, a veggie steamer that sits in a pot, A GARLIC PRESS!!, a splatter screen for when you put things in hot oil - this will save you lots of clean up, ohhh and a veggie chopper - allows you to chop onions without crying and may or may not help you take out the days anger on an onion (I have to laugh - we lived with a family when we were first married, in their mother-in-law suite… they always knew when I was chopping onions!) Having the tools you will need makes it much less stressful and daunting.
Read new recipes a day ahead of time!!
I’ve been burnt many times before because it’s 5:30 and I have to marinade something for 3 hours or let something chill for 1 hour. It helps me to be prepared for what's coming… I like to know my expectations.
Prep items before you get things on the stove.
I like to have all my items cut, diced, chopped, cans opened, liquids measured, etc. That way something isn’t burning on the stove while I’m washing and cutting something else. And maybe if you’re just getting started, utilize the already chopped/diced produce at the grocery store.
Meal plan a week at a time.
This is the time frame that works for me. Going to the grocery store (I go to 2 usually) with two tiny humans feels like the Olympics some days. A week at a time allows our fruits and veggies to remain fresh. I usually go shopping on a Saturday morning or Monday morning, so if I’m making a meal later in the week, I might wait and grab my meat fresh the day of.
Make a grocery list.
I make my list based on what I plan to make that week. I try to remain knowledgeable about what fruits/veggies are in season so I’m not increasing my budget unnecessarily. I am trying to get better about looking at apps for stores to see what items are on sale that week.
Shop your pantry and freezer as you plan meals.
Some weeks I have leftover items from a previous meal and can use those to make a totally different dish the following week.
Use Pinterest!!
You can search low carb, no sugar recipes, quick and easy meals, low budget meals, etc. You can follow certain bloggers who make a style of food you enjoy.
Get your kids involved.
My daughter is 4 and she likes to be a big helper. I can usually have her go to the pantry or fridge while we’re prepping to gather what we need.
Make meals that have leftovers or double the batch and freeze a meal for the following week
Always label the container with a sticky note, the item/how many servings, and the date so you don’t leave it in there for too long and have to second guess if it’s still good.
If you want more tips or menus - head over to “Live Healthy Wellness” on Facebook. We are a welcoming community of people trying to support each other in making good decisions to live well. Most Mondays we share recipes and menus for the upcoming week. Menu planning and meal prepping doesn’t have to be terrible or difficult. I genuinely hope to help you find the joy in cooking … or at least make meal prepping tolerable for you!
Stay Well!
MEET THE AUTHOR
Ashley Fornshell is a woman on a whole-body wellness mission. Mind. Body. Soul. The focus of her journey has been on using her faith in Christ to cultivate a positive self-worth mindset and overcome food addiction. She and her husband do life in Southwest Ohio with their two kiddos. She spends her days navigating motherhood, ministering to other moms, writing, and encouraging others on their wellness journey.