Meal Prep - breakfasts and lunches all week!
I always feel so accomplished when I meal prep for the week! WINNING!
Each Sunday, my family and I get the ziploc bags and food containers out, then we make breakfasts and lunches for the week.
We make the following (we all go to work and school 5 days a week so we do 5 bags for each person):
1. Bags/containers of fresh vegetables (5 bags for myself, 5 bags for my husband, 5 bags for my daughter)
2. Bags/containers of fresh fruit (again 5 bags for each person in the family)
3. Bag/containers of snacks (again 5 bags for each person)
4. Then, each day we get the main course for our lunch in a bag or container.
**now some veggies and fruits won’t stay fresh all week so sometimes I schedule mid week to do Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday lunch bags.
Then, I hard boil eggs for breakfasts for the entire week. Now my husband and I eat these, my children sometimes do. But most of the time I make overnight oats each night for my children or just in the morning I get my children - instant oatmeal, a bowl of cereal, waffle, and some fruit (that is already chopped and ready to eat!)
One important note about this - I involve the entire family while we make our lunches and breakfasts. This gives my children the opportunity to make choices and it empowers them to be in control of what they eat. Now, sure I provide healthy choices -- "would you like these carrots or cucumbers in your lunch?" Most children are just happy to make the choice and would say, "I want the carrots!" or "I want both, not just one!" But sure there are picky eaters or a child with a true sensory or eating disorder out there, so you may have to change up what choices you provide. But the key is give your child choices. Get your children involved, believe me, once you do, things will get a lot easier for you and your family. Have your children sit at the table/counter while you are chopping up the fruits and vegetables for the week and have your children place the items they want in their lunch boxes and ziploc bags. This is a great chore for them! Then, once they have made their own lunches- let them go play. If you are still busy finishing up the meal prep, take a pause, and get out a special toy your children haven’t play with in awhile. Get that special toy out for them and say, “Mom and dad still have some meal prep to do but here’s your special toy! Enjoy this while we finish up!” This “special toy“ is something my children look forward to and it gives me just enough time to finish up what I need to do to get ready for my week!
Please share any kind of meal prep or ideas that you do to get ready for your week!
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