One Simply System Can Calm the Chaos
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Coming Soon!
Highlights:
When you understand your need for this simple tool — a weekly meal plan — it will make a huge difference in how your days go!
Being a keeper at home encompasses keeping meals on the table. And none of us get to escape it, do we?
Menu planning moved to the top of my “momma’s systems for survival” after several of my coaching clients shared their frustration with meals — and how not having a good plan affected their day and their efficiency.
We all need to eat. It’s one of the necessary tasks and events in daily life — so the easier we make it, the smoother our days will go.
We only need to tame the meal dragon and we can do better!
Stop meal prep from being an interruption to your day by having a plan.
Having a plan will give you a peace of mind and keep you from being interrupted to get dinner on the table!
When you put simple systems in place, you can make a world of difference about how you feel about your day!
Download the Meal Plan our family has used for years!
Get My Meal Plan google doc (editable) here.
Get a pretty pdf printable here.
Time to Think:
Steps to Create Your Meal Plan:
- Start is gathering a list of your family’s favorite meals.
- On Saturday or Sunday, take time to plan your meals out for the rest of the week. You can base it on what type of foods are in season, what’s on sale, and If you’re busy, adjust the plan for leftover days or an eat out day if you can afford eating out.
- If you don’t need or want to eat out – just make double or triple portions of a meal earlier in the week. So when you’re cooking, you’re already cutting and prepping. You mix up two or three batches and put one casserole dish or one pot in the fridge for later in the week and leftover day.
- For your easy days, make easy meals. On days where you’re home make a warm filling comfortable meal. If it’s summer, make a delicious salad.
Assign chefs & clean-up crew:
- Who’s going to make the dinner? Choose your chef(s).
- Take a look at everyone’s schedule.
- Figure out who’s home or busy for the day.
- What’s the family activity or outing on what day?
- Then assign chefs and clean up crew.
A quick recap of the advantages of meal planning:
- You’ll know what you’ll need for meals – if there’s frozen burger you need to thaw – or if you need carrots you can add them to your pick-up order.
- You have a plan for the week – and you’re not caught off guard.
- And, if you make a double batch, freeze one of the meals and you’ll be ready for a busy day in a few weeks.
Words to Remember:
- “So aside from meals and home management – Titus 2 reminds us how important loving our kids is. And I don’t believe love only is a hug and a feeling. It’s love in action and that goes so far as preparing them to leave – to be confident and capable adults.
So really think about this part of parenting – you won’t even realize what you’re imparting to your children when you teach them these skills and then give them the opportunity to experiment with the lessons they’re learning. You’re going to see the fruit later on – but you have to be really patient.” - “We might as well add a dash of this and a handful of that to spice up our meals and let our kids be creative. Let them choose to make a meal or add some spices or try new ideas to put on our tables this week.
Help them to see how food is a gift from God and we can have fun with it. It’s not a necessary evil.” - “Meal planning really lightens the load. It takes one thing out of your already spinning head — it’s written down – so you don’t have to think about it. And you can move onto the other stuff of life – those things that are even more important!”
Bible Verses:
Exodus 16:12 “I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ “
And when Kind Solomon discusses the joys and hardships of humanity, he writes this in
- Ecclesiastes 9:
7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. - 1 Corinthians 14:40 – “Do all things decently and in order.”
- Proverbs 3:27 – “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.“
- Philippians 2:3-11: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
- Colossians 3:1-2: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
- Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
- Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
- 1 Corinthians 16:14: “Do everything in love.”
Resources:
My Meal Plan (editable) doc here.
Pretty Meal Plan printable here.
My “Think – Pray – Plan – Do Planner” —> Now on Amazon!
Think – Pray – Plan – Do Planners (with personal planning and review pages) ⤵️
- 12-Month Colorful Themed Pages
- 6-Month / January – June
- 6-Month / July – December
Think – Pray – Plan – Do Journal Coming Soon to Amazon!
Download the Think – Pray – Plan – Do pdf here.
- Think about all you heard today. The thoughts and questions and dreams and ideals you have.
- Pray about those to determine what’s most important and valuable.
- Make a Plan to implement those beliefs and values. Write them on a white board or get them printed on a wall hanging. The most important thing is to put them in front of you so you won’t forget them. So you can implement them daily and discuss them over dinner or when you need to discipline a child. Or make decisions with your husband.
- Do! Live them out. Make them your reality. And then watch as your family life transforms as you and your family gain the morale and confidence and trust in God’s plan for your family!
Download your meal plan and give it a shot!
Then let us know how it made your week run more smoothly … and … if you have other ideas that work for you when it comes to all things meal-related, I’d love to hear about it!
Shoot me an email at terry@livingabovethenoise.com or share it on social media.
Message me or leave a comment on one of my posts on meal planning so everybody can share in your experience!
Thanks so much for listening in!
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