How to Meal Plan for Busy Working Mums
Hello Busy Mums,
I hope you're keeping well.
This article has been in the making since January. It kept getting kicked down my "To Do" list, plus I'm always a bit slower in January than any other month in the year!
Now that I’m all here, lets craic on! Meal times (help!), What to feed the troops? Am I feeding them nutritious food? New ideas please!... these are all the questions I get asked and I'm here to answer them all in this newsletter. So lets dive in....👇
➡️Juggling work, family and personal time is full on… throw in a 7-day menu consisting of breakfast, SNACK, lunch, SNACK, dinner, SNACK for the troops, it can be a smidge overwhelming to say the least!
👏As a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach working with busy working Mums I understand how hectic life can be. You want to ensure you and your family are enjoying healthy, balanced meals that tick the following boxes:
✅Time savers
✅Variety
✅Nutritious
✅Tasty
I have good news for you! With a little strategic meal planning you can save time, reduce stress and provide healthy nutritious food without spending hours in the kitchen and most importantly keeping your sanity intact.
Let’s dive into my TOP 3 Tips that can turn “Mental Mealtime Mummy” into “Mellow Meal Time Mummy!”.
Tip 1: Start with a simple meal planning routine.
Don’t overcomplicate it. Meal planning is NOT about Instagrammble picture perfect plates of food. So try the following ..…
➡️Pick a planning day – set aside 20 minutes each week (mine is Sunday) where I plan what the week ahead will look like in terms of sports, matches, after school activities, meetings and then I formulate a “rough” plan of meals.
➡️Include a family favourite – I always have a dish that I know is a winner – chicken and prawn curry with garlic naan is the crowd pleaser at the moment so that’s Monday and Tuesdays dinner sorted.
➡️Plan around your schedule – Choose quick easy meals (pesto pasta with chicken, chorizo and parmesan) and for busy nights and more elaborate meals (lasagne) for when you have extra time.
Tip 2: Master quick, Nutritious recipes and repeat
Busy schedules call for fast yet nutritious meals. Focus on meals that…
👉Take less than 30 minutes or less to prepare (Sarah Butler and Donal Skehan do great easy to follow family cookbooks)
👉That require minimal ingredients
👉Allow for one-pot cooking to minimize clean-up
Tip 3: Build a flexible Grocery List and essential store cupboard staples
An organised shopping list saves time, removes brain fatigue and overwhelm and keeps you on track in terms of providing nutritious meals for the family.
✅Shop by category – list your ingredients by sections of the supermarket (dairy, fruit & veg, meats, tins and jars). This makes the process so much easier and saves time
✅Include time savers on your list – frozen veg, boiled rice in the bag, tins of chickpeas, black beans that can be added to meals, seeds and nuts, chicken already chopped, ready to eat prawns.
✅Invest in store cupboard essentials – a MUST in my opinion as they can really elevate any dish from “Ok” to “Delicious”. Stock up your dried herbs (smoked paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, turmeric, curry powder).
💪Remember the best meals are the ones that work for YOU and your family.
💥Need More Tips on personalized meal plans and eating healthy for you and your family? Let’s Chat. I’m here to help you create achievable habits that work for you.
To book in a day and time that suits you to discuss your Health, Click on the Contact Button on this page and book in a time that suits you.
Until next Newsletter where I will be sharing my top tips on "Snacking" and how to Snack smarter to support your energy without the sugar crashes - perfect for lunchboxes and your handbag!!
Much Love
Susan
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