I have just spent the past hour prepping all my meals for this upcoming weak. At this moment, I have okra and chicken soup in the crockpot, a meatloaf prepped and ready to go into the oven tomorrow afternoon, and a pot of pumpkin chili that will be reheated later in the week. My house is smelling real good right now!
Over the past couple of years I have become a huge fan of meal planning and a weekly meal prep time for these reasons:
- It saves our family money because I use all the food we buy.
- It saves me a ton of time because I don’t have to cook during the week.
- It is healthy because by choosing meals ahead of time we are less likely to eat processed foods.
Sometimes, however, the best laid plans end up flying right out the window!
To be honest, I have become completely dependent on meal prepping ahead of time. So much so, if I have not done my prep work, then there is a good chance there will be NO dinner. One afternoon a couple weeks ago, I just simply forgot to make dinner. I had food that I could have made, but the meat was frozen and it required too much prep time. I even had it written down on my handy meal plan pad what I was going to make. The problem was, it was a crock pot meal. You can’t start a crock pot meal at 5 in the evening!!
Along with a scattered brain due to our lives being in upheaval because of the move, our healthy eating pretty much dissolved away also. You want frozen pizza? Sure! You want Chick-fil-a (again)? Sure! You want cereal for dinner? Sure!
Want to know what this ultra-organized-marathon-running-healthy-eating momma served my kiddos the night I forgot to make dinner? Frozen shrimp and baby carrots. Gross. It was so greasy. And who serves carrots with shrimp? I was trying to salvage it, I suppose.
But you know what? My boys thought it was great! They get excited when I throw together some ridiculous meal. They say things like, “Mom, you’re the bestest ever!” Seriously, this is what they think. All the while I’m thinking, “What is my problem? How can I forget to make dinner for my family? I’m such a slacker!” If only we could see ourselves through the eyes of our children.
So yes, meal planning and prepping works for me. I’m thankful to be back at it now because it does help me feel calmer and more organized. But sometimes it is just not realistic. Sometimes, I’m simply thankful that we have food period. My children are fed and cared for. And it is all good!
What is the craziest thing you have thrown together for dinner?
