My #LifeFromScratch is full, busy, and many times, a little crazy. We are a homeschooling family, I run a wellness blog, and of course, I have my duties here as Scratch Mommy’s community manager! Even with so much going on, it’s still very important to me to make healthy meals for my family most days. I want to know that we’re nourishing ourselves – which is not what happens when I resort to convenience foods too often. It’s just not worth it.
The only way I’m able to accomplish getting real food on the table consistently is by having a plan. Meal planning is a must in our house.
If you’re the type to “wing it,” you’re probably a little hesitant to give it a try. Ask me how I know!
But there are so many benefits to meal planning that I can’t recommend anything else.
Healthier Meals
Planning what you’ll eat ahead of time prevents reaching for something unhealthy when you’re hungry. Instead of going through the fast food line when it’s time for lunch or ordering pizza because nothing is in the fridge, you’ll already have a plan for healthier meals that the whole family can enjoy with a bit of prep work.
Save Money
By shopping for groceries and preparing your own meals, you can save hundreds of dollars each month. You’ll be able to avoid the high cost of having someone else make food and can put the money towards your savings or other bills. You can even create a budget and incorporate meals that are under $5 or $10 (or whatever works for you!) to really keep your food expenses under control.
Avoid Stress
It is SO stressful to reach 5 PM without a clue what you’re having for dinner. Especially if you have hungry kids who are getting impatient and… loud. If you have a meal plan in place, you get peace of mind with a daily list of what to eat each day without having to give it a second thought. You’ll be able to enjoy eating and can enjoy the break during the day without it becoming something that you dread.
Save Time
With the time that it takes to sit in fast food lines or drive around town looking to eat, it can easily equate to dozens of hours within a few months. Meal planning saves time and offers extra hours within the week to enjoy downtime with family or put more energy where it matters most.
Meal Planning Done For You
If you simply don’t have time to make a meal plan, or if it’s just not within your strengths, you are going to love Prep Dish. Prep Dish does the meal planning FOR you, right down to the grocery shopping list and organizing food prep.
I’ve had the pleasure of being able to use Prep Dish for the last couple of weeks and I am so impressed with how well everything is laid out for you. You literally get the meal plans delivered straight to your inbox, where you can access them from your phone or print them out. From there, the process couldn’t be more simple:
- Head to the grocery store with your ready-to-go shopping list.
- Spend 2-3 hours on one “Prep Day” each week getting your ingredients ready to go.
- Enjoy delicious meals every day that you only have to “heat and eat!”
Prep Dish offers Paleo and Gluten Free meal plans – I’ve been loving the Paleo recipes, and more importantly: so have my kids! The Smoky Paprika Chicken included in this week’s menu was a real hit.
A bonus? Following these meal plans is kinda like having a personal nutritionist… Prep Dish Founder Allison Stevens is a Registered Dietitian with boatloads of experience as a personal chef creating healthy meals for families. I couldn’t possibly be more comfortable feeding these recipes to my family!
So… if you’re like me and you wish you had extra hours in the day: you’ve got to try Prep Dish. Imagine: no more stress around meals, just a plan that you can easily implement and feel good about.
As a super sweet bonus for Scratch Mommy readers, Prep Dish is offering a crazy-good deal:
a full month of meal plans for only $4!
The price of a cup of coffee for a whole MONTH of stress-free, healthy meals? Kind of a no-brainer, isn’t it? What will YOU do with all your extra time?
Comments 1
I’m looking forward to making the Watermelon, Feta, & Arugula salad. My work schedule changes all the time and having something set up so I can make ahead and just grab it on my way out the door works for me.