I'm Back ... (first published 1/12/12)

I put this blog on hold for a while so I could get a handle on a few things. The last 2 weeks have gotten back to some sort of normalcy, Yayyyyy! I also started making a meal plan again which has really cut down on my day to day meal stress. I know a lot of people think that making a meal plan is difficult or takes a lot of time or say “well sure you can do that, you don’t work outside the home so you have time for that” In my opinion… the busier your family is the more you need to plan out what you will be feeding your family. Another I hear a lot from my friends and family is “my family is so picky they won’t eat a wide variety of foods” I hope to help with ideas for that too. First we start with figuring out how to build your food plan.

So first you need to get your family on board with wanting a less stressful mealtime. Next sit everyone down together, have a pen and notebook to take notes and ask them what they like to eat? If all you get for answers is Pizza and spaghetti and ice cream do not fear! You can give some suggestions or ask what kinds of flavors they like. Do they like Cheese? Apples? BBQ potato chips? Whatever, it will at least give you some ideas.

Here is the list my family came up with in about 10 minutes…

Tacos
LOADED BAKED POTATO CHOWDER
Smashed Potato Soup
Mexican Lasagna
Chicken Penne Pasta
Chicken Fajitas
Biscuits n Gravy
Chili
Cheese Burgers
Pizza (Home made)
Spaghetti
Burritos
Steak
Meat Loaf
Chicken Cordon Bleu & casserole
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Chicken Alfredo
Breaded Chicken
Roasted Chicken
Spiral Ham
Pork Roast
Beef Roast
Chicken Pot Pie
Sheppard’s Pie
Sloppy Joe’s
Steak Fajita’s
Chicken Teriyaki
BBQ Chicken
Pulled Pork
BBQ Shredded Chicken
Hungarian Goulash
Enchiladas
Oven Fried Chicken
Lasagna
Cheese Steak / Italian Hoagies
Cheese Soup
Pork Chops
Breakfast
Chicken noodle soup
   Sides:
Sweet Potato fries           Baked Beans
Cous Cous                           Hash Brown Casserole
Salad                                     Parmesan Noodles
Roasted Potatoes            Fried Rice

    Yes I am lucky that my family will eat all these things but this was not always the case. I remember well when the girl was between 2-4 she would eat only… Easy mac, yogurt, bread and butter, applesauce & grapes. Yup that’s about it. At first I gave in and obliged her and made separate meals for her. Then about the time I had the boy I said enough is enough. My husband and I talked and came up with a plan we could live with. Our new rule was the girl would be given the same food we were eating. I would make sure there was something on her plate I knew she liked. She did not have to eat something if she truly did not like it. We would encourage her to try things but not force it. If she did not eat all her diner (age appropriate portions are important!) she would not get desert. That’s it… and you know what… It worked! The girl started eating a wider variety of foods. As the boy grew we imparted the same rule and he has a pretty wide variety of foods he will eat. It is funny though… My kids will almost never really love the same foods. 1 will think it’s awesome, the other will think it’s just ok but will eat it. Also they rarely go without a bit of something for desert.

So… here is my first challenge for you… sit down with your family and make a list… Go ahead… I dare you :)